Ken Gee

For the Australian barrister and judge, see Ken Gee (judge).
Ken Gee
Personal information
Full name Kenneth Gee
Born 23 September 1916
Wigan, England
Died 17 April 1989 (aged 72)
Playing information
Height 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m)
Position Prop
Club
Years Team Pld T G FG P
1935–54 Wigan 559 54 508 1178
1943 → Oldham (guest) 1 0 0 0
Total 560 54 508 0 1178
Representative
Years Team Pld T G FG P
1942–51 Lancashire 12
1943–51 England 20
1946–51 Great Britain 17
Source: rugbyleagueproject.org englandrl.co.uk

Kenneth "Ken" Gee (born 23 September 1916 - 17 April 1989 in Wigan) was an English rugby league footballer of the 1930s, '40s and '50s, playing at representative level for Great Britain winning 17-caps between 1946 and 1951, England winning 18-caps between 1943 and 1951, and Lancashire, and at club level for Wigan, as a Prop, i.e. number 8 or 10, during the era of contested scrums.

Career

Signing with Wigan in 1933, Ken Gee went on to play a total of 559 games for the club, second only to Jim Sullivan. He also kicked 508 goals and featured in Wigan's Rugby Football League Championship wins of 1945–46, 1946–47, and 1949–50 as well as their Challenge Cup victories of 1948 and 1951. He also won Lancashire Cup winner's medals seven times.

Ken Gee joined Wigan teammate Joe Egan on tours down under in 1946 and 1950, playing in all nine matches of three consecutive Ashes series matches against Australia. On the famous unbeaten tour of 1946 to Australia, the "Indomitables" tour, the front row in the first two tests of Frank Whitcombe, Joe Egan and Ken Gee laid the foundation for this Ashes win.

In recognition of Ken Gee, an amateur rugby competition played in Wigan called "Ken Gee Cup" was formed. He is also an inductee of the Wigan Hall of Fame.

Ken Gee is buried at St Matthews Church at Highfield, Wigan.

County Cup final appearances

Ken Gee played Right-Prop, i.e. number 10, in Wigan's 10-7 victory over Salford in the 1938 Lancashire Cup final during the 1938–39 season at Station Road, Swinton on Saturday 22 October 1938,[1] played Left-Prop, i.e. number 8, in the 3-7 defeat by Widnes in the 1945 Lancashire Cup final during the 1945–46 season at Wilderspool Stadium, Warrington on Saturday 27 October 1945, played Left-Prop in the 9-3 victory over Belle Vue Rangers in the 1946 Lancashire Cup final during the 1946–47 season at Station Road, Swinton on Saturday 26 October 1946,[2] played Left-Prop in the 10-7 victory over Belle Vue Rangers in the 1947 Lancashire Cup final during the 1947–48 season at Wilderspool Stadium, Warrington on Saturday 1 November 1947,[3] played Left-Prop in the 14-8 victory over Warrington in the 1948 Lancashire Cup final during the 1948–49 season at Station Road, Swinton on Saturday 13 November 1948,[4] played Left-Prop and scored a conversion in the 20-7 victory over Leigh in the 1949 Lancashire Cup final during the 1949–50 season at Wilderspool Stadium, Warrington on Saturday 29 October 1949,[5] played Left-Prop and scored 5-conversions in the 28-5 victory over Warrington in the 1950 Lancashire Cup final during the 1950–51 season at Station Road, Swinton on Saturday 4 November 1950,[6] played Left-Prop and scored a conversion in the 14-6 victory over Leigh in the 1951 Lancashire Cup final during the 1951–52 season at Station Road, Swinton on Saturday 27 October 1951,[7] and played Left-Prop and scored a conversion in the 8-16 defeat by St. Helens in the 1953 Lancashire Cup final during the 1953–54 season at Station Road, Swinton on Saturday 24 October 1953.

Other notable games

Ken Gee played Tighthead-Prop for a Rugby League XIII against Northern Command XIII at Thrum Hall, Halifax on Saturday 21 March 1942.[8]

Personal life

Ken Gee

Gee's uncle, Sam, was also a rugby league forward, who played for Huddersfield and England.

References

  1. ↑ "1938-1939 Lancashire Cup Final". wigan.rlfans.com. 31 December 2014. Retrieved 1 January 2015.
  2. ↑ "1946-1947 Lancashire Cup Final". wigan.rlfans.com. 31 December 2014. Retrieved 1 January 2015.
  3. ↑ "1947-1948 Lancashire Cup Final". wigan.rlfans.com. 31 December 2014. Retrieved 1 January 2015.
  4. ↑ "1948-1949 Lancashire Cup Final". wigan.rlfans.com. 31 December 2014. Retrieved 1 January 2015.
  5. ↑ "1949-1950 Lancashire Cup Final". wigan.rlfans.com. 31 December 2014. Retrieved 1 January 2015.
  6. ↑ "1950-1951 Lancashire Cup Final". wigan.rlfans.com. 31 December 2014. Retrieved 1 January 2015.
  7. ↑ "1951-1952 Lancashire Cup Final". wigan.rlfans.com. 31 December 2014. Retrieved 1 January 2015.
  8. ↑ "inside programme, Northern Command v. A Rugby League XIII, 1942". rugbyleagueoralhistory.co.uk. 2010-12-31. Retrieved 2011-01-01.

External links