Sandy Orford

Edwin J. Orford (5 December 1911 – 1986[2]), also known by the nickname of "Sandy", was a Welsh professional wrestler of the 1940s and 1950s, wrestling trainer of the 1950s and 1960s, and professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1920s, 1930s and 1940s. He played at representative level for Wales, and at club level for Dewsbury and Bradford Northern (three spells, including one as a World War II guest), and Wakefield Trinity (Heritage № 449), as a second-row, i.e. number 11 or 12, during the era of contested scrums.[1][3]

Sandy Orford
Personal information
Full nameEdwin James "Sandy" Orford
Born(1911-12-05)5 December 1911
Pontypool district, Wales
Died1986 (aged 74–75)
Playing information
PositionSecond-row
Club
Years Team Pld T G FG P
1929/30–34/35 Dewsbury 106
1935–≥35 Bradford Northern
Jan 1939–46/47 Wakefield Trinity 177 17 0 0 51
≤1943–≥43 Bradford Northern (guest)
1947–≥47 Bradford Northern
Total 283 17 0 0 51
Representative
Years Team Pld T G FG P
1939–44 Wales 4 0 0 0 0

Background

Sandy Orford's birth was regsietered in Pontypool district, Wales, and he died aged c. 74–75.

Playing career

International honours

Sandy Orford won 4 caps for Wales in 1939–1944 while at Wakefield Trinity.[3][1]

County Cup Final appearances

Sandy Orford played left-second-row, i.e. number 11, in Wakefield Trinity's 9-12 defeat by Featherstone Rovers in the 1940 Yorkshire County Cup Final during the 1939–40 season at Odsal Stadium, Bradford on Saturday 22 June 1940.

Other notable matches

Sandy Orford played left-second-row for a Rugby League XIII against Northern Command XIII at Thrum Hall, Halifax on Saturday 21 March 1942.[4]

Club career

Bradford Northern beat Dewsbury in the Championship play-off semi-final during the 1942–43 season. However, Dewsbury's manager, Eddie Waring, appealed to the Rugby Football League, claiming that Bradford Northern had fielded Wakefield Trinity's Sandy Orford as a guest player, and that Orford was ineligible because prior to the semi-final, he had played only three league matches for Bradford Northern, rather than the regulatory minimum of four league matches, the semi-final actually being Orford's fourth league match. Bradford Northern was disqualified, and Dewsbury went on to a 33-16 aggregate victory over Halifax in the Championship Final. However, a month later, Bradford appealed to the Rugby Football League, claiming that Dewsbury had fielded Castleford's Frank Smith as a guest player, and that Smith was ineligible because prior to the semi-final, he had played only three league matches for Dewsbury, rather than the regulatory minimum of four league matches, though he had played in a number of cup matches. Bradford Northern's appeal was upheld and the Rugby Football League Council fined Dewsbury £100 (based on increases in average earnings, this would be approximately £11,780 in 2013),[5] stripped them of the Championship title, and declared the Championship during the 1942–43 season void.[6]

Professional wrestling

Sandy Orford became a professional wrestler during the 1940s, fighting 6-time world champion Lou Thesz on three occasions, with one draw and two losses, and defeating Shirley Crabtree (later known as "Big Daddy") on Crabtree's début by two falls to one at St James' Hall, Newcastle on Saturday 14 June 1952, he appeared as a masked wrestler, first as the Black Angel and latterly as The Mask, he also trained Shirley Crabtree, and Colin Williamson.[7][8][9]

Genealogical information

Sandy Orford is the father of the professional wrestler Tony Orford.

References
  1. "Statistics at rugbyleagueproject.org". rugbyleagueproject.org. 31 December 2017. Retrieved 1 January 2018.
  2. Orford, Edwin James. "England & Wales, Death Index, 1916–2007". ancestry.com. Retrieved 6 November 2014.
  3. Williams, Graham; Lush, Peter; Farrar, David (2009). The British Rugby League Records Book. London League. pp. 108–114. ISBN 978-1-903659-49-6.
  4. "inside programme, Northern Command v. A Rugby League XIII, 1942". rugbyleagueoralhistory.co.uk. 31 December 2011. Retrieved 1 January 2012.
  5. "Measuring Worth – Relative Value of UK Pounds". Measuring Worth. 31 December 2014. Retrieved 1 January 2015.
  6. Collins, Tony (2006). Rugby League in Twentieth Century Britain: A Social and Cultural History. London League. pp. 78. ISBN 978-0415396158.
  7. "Sandy Orford at wrestlingheritage.co.uk". wrestlingheritage.co.uk. 31 December 2011. Retrieved 1 January 2012.
  8. "'A Legend in Our Midst' at wrestlingheritage.co.uk". wrestlingheritage.co.uk. 31 December 2011. Retrieved 1 January 2012.
  9. "Greetings, Grapple Fans: Big Daddy". fightingspiritmagazine.co.uk. 31 December 2011. Retrieved 1 January 2012.
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