Billy Stone (rugby)

For other people with the same name, see William Stone.

Billy Stone
Godfrey Phillips Cigarette card featuring Stone
Personal information
Full nameWilliam John Stone
Born(1897-09-28)28 September 1897[1]
Bream, Gloucestershire, England
Died8 November 1976(1976-11-08) (aged 79)[2]
Playing information
Rugby union
Club
Years Team Pld T G FG P
19??–?? Bream RFC
Rugby league
PositionWing, Centre, Fullback
Club
Years Team Pld T G FG P
1919–27 Hull FC 222 149
Representative
Years Team Pld T G FG P
1921–23 England 6 6 1 0 20
1920–22 Great Britain 8 8 0 0 24
Source: [3][4]

William John Stone (28 September 1897 – 8 November 1976) was an English rugby union and professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1910s and 1920s. He played at representative level for Great Britain and England, and at club level for Hull FC, as a three-quarter back.[3] He was captain of Hull during the 1921–22 and 1922–23 seasons.[5]

Biography

Stone was a blacksmith in Bream, Gloucestershire. He was "discovered" playing for the Bream's rugby union team by talent scouts from Hull FC rugby league club,[6] he then moved to Beverley Road, Hull with his wife Gertie, and his children; William, Hilary, and Esme.

Stone was selected to go on the 1920 Great Britain Lions tour of Australia and New Zealand. He won caps for Great Britain while at Hull in 1920 against Australia (3 matches), and New Zealand (3 matches), and in 1921-22 against Australia (2 matches).

Stone also won caps for England while at Hull in 1921 against Wales, Other Nationalities and Australia, in 1922 against Wales, in 1923 against Wales (2 matches).

Stone played fullback in Hull FC's 9-10 defeat by Rochdale Hornets in the 1922 Challenge Cup Final during the 1921–22 season at Headingley, Leeds, in front of a crowd of 34,827.[7]

Hull F.C. were just one-point behind Rochdale Hornets when second-row Bob Taylor scored a try in the dying minutes, however Billy Stone was unable to score the conversion and Rochdale Hornets won the 1922 Challenge Cup.

References

  1. ^ Fairhurst, Tony (23 November 1963). "Where are they now? - No. 3: Billy Stone". Sports Mail. Hull Daily Mail. p. 5 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  2. ^ "An All-Time Great For Hull Dies". Hull Daily Mail. 9 November 1976. p. 12 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  3. ^ a b "Statistics at rugbyleagueproject.org". rugbyleagueproject.org. 31 December 2017. Retrieved 1 January 2018.
  4. ^ "Player Summary: Billy Stone". Rugby League Records. Rugby League Record Keepers Club. Retrieved 14 October 2024.
  5. ^ "Coaches and Captains". hullfc.com. 31 December 2016. Retrieved 1 January 2017.
  6. ^ "Bream characters of Yesteryear". sungreen.co.uk. 31 December 2010. Retrieved 16 December 2013.
  7. ^ "A complete history of Hull FC's Challenge Cup finals". Hull Daily Mail. 31 December 2013. Archived from the original on 3 February 2014. Retrieved 1 January 2014.