Hull FC are saddened to learn of the passing of former player Peter Bateson, who has passed away at the age of 87.
The former Black & White full-back was a regular feature for the club throughout the late 1950s and early 1960s.
Bateson, one of the club’s most successful goal-kickers of all-time, joined the club in the summer of 1957 and established himself as the first-choice for the number one jersey.
Club Historian Bill Dalton looks back at the life and career of the former Hull star…
Born in East Hull, Peter took up rugby league at Southcoates School and played in junior football before being signed by Batley in 1952, making his professional debut in the Boxing Day Derby against Dewsbury that same year.
Bateson went on to make 55 appearances for the West Yorkshire side, and after a short spell living in Australia in 1956, was signed by Hull prior to the start of the 1957-58 campaign.
He made an immediate impact on the side, kicking seven goals in a 41-25 demolition of Leeds at the Boulevard, and would soon take the full-back spot on a permanent basis as Colin Hutton came toward the end of his career.
Peter was a member of the 1958 Rugby League Championship winning side, captained by Johnny Whiteley MBE. Hull beat Workington 20-3 at Odsal; a game in which Peter kicked all four conversions after tries from Brian Cooper, Johnny Whiteley, Mick Scott and Tommy Finn.
In all, Peter made 138 appearances for Hull over the course of five seasons, scoring five tries and landing 542 goals, standing seventh in the club all-time goal-kicking chart, and tenth in the point-scoring chart with 1099.
He shares a record with Jim Kennedy of the 1920s as being the only players to have kicked ten or more goals in a match on five occasions. Only two more players have managed the feat even twice; Paul Cooke and Sammy Lloyd.
Full-backs in those days were not noted for try-scoring feats and Peter managed to get over the line on five occasions. However, one of those was a simple, but memorable effort at Swinton in the Challenge Cup Semi-Final in 1960 against Oldham. He received the ball some 20 yards out and feigned to drop at goal. It was a unique ‘dummy’ ploy as Oldham’s players looked up at the goalposts whilst Peter scampered round to touch down. Added to the conversion, it proved to be a valuable contribution to the 12-9 victory to take Hull to Wembley.
Unfortunately, Peter was compelled to miss the final as he was the victim of a vicious late, high attack by Derek Turner at Wakefield the previous week.
Peter ended his career at Hull in January 1962, as the young Arthur Keegan was emerging as a future test full-back, but returned to Batley for a short time in 1963-64 and 1964-65, making a further 22 appearances in total and adding another 45 successful goal-kicks. He then continued in the game by turning out for BOCM and played in their Challenge Cup-tie against Liverpool City in February 1967.
Everyone at Hull FC would like to pass on their condolences to Peter’s family at this difficult time.
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