Frank McCabe

OVERALL STATISTICS

BIRTHAGESIGNED ONFROM
20-08-1932
N/A
17-06-1953
St. Helens B
DEBUTLAST MATCHLEFT
22-10-1955 v Blackpool Borough
Leeds
1957- when he Retired
CAREERAPPEARANCES (SUBS)
1955-1956
37 (0)
TRIESGOALSDGOALSPTS
10
0
0
30

Biography of Frank McCabe



HERITAGE NO : 731
Born in 1932, Frank signed for the Saints from the local B team and gradually worked his way up into First Team contention. He made his debut in the number nine jersey in a 36 points to 4 success against Blackpool Borough on October 22 1955. In his second outing for the seniors, he played against the visiting New Zealanders at Knowsley Road, which the Saints won by 16 points to 8.

Yet, it was in the 1955 to 1956 season that the young McCabe showed he had the attributes to be the regular hooker. Primarily, of course, he could win the ball from the scrums, a vital part of the game in those days when possession was so important. He was also extremely quick and agile around the rucks, like present acting half backs. Frank was an opportunist who could score tries too. Indeed, Frank took over the reins from Welshman Reg Blakemore, who could also get around the field and cause untold damage in the loose.

The Saints embarked on the Wembley trail in 1956 with three home ties against Warrington winning by 15 points to 6, trouncing Castleford by 48 points to 5 and crushing Bradford Northern emphatically by 53 points to six. Frank played in every match and scored twice against the men from Bradford, who had previously been a bit of a bogey team for St Helens in the Challenge Cup. Finally, the spell was broken, but there was also tragedy for Frank when he picked up a serious knee injury in the game that effectively ended his season. Unluckily for Frank, the Saints went on to Wembley and won the cup for the first time, with Len McIntyre in the hooking role.

Frank did make a comeback, but he soon had to call it a day. His last match was at Headingley, when Saints lost to Leeds by 22 points to 11 on January 19 1957. Mind you, before that, Frank and his team mates achieved legendary status when they defeated the visiting Australians by a record 44 points to -2 on November 24 1956 at a jubilant Knowsley Road. All the forwards scored a try, including hooker Frank, an unusual occurrence at the best of times. Just for the record, the pack was: Prescott, McCabe, Terry, Silcock, Gaskell and Karalius.

Frank made 37 appearances overall and scored 10 tries, obviously a measure of his mobility. But for his debilitating injury, he would surely have been a fixture in the number nine jersey for years to come, he was that good.

Sadly Frank passed away in St Helens in June 2014, aged 81

Alex Service


SEASON STATISTICS

Season (Official Matches)TriesGoalsDGoalsMatches
1955~56 7 0 0 24
1956~57 3 0 0 13
TOTALS:10 0 0 37
Season (Other Matches)TriesGoalsDGoalsMatches
TOTALS:

ALL MATCHES

DateMatchPosOpponentsCompVenueFTFTOTGDG
22nd Oct 1955 1
W
 9 Blackpool Borough L A 36 4 VIEW
26th Oct 1955 2
W
 9 New Zealand Tour H 16 8 VIEW
29th Oct 1955 3
W
 9 Rochdale Hornets L H 8 7 VIEW
5th Nov 1955 4
W
 9 Swinton L A 4 0 VIEW
12th Nov 1955 5
W
 9 Halifax L H 13 8 VIEW
19th Nov 1955 6
W
 9 Liverpool City L A 29 9 VIEW
26th Nov 1955 7
W
 9 Workington Town L H 36 3 1 VIEW
3rd Dec 1955 8
W
 9 Whitehaven L A 20 12 VIEW
17th Dec 1955 9
W
 9 Barrow L A 18 6 VIEW
24th Dec 1955 10
W
 9 Oldham L H 18 7 1 VIEW
26th Dec 1955 11
L
 9 Leigh L H 9 18 VIEW
27th Dec 1955 12
L
 9 Wigan L A 0 8 VIEW
31st Dec 1955 13
W
 9 Dewsbury L A 19 10 VIEW
2nd Jan 1956 14
W
 9 Leigh L A 20 6 VIEW
7th Jan 1956 15
W
 9 Salford L H 48 2 1 VIEW
28th Jan 1956 16
W
 9 Widnes L H 21 10 VIEW
11th Feb 1956 17
W
 9 Warrington CC1 H 15 6 VIEW
18th Feb 1956 18
W
 9 Dewsbury L H 36 0 1 VIEW
25th Feb 1956 19
W
 9 Swinton L H 27 10 VIEW
3rd Mar 1956 20
W
 9 Castleford CC2 H 48 5 1 VIEW
10th Mar 1956 21
L
 9 Warrington L A 4 17 VIEW
14th Mar 1956 22
L
 9 Halifax L A 0 12 VIEW
17th Mar 1956 23
W
 9 York L A 13 6 VIEW
24th Mar 1956 24
W
 9 Bradford Northern CC3 H 53 6 2 VIEW
10th Nov 1956 25
W
 9 Featherstone Rovers L H 21 16 1 VIEW
14th Nov 1956 26
L
 9 Featherstone Rovers L A 6 15 VIEW
24th Nov 1956 27
W
 9 Australia Tour H 44 2 1 VIEW
1st Dec 1956 28
W
 9 Huddersfield L H 51 4 VIEW
8th Dec 1956 29
L
 9 Oldham L A 8 9 VIEW
15th Dec 1956 30
W
 9 Widnes L A 10 2 VIEW
22nd Dec 1956 31
W
 9 Whitehaven L H 37 6 VIEW
25th Dec 1956 32
D
 9 Leigh L A 7 7 VIEW
29th Dec 1956 33
D
 9 Warrington L A 8 8 VIEW
1st Jan 1957 34
W
 9 Leigh L H 18 14 1 VIEW
6th Jan 1957 35
W
 9 Warrington L H 33 7 VIEW
12th Jan 1957 36
W
 9 Swinton L A 14 9 VIEW
19th Jan 1957 37
L
 9 Leeds L A 11 22 VIEW
*Unofficial Match. **Non Playing Sub.
WINS : 28 | LOSSES : 7 | DRAWS : 2

GALLERY





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