John Dennis Boocker (22 November 1922 – 8 June 1987), also known by the nickname of "Dinny", was a Welsh professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1940s and 1950s. He played at representative level for Wales and Country New South Wales (Australia), and at club level for Kurri Kurri Bulldogs, Newtown Bluebags and Wakefield Trinity, as a or .

Background

John Dennis Boocker was born in

Ystrad Ystrad (also known as Ystrad Rhondda or Ystrad-Rhondda) is a village and community (and electoral ward) in the Rhondda Fawr valley, Rhondda Cynon Taf, Wales. Description As a community and ward Ystrad contains the neighbouring district of Gelli ...

, Wales (birth registered in Pontypridd district), emigrating to Australia on 9 July 1925 and he died aged 65 in Kurri Kurri, Australia. Boocker played in Kurri Kurri's 1945 premiership win. In 2010 he was named at centre in Kurri Rugby League Club's team of the century.

Playing career

International honours

Dennis Boocker was selected for Wales whilst at Wakefield Trinity during the 1948/49 and 1949/50 seasons.Lindley, John (1960). ''Dreadnoughts - A HISTORY OF Wakefield Trinity F. C. 1873–1960 ages 46 & 51'. John Lindley Son & Co Ltd. ISBN n/a

County Cup Final appearances

Dennis Boocker played at in Wakefield Trinity's 7–7 draw with Leeds in the

1947 Yorkshire Cup It was the first year of the Cold War, which would last until 1991, ending with the dissolution of the Soviet Union. Events January * January–February – Winter of 1946–47 in the United Kingdom: The worst snowfall in the country in ...

Final during the 1947–48 season at Fartown Ground, Huddersfield on Saturday 1 November 1947, played at in Wakefield Trinity's 8–7 victory over Leeds in the

Final

replay Replay may refer to: * Replay (sports), a replayed match between two sport teams Technology * Game replay, a recording of a game session. * Instant replay, in motion pictures and television, a showing again of part of a film * Replay Professional, ...

during the 1947–48 season at

Odsal Stadium Odsal Stadium in Bradford, West Yorkshire, England, is the home of Bradford Bulls Rugby League team. It has also been used by the Bradford Dukes speedway team, BRISCA F1 and F2 stock cars, the football team Bradford City, following the Valley ...

Bradford Bradford is a city and the administrative centre of the City of Bradford district in West Yorkshire, England. The city is in the Pennines' eastern foothills on the banks of the Bradford Beck. Bradford had a population of 349,561 at the 2011 ...

on Wednesday 5 November 1947, and played on the in the 17–3 victory over Keighley in the

1951 Yorkshire Cup Events January * January 4 – Korean War: Third Battle of Seoul – Chinese and North Korean forces capture Seoul for the second time (having lost the Second Battle of Seoul in September 1950). * January 9 – The Government of the United ...

Final during the 1951–52 season at Fartown Ground, Huddersfield on Saturday 27 October 1951.Hoole, Les (2004). ''Wakefield Trinity RLFC - FIFTY GREAT GAMES''. Breedon Books.

Club career

Dennis Boocker made his début for Wakefield Trinity, and scored a try in the 15–8 victory over Salford at Belle Vue, Wakefield on Saturday 25 October 1947, he is second on Wakefield Trinity's all-time tries scored in a season list, scoring 32-tries in

1953–54 Northern Rugby Football League season The 1953–54 Rugby Football League season was the 59th season of rugby league football played in England. The championship, which involved thirty teams, started in August, 1953 and culminated in a finals play-off series in April, 1954 which resul ...

, a record later extended to 38-tries by

Fred Smith Fred, Frederic, or Frederick Smith may refer to: In literature *Frederick Smith, 2nd Earl of Birkenhead (1907–1975), British peer and biographer *Frederick Smith, 3rd Earl of Birkenhead (1936–1985), British peer and author * Frederick E. Smith ...

and David Smith, he appears to have scored no drop-goals (or field-goals as they are currently known in Australasia), but prior to the 1974–75 season all goals, whether;

conversion Conversion or convert may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media * "Conversion" (''Doctor Who'' audio), an episode of the audio drama ''Cyberman'' * "Conversion" (''Stargate Atlantis''), an episode of the television series * "The Conversion" ...

penalties Penalty or The Penalty may refer to: Sports * Penalty (golf) * Penalty (gridiron football) * Penalty (ice hockey) * Penalty (rugby) * Penalty (rugby union) * Penalty kick (association football) * Penalty shoot-out (association football) * Penalty ...

, or

drop-goal A drop goal, field goal, or dropped goal is a method of scoring points in rugby union and rugby league and also, rarely, in American football and Canadian football. A drop goal is scored by drop kicking the ball (dropping the ball and then ki ...

s, scored 2-points, consequently prior to this date drop-goals were often not explicitly documented, therefore '0' drop-goals may indicate drop-goals not recorded, rather than no drop-goals scored. In addition, prior to the 1949–50 season, the archaic field-goal was also still a valid means of scoring points.

Contemporaneous Article Extract

A typical action picture of Denis Boocker taken during Trinity's game with

Belle Vue Rangers Broughton Rangers were one of the twenty-one rugby clubs which met at the George Hotel, Huddersfield, in 1895 to form the Northern Rugby Football Union. They were originally based in Broughton, Salford, but in 1933 moved to Gorton, Mancheste ...

in August 1935, when the Welsh-Australian scored four tries. It shows the famous "swallow-dive" which Boocker used so effectively on many of his try-scoring occasions. Born in Gelli, Wales, Booker ( sic)

emigrated Emigration is the act of leaving a resident country or place of residence with the intent to settle elsewhere (to permanently leave a country). Conversely, immigration describes the movement of people into one country from another (to permanentl ...

to Australia two years later. Commenced his football career with Karri-Karri ( sic) at seventeen. After four years in the Forces he joined the Newtown Club from where Trinity signed him in 1947. He made his début for Trinity on 25 October 1947, against Salford at Belle Vue. After a period as -threequarter he tried the position and soon proved himself one of the best in the game. Made five appearances for Wales, including one against

Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...

. Extended the club try-scoring record just prior to his return " down under" in April 1954 – and he left in Wakefield many friends and exciting memories.

References

Note: "Boocker" is mis-spelt as "Booker", i.e. without the 'c', on Page-78 of the book 'Wakefield Trinity RLFC - FIFTY GREAT GAMES'.

External links

Australian Cemeteries Index
{{DEFAULTSORT:Boocker, Denis John 1922 births 1987 deaths Country New South Wales rugby league team players Kurri Kurri Bulldogs players Newtown Jets players Rugby league centres Rugby league wingers Rugby league players from Rhondda Cynon Taf Sportspeople from Ystrad Wakefield Trinity players Wales national rugby league team players Welsh rugby league players Australian rugby league players