Albert Henry Baskerville
Encyclopedia
Albert Henry Baskerville (born as"Baskiville") (c.1882—20 May 1908) was a Wellington postal clerk, a rugby union
forward, author of the book "Modern Rugby Football: New Zealand Methods; Points for the Beginner, the Player, the Spectator" and a pioneer of rugby league
.
for the family since then. His book, Modern Rugby Football: New Zealand Methods; Points for the Beginner, the Player, the Spectator, was published in 1907 and gave him somewhat of a national profile. After the success of this project he moved on to his next ambitious idea, a professional rugby tour of Great Britain.
and asked if they would host a touring party of New Zealand rugby players. The Northern Union were excited by this proposal and quickly agreed. After this Baskerville began to work on organising the tour full time, leaving his job at the Postal Department and severing his connection with the Oriental Football Club. The Wellington Rugby Union moved quickly to attempt to stop him from attending their grounds and he received a life ban from the New Zealand Rugby Union. Despite this he managed to put together an impressive touring party that included eight All Blacks
, including four from the 1905 tour of Great Britain. The team was dubbed the All Golds by the Sydney press, a derogatory play on the New Zealand rugby union team's nickname the All Blacks
.
The tour was a great success both financially, each player earned roughly £300, and on the field, where the touring side won consecutive test series against Great Britain and Australia. For most of the tour Baskerville was busy with the administration work and it was not until the final game of the British leg, against St Helens RLFC, that Baskerville played, scoring a try. On arriving in Australia he then played in the first test, again scoring a try. Tragically that was to be the only time that Baskerville would represent New Zealand in a test match. Baskerville contracted pneumonia
on the ship taking the touring party from Sydney to Brisbane and, after several days in hospital, died aged 25 in Brisbane
, Australia on 20 May 1908. His body was taken by manager Harry Palmer and a group of players from each province back to Wellington. The rest of the touring party stayed in Australia to complete their remaining fixtures. Like five other members of the touring party Baskerville is buried at Karori Cemetery.
The Courtney Goodwill Trophy, international rugby league′s first, was presented for the first time in 1936 and depicted Baskiville, along with other pioneering greats of the code, Jean Galia
(France), James Lomas
(England) and Dally Messenger
(Australia).
He is commemorated by the naming of the Baskerville Shield
, the trophy awarded when Great Britain
and New Zealand
meet in test series. In 2001 Baskerville was inducted as one of the NZRL Legends of League.
Rugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
forward, author of the book "Modern Rugby Football: New Zealand Methods; Points for the Beginner, the Player, the Spectator" and a pioneer of rugby league
Rugby league
Rugby league football, usually called rugby league, is a full contact sport played by two teams of thirteen players on a rectangular grass field. One of the two codes of rugby football, it originated in England in 1895 by a split from Rugby Football Union over paying players...
.
Rugby football
Prior to becoming the administrator of the 1908 tour Baskerville played rugby for the Oriental club in Wellington and was said to be on the verge of provincial selection. His father had been killed in 1903 and Bert had been the main income earnerIncome earner
Income earner refers to an individual who through work, investments or a combination of both derives income, which has a fixed and very fixed value of his/her income...
for the family since then. His book, Modern Rugby Football: New Zealand Methods; Points for the Beginner, the Player, the Spectator, was published in 1907 and gave him somewhat of a national profile. After the success of this project he moved on to his next ambitious idea, a professional rugby tour of Great Britain.
The Tour
Baskerville wrote to the Northern UnionRugby Football League
The Rugby Football League is the governing body for professional rugby league football in England. Based at Red Hall in Leeds, it administers the England national rugby league team, the Challenge Cup, Super League and the Rugby League Championships...
and asked if they would host a touring party of New Zealand rugby players. The Northern Union were excited by this proposal and quickly agreed. After this Baskerville began to work on organising the tour full time, leaving his job at the Postal Department and severing his connection with the Oriental Football Club. The Wellington Rugby Union moved quickly to attempt to stop him from attending their grounds and he received a life ban from the New Zealand Rugby Union. Despite this he managed to put together an impressive touring party that included eight All Blacks
All Blacks
The New Zealand men's national rugby union team, known as the All Blacks, represent New Zealand in what is regarded as its national sport....
, including four from the 1905 tour of Great Britain. The team was dubbed the All Golds by the Sydney press, a derogatory play on the New Zealand rugby union team's nickname the All Blacks
All Blacks
The New Zealand men's national rugby union team, known as the All Blacks, represent New Zealand in what is regarded as its national sport....
.
The tour was a great success both financially, each player earned roughly £300, and on the field, where the touring side won consecutive test series against Great Britain and Australia. For most of the tour Baskerville was busy with the administration work and it was not until the final game of the British leg, against St Helens RLFC, that Baskerville played, scoring a try. On arriving in Australia he then played in the first test, again scoring a try. Tragically that was to be the only time that Baskerville would represent New Zealand in a test match. Baskerville contracted pneumonia
Pneumonia
Pneumonia is an inflammatory condition of the lung—especially affecting the microscopic air sacs —associated with fever, chest symptoms, and a lack of air space on a chest X-ray. Pneumonia is typically caused by an infection but there are a number of other causes...
on the ship taking the touring party from Sydney to Brisbane and, after several days in hospital, died aged 25 in Brisbane
Brisbane
Brisbane is the capital and most populous city in the Australian state of Queensland and the third most populous city in Australia. Brisbane's metropolitan area has a population of over 2 million, and the South East Queensland urban conurbation, centred around Brisbane, encompasses a population of...
, Australia on 20 May 1908. His body was taken by manager Harry Palmer and a group of players from each province back to Wellington. The rest of the touring party stayed in Australia to complete their remaining fixtures. Like five other members of the touring party Baskerville is buried at Karori Cemetery.
Legacy
On their return from Australia the remaining members of the tour party held a memorial game, the first game of rugby league in New Zealand, and raised £300 for his widowed mother.The Courtney Goodwill Trophy, international rugby league′s first, was presented for the first time in 1936 and depicted Baskiville, along with other pioneering greats of the code, Jean Galia
Jean Galia
Jean Galia was a French rugby union and rugby league footballer and champion boxer...
(France), James Lomas
James Lomas (rugby league)
James Lomas was a pioneering English rugby league footballer of the early 20th century. Hailing from Maryport, Cumberland, his career lasted for twenty-four years from 1899 to 1923. A three-quarter and prominent goal-kicker, Lomas captained the Great Britain national rugby league team.Lomas was...
(England) and Dally Messenger
Dally Messenger
Herbert Henry "Dally" Messenger was an Australian rugby union and rugby league footballer, recognised as one of the greatest ever players in either code. Messenger, or 'The Master' as he was dubbed, represented his country in both rugby football codes, playing two rugby union tests and seven...
(Australia).
He is commemorated by the naming of the Baskerville Shield
Baskerville Shield
The Baskerville Shield is a trophy awarded to the winner of rugby league test series between Great Britain and New Zealand. It named in honour of Albert Henry Baskerville, who organised the first ever tour by New Zealand of Great Britain in 1907....
, the trophy awarded when Great Britain
Great Britain national rugby league team
The Great Britain national rugby league team represents the United Kingdom in rugby league football. Administered by the Rugby Football League , the team is nicknamed "The Lions" or "Great Britain Lions"....
and New Zealand
New Zealand national rugby league team
The New Zealand national rugby league team has represented New Zealand in rugby league football since intercontinental competition began for the sport in 1907. Administered by the New Zealand Rugby League, they are commonly known as the Kiwis, after the native bird of that name...
meet in test series. In 2001 Baskerville was inducted as one of the NZRL Legends of League.
See also
- 2007 "All Golds" Tour2007 All Golds TourThe 2007 All Golds Tour was conducted as part of the celebrations of a century of rugby league in New Zealand. It was a re-creation of the original New Zealand rugby league tour of Great Britain in 1907. The New Zealand Kiwis toured Great Britain and France playing four test matches. They lost the...
– celebrating the centenary of Baskerville's 1907 Tour. - History of Rugby LeagueHistory of rugby leagueThe history of rugby league as a separate form of rugby football goes back to 1895 in Huddersfield, Northern England when the Northern Rugby Football Union broke away from the established Rugby Football Union to administer its own separate competition. Similar schisms occurred later in Australia...