Rugby Had Been Popular in English Private Schools and Universities in the Mid-Nineteenth

Rugby

Rugby had been popular in English private schools and universities in the mid-nineteenth century. By 1900 this popularity had spread across South Wales with most villages having their own teams where a poorer miner might be in the same team as a richer doctor and teacher.

Professionalism affected rugby in 1895 over the issue of ‘broken-time’ because the Rugby Union refused to allow senior players to be paid even though they had to take time off work to play the game. This led to a split in rugby with the rugby league being set up which allowed professionalism. This version of the game developed its own rules and became very popular in the factory and mining towns and cities in the north of England. This split was not healed until the end of the twentieth century.

Welsh rugby had little to cheer in between World War I and World War II. Rugby Union was affected badly by the depression in the 1930s with many players leaving to play in the rugby league. Many small rugby teams struggled to raise teams for games due to the need to earn money just to survive and feed their families.

Rugby

Rugby had been popular in English private schools and universities in the mid-nineteenth century. By 1900 this popularity had spread across South Wales with most villages having their own teams where a poorer miner might be in the same team as a richer doctor and teacher.

Professionalism affected rugby in 1895 over the issue of ‘broken-time’ because the Rugby Union refused to allow senior players to be paid even though they had to take time off work to play the game. This led to a split in rugby with the rugby league being set up which allowed professionalism. This version of the game developed its own rules and became very popular in the factory and mining towns and cities in the north of England. This split was not healed until the end of the twentieth century.

Welsh rugby had little to cheer in between World War I and World War II. Rugby Union was affected badly by the depression in the 1930s with many players leaving to play in the rugby league. Many small rugby teams struggled to raise teams for games due to the need to earn money just to survive and feed their families.

Football

Football or ‘Association Football’ was very popular in both Wales and England and was widely supported and played by mainly working people. The Football Association (FA) allowed the paying of players in 1885 but set a salary cap of just £4 a week in 1901. This stayed in place until the early 1960s when it had risen to £20 a week.

Thousands of supporters would travel to watch their teams play and in the 1920s was truly seen as being the ‘people’s game.’ At this time 6 million would pay to watch First Division football and over half a million regularly played it (in South Wales alone there were over 300 clubs).

Football was hit hard by the depression of the 1930s and especially so in South Wales where there was huge unemployment which meant fans couldn’t afford to watch their teams. Clubs in this area faced hard times; Swansea Town had to be saved from bankruptcy in 1935 and Cardiff City was relegated to lowest division in 1931.

In 1937 the country was emerging from the depressions and with more media coverage sporting stars began to be born. The first big money transfers started, this prompted questions in the House of Commons. Gambling became hugely popular with people playing the football pools with over 10 million betting regularly by 1938.

Football

Football or ‘Association Football’ was very popular in both Wales and England and was widely supported and played by mainly working people. The Football Association (FA) allowed the paying of players in 1885 but set a salary cap of just £4 a week in 1901. This stayed in place until the early 1960s when it had risen to £20 a week.

Thousands of supporters would travel to watch their teams play and in the 1920s was truly seen as being the ‘people’s game.’ At this time 6 million would pay to watch First Division football and over half a million regularly played it (in South Wales alone there were over 300 clubs).

Football was hit hard by the depression of the 1930s and especially so in South Wales where there was huge unemployment which meant fans couldn’t afford to watch their teams. Clubs in this area faced hard times; Swansea Town had to be saved from bankruptcy in 1935 and Cardiff City was relegated to lowest division in 1931.

In 1937 the country was emerging from the depressions and with more media coverage sporting stars began to be born. The first big money transfers started, this prompted questions in the House of Commons. Gambling became hugely popular with people playing the football pools with over 10 million betting regularly by 1938.

Boxing

Sports like boxing have a long history and were enjoyed by both rich and poor people in the country. The rich would bet huge sums of money on the matches whilst the poor would still gamble as it gave a chance to earn extra money. Travelling fairs and carnivals would also have ‘boxing booths’ where ordinary people could take on a ‘pro’ for some prize money. Jimmy Wilde became famous because of this starting his career at a fairground in 1908. There is no evidence of women being involved in this sport at this time.

Many boxers in Britain looked at the rewards for making it big in the USA. One of these big US stars was Louis, ‘The Brown Bomber’ who famously defended his title in 1937 against the former Welsh miner Tommy Farr, who was one of Wales’ first superstars. Farr earned over £10,000 for this fight.

Others weren’t as successful and many British boxers had to fight an enormous number of contests to satisfy the demand from the public who wanted fights every week. Boxers were paid poorly during the depression with most earning just £2-£4 for a boxing match.

Boxing

Sports like boxing have a long history and were enjoyed by both rich and poor people in the country. The rich would bet huge sums of money on the matches whilst the poor would still gamble as it gave a chance to earn extra money. Travelling fairs and carnivals would also have ‘boxing booths’ where ordinary people could take on a ‘pro’ for some prize money. Jimmy Wilde became famous because of this starting his career at a fairground in 1908. There is no evidence of women being involved in this sport at this time.

Many boxers in Britain looked at the rewards for making it big in the USA. One of these big US stars was Louis, ‘The Brown Bomber’ who famously defended his title in 1937 against the former Welsh miner Tommy Farr, who was one of Wales’ first superstars. Farr earned over £10,000 for this fight.

Others weren’t as successful and many British boxers had to fight an enormous number of contests to satisfy the demand from the public who wanted fights every week. Boxers were paid poorly during the depression with most earning just £2-£4 for a boxing match.

Cricket

Cricket was seen as the national sport of England more so than football which was seen as a 'rougher' sport. It was a sport mainly played by richer people but most towns and villages even in poorer areas had teams. Paying for players had long been common although they made sure there were differences between the amateur 'gentlemen' and professional 'players'. This difference meant not only a name but they would be kept in different dressing rooms, hotels, railway carriages and even enter the cricket ground from different entrances.

Cricket attracted huge crowds to matches reaching its height between World War 1 and World War 2. England were the world leaders and often played matches against Australia for the 'Ashes' trophy. Children would often be seen playing cricket in streets using the lampposts as wickets as they tried to copy their sporting heroes of the day such as Jack Hobbs and Wally Hammond, two very successful professional players.

Cricket

Cricket was seen as the national sport of England more so than football which was seen as a 'rougher' sport. It was a sport mainly played by richer people but most towns and villages even in poorer areas had teams. Paying for players had long been common although they made sure there were differences between the amateur 'gentlemen' and professional 'players'. This difference meant not only a name but they would be kept in different dressing rooms, hotels, railway carriages and even enter the cricket ground from different entrances.

Cricket attracted huge crowds to matches reaching its height between World War 1 and World War 2. England were the world leaders and often played matches against Australia for the 'Ashes' trophy. Children would often be seen playing cricket in streets using the lampposts as wickets as they tried to copy their sporting heroes of the day such as Jack Hobbs and Wally Hammond, two very successful professional players.

Golf and Tennis

These two sports showed some of the biggest differences between the rich and poor. Golf was played by wealthy men who used the newly invented motor car to travel out to more and more private golf clubs. However, it was ahead of the times in the way it allowed amateurs and professionals to play alongside each other and in the 1920s it even saw more women taking up the sport.

Lawn tennis was also a sport mainly for the rich with many wealthy having courts in their back gardens. In order to encourage more to play the game councils started to build a number of grass and hard courts in local parks. In 1936 tennis had a huge boost thanks to the sporting hero Fred Perry who won Wimbledon three years in a row.

Golf and Tennis

These two sports showed some of the biggest differences between the rich and poor. Golf was played by wealthy men who used the newly invented motor car to travel out to more and more private golf clubs. However, it was ahead of the times in the way it allowed amateurs and professionals to play alongside each other and in the 1920s it even saw more women taking up the sport.

Lawn tennis was also a sport mainly for the rich with many wealthy having courts in their back gardens. In order to encourage more to play the game councils started to build a number of grass and hard courts in local parks. In 1936 tennis had a huge boost thanks to the sporting hero Fred Perry who won Wimbledon three years in a row.