Leslie Adams

For the American composer, see Leslie Adams (composer).
For American Republican Party politician from Virginia, see Les Adams.
Leslie Adams
Ogden's Cigarette card featuring Leslie Adams
Personal information
Full name Leslie Adams
Nickname Les, Juicy
Born October→December 1909
Hyde Park, Leeds, England
Died 31 January 1945 (aged 35)
Burma
Playing information
Position Scrum-half/Halfback
Club
Years Team Pld T G FG P
1926–32 Leeds 109 18 1 56
1932–34 Huddersfield
1934–42 Castleford 196 39 0 0 117
1942 Leeds (Guest)
Total 305 57 1 0 173
Representative
Years Team Pld T G FG P
1931–37 Yorkshire ≥7 0 0 0 0
1931–39 England 3 0 0 0 0
1932 Great Britain 1 0 0 0 0
Source: rugbyleagueproject.org englandrl.co.uk

Leslie "Les" 'Juicy' Adams (birth registered October→December 1909[1] — 31 January 1945 (aged 35)) birth registered in Leeds district, was an English professional rugby league footballer of the 1930s and '40s, playing at representative level for Great Britain, England, and Yorkshire, and at club level for Leeds (twice), Huddersfield, and Castleford, as a Scrum-half/Halfback, i.e. number 7, he died in Burma.

Playing career

International honours

Juicy Adams won caps for England while at Leeds in 1931 against Wales, while at Castleford in 1936 against Wales, in 1939 against France,[2] and won a cap for Great Britain while at Leeds on Saturday 18 June 1932 against Australia at Brisbane Cricket Ground (The Gabba).[3]

County honours

Juicy Adams won caps playing Scrum-half/Halfback for Yorkshire while at Castleford in the 0-10 defeat by Cumberland at Whitehaven's stadium on 29 September 1934, the 5-5 draw with Lancashire at Leeds' stadium on 9 January 35, the 16-5 victory over Lancashire at Widnes' stadium on 12 October 1935, the 16-10 victory over Cumberland at Workington Town's stadium on 10 October 1936, the 6-28 defeat by Lancashire at Castleford's stadium on 21 October 1936, and the 7-7 draw with Cumberland at Hunslet's stadium on 10 November 1937.[4]

Challenge Cup final appearances

Juicy Adams played Scrum-half/Halfback in Leeds's 11–8 victory over Swinton in the 1931–32 Challenge Cup final at Central Park, Wigan on Saturday 7 May 1932, played Scrum-half/Halfback in Huddersfield's 21–17 victory over Warrington in the 1932–33 Challenge Cup final at Wembley Stadium on Saturday 6 May 1933,<ref name="Fartown At Wembley - "The Wembley Years" - 1933, 1935, 1953 And 1962">"Fartown At Wembley - "The Wembley Years" - 1933, 1935, 1953 And 1962" (PDF). huddersfieldrlheritage.co.uk. 31 December 2012. Retrieved 1 January 2013.</ref> played Scrum-half/Halfback and scored a try in Castleford's 11–8 victory over Huddersfield in the 1934–35 Challenge Cup final at Wembley Stadium on Saturday 4 May 1935.[5] In doing so, he became the first player to win the Challenge Cup with three different clubs.

Rugby League County League appearances

Juicy Adams played in Castleford's 1932–33, and 1938–39 Yorkshire League victories.

Club career

Juicy Adams made his début for Leeds against Featherstone Rovers at Headingley Stadium on Saturday 26 March 1927.[6]

Genealogical information

Leslie Adams' marriage to Gladys Collinson was registered during April→June 1934 in Leeds North district.[7] They had children; June M. Adams (birth registered January→March 1937 in Leeds North district). Leslie Adams was the uncle of the rugby league footballer of the 1960s for Leeds, and Bramley, Philip Adams (born circa-1944).

Death

Juicy Adams became a landlord in Leeds, and subsequently volunteered for war duty with the Royal Air Force, becoming a rear gunner. He was killed in action in January 1945, when the Liberator B Mk V in which he was flying came down 40-miles south-west of Rangoon, Burma. Of the nine men on the plane, three of the occupants, including Juicy Adams, are believed to have bailed out, and then drowned. The remaining six men were captured, the 2 officers were separated from the Flight Sergeants and sent to Rangoon Jail, where they survived, and the Flight Sergeants were beheaded by the Japanese Military on 7 February 1945, and are buried in the Taukkyan War Cemetery. After the war the Japanese military officers responsible for the execution were tried for war crimes, and were subsequently executed. Despite numerous searches of the area around the crash site, and discussions with villagers who found the plane, no trace of the body of Juicy Adams, or his colleagues, has been found.[8]

Honoured at Castleford Tigers

Juicy Adams is a Tigers Hall Of Fame Inductee.[9]

References

  1. ↑ "Birth details at freebmd.org.uk". freebmd.org.uk. 31 December 2011. Retrieved 1 January 2012.
  2. ↑ "England Statistics at englandrl.co.uk". englandrl.co.uk. 31 December 2012. Retrieved 1 January 2013.
  3. ↑ "Great Britain Statistics at englandrl.co.uk". englandrl.co.uk. 31 December 2012. Retrieved 1 January 2013.
  4. ↑ "Statistics at thecastlefordtigers.co.uk". thecastlefordtigers.co.uk ℅ web.archive.org. 31 December 2013. Retrieved 1 January 2014.
  5. ↑ "Sat 4th May 1935 – Challenge Cup – Neutral Ground – 39,000". thecastlefordtigers. 31 December 2011. Retrieved 1 January 2012.
  6. ↑ Dalby, Ken (1955). The Headingley Story - 1890-1955 - Volume One - Rugby. The Leeds Cricket, Football & Athletic Co. Ltd ASIN: B0018JNGVM
  7. ↑ "Marriage details at freebmd.org.uk". freebmd.org.uk. 31 December 2011. Retrieved 1 January 2012.
  8. ↑ Commonwealth War Graves Commission entry
  9. ↑ "Hall of Fame at castigers.com". castigers. 31 December 2008. Retrieved 1 January 2009.

External links