Samuel Morfitt
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Personal information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Full name | Samuel James Morfitt | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | January–March 1869 Kingston upon Hull, England | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Died | 16 January 1954 (aged 85) Kingston upon Hull, England | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Playing information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Rugby union | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Position | Wing, Centre | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Source: espnscrum.com | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Samuel "Sammy" Morfitt (birth registered January–March 1869[1] — 16 January 1954 (aged 85)[2]) birth registered in Kingston upon Hull, was a rugby union footballer of the 1890s, playing at representative level for England, and at club level for West Hartlepool, and Hull Kingston Rovers,[3] as a Wing, or Centre, i.e. number 11 or 14, or 12 or 13, he died in Kingston upon Hull. Prior to the 1897/98 season, Hull Kingston Rovers was a rugby union club.
Playing career
International honours
Morfitt won caps for England while at West Hartlepool in 1894 against Wales, Ireland, and Scotland, and while at Hull Kingston Rovers in 1896 against Wales, Ireland, and Scotland.[4]
In the early years of rugby football the goal was to score goals, and a try had zero value, but it provided the opportunity to try at goal, and convert the try to a goal with an unopposed kick at the goal posts. The point values of both the try and goal have varied over time, and in the early years footballers could "score" a try, without scoring any points.
Change of Code
When Hull Kingston Rovers converted from the rugby union code to the rugby league code for the 1897/98 season, Sammy Morfitt would have been approximately 28 years of age. Consequently, he may have been both a rugby union and rugby league footballer for Hull Kingston Rovers.
Note
Sammy Morfitt's surname is variously spelt correctly with a 'o' as Morfitt, or incorrectly with a 'u' as Murfitt.
References
- ^ "Birth details at freebmd.org.uk". freebmd.org.uk. 31 December 2011. Retrieved 1 January 2012.
- ^ "Death details at freebmd.org.uk". freebmd.org.uk. 31 December 2011. Retrieved 1 January 2012.
- ^ Williams, Graham; Lush, Peter; Farrar, David (2009). The British Rugby League Records Book. London League. p. 178. ISBN 978-1-903659-49-6.
- ^ "Statistics at espnscrum.com". espnscrum.com. 31 December 2011. Retrieved 1 January 2012.