Dally Messenger, Goal kicking contest, Sydney 1910

A strange postcard indeed... and, again, a lot to tell...

Here are Jimmy Lomas and Dally Messenger, respectively England and Australia captains, engaged in a goal kicking contest, just before the second test match of the 1910 tour in Sydney, in front of a reported 42,000 people crowd (all stats are here @ rlhalloffame.org.uk).

My attention was drawn by John (www.ovalballs.com) with whom I was discussing about this other postcard recently auctioned on eBay (damn, I should have bought it as well...)... same location, same people, same action... but different picture...

Edit 21/01/08 : I am getting wrong ! Sean pointed out  that the chap in white jersey/black socks is not an English player as I thought, but the referee !... actually, the 1910 English RL team was playing in hoops.. so things are now simple : you've got a nice pair of postcards... Jimmy Lomas up there, Dally M down there... that's it... thanks Sean !

I was not very sure about the possibility of a goal kicking contest - what a lovely idea, indeed ! - and eventually was very happy to find a confirmation in Sean Fagan's great book about Dally Messenger, as he his also reporting - and bringing another picture - this kind of contest before the 1910 test matches.

A perfect opportunity, then, to warmly recommend "The Master", subtitled "The life and times of Dally Messenger Australia's first sporting superstar" by Sean Fagan and Dally Messenger III.

I do not intend to give you here a full bio of Dally M - regular readers maybe remember that Sean gave us some kind of teaser a year ago (pfff... time flies...) - . Quoting Sean : "Herbert Henry - Dally- Messenger was a star rugby union player (NSW & Australia) in 1907. In August 1907 he turned professional and joined the New South Wales Rugby League (now NRL). Nicknamed "Dally M", he was known equally for his spectacular play, and his prodigous drop & place kicking."

To end up with this story, let's mention that, on that June 18th 1910, England won the test vs Australia 27 - 20... despite Dally Messenger scoring one try and four goals... and let's bet that Dally surely won the kicking contest...

All details to purchase Sean's book are here on his fantastic website rl1908.com

Identificateurs Technorati : rugby, England, Australia, Dally M, Dally Messenger

Comments

[akky]

Hi Fred et tout le monde:
Lovely stuff about Dally, Fred, but if you look at your title for the piece, you'll see that a goal LICKING contest might have been even more exciting! Un coup de tongue en lieu d'un coup de pied?
Amities,
Phil Atkinson.

[Frederic]

;-D... my mother always told mr not to do to two things at the same time !

I hope all the search engines of the world had the time to index it... for eternity...

[Satin]

Interesting to know.

[Steven Clancy]

just to confirm the great Dally Messenger didn't actually win the goal kicking contest in 1910......my great grandfather the even greater James Lomas did!

[Frederic (www.rugby-pioneers.com)]

Indeed !!

http://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&d=AG19100620.2.19.3&dliv=&e=-------10--1----0--

Ashburton Guardian
June 18, 1910

Prior to the commencement of the game, a goal kicking contest was hold between Lomas and Messenger. The Englishman won by one goal.