Today marks the 100th anniversary of the club’s first ever Yorkshire Cup Final victory over Huddersfield – Club Historian Bill Dalton looks back on the historic occasion.
The County Cups were instituted in the 1905-06 season and became an element of the fabled “All Four Cups” available to be won. Hull were drawn at home to Bramley in their very first tie, winning 5-2 but lost to eventual finalists Halifax in the second round.
The team reached the final of the competition on three occasions, in 1912, 1914 and 1920, losing each time to, respectively, Batley 3-17, Huddersfield 0-31 , and Hull KR 0-2 in 1920.
Hull’s first ‘Golden Era’ was drawing to its end, when on November 24th 1923, they reached their fourth Yorkshire Cup Final. The path to the Final had entailed victories over Bramley (16-3), Hunslet (16-7), both at the Boulevard, before having to travel to Dewsbury for the semi-final, succeeding after a great display by a 12-3 margin.
On the other side of the draw, Huddersfield had beaten junior side Elland 53-2, Halifax 19-2 and Batley, narrowly, by 10-9.
Old foes Huddersfield awaited in the Final at Headingley on 24th November.
So it was that Hull and Huddersfield were to lock horns again, one side bidding to win the cup for the first time against a side who had already won it on six occassions.
An attendance of 23,300 witnessed Hull’s first success in the competition to the tune of 10-4 after trailing 3-4 at half-time.
Billy Batten and Jim Kennedy scored Hull’s tries and Kennedy also landed a conversion and a penalty. Huddersfield’s two goals were kicked by the legendary Ben Gronow, a Welsh forward who kicked off the first-ever game at Twickenham, and by Joe Oliver who, five years later, would commence to earn himself a place as one of Hull’s Immortals.
Hull should have taken the lead in the first minute but Kennedy missed a simple penalty. Gronow, made no mistake with one from near half-way.
Eddie Caswell kicked over the full-back – he looked a certain scorer, but Rogers chased back to foil him. Similarly, Billy Stone saved a likely try by Thorp. Joe Oliver then dropped a goal for Huddersfield to edge in front.
On the half-hour, though, Hull, after the best handling move of the match so far, reduced the deficit when Kennedy finished off a brilliant move embracing Stan Whitty, Tom Collins and Billy Batten, although, again, he failed with the kick.
Early in the second period, Gronow made a hash of a penalty, following which the Airlie Birds mounted a sustained attack on the Huddersfield defence, but the tackling of Wagstaff and McTigue were for long periods equal to the task.
But Hull took the lead again when Naylor was penalised for a charge on Ned Rogers whilst he was taking Naylor’s kick.
Soon after, Bill Batten took a pass from Eddie Caswell and burst through the Fartowner’s defence to score under the posts. Kennedy converted and the Yorkshire Cup was Hull’s for the first time. It was to be 46 years before we had it again.
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