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Rugby Leagues long history of racial diversity


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we can go back to at least 1912 and find a black player in northern union with Lucius banks signing for hunslet . strangely enough he came from the USA  were he was with the cavalry department at west point  military academy and was a quarter back in the American football team.

I have the programme from the game he made his debut for hunslet scoring 2 tries 

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I don’t think rugby union in England was lacking in diversity due to racism. I think it was lacking due to it being a public school sport, with such schools having long been the domain of middle class whites. Blacks (such as Victor Ubogu) who could afford to go to such schools have played for England. It’s a game for toffs of any persuasion.

Immigrants populating working class areas meant a working class sport in Rugby league was accessible, hence more diversity.

Now, South Africa on the other hand is a different matter where rugger was the sporting wing of apartheid, while football was played by black South Africans. Mandela’s gesture at the RWC was truly incredible.

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45 minutes ago, paul hicks said:

we can go back to at least 1912 and find a black player in northern union with Lucius banks signing for hunslet . strangely enough he came from the USA  were he was with the cavalry department at west point  military academy and was a quarter back in the American football team.

I have the programme from the game he made his debut for hunslet scoring 2 tries 

I assume that was a black American football team. US sports were segregated until the 1950s. That chubby chap Ruth who played Rounders only played against white folk. No doubt there were some black (or non white) folk who could swing a bat and run around 4 bases better than some/most of the players in the all white league, thus making that all white league a weaker product. It’s strange to look fondly on such an era as many yanks do. Any black that does (and I’m sure there are some that do), even more bizarre.

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1 hour ago, DC77 said:

I assume that was a black American football team. US sports were segregated until the 1950s. That chubby chap Ruth who played Rounders only played against white folk. No doubt there were some black (or non white) folk who could swing a bat and run around 4 bases better than some/most of the players in the all white league, thus making that all white league a weaker product. It’s strange to look fondly on such an era as many yanks do. Any black that does (and I’m sure there are some that do), even more bizarre.

all I know is what I saw in the programme that made those observations at the time . I do wonder though that perhaps in a pretty enclosed environment like west point if indeed there could have been a bit of integration within the place he was after all only 23 when he joined hunslet so it could be his playing was all at west point 

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1 hour ago, DC77 said:

I don’t think rugby union in England was lacking in diversity due to racism. I think it was lacking due to it being a public school sport, with such schools having long been the domain of middle class whites. Blacks (such as Victor Ubogu) who could afford to go to such schools have played for England. It’s a game for toffs of any persuasion.

Immigrants populating working class areas meant a working class sport in Rugby league was accessible, hence more diversity.

Now, South Africa on the other hand is a different matter where rugger was the sporting wing of apartheid, while football was played by black South Africans. Mandela’s gesture at the RWC was truly incredible.

Welsh Rugby Union was definitely bad for it, several great Welsh RL converts will attest to that. 

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  • 2 weeks later...

Since the new Wembley Stadium opened the FA Cup final has never had a capacity attendance. That is how difficult it is to fill these days. 

 

Obviously on the wrong thread (oops).

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Radio 5 Live: Saturday 14 April 2007

Dave Whelan "In Wigan rugby will always be king"

 

This country's wealth was created by men in overalls, it was destroyed by men in suits.

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4 hours ago, RugbyLeagueMan said:

Would still be great to encourage those from Indian, Jewish and Spanish communities to connect with RL. Having Simon Johnson at the RFL, the leader of the Jewish Leadership Council could be influential.

This is something i didn't know but would that be part of his remit or is the possible inroad going to go to waste?

And has anyone bothered to ask him if that might be an option?

2 warning points:kolobok_dirol:  Non-Political

 

 

 

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