The Australian Kangaroos before the 1st Test in Sydney June 6, 1932 Hi there
I am not sure if you can help me, I am hoping very much that you can. I am currently researching my Husband's Grandfather Abe Hall, who had quite a successful career when he played. He in fact is in the photo you have displayed here on Wikipedia. I know this to be my husband's grandfather as we have a photo of the team with their coach and selector in their Australian Jersey's for a group photo. It says on the pic: "Battle of Brisbane" The Australian Rugby League Test Team 1932. All the same player's names etc. The only difference is that in your photo he is "unknown" I would like to help my Husband find out more information on Abe Hall and thus far your photo is all i have managed to find. In your Photo Abe Hall is the third last person in the line up just for your curiosity :)
Do you happen to have any idea why Abe would be "unknown" ? I'm not expecting miracles just would like to get as much info on him as i can so that my husband has some history of his football career and also ensure that his name gets put on the squad's list just like everyone else. (Any ideas on where i could start this process?) Thanks for taking the time to read this and any info no matter how small you may think it is, will be huge to both of us :) I will be contacting others as well to try and get as much information as i can.
Bel (Bel angel35 (talk) 05:34, 7 June 2011 (UTC)) Herb Steinohrt (c), Dan Dempsey, Mick Madsen, Joe Pearce, Wally Prigg, Cliff Pearce, Fred Laws, Eric Weissel, Joe Wilson, unknown, Frank McMillan, Ernie Norman, Hec Gee, J Little, Bill Christie, Frank O'Connor
Bel. Thanks for making contact. If you create a user page, a talk page will attach itself & I can talk to you there but otherwise happy to connect here. Yes I uploaded the shot last year. It's from the collection of Sydney sports photographer Sam Hood accessible from State Library of NSW. I'm not sure where I got the names - they're not notated on the shot as I found it [here]. I have a number of RL books I use & perhaps I found another team photo there with a list. Perhaps I did it by sight which would explain how I got Abe's position wrong. I've now fixed that on the list in the Image file - thanks for letting me know. He was a player from country NSW wasn't he ? From Young I believe ? The only reason I can think that he was "unknown" in my listing is that he didn't play in the Test - as you can see there are 16 men in the shot & 13 men in a side. And there were no reserves in that series - no replacements for injuries even. Bill Christie, Frank O'Connor and your man Abe were the three who didn't play in the Sydney Test, hence they're at the back. But still I don't know how I knew Bill Christie's name & he was a reserve too. Your note now convinces me that the shot in WP is of the 1st Test in Sydney on 6 Jun 1932 and not the Battle of Brisbane, two weeks later. Firstly the State Library detail says so; Sam Hood was a Sydney photographer; it looks like the background is Moore Park and finally it now makes sense that the three at the back (who are out of order in terms of height) are the reserves. Sorry I can't tell you any more about Abe. Since he was a country player his record will be harder to find than if he played in the NSWRFL. I do know that he didn't play in of the three Tests of that 1932 series & made neither the 1933 nor 1930 Kangaroo tours. The Heads/Middleton book A Centenary of Rugby League has a caricature of him on p172. Presumably he was a peer of Eric Weissel and may have played in country rep sides with Weissel. Can't tell you any more I'm afraid. Rgds -Sticks66 13:37, 7 June 2011 (UTC)
Hi Sticks66
Thanks so much for replying it is a relief to actually find someone who has heard of Abe :) Yes he came from young, he played in the Maher Cup - we have a copy of the newspaper clipping and he was quite the star! I do believe from the little we do know that he played in Country as well as NSWRFL we have been told he played for Balmain, Newtown, North Sydney Bears and i am looking into NSW as well. I appreciate you updating the details for Abe. I am still going to persue though getting his name officially put on the team list as i do believe he deserves that much. There was a photo i saw from 1939 and the ball boy's name was on the list for the photo. My belief is if a ball boy can get his name printed as part of a team then Abe Hall deserves to be recognised as a selected player of this team regardless of if he played or not.
I would love to show you the 2 pics together but i don't know how to upload it on here.
Thanks again for your info
--Bel angel35 (talk) 08:00, 8 June 2011 (UTC)
- Bel, I use this reference a lot - Whiticker, Alan & Hudson, Glen (2006) The Encyclopedia of Rugby League Players, Gavin Allen Publishing, Sydney. It has the playing records of all who've played first grade in the NSWRFL and NRL. It doesn't have Queenslanders (pre NRL) nor Country players. But it doesn't have Abe Hall or a similar name. Is it possible that he played in lower grades at Balmain, Newtown & Norths ? Closest I can see is an Alf Hall who played at Norths in 1940, Balmain in 1943 and Newtown in 1945. Was your guy still playing then ? -Sticks66 11:38, 8 June 2011 (UTC)