- Joe Busch
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Joe Busch Personal information Full name Joseph Busch Nickname Chimpy Born 4 June 1907
Maclean, New South Wales, AustraliaDied 29 May 1999 (aged 91) Playing information Position Halfback Club Years Team Pld T G FG P 1928–30 Eastern Suburbs 32 11 0 0 33 1931–34 Leeds 1935–36 Balmain Tigers 19 9 0 0 27 Total 51 20 0 0 60 Representative Years Team Pld T G FG P 1929–30 New South Wales 6 1928–30 Australia 6 Coaching information Club Years Team Gms W D L W% 1935–36 Balmain Tigers 29 17 1 11 59 Source: Yesterday's Hero Joe 'Chimpy' Busch (4 June 1907–29 May 1999) was an Australian rugby league footballer of the 1920s and 30s. A state and national representative halfback, his club career was played with Sydney based teams Eastern Suburbs and Balmain and UK team Leeds, in the 1930s. He has been named amongst the nation's finest footballers of the 20th century.[1]
Contents
Life and career
Born in the country town of Maclean, New South Wales in 1907. As a newborn, one of his older brothers remarked that he looked like a chimpanzee and hence he gained the life-long nickname 'Chimpy'. Busch was a fisherman who played in the local side, Harwood Island. In 1926, at the age of 19, he was spotted by Eastern Suburbs talent scout John 'Dinny' Campbell and invited to trial for a position in the team. Busch had to borrow the £5 return boat fare to Sydney. Busch trialled for selection with the Eastern Suburbs and was successful, becoming the team’s half-back.
In his first year of professional rugby league, Busch was selected for the NSW state representative team and national team, the Kangaroos. Busch played for the Kangaroos against the visiting English national side in 1928 and also for the Kangaroos 1929-30 Ashes tour of England the following year.
On the boat trip home to Australia after the 1929-30 Ashes tour of England, Busch met and became romantically involved with Josephina (Ina) Castrey, who was migrating from Scotland to Australia, the pair were eventually married.
Based on his performance in the 1929-30 Kangaroos tour of England, Busch was offered a position with Yorkshire club, Leeds, now known as the Leeds Rhinos. Busch’s contract included a signing fee of £1,000 and match payments of £7 for a win, £6 for a draw and £5 for a loss. [2][3] While playing for Leeds, Busch was selected in the Yorkshire representative team and toured France in 1934. Busch played for Leeds for 5 years until 1935, when he returned to Australia where he took up the position of captain-coach for Balmain. Busch remained at Balmain as coach-captain for 2 years before deciding to retire at the end of the 1936 season.
In 1945, Busch became a selector for the Australian side.
Busch’s wife, Ina died in 1996, they had been married more than 65 years. Busch passed away on May 29, 1999 aged 91. Busch’s death left Harry Kadwell as the lone survivor of the 1929-30 Ashes tour.
Notable tries
For many years after, fans would talk about a try Busch scored where he took the ball from a scrum and shot down the blind-side with Souths and Australian winger, Benny Wearing, in support. As the Queensland defence closed in, Busch held the ball back from Wearing - he dummied to him five times before scoring a brilliant individual try.
Busch played in 6 test matches for Australia in his career; however, it is a controversial no-try incident on that tour that he is best remembered for. England had held the Ashes for almost 20 years, with only a few minutes remaining and the scores locked at nil-all in the third and deciding test, Busch collected the ball from a scrum win 30 metres out and scooted down the sideline. He crashed over the try-line in the corner with England's lock Frank Butters on his back making a last-ditch attempt to stop him. As the corner post went flying the crowd spilled onto the field in excitement. Referee Robinson looked set to award Australia the try and the game (and with it the Ashes) when the touch-judge emerged through the crowd claiming Busch had taken out the corner post before grounding the ball. Even though the referee believed it was a fair try he had no option other than to rule 'no try'. The referee was reported to have said to the Kangaroos "fair try Australia, but I am overruled". The match finished as a 0-0 draw, leaving the series tied at one match apiece, a deciding fourth match was played a week later, which England won 3-0, to retain the Ashes. For the remainder of his life Busch insisted he scored the try, quoted as saying “I got it down all right…it was a fair try.” [4] The corner where Busch scored the disallowed try in Swinton, is still officially known as Busch’s Corner. [5]
Busch with the Kangaroos 1st Test 5 Oct 1929
Accolades
In 1998, for a rugby league memorabilia auction for charity Busch’s 1928 autographed jersey went for A$67,000. [6]
Following his death in 1999, players from the two Australian clubs for which he played, Eastern suburbs and Balmain wore black armbands in his honour. [7]
In February 2008, Busch was named in the list of Australia's 100 Greatest Players (1908–2007) which was commissioned by the NRL and ARL to celebrate the code's centenary year in Australia.[8]
References
- ^ Century's Top 100 Players
- ^ Mordey, B. (11/9/1977). "Stars of Yesteryear: Wizard Half Ran So Hot". Sunday: p. 75.
- ^ McSwan, E. H. (1973). Champions in Sport. Maclean, N.S.W.: Clarence Press.
- ^ "League's Grand Old Man Departs". The Daily Telegraph. 31/5/1999.
- ^ "Youth from bush jumped staright into Test league". The Daily Mirror. 11/5/1979.
- ^ "Giving thanks to Gasnier". The Daily Telegraph. 5/9/1998.
- ^ "Local league legend dies". The Daily Examiner. 30/5/1999.
- ^ "Centenary of Rugby League - The Players". NRL & ARL. 2008-02-23. http://www.centenaryofrugbyleague.com.au/site/the-players.aspx?cat=3&list=true. Retrieved 2008-02-23.
Sources
- RL1908.com - Sean Fagan
- The Encyclopedia Of Rugby League Players; Alan Whiticker & Glen Hudson
External links
Categories:- 1907 births
- Australian rugby league players
- Sydney Roosters players
- Australia national rugby league team players
- Leeds Rhinos players
- Balmain Tigers players
- Balmain Tigers coaches
- 1999 deaths
- Other Nationalities rugby league team players
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