Not Exactly All Stars - Americans
play Rugby League in Australia 1953
The most positive attempt to introduce Americans to rugby league
took place in Australia in 1953. But what was at first seen as a trailblazing
step to make Americans aware of the game finished as a disaster.
Mike Dimitro, a wrestling promoter, brought his American All Stars
on a 26 match tour of Australia and New Zealand.He had been approached
by the Australian Board of Control on the recommendation of a New
Zealand official.
None of the 22 players had played rugby league previously, and it
showed. In 18 matches in Australia, the All Stars won three, lost
13 and drew two. They scored 406 points, but had 560 scored against
them. In their eight New Zealand matches, they won three and lost
five, scoring 157 points to 211 against.
The American All Stars in their "all american" gear. Top right
is coach Latchem Robinson, Manager Mike Dimitro is centre of front
row, and on his right is Vince Jones, Captain of the team
Dimitro was and outstanding American gridiron player. He was in Australia
during the war and became involved in services boxing and wrestling
matches. When it was known that the US Team was to tour, 52 prospective
tourists went into training, including Bob Waterfield, the husband
of screen star Jane Russell. However, many of the triallists dropped
out and in the end Dimitro had difficulty finding sufficient players
for the trip. Two players flew in the day before their first match.
The Americans opened their tour in Canberra agains a Monaro and Southern
Division team, and won 34 -25. In their next match, against a strong
Sydney team at the Sydney Cricket Ground, a sellout 65,453 came to
watch them play. But the novelty wore off quickly. The Americans were
beaten 52 -25 and in their next match at the SCG, against New South
Wales, just over 32,000 saw the Americans thrashed 62 - 41 in a farcial
match.
It was too much to expect a team of novices, most of whom had never
seen a game of league, to be competitive against on to rugby league's
most powerful nations. Dimitro had players who had either played American
football or knew something of rugby union. Norm Latchem Robinson was
appointed coach of the Americans and was given some assistants after
the second match of the tour.
The American All Stars in their match against Sydney at the SCG,
watched by some 60,000 spectators. They discarded their "Long Johns"
after this match and played in shorts for the rest of the tour
The Ammericans played through country centres of New South Wales,
in Brisbane and through Queensland country league strongholds. The
drew 33 all with Wide Bay and beat Ipswich 16-15. The only other win
was a 19-10 victory over a Newcastle selection.
Australian crowds were bemused by some of the American tactics. Not
surprisingly, they used the long gridiron style throw from one side
of the field to the other, and for the first two matches the Americans
wore long gridiron trousers. After that they changed to shorts
So poor were their attempts to play the ball that New South Wales
Hooker Ken Kearney had to kick the ball through to ensure they kept
possession. If nothing else, the Americans wore colourful outfits
- royal blue jerseys with red and white stars on the shoulders and
royal blue shorts with red and white stripes on the sides.
One redeeming aspect was the decision of Al Kirkland, the best of
the Americans, to stay in Australia. He worked at St marys Munitions
Factory in Sydney and joined Parramatta Club in 1956. He started the
season as a winger but learned the game so well the he played some
matches in the centre and at five-eight. He appeared in all 18 firstgrade
matches in 1956 and scoredf our tries. It was his only season in Sydney
football.
The Australian rugby league hope that the United States would find
a place for the game flickered since the early 1920's. Winning over
the Americans remains a wish of the current administration. In 1987,
Queensland and New South Wales played a State of Origin in Los Angeles
and in 1988, a move was made to introduce rugby league into Californian
high schools.
Story from Gary Lester's History of Australian Rugby League.
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