Claude Gordon Corbett (1885–1944) was an Australian sporting journalist and was the sporting editor for Sydney's ''Sun'' newspaper in the early twentieth century.

Early life

Claude Corbett was born in

Waterloo, New South Wales Waterloo is an inner-city suburb of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. Waterloo is located 3 kilometres (1.9 mi) south of the Sydney central business district and is part of the local government area of the City of Sydney. Waterloo is sur ...

in 1885 and was the son of another noted Sydney journalist, William Francis Corbett. He also played first-grade rugby for St George, Newtown and Eastern Suburbs. His career in journalism began at The Evening News as a copyboy in 1899, aged 14.

Sports journalist

He was initially a journalist at

The Daily Telegraph ''The Daily Telegraph'', known online and elsewhere as ''The Telegraph'', is a national British daily broadsheet newspaper published in London by Telegraph Media Group and distributed across the United Kingdom and internationally. It was f ...

in 1911. During his career he covered three Kangaroo Tours to England. He was managing director of

The Sunday Times ''The Sunday Times'' is a British newspaper whose circulation makes it the largest in Britain's quality press market category. It was founded in 1821 as ''The New Observer''. It is published by Times Newspapers Ltd, a subsidiary of News UK, w ...

, The Referee and the Arrow and was the leading Rugby League and Cricket journalist of his era. Colbert joined The Sun and

The Sun-Herald ''The Sun-Herald'' is an Australian newspaper published in tabloid or compact format on Sundays in Sydney by Nine Publishing. It is the Sunday counterpart of ''The Sydney Morning Herald''. In the 6 months to September 2005, ''The Sun-Herald'' ...

as the Sports Director in 1923, and retained that position until his death in 1944. He was, for many years, a resident of Ocean Street,

Bondi Beach, New South Wales Bondi Beach is a popular beach and the name of the surrounding suburb in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. Bondi Beach is located east of the Sydney central business district, in the local government area of Waverley Council, in the Easter ...

. As a journalist he was involved in the

Bodyline Bodyline, also known as fast leg theory bowling, was a cricketing tactic devised by the English cricket team for their 1932–33 Ashes tour of Australia. It was designed to combat the extraordinary batting skill of Australia's leading batsman ...

controversy, and was responsible for reporting the story of

Bill Woodfull William Maldon Woodfull (22 August 1897 – 11 August 1965) was an Australian cricketer of the 1920s and 1930s. He captained both Victoria and Australia, and was best known for his dignified and moral conduct during the tumultuous bodyline ...

's confrontation with

Pelham Warner Sir Pelham Francis Warner, (2 October 1873 – 30 January 1963), affectionately and better known as Plum Warner or "the Grand Old Man" of English cricket, was a Test cricketer and cricket administrator. He was knighted for services to sport in ...

which was leaked during the third Test. A memorial trophy awarded at Anglo-Australian Test matches held in Australia is named after him. His brother, Harold Corbett also played for Eastern Suburbs and later died on the Western Front during World War I. Claude's grandson was the esteemed Australian journalist

Peter Harvey Peter Michael St Clair Harvey (16 September 19442 March 2013) was an Australian journalist and broadcaster. Harvey was a long-serving correspondent and contributor with the Nine Network from 1975 to 2013. Career Harvey studied his journalism c ...

Death

Claude Corbett died of cancer on 12 December 1944, age 59. His funeral was very well attended and he was buried at

Waverley Cemetery The Waverley Cemetery is a heritage-listed cemetery on top of the cliffs at Bronte in the eastern suburbs of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. Opened in 1877 and built by R. Watkins (cemetery lodge, 1878) and P. Beddie (cemetery office, 1915), ...

Accolades

Noted Australian poet,

Kenneth Slessor Kenneth Adolphe Slessor (27 March 190130 June 1971) was an Australian poet, journalist and official war correspondent in World War II. He was one of Australia's leading poets, notable particularly for the absorption of modernist influences int ...

, wrote of Claude Corbett: "he not only has a specialist's knowledge, but also had a crisp, magnetic style that fascinated readers." The Claude Corbett Shield was presented at Sydney Rugby League Tests between Australia and England commemorates his memory. Claude Corbett was also a life member of the New South Wales Rugby League ( NSWRFL). Corbett Place, in the Canberra suburb of Gilmore, is named jointly in his and his father's honour.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Corbett, Claude 1885 births Australian rugby league journalists 1944 deaths Australian rugby league commentators Journalists from Sydney Sport Australia Hall of Fame inductees