Ben Gronow

Benjamin Gronow (10 March 1887^[5] – 24 November 1967) was a Welsh dual-code international rugby union, and professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1900s, 1910s and 1920s. At club level Gronow played under the union code for Bridgend RFC, county rugby for Glamorgan, and international rugby for Wales. He was often used as a utility forward. When he switched to professional league rugby he represented Huddersfield (two spells), Grenfell, Batley and Featherstone Rovers (captain) (Heritage No. 82),^[6] while at representative level, Gronow played for Great Britain and Wales. His playing position varied under the league code being used as a goal-kicking forward.^[7]

Ben Gronow

Personal information
Full name	Benjamin Gronow
Born	10 March 1887 Bridgend, Wales
Died	24 November 1967(1967-11-24) (aged 80) Huddersfield, West Riding of Yorkshire, England
Playing information
Rugby union
Position	Forwards
Club Years Team Pld T G FG P 190?–10 Bridgend Glamorgan County Total 0 0 0 0 0 Representative Years Team Pld T G FG P 1910 Wales 4 1 0 0 3
Rugby league
Position	Forward
Club Years Team Pld T G FG P 1910–25 Huddersfield 392 80 667 0 1574 1926–27 Grenfell 1927–28 Huddersfield 3 0 6 0 12 1928–29 Batley 16 0 22 0 44 1929–30 Featherstone 23 2 43 0 92 Total 434 82 738 0 1722 Representative Years Team Pld T G FG P 1910–23 Wales 8 0 9 0 18 1911–20 Great Britain 7 0 11 0 22 1921 Other Nationalities 2 1 5 0 13
Coaching information
Club Years Team Gms W D L W% Morley
Source: ^[1]^[2]^[3]^[4]

Playing career

While playing rugby union at Bridgend RFC, in 1910 Gronow won four caps for Wales. Gronow won eight caps for Wales under the league code, between 1910 and 1923 while playing for Huddersfield. Gronow was also capped for the Great Britain rugby league team while at Huddersfield, in 1911 against Australia (2 matches), and after being selected for the 1920 Great Britain Lions tour of Australasia, against Australia (2 matches), and New Zealand (3 matches).

Ben Gronow played as a forward in Huddersfield's 2–8 defeat by Wakefield Trinity in the 1910 Yorkshire Cup Final during the 1910–11 season at Headingley, Leeds on Saturday 3 December 1910, played as a forward and scored 4-goals in the 18–8 victory over Dewsbury in the 1919 Yorkshire County Cup Final during the 1918–19 season at Headingley, Leeds on Saturday 17 May 1919, played as a forward and scored 3-goals in the 24–5 victory over Leeds in the 1919 Yorkshire County Cup Final during the 1919–20 season at Thrum Hall, Halifax on Saturday 29 November 1919, and played as a forward and scored a goal in the 4–10 defeat by Hull F.C. in the 1923 Yorkshire County Cup Final during the 1923–24 season at Headingley, Leeds on Saturday 24 November 1923.

Gronow also played at least one game for the Other Nationalities team, on 5 February 1921 against England. The game was notable for the Other Nationalities side being entirely composed of Welsh players; but despite approaches to have the game recognised as a 'Wales' v England encounter the rugby league authorities refused to accept the request.^[8] Gronow became one of less than twenty-five Welshmen to have scored more than 1000-points in their rugby league career.^[9]

Gronow was selected for Great Britain while at Huddersfield for the 1924 Great Britain Lions tour of Australia and New Zealand, he did not play in any of the Test matches on this tour.^[10]

In 1925 Gronow became the first British player to move down under when he went from Huddersfield to Grenfell, New South Wales as their coach but returned two years later.^[11]

Ben Gronow made his début for Featherstone Rovers on Wednesday 13 March 1929.^[12]

Ben Gronow 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; conversions, penalties, or drop-goals, 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.

Coaching career

Gronow was the coach for rugby union team Morley R.F.C. in the 1930s, however when a history of the club was produced some years later, due to his previous rugby league associations, he was identified as 'unknown' in a team photograph.^[13]

References

1. "Statistics at en.espn.co.uk (RU)". en.espn.co.uk. 31 December 2017. Retrieved 1 January 2018.
2. . wru.co.uk. 31 December 2017. Archived from the original on 8 March 2018. Retrieved 1 January 2018.
3. "Statistics at rugbyleagueproject.org". rugbyleagueproject.org. 31 December 2017. Retrieved 1 January 2018.
4. RL Record Keepers' Club
5. "Birth details at freebmd.org.uk". freebmd.org.uk. 31 December 2011. Retrieved 1 January 2012.
6. Bailey, Ron (1956). The Official History Of Featherstone Rovers R.L.F.C.. Wakefield Express. ASIN: B00O1TLDPC
7. Williams, Graham; Lush, Peter; Farrar, David (2009). The British Rugby League Records Book. London League. pp. 108–114. ISBN 978-1-903659-49-6.
8. Gate, Robert (1986). Gone North: Volume 1. Ripponden: R.E. Gate. p. 154. ISBN 0-9511190-0-1.
9. Robert Gate (1988). "Gone North – Volume 2". R. E. Gate. ISBN 0-9511190-3-6
10. "The Singapore Free Press and Mercantile Advertiser (1884–1942), 14 April 1924, Page 12". newspapers.nl.sg. 31 December 2011. Retrieved 1 January 2012.
11. Collins, Tony (2006). Rugby League in Twentieth Century Britain. UK: Routledge. p. 126. ISBN 0203088352.
12. Bailey, Ron (20 September 2001). Images of Sport - Featherstone Rovers Rugby League Football Club. The History Press. ISBN 0752422952
13. David Lawrenson (2007). "The Rugby League Miscellany [Page-59]". Vision Sports Publishing. ISBN 978-1-905326-30-3

External links

• Statistics at bridgendravens.co.uk
• (archived by archive.is) The Ben Gronow Mystery