Club Historian Bill Dalton looks back at a momentous day in the history of Hull, when the largest crowd ever for a Rugby League match in the city assembled at the Boulevard.
Saturday 7th March 1936.: Challenge Cup (3rd Round), Hull vs Leeds
Some eighty-five years ago today, 28,798 spectators were in attendance at the Boulevard for this Challenge Cup quarter-final tie. It was the highest crowd ever present on the ground and would never be surpassed.
Undoubtedly, the ground had been the scene of many memorable matches over the 41 years of Hull’s tenancy by that stage. So, why this unprecedented clamour? Well, firstly, as was the norm until Super League was ‘invented’ and less prominence was given to the Challenge Cup, it was a fact that attendances inevitably increased throughout the stages of the competition each season.
Secondly, the quarter-final was the last stage for home advantage to exist as a spur to further advancement in the cup. Third, of course, there was the not inconsiderable fact that these fierce rivals and two of the best teams in the game at that juncture, were to engage in this tie.
There was an aggregate attendance exceeding 100,000 for the four ties that afternoon and the demand for seat tickets at the Boulevard had been so overwhelming that the club arranged for erection of seats alongside the touch lines and behind the in-goal areas. Current older supporters will recall that scenario in the 1950’s.
Hull started as favourites on account of their tremendous record at ‘Fortress Boulevard’. They had lost only once in their previous 62 fixtures at the famous ground.
Only Laurie Thacker was absent from the regular Hull line-up on this sunny, spring-like day, although the ground was still heavy from recent rain. The big danger to Hull was the presence of Eric Harris, Leeds’s Aussie winger who was currently on a world record run of 17 successive try-scoring matches.
Not surprisingly, play was dominated by the forward packs and had the crowd baying for ‘biff’ and retribution from the start. Defences were on top and the only first-half scores were a penalty to each side, Joe Oliver for Hull and Charlie Eaton for Leeds, whose effort only counted after striking a post on the way over.
The early stages of the second half saw referee Frank Fairhurst disallow two Hull tries, first from Dicky Fifield and then an effort from Joe Oliver. The second denial was a shattering blow for Hull’s chances as this came on the heels of Fred Harris’s try for Leeds who had worked a ‘scissors’ move with his namesake, but dummied and took advantage to sweep round for a try wide out.
It was now 5-2 to Leeds but Oliver kicked another penalty, but despite sustained pressure, Hull could not crack the Loiners’. The game was effectively ‘put to bed’ for Leeds when referee Fairhurst, in the 72nd minute, sensationally sent off George Barlow and Joe Oliver on the intervention of a touch judge.
There was time for Freddie Miller to fail with two penalty attempts, which Joe Oliver may well have kicked had he still been on the field. But that single-point defeat brought an end to Hull’s determined attempt to reach Wembley for the first time. That would have to wait for another 23 years, whilst Leeds finished up with the trophy, overcoming Warrington in the final by 18-2.
Hull had a measure of revenge over Leeds the following month by recording a league double at their expense – 10-7 at Headingley and a massive 38-0 hammering at the Boulevard on the way to a top spot finish in the league and the winning of the Rugby League Championship.
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