Description
Physical description
2
small brass coloured trophy with wooden base (H [including base] 13cm x 9cm across). The cup bears engraved and hand-written inscriptions. Engraved on body: 'Convoy Staff Company / Exhibition of Wrestling / Cpl Clark D / Grove Park / 4.8.15'. Hand-written paper label on wooden base: 'D Clark'.
Label
Wrestling trophy cup awarded to Corporal Douglas Clark (Army Service Corps) for an exhibition bout on 4 August 1915.
Not only regarded as one of the greatest ever Rugby League forwards, Douglas Clark was also a world champion wrestler billed at one time as 'the strongest man in the world'. He enjoyed a career of great longevity at the highest level, playing professional rugby league for twenty years and contesting wrestling championships well into his forties. Despite his great strength, on the field Clark was renowned for his clean and sporting behaviour, off it many who knew him well described him as quiet, reserved, even gentle.
Born at Ellenborough, near Maryport, on 2 May 1891, Clark was spotted playing for the local junior club Brookland Rovers and joined Huddersfield for a fee. He made his debut on 25 September 1909. Thirteen months later he won the first of 31 caps for Cumberland and, by 1911, was playing for his country in the second and third tests against Australia. A leading member of what became known as 'the Team of all the Talents', Clark won seven Yorkshire Cup, six Yorkshire League championship, three Championship and three Challenge Cup medals. He scored tries in three of the five Championship finals in which he played, including a hat-trick in 1913. In the 1914-15 season, Huddersfield won all four competitions they entered. Douglas Clark was an intelligent player, not just a powerhouse. He was a good tackler, an adept dribbler and able to open out play with his passing. In 485 games for Huddersfield, he scored 99 tries. Clark also played eleven test matches against Australia and New Zealand up to 1920, including the notorious 'Rorke's Drift' game in Sydney on 4 July 1914 when he broke his thumb and dislocated a collarbone in a 14-6 win.
During the First World War, Douglas Clark served with the Army Service Corps rising to the rank of sergeant. In 1917, he took part in the Battle of Messines and the Third Battle of Ypres, being gassed twice, in July and October. On the second occasion he also suffered severe arm and abdominal wounds. For his part in bringing forward an ammunition column under very heavy fire when, Clark wrote in his diary, 'the place was turned into hell', he was awarded the Military Medal.
Douglas Clark became British Army wrestling champion. After the war he was five times a world champion in the Cumberland and Westmoreland style and frequently won prizes at the Grasmere Sports, including the Lonsdale Belt. After his retirement from rugby he took part in the 'All-In' and 'Catch-As-Catch-Can' disciplines. On 6 June 1931, he defeated 'Johanfesson' to claim the All-In heavyweight championship of England, having already become British champion in 1930. He later won the European and Empire titles. In a thrilling contest on 3 July 1933 he became the first holder of the T. Herbert Kaye world championship belt after overcoming the Belgian Laurent Gerstmans. In 1936 and 1937 he toured Australia. Clark died on 1 February 1951. 'As legends go', wrote one noted sports historian, 'he was the genuine article'.
History note
Not only regarded as one of the greatest ever Rugby League forwards, Douglas Clark was also a world champion wrestler billed at one time as 'the strongest man in the world'. He enjoyed a career of great longevity at the highest level, playing professional rugby league for twenty years and contesting wrestling championships well into his forties. Despite his great strength, on the field Clark was renowned for his clean and sporting behaviour, off it many who knew him well described him as quiet, reserved, even gentle.
Born at Ellenborough, near Maryport, on 2 May 1891, Clark was spotted playing for the local junior club Brookland Rovers and joined Huddersfield for a £30 fee. He made his debut on 25 September 1909. Thirteen months later he won the first of 31 caps for Cumberland and, by 1911, was playing for his country in the second and third tests against Australia. A leading member of what became known as 'the Team of all the Talents', Clark won seven Yorkshire Cup, six Yorkshire League championship, three Championship and three Challenge Cup medals. He scored tries in three of the five Championship finals in which he played, including a hat-trick in 1913. In the 1914-15 season, Huddersfield won all four competitions they entered. Douglas Clark was an intelligent player, not just a powerhouse. He was a good tackler, an adept dribbler and able to open out play with his passing. In 485 games for Huddersfield, he scored 99 tries. Clark also played eleven test matches against Australia and New Zealand upto 1920, including the notorious 'Rorke's Drift' game in Sydney on 4 July 1914 when he broke his thumb and dislocated a collar-bone in a 14-6 win.
During the First World War, Douglas Clark served with the Army Service Corps rising to the rank of sergeant. In 1917, he took part in the Battle of Messines and the Third Battle of Ypres, being gassed twice, in July and October. On the second occasion he also suffered severe arm and abdominal wounds. For his part in bringing forward an ammunition column under very heavy fire when, Clark wrote in his diary, 'the place was turned into hell', he was awarded the Military Medal.
Douglas Clark became British Army wrestling champion. After the war he was five times a world champion in the Cumberland and Westmorland style and frequently won prizes at the Grasmere Sports, including the Lonsdale Belt. After his retirement from rugby he took part in the 'All-In' and 'Catch-As-Catch-Can' disciplines. On 6 June 1931, he defeated 'Johanfesson' to claim the All-In heavyweight championship of England, having already become British champion in 1930. He later won the European and Empire titles. In a thrilling contest on 3 July 1933 he became the first holder of the T. Herbert Kaye world championship belt after overcoming the Belgian Laurent Gerstmans. In 1936 and 1937 he toured Australia. Clark died on 1 February 1951. 'As legends go', wrote one noted sports historian, 'he was the genuine article'.
Marked.
(1) engraved
(2) handwritten
(1) Convoy Staff Company
Exhibition of Wrestling
Cpl Clark D
Grove Park
4.8.15
(2) D Clark (on base with paper label)