Reg Blakemore

OVERALL STATISTICS

BIRTHAGESIGNED ONFROM
01-09-1924
N/A
19-08-1947
Newport RU - Wales
DEBUTLAST MATCHLEFT
25-09-1947 v New Zealand
Wigan
1954-
CAREERAPPEARANCES (SUBS)
1947-1953
187 (0)
TRIESGOALSDGOALSPTS
20
0
0
60

Biography of Reg Blakemore



HERITAGE NO : 662
Reg Blakemore by Alex Service

The St.Helens club has certainly had its fair share of great hookers in the post war era and Reg Blakemore fits into that category with ease. Born in Newport, Reg became a full international hooker for Wales at rugby union before signing for Saints at the start of the 1947-48 season. His first match was on 23rd August 1947 when he appeared in the A Team against Widnes. Characterised by a high work rate in the loose, Reg had to bide his time to get a real run in the First Team at Knowsley Road because of the presence of Ike Fishwick. When the latter was transferred to Warrington, his chance came and he took full advantage.

Reg played 187 times for the Saints, including three seasons when he played in over forty matches (1949-50, 1952-53 and 1953-54) The St.Helens Newspaper talks about a presentation to Reg at the end of the 1949-50 campaign: 'During the dinner party given in connection with the benefit presentation to jimmy Stott, a surprise second presentation was made, this time to Reg Blakemore. It was a happy thought on the part of the Directors to mark the quite remarkable feat by Blakemore in gaining a never absent in the forty six games played by the First team during the season and Reg hooked in every one of them a tribute to his consistency and his toughness.'

Although hookers were in the side primarily to get the ball, the red-haired Welshman was also supreme in the loose and ever-ready to back up attacking play, something which brought him a number of tries in his career. Supporters from the time will recall his brace of touchdowns during the 1953 Championship Final victory against Halifax at Maine Road, Manchester, which brought the Saints their second Championship success. Under Coach Jim Sullivan Reg was also to play in three other finals. The team lost to Leigh in the Lancashire Cup final and to Huddersfield at Wembley in 1952-53. The following season Wigan were beaten in the Lancashire Cup final at Swinton, the last final for Reg in Saints colours.

Reg stayed in St.Helens after retiring from the game and was always on hand to talk about current rugby league happenings. It was a great pity that he was never selected to play for his country in the thirteen-a-side code. He would have been a proud double international for sure. An enthusiastic member of the Saints Past Players Association, Reg passed away in July 2006 at the age of 81. He remains part of the Welsh connection that has served the St.Helens club so well over the years.

Reg Blakemore Obituary by Denis Whittle

Saints hooker of the 1950s dies.
One of the few remaining links with Saints' championship side of the early 1950s has been severed by the death of a popular Welshman who was a hooker of the old school. Reg Blakemore, of Derbyshire Hill, died in Whiston Hospital after a brief illness. He leaves his widow Nancy, daughter Sandra and grandchildren Emma and Barrie.

Ideally built for his demanding role at 5ft 9in and 12 stone, red-haired Reg joined Saints from Newport in 1947. He had previously played for Wales at schoolboy level. In seven seasons at Knowsley Road he made 188 appearances and scored 20 tries, including two when Saints defeated Halifax 24-14 in the Championship Final at Maine Road, Manchester, in 1953. Blakemore was also a member of the side that overcame Wigan 16-8 in the Lancashire Cup Final at Swinton in the same year, and he dominated the scrums against Huddersfield in the Challenge Cup Final at Wembley'but to no avail as Saints suffered a nail-biting 15-10 defeat.

Duggie Greenall, Reg's captain at Saints, said: 'Few hookers beat Blakemore for scrum possession in the days when number nines struck for the ball, while he was a livewire in the loose and a fearless tackler.' He was a loyal member of the Saints Past Players Association and they were well represented at his funeral at St.Peter's Church, Parr.


SEASON STATISTICS

Season (Official Matches)TriesGoalsDGoalsMatches
1947~481 0 0 7
1948~49 4 0 0 21
1949~50 5 0 0 43
1950~510 0 0 26
1951~52 1 0 0 7
1952~53 7 0 0 43
1953~542 0 0 40
TOTALS:20 0 0 187
Season (Other Matches)TriesGoalsDGoalsMatches
1948~490001
1949~502002
1950~510003
1951~521004
1952~530101
1953~540001
TOTALS:31012

ALL MATCHES

DateMatchPosOpponentsCompVenueFTFTOTGDG
25th Sep 1947 1
L
 9 New Zealand Tour H 5 11 VIEW
22nd Nov 1947 2
L
 9 Liverpool Stanley L A 7 10 VIEW
29th Nov 1947 3
W
 9 Salford L H 31 10 1 VIEW
17th Jan 1948 4
L
 9 Hull Kingston Rovers L A 10 17 VIEW
20th Mar 1948 5
W
 9 Oldham L A 13 3 VIEW
26th Mar 1948 6
L
 9 Wigan L A 11 22 VIEW
27th Mar 1948 7
W
 9 York L H 44 10 VIEW
9th Oct 1948 8
L
 9 Barrow L A 12 20 VIEW
14th Oct 1948 9
W
 9 Australia Tour H 10 8 VIEW
13th Nov 1948 10
L
 9 Rochdale Hornets L A 3 10 VIEW
20th Nov 1948 11
W
 9 Dewsbury L H 27 7 1 VIEW
27th Nov 1948 12
W
 9 Oldham L H 28 2 1 VIEW
4th Dec 1948 13
L
 9 Warrington L A 5 15 VIEW
11th Dec 1948 14
W
 9 Whitehaven L A 13 0 VIEW
18th Dec 1948 15
W
 9 Whitehaven L H 61 0 1 VIEW
25th Dec 1948 16
D
 9 Leigh L A 5 5 VIEW
1st Jan 1949 17
W
 9 Leigh L H 12 0 VIEW
8th Jan 1949 18
W
 9 Rochdale Hornets L H 3 0 VIEW
15th Jan 1949 19
W
 9 Belle Vue Rangers L A 17 5 VIEW
22nd Jan 1949 20
W
 9 Hunslet L A 11 5 1 VIEW
29th Jan 1949 21
W
 9 Huddersfield L H 20 2 VIEW
5th Feb 1949 22
L
 9 Widnes L A 2 6 VIEW
26th Mar 1949 --
L
 9 Batley* Fr H 10 12 VIEW
31st Mar 1949 23
L
 9 Wigan L H 8 13 VIEW
9th Apr 1949 24
W
 9 Halifax L A 8 3 VIEW
15th Apr 1949 25
L
 9 Wigan L A 5 19 VIEW
16th Apr 1949 26
L
 9 Huddersfield L A 0 34 VIEW
18th Apr 1949 27
L
 9 Keighley L H 2 4 VIEW
23rd Apr 1949 28
L
 9 Swinton L A 3 16 VIEW
13th Aug 1949 --
W
 9 Barrow* Fr Ward Cup H 34 22 1 VIEW
20th Aug 1949 29
L
 9 Widnes L A 2 15 VIEW
25th Aug 1949 30
W
 9 Wakefield Trinity L H 22 12 VIEW
27th Aug 1949 31
L
 9 Workington Town LC1(1) H 0 7 VIEW
31st Aug 1949 32
L
 9 Workington Town LC1(2) A 4 7 VIEW
3rd Sep 1949 33
L
 9 Dewsbury L A 12 18 VIEW
7th Sep 1949 34
L
 9 Barrow L A 3 18 VIEW
10th Sep 1949 35
W
 9 Oldham L H 16 8 VIEW
17th Sep 1949 36
L
 9 Wakefield Trinity L A 9 12 VIEW
19th Sep 1949 37
W
 9 Hull Kingston Rovers L A 12 5 VIEW
24th Sep 1949 38
W
 9 Workington Town L H 43 10 VIEW
1st Oct 1949 39
W
 9 Bramley L H 39 2 1 VIEW
15th Oct 1949 40
W
 9 Belle Vue Rangers L H 28 5 VIEW
22nd Oct 1949 41
W
 9 Oldham L A 12 2 VIEW
5th Nov 1949 42
D
 9 Hull L A 5 5 VIEW
12th Nov 1949 43
W
 9 Warrington L A 7 3 VIEW
19th Nov 1949 44
W
 9 Hull Kingston Rovers L H 14 3 VIEW
26th Nov 1949 45
W
 9 Liverpool Stanley L A 11 3 VIEW
3rd Dec 1949 46
W
 9 Rochdale Hornets L H 23 0 1 VIEW
10th Dec 1949 47
L
 9 Salford L A 4 8 VIEW
17th Dec 1949 48
W
 9 Widnes L H 7 0 VIEW
24th Dec 1949 49
W
 9 Whitehaven L A 14 7 VIEW
26th Dec 1949 50
W
 9 Wigan L H 15 8 1 VIEW
27th Dec 1949 51
W
 9 Swinton L H 10 5 VIEW
31st Dec 1949 52
L
 9 Leigh L A 10 15 VIEW
2nd Jan 1950 53
W
 9 Hull L H 30 0 VIEW
7th Jan 1950 54
W
 9 Rochdale Hornets L A 23 2 VIEW
21st Jan 1950 55
L
 9 Dewsbury L H 2 15 VIEW
4th Feb 1950 56
W
 9 Halifax CC1(1) H 10 6 VIEW
11th Feb 1950 57
L
 9 Halifax CC1(2) A 0 2 VIEW
18th Feb 1950 58
L
 9 Swinton L A 8 11 VIEW
25th Feb 1950 59
W
 9 Salford CC2 A 9 2 VIEW
4th Mar 1950 60
W
 9 Warrington L H 12 3 VIEW
11th Mar 1950 61
D
 9 Bradford Northern CC3 H 0 0 VIEW
15th Mar 1950 62
L
 9 Bradford Northern CC3(rep) A 0 11 VIEW
18th Mar 1950 63
D
 9 Belle Vue Rangers L A 7 7 VIEW
25th Mar 1950 64
L
 9 Workington Town L A 0 5 VIEW
1st Apr 1950 65
W
 9 Liverpool Stanley L H 27 2 VIEW
7th Apr 1950 66
L
 9 Wigan L A 12 17 VIEW
8th Apr 1950 67
W
 9 Barrow L H 16 0 VIEW
10th Apr 1950 68
W
 9 Whitehaven L H 30 17 VIEW
15th Apr 1950 69
L
 9 Leigh L H 5 12 VIEW
19th Apr 1950 70
W
 9 Salford L H 38 3 2 VIEW
22nd Apr 1950 --
W
 9 Neath * Fr H 48 10 1 VIEW
26th Apr 1950 71
W
 9 Bramley L A 12 2 VIEW
12th Aug 1950 --
W
 9 Barrow* Fr Ward Cup A 15 2 VIEW
19th Aug 1950 72
W
 9 Widnes L H 17 2 VIEW
23rd Aug 1950 73
W
 9 Barrow L A 14 4 VIEW
26th Aug 1950 74
W
 9 Liverpool Stanley L A 36 2 VIEW
2nd Sep 1950 75
W
 9 Swinton LC1(1) A 19 10 VIEW
9th Sep 1950 76
W
 9 Rochdale Hornets L H 31 12 VIEW
13th Sep 1950 77
W
 9 Swinton LC1(2) H 11 3 VIEW
16th Sep 1950 78
L
 9 Workington Town L A 11 19 VIEW
23rd Sep 1950 79
W
 9 Swinton L H 21 2 VIEW
27th Sep 1950 80
W
 9 Salford LC2 H 20 3 VIEW
30th Sep 1950 81
L
 9 Huddersfield L A 9 19 VIEW
5th Oct 1950 --
W
 9 Carcassonne * Fr H 24 22 VIEW
7th Oct 1950 82
W
 9 Hunslet L H 20 14 VIEW
11th Oct 1950 83
L
 9 Wigan LCSF H 7 9 VIEW
14th Oct 1950 84
L
 9 Salford L A 3 25 VIEW
4th Nov 1950 85
W
 9 Workington Town L H 13 11 VIEW
11th Nov 1950 86
L
 9 Oldham L H 7 13 VIEW
23rd Dec 1950 87
W
 9 Swinton L A 11 3 VIEW
25th Dec 1950 88
L
 9 Leigh L H 2 12 VIEW
26th Dec 1950 89
L
 9 Wigan L H 5 39 VIEW
20th Jan 1951 90
W
 9 Barrow L H 10 6 VIEW
27th Jan 1951 91
W
 9 Whitehaven L A 3 2 VIEW
3rd Feb 1951 92
W
 9 Salford L H 10 0 VIEW
10th Feb 1951 93
L
 9 Bradford Northern CC1(1) A 6 11 VIEW
17th Feb 1951 94
W
 9 Bradford Northern CC1(2) H 4 0 VIEW
24th Feb 1951 95
L
 9 Hunslet L A 4 8 VIEW
21st Apr 1951 96
W
 9 York L H 31 3 VIEW
25th Apr 1951 97
L
 9 Leigh L A 7 10 VIEW
30th Apr 1951 --
W
 9 Players Union * Fr H 45 38 VIEW
11th Aug 1951 --
W
 9 Barrow* Fr Ward Cup H 16 7 VIEW
18th Aug 1951 98
W
 9 Widnes L A 20 11 VIEW
21st Aug 1951 99
W
 9 Rochdale Hornets L A 20 2 VIEW
25th Aug 1951 100
W
 9 Liverpool City L H 23 3 1 VIEW
26th Dec 1951 101
D
 9 Wigan L H 2 2 VIEW
29th Dec 1951 102
L
 9 Swinton L A 2 27 VIEW
9th Feb 1952 103
W
 9 Belle Vue Rangers CC1(1) H 6 5 VIEW
16th Feb 1952 104
W
 9 Belle Vue Rangers CC1(2) A 9 4 VIEW
30th Apr 1952 --
L
 9 Toulouse* Fr Tour A 5 31 VIEW
1st May 1952 --
L
 9 French XIII* Fr Tour T 5 45 VIEW
4th May 1952 --
W
 9 French XIII* Fr Tour F 27 24 1 VIEW
10th Sep 1952 105
W
 9 Oldham L H 6 2 VIEW
13th Sep 1952 106
L
 9 Workington Town L H 9 15 VIEW
20th Sep 1952 107
W
 9 Keighley L A 27 7 VIEW
23rd Sep 1952 108
W
 9 Rochdale Hornets LC2 H 31 7 VIEW
27th Sep 1952 109
W
 9 Australia Tour H 26 8 VIEW
4th Oct 1952 110
W
 9 Castleford L H 18 17 VIEW
11th Oct 1952 111
W
 9 Bramley L A 21 0 1 VIEW
14th Oct 1952 112
W
 9 Warrington LCSF A 17 10 VIEW
25th Oct 1952 113
L
 9 Huddersfield L H 14 17 VIEW
1st Nov 1952 114
W
 9 Swinton L A 14 7 VIEW
8th Nov 1952 115
W
 9 Barrow L A 14 7 VIEW
15th Nov 1952 116
W
 9 Swinton L H 23 10 VIEW
22nd Nov 1952 117
W
 9 Warrington L A 19 8 1 VIEW
29th Nov 1952 118
L
 9 Leigh LCF N 5 22 VIEW
6th Dec 1952 119
W
 9 Workington Town L A 22 5 VIEW
13th Dec 1952 120
W
 9 Barrow L H 26 9 VIEW
20th Dec 1952 121
W
 9 Widnes L A 7 2 VIEW
25th Dec 1952 122
W
 9 Leigh L A 22 2 VIEW
26th Dec 1952 123
W
 9 Wigan L H 5 0 VIEW
27th Dec 1952 124
W
 9 Wakefield Trinity L A 20 11 VIEW
1st Jan 1953 125
D
 9 Leigh L H 9 9 VIEW
3rd Jan 1953 126
W
 9 Rochdale Hornets L H 37 5 VIEW
17th Jan 1953 127
W
 9 Bramley L H 52 14 VIEW
24th Jan 1953 128
W
 9 Warrington L H 17 5 VIEW
31st Jan 1953 129
W
 9 Castleford L A 8 0 VIEW
7th Feb 1953 130
W
 9 Oldham CC1(1) H 20 4 VIEW
14th Feb 1953 131
D
 9 Oldham CC1(2) A 5 5 VIEW
21st Feb 1953 132
W
 9 Belle Vue Rangers L A 20 7 1 VIEW
28th Feb 1953 133
W
 9 Belle Vue Rangers CC2 H 28 0 VIEW
7th Mar 1953 134
W
 9 Wakefield Trinity L H 69 17 VIEW
14th Mar 1953 135
W
 9 Leigh CC3 A 12 3 VIEW
18th Mar 1953 136
W
 9 Whitehaven L A 17 15 1 VIEW
21st Mar 1953 137
W
 9 Whitehaven L H 26 10 VIEW
28th Mar 1953 138
W
 9 Warrington CCSF N 9 3 VIEW
31st Mar 1953 139
W
 9 Rochdale Hornets L A 8 0 1 VIEW
3rd Apr 1953 140
W
 9 Wigan L A 16 5 VIEW
4th Apr 1953 141
W
 9 Liverpool City L H 20 4 VIEW
6th Apr 1953 142
D
 9 Huddersfield L A 10 10 VIEW
11th Apr 1953 143
W
 9 Belle Vue Rangers L H 38 9 VIEW
13th Apr 1953 144
W
 9 Keighley L H 29 12 VIEW
25th Apr 1953 145
L
 9 Huddersfield CCF N 10 15 VIEW
2nd May 1953 146
W
 9 Huddersfield ChSF H 46 0 VIEW
7th May 1953 147
W
 9 Halifax ChF N 24 14 2 VIEW
16th May 1953 --
W
 9 Workington / Whitehaven* Fr Benefit A 53 26 1 VIEW
8th Aug 1953 --
W
 9 Barrow* Fr Ward Cup H 29 20 VIEW
15th Aug 1953 148
W
 9 Liverpool City L A 46 0 VIEW
22nd Aug 1953 149
D
 9 Widnes L A 11 11 VIEW
26th Aug 1953 150
W
 9 Barrow L H 23 10 VIEW
29th Aug 1953 151
W
 9 Huddersfield L H 12 9 VIEW
5th Sep 1953 152
L
 9 Barrow LC1(1) A 13 14 VIEW
9th Sep 1953 153
W
 9 Barrow LC1(2) H 21 17 VIEW
12th Sep 1953 154
W
 9 Bradford Northern L A 19 14 VIEW
19th Sep 1953 155
W
 9 Bramley L H 49 16 VIEW
23rd Sep 1953 156
W
 9 Swinton LC2 H 38 9 VIEW
26th Sep 1953 157
L
 9 Halifax L A 3 14 VIEW
30th Sep 1953 158
W
 9 Warrington LCSF A 17 10 VIEW
3rd Oct 1953 159
W
 9 Bradford Northern L H 22 12 VIEW
10th Oct 1953 160
W
 9 Belle Vue Rangers L A 27 5 VIEW
17th Oct 1953 161
W
 9 Castleford L H 35 9 VIEW
24th Oct 1953 162
W
 9 Wigan LCF N 16 8 VIEW
31st Oct 1953 163
W
 9 Workington Town L H 20 5 VIEW
7th Nov 1953 164
W
 9 Oldham L A 5 3 VIEW
28th Nov 1953 165
W
 9 Whitehaven L A 12 4 VIEW
5th Dec 1953 166
W
 9 Belle Vue Rangers L H 38 7 VIEW
12th Dec 1953 167
W
 9 Oldham L H 21 9 VIEW
19th Dec 1953 168
W
 9 Salford L A 11 7 VIEW
25th Dec 1953 169
W
 9 Leigh L H 11 9 VIEW
26th Dec 1953 170
W
 9 Wigan L H 14 4 VIEW
2nd Jan 1954 171
L
 9 Warrington L H 2 7 VIEW
9th Jan 1954 172
W
 9 Swinton L A 8 0 1 VIEW
16th Jan 1954 173
W
 9 Rochdale Hornets L H 28 5 1 VIEW
23rd Jan 1954 174
W
 9 Barrow L A 15 11 VIEW
30th Jan 1954 175
W
 9 Salford L H 29 0 VIEW
13th Feb 1954 176
W
 9 Featherstone Rovers CC1(1) H 26 7 VIEW
17th Feb 1954 177
W
 9 Featherstone Rovers CC1(2) A 27 16 VIEW
20th Feb 1954 178
D
 9 Halifax L H 5 5 VIEW
27th Feb 1954 179
L
 9 Warrington L A 8 12 VIEW
6th Mar 1954 180
L
 9 Huddersfield CC2 A 5 12 VIEW
13th Mar 1954 181
L
 9 Rochdale Hornets L A 5 9 VIEW
20th Mar 1954 182
W
 9 Liverpool City L H 18 0 VIEW
24th Mar 1954 183
W
 9 Workington Town L A 15 7 VIEW
3rd Apr 1954 184
W
 9 Whitehaven L H 34 12 VIEW
7th Apr 1954 185
L
 9 Leigh L A 13 14 VIEW
10th Apr 1954 186
W
 9 Bramley L A 25 12 VIEW
16th Apr 1954 187
W
 9 Wigan L A 14 8 VIEW
*Unofficial Match. **Non Playing Sub.
WINS : 136 | LOSSES : 53 | DRAWS : 10

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