Harold Wagstaff
Encyclopedia
Harold Wagstaff was an English rugby league
footballer of the early 20th century. He played as a and was nicknamed the Prince of Centres. A captain of the Great Britain national team
, he also played representative football for England
and Yorkshire.
Wagstaff was born in the village of Underbank within Holmfirth on 9 May 1891 and first played at local amateur side, Underbank Rangers
. Wagstaff's first professional game, for Huddersfield
in 1906, was at the age of 15 years and 175 days. He was thus the youngest person to play professional rugby league. He then became the youngest representative in rugby league football when he turned out for Yorkshire age 17 years and 141 days, and a few months later made his début for England
against the first ever touring Australian side: the 'First Kangaroos' of 1908.
By 1912 he was appointed captain of Huddersfield, aged 19. In 1914 he was made captain of Great Britain, a post held during that year's tour of Australia and New Zealand
. He was captain in the famous 'Rorke's Drift' match on 4 July 1914.
During his career as the captain of the Huddersfield team, known as The Team of all The Talents, he led them to victory in the Rugby League Challenge Cup
, the Championship Trophy, the Yorkshire Cup
, and the Yorkshire League
in 1915. They thus became the second of only three teams ever to win All Four Cups
, the others being Hunslet
(1908) and Swinton
(1928).
Wagstaff was also stationed in Egypt during World War I
.
Wagstaff also captained Great Britain on their tour of Australasia in 1920. In November that year, rugby league's first players' union, the 'Northern Rugby Union Players' Union was founded in Huddersfield under the chairmanship of Wagstaff.
Wagstaff played his last Test match in January 1922, when he helped Great Britain beat Australia and regain the Ashes.
His career had lasted for 19 years until his retirement in 1925.
Wagstaff died in 1939 and in 1988 he was inducted into the British Rugby League Hall of Fame
.
He was one of five famous players to feature on a set of British stamps issued in 1995 to commemorate the centenary of Rugby League.
Wagstaff and his contribution to Anglo-Australian rugby league culture were the subject of 2003's annual Tom Brock Lecture
, given by Tony Collins
.
Rugby league
Rugby league football, usually called rugby league, is a full contact sport played by two teams of thirteen players on a rectangular grass field. One of the two codes of rugby football, it originated in England in 1895 by a split from Rugby Football Union over paying players...
footballer of the early 20th century. He played as a and was nicknamed the Prince of Centres. A captain of the Great Britain national team
Great Britain national rugby league team
The Great Britain national rugby league team represents the United Kingdom in rugby league football. Administered by the Rugby Football League , the team is nicknamed "The Lions" or "Great Britain Lions"....
, he also played representative football for England
England national rugby league team
The England national rugby league team represent England in international rugby league football tournaments. The team has now seen a revival, having largely formed from the Great Britain team, who also represented Wales, Scotland and Ireland. The team is run under the auspices of the Rugby Football...
and Yorkshire.
Wagstaff was born in the village of Underbank within Holmfirth on 9 May 1891 and first played at local amateur side, Underbank Rangers
Huddersfield Underbank Rangers
Huddersfield Underbank Rangers are a rugby league team based in Holmfirth near Huddersfield, West Yorkshire. They play in the National Division of the Rugby League Conference. The club also competes as Underbank Rangers in division 4 of the Pennine League. They also have an Underbank Rangers A...
. Wagstaff's first professional game, for Huddersfield
Huddersfield Giants
Huddersfield Giants are a professional rugby league club from Huddersfield, West Yorkshire who play in the European Super League competition. They play their home games at the Galpharm Stadium which is shared with Huddersfield Town F.C....
in 1906, was at the age of 15 years and 175 days. He was thus the youngest person to play professional rugby league. He then became the youngest representative in rugby league football when he turned out for Yorkshire age 17 years and 141 days, and a few months later made his début for England
England national rugby league team
The England national rugby league team represent England in international rugby league football tournaments. The team has now seen a revival, having largely formed from the Great Britain team, who also represented Wales, Scotland and Ireland. The team is run under the auspices of the Rugby Football...
against the first ever touring Australian side: the 'First Kangaroos' of 1908.
By 1912 he was appointed captain of Huddersfield, aged 19. In 1914 he was made captain of Great Britain, a post held during that year's tour of Australia and New Zealand
1914 Great Britain Lions tour of Australia and New Zealand
The 1914 Great Britain Lions tour of Australia and New Zealand was the British national rugby league team's second ever tour of Australasia, where it was winter and matches were played against the Australian and New Zealand national sides, as well as several local teams...
. He was captain in the famous 'Rorke's Drift' match on 4 July 1914.
During his career as the captain of the Huddersfield team, known as The Team of all The Talents, he led them to victory in the Rugby League Challenge Cup
Challenge Cup
The Challenge Cup is a knockout cup competition for rugby league clubs organised by the Rugby Football League. Originally it was contested only by British teams but in recent years has been expanded to allow teams from France and Russia to take part....
, the Championship Trophy, the Yorkshire Cup
Rugby league county cups
Historically, British rugby league clubs competed for the Lancashire Cup and the Yorkshire Cup, known collectively as the county cups. The leading rugby clubs in Yorkshire had played in a cup competition for several years prior to the schism of 1895...
, and the Yorkshire League
Rugby league county leagues
The Yorkshire League and the Lancashire League formed two sections of the Rugby Football League Championship for much of its history. Initially, the 22 clubs that broke away in 1895 played in one combined league, however the following season saw the addition of many clubs, and the League was split...
in 1915. They thus became the second of only three teams ever to win All Four Cups
All Four Cups
Between 1905 and 1970 there were four trophies available to any British rugby league side:* Challenge Cup* Rugby Football League Championship* County league * County cup...
, the others being Hunslet
Hunslet Hawks
Hunslet Hawks is a professional rugby league club based in Hunslet, West Yorkshire, England. The club, sometimes known as 'the Parksiders' after their former stadium, are currently champions of Championship One.-History:-Early years:...
(1908) and Swinton
Swinton Lions
Swinton Lions is an English professional rugby league club from Swinton, Greater Manchester. The club has won the Championship six times and three Challenge Cups. They currently play in the Championship.-Early years:...
(1928).
Wagstaff was also stationed in Egypt during World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
.
Wagstaff also captained Great Britain on their tour of Australasia in 1920. In November that year, rugby league's first players' union, the 'Northern Rugby Union Players' Union was founded in Huddersfield under the chairmanship of Wagstaff.
Wagstaff played his last Test match in January 1922, when he helped Great Britain beat Australia and regain the Ashes.
His career had lasted for 19 years until his retirement in 1925.
Wagstaff died in 1939 and in 1988 he was inducted into the British Rugby League Hall of Fame
British Rugby League Hall of Fame
The British Rugby League Hall of Fame was established by the Rugby Football League in 1988 to commemorate the greatest ever players in British rugby league...
.
He was one of five famous players to feature on a set of British stamps issued in 1995 to commemorate the centenary of Rugby League.
Wagstaff and his contribution to Anglo-Australian rugby league culture were the subject of 2003's annual Tom Brock Lecture
Tom Brock Lecture
The Tom Brock Lecture is an annual scholarly lecture organised by the Australian Society for Sports History under the bequest of Australian sports historian Tom Brock. The topic of the lecture is the history of rugby league football...
, given by Tony Collins
Tony Collins
Anthony Collins is a former professional American football running back in the National Football League and the Arena Football League.-Early years:...
.