Following the sad news of the passing of former Hull FC player Peter Bateson, we look back at how the full-back played his part in helping the Black & Whites to their 1958 Championship Final success.
Hull FC enjoyed a fabulous run of success in the late 1950’s on the back of three successive Yorkshire Cup Finals in 1953-55. The Championship, which had been decided on a top four play-off basis since 1907 had been secured in 1920, 1921, 1936 and – sensationally – in 1956 from 4th position in the league.
They had gone on to reach the final again in 1957 from a league position second only to another great side in Oldham. It may not be appreciated nowadays, but Oldham were consistently one of the strongest and best teams in the league for much of the first 100 years of Rugby League’s existence.
In the 1957-58 season, Hull went through their home fixtures with an unblemished league record, but their early season results away were a cause for concern, because defeats were suffered at the hands of some lowly opposition.
However, after the defeat at Featherstone on 7th December, Hull went a further 19 league matches, only dropping three points (a loss at Barrow and a draw at Dewsbury). That tremendous performance drove the Airlie Birds up to 4th position and two points in front of Wigan, who actually won their last 6 games.
Hull had to go to Oldham in the last fixture and were hopelessly outclassed to the tune of 9-43. That result meant that Hull had to return to Watersheddings for the play-off semi-final on Saturday evening, 7th May.
Hull were given no chance by the Rugby League press, but turned in one of their greatest-ever displays to defeat the Roughyeds by 20-8. Jack Bentley (Daily Express) had suggested that “Hull might as well cut costs and stay at home. It would need a superhuman effort from tourist Johnny Whiteley and his fellow forwards is their only hope”. And a superhuman effort was produced. Even though Tommy Harris was sent off in the 63rd minute, Hull continued to call the tune for the entire 80 minutes.
Tommy Finn carved out a try for Ivor Watts in the 4th minute, Cyril Sykes provided another for Brian Cooper and Bill Drake and Sykes added further tries to which Peter Bateson added three goals. The later stages were conducted in some unseemly manner, but it was a pity that Tommy Harris would take the rap for the rest.
So, Hull went to their third successive final to meet Workington Town who had suffered defeat at Wembley just seven days previously. Harris was duly suspended for two matches and had the distinction of serving that suspension in two hemispheres as the first GB tourist game counted for him. Hull, in fact, fielded an all-Hull Born pack as the Drake twins were injured.
The game saw Workington have much the better of the early stages and only good defence from Brian Saville thwarted top wingman Ike Southward.
Scrum-half Sol Roper also caused some anxiety in Hull’s defence. However, Workington lost Cec Thompson with a serious leg injury and despite Southward opening the scoring in the 28th minute, they rarely looked a threat after that.
Brian Cooper replied in the corner and Peter Bateson put Hull in front from the touchline for a 5-3 halftime advantage. The second period saw Johnny Whiteley dominant and he had a hand in all three second-half tries, including a 30 yard sprint for one himself from acting half-back. He combined with brother Peter to send prop Mick Scott diving over and he sent Tommy Finn away for a brilliantly worked Try.
The next two years, of course, saw Hull at Wembley, albeit unsuccessfully and gradually after that, the great Hull pack started to fragment.
But those three years in those finals saw the Airlie Birds at their brilliant, consistent best and they truly were, in that period, the best team in the game.
Hull: Bateson, Watts, Cooper, Saville, Dannatt, Broadhurst, Finn, Scott, Holdstock, Hambling, Sykes, P. Whiteley, J. Whiteley.
Tries: Cooper, Finn, Scott, J. Whiteley
Goals: Bateson (4)
Workington: McAvoy, Southward, O’Neill, Leatherbarrow, Faulder, Archer, Roper, Herbert, Eden, Stamper, Edgar, Thompson, Eve.
Tries: Southward
Goals: N/A
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