Do we make enough noise about this bloke?

[Old Frightful]

I know he played for my lot but please read on :

The Hull FC cup winning side from 1914.

Seated middle row, far right, John "Jack" Harrison, a try scorer in that game that Hull won 6-0 v Wakefield but, more importantly, the only professional RL player to win the Victoria Cross. This was awarded posthumously after he lost his life at Oppy Wood in 1917.

http://www.vconline.org.uk/john-jack-harrison-vc/4586923149.html

If you google "professional sportsman that won the Victoria Cross", nearly all the articles that come up refer to Donald Simpson Bell who was a professional footballer and there are no leading articles where John Harrison's name can be seen. Clearly Mr Bell was obviously awarded the VC for similar heroic actions to John Harrison but it seems his story is more widely known, almost certainly due to him being a soccer player.

Should we name one of our awards after him?

How else could we make his story more public?

Thanks for reading.

 

[Jughead]

I’ll be honest, I’ve never heard of him, which probably answers your question. 

[iffleyox]

27 minutes ago, Old Frightful said:

I know he played for my lot but please read on :

The Hull FC cup winning side from 1914.

Seated middle row, far right, John "Jack" Harrison, a try scorer in that game that Hull won 6-0 v Wakefield but, more importantly, the only professional RL player to win the Victoria Cross. This was awarded posthumously after he lost his life at Oppy Wood in 1917.

http://www.vconline.org.uk/john-jack-harrison-vc/4586923149.html

If you google "professional sportsman that won the Victoria Cross", nearly all the articles that come up refer to Donald Simpson Bell who was a professional footballer and there are no leading articles where John Harrison's name can be seen. Clearly Mr Bell was obviously awarded the VC for similar heroic actions to John Harrison but it seems his story is more widely known, almost certainly due to him being a soccer player.

Should we name one of our awards after him?

How else could we make his story more public?

Thanks for reading.

 

It's a difficult one, because you've got, I suppose, to work out/quantify how important him getting a VC is to rugby league. From your attachment, it looks like Hull have done a good job of memorialising him anyway, and that's definitely a good thing. But maybe it's only of local significance I suppose? 

VCs were awarded 628 times in WW1 - so they're rare, but not superstar rare. Having said that, as an interesting aside (potentially) the only England RU international to get the VC in WW1 was also a Harrison, so perhaps Harrisons are just brave as a race?! If you google 'sportsmen' rather than 'professional sportsmen' the list changes a bit on google btw, what with RU, athletics, half of cricketers, etc, being amateur at the time. 

Anyway, I feel like I'm rambling here - I can see why Hull should make a big thing of him (and the historian in me is glad that they seem to), but is the significance to rugby league great enough to do more with him at a 'whole sport' level (I'm not saying it's not by the way, I'm asking the question)?

[Griff]

To be honest, Jack Harrison is  the only VC winner I could name.

 

[Barley Mow]

1 hour ago, iffleyox said:

It's a difficult one, because you've got, I suppose, to work out/quantify how important him getting a VC is to rugby league. From your attachment, it looks like Hull have done a good job of memorialising him anyway, and that's definitely a good thing. But maybe it's only of local significance I suppose? 

VCs were awarded 628 times in WW1 - so they're rare, but not superstar rare. Having said that, as an interesting aside (potentially) the only England RU international to get the VC in WW1 was also a Harrison, so perhaps Harrisons are just brave as a race?! If you google 'sportsmen' rather than 'professional sportsmen' the list changes a bit on google btw, what with RU, athletics, half of cricketers, etc, being amateur at the time. 

Anyway, I feel like I'm rambling here - I can see why Hull should make a big thing of him (and the historian in me is glad that they seem to), but is the significance to rugby league great enough to do more with him at a 'whole sport' level (I'm not saying it's not by the way, I'm asking the question)?

I think 628 VCs awarded is superstar rare, when you consider 8,689,467 British and Empire soldiers/sailors served in WWI. In fact VC winners who returned home were often treated as superstars.

I would welcome the RFL or whoever making more of a big deal of it.

Edited December 7, 2022 by Barley Mow

[gingerjon]

Why or how would it become a big deal?

Not saying it's not an interesting or inspiring story as it genuinely is but - and this is a more broad point - RL in general is *absolutely terrible* at talking about its history in any meaningfully engaging way. 

We just don't really have the (searching for a better phrase) [social] media eco-system where this kind of story is going to find an audience.

[Hull Kingston Bronco]

2 hours ago, Old Frightful said:

I know he played for my lot but please read on :

The Hull FC cup winning side from 1914.

Seated middle row, far right, John "Jack" Harrison, a try scorer in that game that Hull won 6-0 v Wakefield but, more importantly, the only professional RL player to win the Victoria Cross. This was awarded posthumously after he lost his life at Oppy Wood in 1917.

http://www.vconline.org.uk/john-jack-harrison-vc/4586923149.html

If you google "professional sportsman that won the Victoria Cross", nearly all the articles that come up refer to Donald Simpson Bell who was a professional footballer and there are no leading articles where John Harrison's name can be seen. Clearly Mr Bell was obviously awarded the VC for similar heroic actions to John Harrison but it seems his story is more widely known, almost certainly due to him being a soccer player.

Should we name one of our awards after him?

How else could we make his story more public?

Thanks for reading.

 

Really interesting shout out that, cheers for sharing

It'd be great to do something to honour his name, we don't make enough of our heritage stories as a sport

 

 

[Damien]

While its obviously a great honour I'm not sure why the general public would be interested 100+ years later. Yeah sure some RL tragics or history buffs may care but I think in the main the boat has sailed when it comes to interest. I'm not saying that is right or wrong but I think the potential impact of these things is over estimated.

[doc]

https://www.hullfc.com/blog/2020/09/06/remembering-jack-h…

[Jinking Jimmy]

Google “sportsmen awarded Victoria Cross” and Jack Harrison is listed along with 18 others. Included in the list is Thomas Bryan who “played rugby league for Castleford RFC in the 1906–07 season, at the end of which the club withdrew from the Northern Union for financial reasons.“ He was a miner but his “other work” is listed as ‘rugby league player”.

Edited December 7, 2022 by Jinking Jimmy

[MZH]

He's a very significant figure in Hull FC history for sure. His heroic story during WW1 is well known, but aside from that he holds the record (tied with Richard Horne) for consecutive try scoring appearances for the club. He scored 106 tries in 116 appearances apparently which is an outstanding return, especially for back in those days. If not for the war I've no doubt he would have gone on to be one of the games greats. He deserves to be a bigger name amongst the wider RL community at least.

[Niels]

38 minutes ago, MZH said:

He's a very significant figure in Hull FC history for sure. His heroic story during WW1 is well known, but aside from that he holds the record (tied with Richard Horne) for consecutive try scoring appearances for the club. He scored 106 tries in 116 appearances apparently which is an outstanding return, especially for back in those days. If not for the war I've no doubt he would have gone on to be one of the games greats. He deserves to be a bigger name amongst the wider RL community at least.

A short film could be made maybe and shown on tv before and during a key game?

Similar to the Clive Sullivan features. 

Historic achievements always have an audience I think.

[Ivarr the Boneless]

9 hours ago, Jinking Jimmy said:

Google “sportsmen awarded Victoria Cross” and Jack Harrison is listed along with 18 others. Included in the list is Thomas Bryan who “played rugby league for Castleford RFC in the 1906–07 season, at the end of which the club withdrew from the Northern Union for financial reasons.“ He was a miner but his “other work” is listed as ‘rugby league player”.

Thomas Steele VC was also a professional RL player, albeit briefly.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_Steele_(VC)

[Bedfordshire Bronco]

On 07/12/2022 at 08:10, Old Frightful said:

I know he played for my lot but please read on :

The Hull FC cup winning side from 1914.

 

Interesting in terms of body shape of players in that...they look pretty stacked and not in a fat way....similar to modern  SL players 

I'm guessing they will all be about 5'4" though 

[Bedfordshire Bronco]

On 07/12/2022 at 11:54, Damien said:

While its obviously a great honour I'm not sure why the general public would be interested 100+ years later. Yeah sure some RL tragics or history buffs may care but I think in the main the boat has sailed when it comes to interest. I'm not saying that is right or wrong but I think the potential impact of these things is over estimated.

Yeah got to agree with that to be honest 

 

[RigbyLuger]

While we don't make enough of our history (the World Record points scorer is alive and hasn't presented the Challenge Cup or whatever) we don't make enough of our current stars either. That's the bigger battle.

[Old Frightful]

Thanks for all the replies, a variety of thoughts which is nice, perhaps this boat has sailed as someone put but I still think the RFL could maybe come up with some sort of way of getting his name mentioned in the media.

An end of season bravery award maybe?, it's not easy to think of summat and have a Eureka moment in this particular case but I just think it's not a bad idea.

[Niels]

1 hour ago, Old Frightful said:

Thanks for all the replies, a variety of thoughts which is nice, perhaps this boat has sailed as someone put but I still think the RFL could maybe come up with some sort of way of getting his name mentioned in the media.

An end of season bravery award maybe?, it's not easy to think of summat and have a Eureka moment in this particular case but I just think it's not a bad idea.

I read that he charged a machine gun single handedly to save his colleagues.

I think this would be very interesting as a half time feature.

Or sometimes programmes such as the Antiques roadshow do interludes featuring historical stories with a link to where they are visiting.

It may be worth emailing the BBC or RL to make a suggestion. 

 

[RigbyLuger]

3 hours ago, Old Frightful said:

Thanks for all the replies, a variety of thoughts which is nice, perhaps this boat has sailed as someone put but I still think the RFL could maybe come up with some sort of way of getting his name mentioned in the media.

An end of season bravery award maybe?, it's not easy to think of summat and have a Eureka moment in this particular case but I just think it's not a bad idea.

That's a great idea. We need to name more things after people who deserve it. In some cases, before it's too late for them to see that recognition.

[Old Frightful]

This thread is about a Victoria Cross winner who gave his life fighting for his country.

The bickering on this thread has no place on here, please knock it off.

Thanks.

[Old Frightful]

Nice that East Riding of Yorkshire Council saw fit to name one of their streets after him :

https://goo.gl/maps/wbCmSvwC5EbsW3pk6

[Old Frightful]

And in Hull :

[Old Frightful]

And on a slightly lesser scale from Hull City Council :

https://goo.gl/maps/4oa8mPfMenLZ51UY9