Eric Batten: Difference between revisions

|caption = Eric Batten (Bradford Northern) [[hurdling]] over his brother [[Bob Batten|Robert "Bob" Batten]] (Leeds) in [[Bradford Bulls|Bradford Northern]]'s 5-11 defeat by [[Leeds Rhinos|Leeds]] in the [[1947–48 Yorkshire Cup|1947–48]] [[RFL Yorkshire Cup|Yorkshire]] [[Rugby league county cups|County Cup]] 1{{sup|st}} round 1{{sup|st}} leg match during the [[1947–48 Northern Rugby Football League season|1947–48 season]] at [[Headingley Stadium#Rugby groundStadium|Headingley]] [[Headingley Rugby Stadium|Rugby Stadium]], [[Leeds]] on Saturday 13 September 1947.

|birth_date = 13 June{{birth date|df=y|1914|6|13}}

|death_date = 3{{death Septemberdate and age|df=y|1993 (aged 79)|9|3|1914|6|13}}

|teamB = [[GreatRugby BritainLeague national rugby league team|Great BritainXIII]]

|yearBstart = 19461942

|yearBend = 47

|appearancesB = 41

|triesB = 10

|fieldgoalsB = 0

|pointsB = 30

'''Frederick "Eric" E. Batten''' (13 June 1914<ref name="Birth details at freebmd.org.uk">{{cite web|url=http://www.freebmd.org.uk/cgi/information.pl?cite=TkbzpBtLgpUYr9GJSoNvpg&scan=1|title=Birth details at freebmd.org.uk|publisher=freebmd.org.uk|date=31 December 2011|access-date=1 January 2012}}</ref> – 3 September 1993) was an English [[rugby union]] and professional [[rugby league]] footballer who played in the 1930s, 1940s and 1950s, and [[Coach (sport)|coach]]ed rugby league in the 1950s. He played club level rugby league (RU) for [[Sandal RUFC]], and representative level rugby league (RL) for [[Great Britain national rugby league team|Great Britain]] and [[England national rugby league team|England]], and at club level for [[Wakefield Trinity]] ([[List of Wakefield Trinity players|Heritage № 393]]) (two spells, including the second as a [[World War II]] [[Loan (sports)|guest]]), [[Hunslet F.C. (1883)|Hunslet]], [[Featherstone Rovers]] ([[List of Featherstone Rovers players|Heritage № 178]]) (four spells, including the first three as a [[World War II]] [[Loan (sports)|guest]]) ([[Captain (sports)|captain]]), [[Leeds Rhinos|Leeds]] (two spells, including the first as a [[World War II]] [[Loan (sports)|guest]]), [[Castleford Tigers|Castleford]] ([[List of Castleford Tigers players|Heritage №]]) ([[World War II]] [[Loan (sports)|guest]]) and [[Bradford Bulls|Bradford Northern]], as a {{rlp|wg}}, i.e. number 2 or 5, and coached at club level for Featherstone Rovers, and [[Batley Bulldogs|Batley]].<ref name="Statistics at rugbyleagueproject.org"/><ref name="Bailey, Ron 1956">Bailey, Ron (1956). ''The Official History Of Featherstone Rovers R.L.F.C.''. Wakefield Express. ASIN: B00O1TLDPC</ref> Eric Batten appeared in eight [[Challenge Cup]] Finals; two for Leeds, five for Bradford Northern, and one for Featherstone Rovers, winning three, and losing five, he scored a total of 443 tries during his career,<ref name="Eric Batten & Freddy Miller">{{cite web|url=http://www.btinternet.com/~Rovers/batten.htm|title=Eric Batten & Freddy Miller|publisher=Great Players – Great Games|date=31 December 2011|access-date=1 January 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121011225601/http://www.btinternet.com/~Rovers/batten.htm|archive-date=11 October 2012}}</ref> he his third on the all-time try scorers list behind [[Brian Bevan]] (796 tries), and [[Billy Boston]] (571 tries),<ref>Gate, Robert (1989). ''Rugby League - An Illustrated History''. Arthur Barker (A division of Weidenfeld Publishers Limited, London). {{ISBN|0213169703}}</ref>

Eric Batten's birth was registered in [[Sculcoates]] district, [[Kingston upon Hull]], [[East Riding of Yorkshire]], England,.<ref hename="Birth details at freebmd.org.uk">{{cite web|url=http://www.freebmd.org.uk/cgi/information.pl?cite=TkbzpBtLgpUYr9GJSoNvpg&scan=1|title=Birth details at freebmd.org.uk|publisher=freebmd.org.uk|date=31 December 2011|access-date=1 January 2012}}</ref> He was a [[Waste collector|dustman]] in the cleansing department for [[Hemsworth Rural District]] council,. heHe died aged 79 in [[Leeds]], [[West Yorkshire]], England, and he is buried in [[Lawnswood#Lawnswood Cemetery|Lawnswood Cemetery]], [[Leeds]].

Eric Batten started his rugby career playing [[rugby union]] at [[Sandal RUFC]] before signing for the [[rugby league]] club [[Wakefield Trinity]] in September 1933. He made his début for Wakefield Trinity in the 9-39–3 victory over Bradford Northern at [[Odsal Stadium]], [[Bradford]] on Saturday 30 September 1933. He played 41 matches for Wakefield Trinity, scoring 12 [[Try (rugby)|tries]] in those matches, including a [[hat-trick]] against Hull Kingston Rovers in March 1936, before he moved to [[Hunslet F.C. (1883)|Hunslet]] in September 1936 for £400. During the war years, Eric returned to Wakefield Trinity as a [[World War II]] [[Loan (sports)|guest]], playing two matches in May 1940, and one February 1943, in these three wartime matches he scored eight tries, including four against Huddersfield in May 1940, making his club total 20 tries in 44 appearances. he also played one match for [[Castleford Tigers|Castleford]] as a [[World War II]] [[Loan (sports)|guest]], he played on the {{rlp|rwwg}}, i.e. number 2, against [[Dewsbury Rams|Dewsbury]] at [[Crown Flatt]], [[Dewsbury]] on Saturday 14 February 1942.

===Championship Finalfinal appearances===

Eric Batten played right-at {{rlp|ce}}, i.e. number 3, in [[Hunslet F.C. (1883)|Hunslet]]'s 8-28–2 victory over [[Leeds Rhinos|Leeds]] in the [[Rugby Football League Championship|Championship]] Final during the [[1937–38 Northern Rugby Football League season|1937–38]] at [[Elland Road]], [[Leeds]] on Saturday 30 April 1938.<ref name="Club History, Facts and Figures ">{{cite news|url=http://www.yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk/sport/rugby-league/leeds-rhinos/club_history_facts_and_figures_1_2274590|title=Club History, Facts and Figures|work=Yorkshire Evening Post|date=31 December 2011|access-date=1 January 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121009065959/http://www.yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk/sport/rugby-league/leeds-rhinos/club_history_facts_and_figures_1_2274590|archive-date=9 October 2012|url-status=dead}}</ref> and played in [[Bradford Bulls|Bradford Northern]]'s 26-20 aggregate victory over [[Halifax R.L.F.C.|Halifax]] in the [[Rugby Football League Championship|Championship]] Final during the [[1944–45 Northern Rugby Football League Wartime Emergency League season#Championship Playplay-Offoff|1944–45 season]]; the 2-92–9 defeat at [[Thrum Hall]], [[Halifax, West Yorkshire|Halifax]], and the 24-1124–11 victory at [[Odsal Stadium]], [[Bradford]].

Eric Batten played in [[Leeds Rhinos|Leeds]]' 19-219–2 victory over [[Halifax R.L.F.C.|Halifax]] in the [[1940–41 Challenge Cup|1940–41]] [[Challenge Cup]] Final during the [[1940–41 Northern Rugby Football League Wartime Emergency League season#Challenge Cup|1940–41 season]] at [[Odsal Stadium]], [[Bradford]], in front of a crowd of 28,500, played in the 15-16 aggregate defeat by [[Dewsbury Rams|Dewsbury]] in the [[1942–43 Challenge Cup|1942–43]] [[Challenge Cup]] Final during the [[1942–43 Northern Rugby Football League Wartime Emergency League season#Challenge Cup|1942–43 season]]; the 9-169–16 defeat at [[Crown Flatt]], [[Dewsbury]] on Sunday 9 May 1943, in front of a crowd of 10,470, and the 6-06–0 victory at [[Headingley Rugby Stadium|Headingley]], [[Leeds]] on Sunday 16 May 1943, in front of a crowd of 16,000, played in [[Bradford Bulls|Bradford Northern]]'s 8-3 aggregate victory over [[Wigan Warriors|Wigan]] in the [[1943–44 Challenge Cup|1943–44]] [[Challenge Cup]] Final during the [[1943–44 Northern Rugby Football League Wartime Emergency League season#Challenge Cup|1943–44 season]]; the 0-30–3 defeat at [[Central Park (Wigan)|Central Park]], [[Wigan]] on Saturday 15 April 1944, and the 8-08–0 victory at [[Odsal Stadium]], [[Bradford]] on Saturday 22 April 1944, played in the 9-13 aggregate defeat by [[Huddersfield Giants|Huddersfield]] in the [[1944–45 Challenge Cup|1944–45]] [[Challenge Cup]] Final during the [[1944–45 Northern Rugby Football League Wartime Emergency League season#Challenge Cup|1944–45 season]]; the 4-74–7 defeat at [[Fartown Ground|Fartown]], [[Huddersfield]], and the 5-65–6 defeat at [[Odsal Stadium]], [[Bradford]], played in the 8-48–4 victory over [[Leeds Rhinos|Leeds]] in the [[1946–47 Challenge Cup|1946–47]] [[Challenge Cup]] Final during the [[1946–47 Northern Rugby Football League season#Challenge Cup|1946–47 season]] at [[Wembley Stadium (1923)|Wembley Stadium]], [[London]] on Saturday 3 May 1947, played on the {{rlp|rwwg}}, i.e. number 2, in the 3-83–8 defeat by [[Wigan Warriors|Wigan]] in the [[1947–48 Challenge Cup|1947–48]] [[Challenge Cup]] Final during the [[1947–48 Northern Rugby Football League season#Challenge Cup|1947–48 season]] at [[Wembley Stadium (1923)|Wembley Stadium]], [[London]] on Saturday 1 May 1948, in front of a crowd of 91,465,<ref name="1947-1948 Challenge Cup Final">{{cite web|url=http://wigan.rlfans.com/fusion_pages/index.php?page_id=428|title=1947–1948 Challenge Cup Final|publisher=wigan.rlfans.com|date=31 December 2011|access-date=1 January 2012|archive-date=23 October 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131023055838/http://wigan.rlfans.com/fusion_pages/index.php?page_id=428|url-status=dead}}</ref> and played on the {{rlp|rwwg}} in [[Featherstone Rovers]]' 10–18 defeat by [[Workington Town]] in the [[1951–52 Challenge Cup|1951–52]] [[Challenge Cup]] Final during the [[1951–52 Northern Rugby Football League season#Challenge Cup|1951–52 season]] at [[Wembley Stadium (1923)|Wembley Stadium]], [[London]] on Saturday 19 April 1952, in front of a crowd of 72,093.

Eric Batten played on the {{rlp|rwwg}}, i.e. number 2, for a [[Rugby League XIII]] against [[Northern Command XIII]] at [[Thrum Hall]], [[Halifax, West Yorkshire|Halifax]] on Saturday 21 March 1942.<ref name="inside programme, Northern Command v. A Rugby League XIII, 1942">{{cite web|url=http://rugbyleagueoralhistory.co.uk/gallery-images/86-large.jpg|title=inside programme, Northern Command v. A Rugby League XIII, 1942|publisher=rugbyleagueoralhistory.co.uk|date=31 December 2011|access-date=1 January 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131202223013/http://rugbyleagueoralhistory.co.uk/gallery-images/86-large.jpg|archive-date=2 December 2013|url-status=dead}}</ref>

Eric Batten played on the {{rlp|rwwg}}, i.e. number 2, in [[Wakefield Trinity]]'s 6-176–17 defeat by [[Australia national rugby league team|Australia]] in the [[1933–34 Kangaroo tour of Great Britain]] match during the [[1933–34 Northern Rugby Football League season|1933–34 season]] at [[Belle Vue (Wakefield)|Belle Vue]], [[Wakefield]] on Saturday 28 October 1933.

Eric Batten was the son of the rugby league footballer [[Billy Batten]]. Eric Batten's marriage to Annie ([[Given name#Name at birth|née]] Saxton, born {{circa|1914}} in [[Wakefield]] district – died aged 81 on 13 April 1995) was registered during first ¼{{frac|1|4}} 1937 in [[Wakefield]] district.<ref name="Marriage details at freebmd.org.uk">{{cite web|url=http://www.freebmd.org.uk/cgi/information.pl?cite=mDLg646TP%2BQhC0ejOK4P1Q&scan=1|title=Marriage details at freebmd.org.uk|publisher=freebmd.org.uk|date=31 December 2011|access-date=1 January 2012}}</ref> They had children; John Michael Batten (birth registered third ¼{{frac|1|4}} 1940 in [[Hemsworth]] district) Janet Batten (birth registered first ¼{{frac|1|4}} {{birth year and age|1951}} in [[Hemsworth]] district), and Gaynor Batten (birth registered second ¼{{frac|1|4}} {{birth year and age|1953}} in [[Hemsworth]] district). He was buried at Lawnswood Cemetery, Leeds.

*[http://www.rlhp.co.uk/imagedetail.asp?id=1116 Photograph "1948 Challenge Cup Final - A world record crowd of 91,465 saw Bradford Northern lose to Wigan by 8 points to 3 in this 1948 Final at Wembley. Here King George VI is seen being {{sic|intoduced|hide=y}}introduced to the Bradford Northern side. - 01/05/1948" at rlhp.co.uk]