Post by Communications Team on Aug 11, 2012 5:43:53 GMT
Thanks Shaky - and a further article on the same theme from this week's 'Moseley Matters'.
If you don't already 'subscribe' (no charge) for the weekly email newsletter, simply drop us a line at info@moseleyrugby.co.uk with 'subscribe' as the title.
MOSELEY’S PLACE IN OLYMPIC HISTORY
“Moseley adds Silver to Team GB medal tally!”
Well, it makes a good headline even if, far from being “Breaking News”, it’s actually seriously dated news! Still, that does not alter the fact that our famous club has its little place in Olympic History!
It wasn’t London 2012, but Paris 1900 and in October this year, it will be exactly 112 years since the Great Britain rugby team, styled ‘Moseley Wanderers’, played its one and only Olympics rugby match, lost and still came away with a silver medal – or was it a bronze? While only four of the side were Moseley players, we provided both the captain, the largest number of players and the team name so, clearly, Moseley was the driving force behind the venture.
Many readers of Moseley Matters may have read the article written some years ago by the late Peter Woodroofe and Ken Birrell. Here is an extract:
“Rugby Football was in the Olympic programme at the Paris Games in 1900. It was introduced by Baron Pierre de Coubertain, who founded the modern Olympic movement.
The first modern Olympiad took place in Athens in 1896 and because of the Baron’s influence, it was natural that the second should be held in Paris. His links to rugby union were that he refereed the first ever French Rugby Union Championship Final in 1892 and France’s first International, on New Year’s Day, 1906 at Parc des Princes.
In the 1900 Olympics, rugby football was represented by France, Germany and Britain, represented by Moseley Wanderers. The Games lasted from May 20 to October 28. The team representing Great Britain – Moseley Wanderers – probably did not even know they were taking part in the Olympic Games!
The Birmingham Daily Gazette reported on October 28, 1900:
‘Sunday football is neither popular nor frequent here but it is one of the latest diversions that help to make the French Sabbath so much unlike ours. On Sunday, an English fifteen will meet the French Rugby Union at the Paris Exhibition Grounds.
‘The following players representing the English (! sic) Union left London late last night for the purpose: H.A. Loveitt (Coventry) back; H.S. Nichol (Old Edwardians), L. Hood (Rosslyn Park), R & C. Wittindale (Aston Old Edwardians), three-quarter backs; J.H. Birtles (Captain, Moseley), J. Cantion (London Irish), half-backs; J.G. Wallis (Old Edwardians), C.P. Deykin (Moseley), V. Smith (Old Edwardians), A.J.L. Darby (Cambridge University), M.L. Logan (London Scottish), F.H. Wilson (Old Crusaders), M.W. Talbot (Moseley), F.C. Bayliss (Moseley) forwards.’
On the next day, the following appeared in The Times (October 29, 1900): ‘A rugby football match was played today at the Velodrome Municipal at Vincennes between Moseley Wanderers and a team representing the full strength of France.
A crowd of 10,000 persons was present. The French team held the advantage from the first and ultimately gained victory by 27 points to 8. The defeat of the Moseley team, which was a strong one, may be attributed partly to the fatigue of the journey. They only arrived in Paris this morning and have to leave again this evening. – Reuters.’
The fatigue of the team is indisputable as at least five – Birtles and Deykin for Moseley v Coventry and Nichol, Wallis and Smith for Old Edwardians v Leicester had played for their clubs the day before. This was in pre-Bleriot days, the possible itinerary in the 24 hours before kicking off in Paris could have been: Saturday: matches in the Midlands, train to London, train to the coast. Sunday: cross-channel steamer, train to Paris.
The only current county player was C.P. Deykin who experienced a heavy week playing for the Midland Counties v East Midlands on October 24, for Moseley v Coventry on October 27 and for Great Britain v France on October 28!
A fortnight earlier, France defeated the only other entrant, Germany, 27-17, so France won the gold medal and probably on the strength of the fact that Germany scored nine more points than Great Britain, they were awarded the silver medal and Moseley Wanderers the bronze.
There are several unanswered questions. How did Moseley Wanderers gain the invitation to represent Great Britain? Who selected the team and made the arrangements? And one other question to be answered – who has the bronze medal or did they all get one? Where is/are it/they now?”
Well, perhaps Club Historian Ewart Patrick can unearth answers to some of those questions! That apart, Peter Woodroofe was meticulous in his attention to detail, yet there remains some confusion as to the colour of the medal, as well as to its – or their – whereabouts. For Moseley folk law decrees that we won silver, not bronze as stated above.
According to the Wikipedia website, the medal issued was a bronze but gold medals were not given at the 1900 Games; a silver medal was given for a first place and a bronze medal was given for second. It continues: “the International Olympic Committee has retroactively (sic) assigned gold, silver and bronze medals to competitors who earned 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place finishes respectively in order to bring early Olympics in line with current awards.”
Either way, it’s a fact that Moseley Wanderers represented GB (not England) at the 1900 Olympics, played and lost one match and was awarded a medal for its efforts. If anyone can track the medal (or medals) down, we are sure that a suitable glass case in the clubhouse can be arranged!
And there may be more Moseley medals
Finally, let’s not forget that 116 years after our piece of Olympic history, there may be more! For we can realistically expect to see at least some of our recent stars – James Rodwell, Dan Norton, Mike Ellery and Mike Maltman – representing Team GB in the Rugby Sevens at the Rio Olympic Games!
