Frank Kitchen

Frank Kitchen
Personal information
Full nameFrank Kitchen
Bornc. 1931
Prescot district, England
DiedDecember 1992[1]
Playing information
PositionWing
Club
Years Team Pld T G FG P
≤1952–≥54 Leigh 107 79 0 0 237
Representative
Years Team Pld T G FG P
1953–54 Lancashire 3 2 0 0 6
1954 Great Britain 2 3 0 0 9
Source: [2][3]

Frank Kitchen (c. 1931 – December 1992) was an English professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1950s as a wing. He played at club level for Leigh,[4] and at representative level for Great Britain, where he was part of the 1954 Rugby League World Cup winning team.

Background

Frank Kitchen's birth was registered in Prescot district, Lancashire, England.

During his later years, Kitchen was an accomplished bowls player, and competed regularly throughout the 1970s and 1980s.[5][6] Kitchen died in December 1992, with his funeral taking place in St Nicholas Church, St Helens.[7]

Rugby league career

Club career

Kitchen played left wing in Leigh's 22–5 victory over St Helens in the 1952–53 Lancashire Cup Final during the 1952–53 season at Station Road, Swinton on Saturday 29 November 1952.[8]

After returning from the 1954 World Cup, Kitchen only made sporadic appearances for Leigh, as the injury he suffered during the tournament was revealed to be more serious than it was first thought, requiring a cartilage operation.[9] However, he was unable to fully recover from the injury and was eventually forced to retire.[10]

Representative career

Kitchen won two caps for Great Britain while at Leigh in the 1954 Rugby League World Cup. He played left wing and scored a try in Great Britain's 28–13 victory over Australia in the first group match at Stade de Gerland, Lyon on Sunday 31 October 1954, and scored two tries in Great Britain's 26–6 victory over New Zealand in the third group match at Parc Lescure, Bordeaux on Thursday 11 November 1954.

Due to a leg injury which occurred in the New Zealand game,[11] Kitchen did not take part in Great Britain's 16–12 victory over France in the 1954 Rugby League World Cup Final.

References

  1. ^ "Popular figure is laid to rest". Runcorn Weekly News. 23 December 1992. p. 43 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  2. ^ "Statistics at rugbyleagueproject.org". rugbyleagueproject.org. 31 December 2017. Retrieved 1 January 2018.
  3. ^ "Player Summary: Frank Kitchen". Rugby League Records. Rugby League Record Keepers Club. Retrieved 12 March 2024.
  4. ^ "Statistics at leighrl.co.uk". leighrl.co.uk. 31 December 2017. Retrieved 1 January 2018.
  5. ^ "Kingswood 'family' bowls team". Runcorn Guardian. 26 May 1972. p. 29 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  6. ^ "Derbyshire still in Yorkshire's way". Huddersfield Daily Examiner. 5 June 1989. p. 17 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  7. ^ "Popular figure is laid to rest". Runcorn Weekly News. 23 December 1992. p. 43 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  8. ^ "Leigh RL legend Ted Kerwick dies, aged 88". This Is Lancashire. Newsquest (North West) Ltd. 29 July 2010. Retrieved 18 November 2013.
  9. ^ "Rugby League Levy Fund Must Be Protected". Liverpool Echo. 3 December 1955. p. 6 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  10. ^ "City Start Off With A Big Problem". Liverpool Echo. 27 December 1958. p. 4 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  11. ^ "New Zealand Dislike Helme's Tackle". Liverpool Echo. 12 November 1954. p. 5 – via British Newspaper Archive.