Rugby-Pioneers

1924 Olympic Games rugby final... in video

Those who regularly read this blog maybe remember that I found last year two old 9,5mm Pathé movie rolls with some rugby footages.

So, here we go ! I had them digitized (by a specialized lab) and edited (err... by myself) and ready to be shared... a worldwide exclusivity as I've never seen such videos on the net before !

The best part of it is a 2' video coverage of the rugby final between France and USA at the 1924 Olympics in Paris. That day (May 18th 1924), a strong, fast and energetic American side won an undisputed gold medal versus a disapointing French team. Final score 17 - 3 to the US team.

You'll find a detailled report about that tough game, and other rugby features at previous Olympic Games, here @ www.rugbyfootballhistory.com

Enjoy !

(special footnote in French for Google.fr to index my video... : video exclusive de la finale du rugby aux Jeux Olympiques de 1924. France vs USA au Stade de Colombes)

rugby, olympic games, jeux olympiques

Early XXth century Photoshop...

Here are the 1905 All Blacks during their famous tour.  A pretty casual photography as we see some of the guys in rugby kit, some in "half" rugby kit, some barefoot, some wearing hats, some wearing jackets... the end of a training, may be ?

Then a Photoshop artist came in, didn't like the background and transformed this picture into another postcard...



Fine work, indeed... And good news : he didn't erase any player...

As often, the back of this postcard shows the list of fixtures (past and future) and the players' stats. The stats from the beginning of the tour (9 games played, out of an initial schedule of 32) are just impressive and explains the newspapers craze for that "colonial" team : 9 games played in one month... 9 wins... 386 points "for" and ... 7 points "against"...



Nota : the bootom card is signed "G.,W-S-M". Does anyone know what it stands for ?

(larger pictures : top, middle, bottom)

rugby, All Blacks

Dear Santa Claus...

Dear Santa, you've been very kind with me last XMas, thank you, and I am happy to let you know that this print is now top on my wish list for next December... !

This is a French print from the 20s, advertising for hair lotion Petrole Hahn. Great artwork indeed...
 
I missed one last year in a French auction sale to which I couldn't attend... too bad...

My picture is a modern repro of a vintage print displayed at the RFU Museum in Twickenham... not sure they will agree to pass it to Santa...

rugby, petrole hahn, RFU Museum

Men in tights - 1880

I was yesterday posting some pictures on a rugby forum where some guys there where mocking ruggers playing in tights... pff ! As a matter of kind retaliation, I'll make it the topic of the day...

So, back to the XIXth century... arbitrarily, I've set my searches to English rugby in 1880 (don't ask me why... to celebrate PM Gladstone ?) @ Flickr

Upper picture is a fine engraving published in The Graphic, captionned "Football Sketches - Running with the ball"... in tights...

Below is a photography of the 1880 English side (in tights...) captained by Lennard Stokes of Blackheath, a wing first caped at 19 in 1875 who then gained 12 caps till 1881 (he was nominated - but not inducted - last year to IRB Hall of Fame)

You could find here a larger scan of the team with all the names of the players. This picture comes from one of my reference books, i.e. "Football - The Rugby Union Game" by Rev. F.Marshall, published in 1892.

By the way, my friend Benoit "Sports d'Epoque" is selling a wonderful replica of this great English jersey... just check his website here in English or there in French... but I am afraid he doesn't sell tights...

Can rugby help you sell invicible baking powder ??

Yes, I'm working out stupid titles... but trying to maintain a high quality for pictures !

Here is a late XIXth century American trading card advertising for baking powder ("invicible"...) and vinegars from Wichita, Kansas...

Oddly enough, this picture is copied from a lovely Victorian Xmas greeting cards... Copyright infringement or not ?

Caption reads "A Scrimmage - tuck your heads nett in ,boys !"...

rugby