Kenneth Hirst

Kenneth "Ken" Hirst (4 June 1940[1] – 20 December 2008) was an English rugby union, and professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1950s and 1960s. He played club level rugby union (RU) for Morley R.F.C., and club level rugby league (RL) for Leeds Schools and Wakefield Trinity (Heritage № 634), as a wing, i.e. number 2 or 5.

Ken Hirst
Personal information
Full nameKenneth Hirst
Born4 June 1940
Morley, Leeds, England
Died20 December 2008(2008-12-20) (aged 68)
Ossett, Wakefield, England
Playing information
Height5 ft 9 in (1.75 m)
Weight12 st 6 lb (79 kg)
Rugby union
Club
Years Team Pld T G FG P
1955±–56 Morley R.F.C.
Rugby league
PositionWing
Club
Years Team Pld T G FG P
1956–69 Wakefield Trinity 142 100 0 0 300

Background

Hirst was born in Morley, Leeds, West Riding of Yorkshire, England, and he died in Ossett, Wakefield, West Yorkshire, England.

Playing career

Championship final appearances

Ken Hirst played right wing, i.e. number 2, scored a try in Wakefield Trinity's 21-9 victory over St. Helens in the Championship Final replay during the 1966–67 season at Station Road, Swinton on Wednesday 10 May 1967.[2]

Challenge Cup Final appearances

Ken Hirst played left wing, i.e. number 5, and scored a try in Wakefield Trinity's 12-6 victory over Huddersfield in the 1961–62 Challenge Cup Final during the 1961–62 season at Wembley on Saturday 12 May 1962, and played right wing, i.e. number 2, and scored 2-tries in the 10-11 defeat by Leeds in the 1967–68 Challenge Cup "Watersplash" Final during the 1967–68 season at Wembley Stadium, London on Saturday 11 May 1968, in front of a crowd of 87,100.[2]

Notable tour matches

Ken Hirst played left wing, i.e. number 5, he made his début, and beat Clive Churchill to score a try within the first two minutes in Wakefield Trinity's 17-12 victory over Australia in the 1956–57 Kangaroo tour of Great Britain and France match at Belle Vue, Wakefield on Monday 10 December 1956.[3]

Club career

Ken Hirst is the third youngest player to make his début for Wakefield Trinity aged 16 years and 6 months in 1956, second youngest player being Ernest Pollard, and the youngest player being Richard Goddard.

Outside of Rugby League

Following his retirement from rugby league, Ken and his wife Irene were the landlord and lady of The Tawny Owl Inn, Prospect Road, Ossett for twenty years. They also have 1 son, Alex, and 2 grandchildren, Evie and Sam.

References
  1. "Birth details at freebmd.org.uk". freebmd.org.uk. 31 December 2011. Retrieved 1 January 2012.
  2. Hoole, Les (2004). Wakefield Trinity RLFC – FIFTY GREAT GAMES. Breedon Books. ISBN 1-85983-429-9
  3. Briggs, Cyril & Edwards, Barry (12 May 1962). The Rugby League Challenge Cup Competition - Final Tie - Huddersfield v Wakefield Trinity - Match Programme. Wembley Stadium Ltd. ISBN n/a
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.