Kenneth "Ken" Hirst (4 June 1940
– 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 , i.e. number 2 or 5.
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 , i.e. number 2, scored a
try in
Wakefield Trinity's 21-9 victory over
St. Helens in the
Championship 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
1966–67 season at
Station Road, Swinton
Station Road was a stadium in Pendlebury, near Manchester, England. It was the home of Swinton Rugby League Club between 1929 and 1992 and was widely recognised as one of the finest grounds in the Rugby League.
Swinton moved to Station Road w ...
on Wednesday 10 May 1967.
[Hoole, Les (2004). ''Wakefield Trinity RLFC – FIFTY GREAT GAMES''. Breedon Books. ]
Challenge Cup Final appearances
Ken Hirst played , i.e. number 5, and scored a
try in
Wakefield Trinity's 12-6 victory over
Huddersfield in the
1961–62 Challenge Cup
The Challenge Cup is a knockout rugby league cup competition organised by the Rugby Football League, held annually since 1896, with the exception of 1915–1919 and 1939–1940, due to World War I and World War II respectively. It involves am ...
Final during the
1961–62 season at
Wembley on Saturday 12 May 1962, and played , i.e. number 2, and scored 2-
tries in the 10-11 defeat by
Leeds in the
1967–68 Challenge Cup
The Challenge Cup is a knockout rugby league cup competition organised by the Rugby Football League, held annually since 1896, with the exception of 1915–1919 and 1939–1940, due to World War I and World War II respectively. It involves am ...
"Watersplash" Final during the
1967–68 season at
Wembley Stadium,
London on Saturday 11 May 1968, in front of a crowd of 87,100.
Notable tour matches
Ken Hirst played , 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
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 ...
in the
1956–57 Kangaroo tour of Great Britain and France match at
Belle Vue,
Wakefield on Monday 10 December 1956.
[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]
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
External links
Wakefield Express > We Miss You > Ken HirstWakefield Win Cup 1962Rugby Cup Final 1968
1940 births
2008 deaths
English rugby league players
English rugby union players
Morley R.F.C. players
Publicans
Rugby league wingers
Sportspeople from Morley, West Yorkshire
Rugby union players from Yorkshire
Rugby league players from West Yorkshire
Wakefield Trinity players
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