Jim Abercrombie
| Personal information | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Born | 1880 South Australia, Australia | |||||
| Died | 1948 | |||||
| Playing information | ||||||
| Position | Lock | |||||
| Club | ||||||
| Years | Team | Pld | T | G | FG | P |
| 1908–1913 | Wests | 14 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 10 |
| Representative | ||||||
| Years | Team | Pld | T | G | FG | P |
| 1908–1909 | Australia | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Source: Yesterday's Hero | ||||||
Jim Abercrombie (born "James Maskell" in South Australia (1880-1948)[1]) was an Australian rugby league player for the Wests Magpies in the New South Wales Rugby League premiership competition, he also played rugby union for North Sydney and Glebe.[1] His position of choice was at lock forward though his versatility meant he could play anywhere in the forwards and he often goal kicked.
Career
He originally played rugby union prior to the formation of the New South Wales Rugby League premiership in 1908 and was one of the original players to make the switch to the newly formed code. He attended the founding meeting of the Western Suburbs rugby league club and was elected to the inaugural committee. Abercrombie played in Wests' very first match against Balmain and scored Wests' very first goals in First Grade in the following match against Souths. He played all nine matches of the inaugural season and was also a part of the first national side that played against the visiting New Zealand All Golds. He was also controversially a member of the first touring Australian national side to Great Britain after he was originally left out of the squad though after a public outcry over his omission he was called in, thus making him the first international player to come from the Western Suburbs club.
Abercrombie was awarded Life Membership of the New South Wales Rugby League in 1914.[2]
In 2008 the Western Suburbs Magpies celebrated their centenary by inducting six inaugural members into the club's Hall of Fame. These six included Jim Abercrombie.[3]
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Whiticker, Alan and Hudson, Glen (2005). The Encyclopedia of Rugby League Players - Wests Tigers. Melbourne, Victoria: Bas Publishing. p. 7. ISBN 1-920910-61-1.
- ↑ Referee, Sydney.Life Members of the NSW Rugby League. 13/05/1914 (page 12)
- ↑ westsmagpies.net (2008). "Western Suburbs Magpies Hall of Fame". Wests Archives. Western Suburbs Magpies R.L.F.C. Retrieved 2009-11-28.