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Ray Cale

OVERALL STATISTICS

BIRTHAGESIGNED ONFROM
18-07-1922
N/A
17-05-1950
Pontypool RU- Wales
DEBUTLAST MATCHLEFT
09-09-1950 v Rochdale Hornets
Workington Town
1954- Retired?
CAREERAPPEARANCES (SUBS)
1950-1954
122 (0)
TRIESGOALSDGOALSPTS
25
0
0
75

Biography of Ray Cale



HERITAGE NO : 691
William Raymond Cale by Dave Dooley Ray Cale was born in Usk, South Wales on the 18th of July 1922. He was signed from Pontypool RU on the 17th of January 1950 and became animportant member of the Saints pack in the early 1950s. Ray played over 100 matches mostly as a loose forward. He made his debut in the 31 points to 12 home victory over Rochdale Hornets on the 9th September 1950. His first try for the club was scored against Whitehaven on the 27th of April 1951 (Saints 47 Whitehaven 10) and he went on to score three more tries in 27 outings in his first season at Knowsley Road. Remarkably in the following season he again scored four tries in 27 matches.

The Championship season of 1952/53 was an exhilarating one for Ray Cale. His strong running and bone-crunching tackling helped Saints to remain unbeaten in all away matches as Ray bagged nine touchdowns from 38 matches. The season culminated for Ray with the 15 points to 10 defeat at the hands of Huddersfield in the 1953 Challenge Cup Final at Wembley. However, the team made amends a fortnight later when the Saints lifted the Championship Trophy for the second time with Ray being part of the pack that dominated the Halifax six that afternoon.

The following season was a disappointing one for the Saints and Ray scored six more tries from 25 matches. Ray only played five games, scoring two tries, in the 1954/55 season as competition for the number 13 jersey grew white hot. Garbler, Blan, Delves and the up and coming Vince Karalius were vying for the loose forward berth. His final match for the Club was away against Workington Town on the 6th of November 1954 as Saints went down by 15 points to 11. In 122 matches for the Saints Ray scored 25 tries, for a total aggregate of 75 points.

Ray Cale Obituary by Denis Whittle Saints tearaway Ray dies in Spain

Memories of Saints` great squad of half-a-century ago will be recalled by the passing of a Welshman whose non-stop displays made him a huge favourite among the Knowsley Road faithful. Former loose-forward Ray Cale, who was in his mid-80s, died in Spain after a short illness. A widower, he leaves a number of children and grandchildren.

His funeral was held at Usk, South Wales. Holder of seven Rugby Union caps, 6ft and 14 stone, Ray was in the Welsh side that lifted the Triple Crown in 1950, and was regarded as an automatic choice for the British Lions tour but was omitted allegedly because he was too rough. It was then he left Pontypool to sign for Saints for whom he made 122 appearances and scored 25 tries, with the most remarkable coming versus Oldham when he raced over from half-way minus his shorts after they were ripped off!

Cale was a key figure in the Saints` side coached by Jim Sullivan in 1952-53, and he played in the 15-10 defeat by Huddersfield at Wembley and in the 24-14 Championship conquest of Halifax in the same season. He also won Rugby League honours for Wales.

While living in St. Helens Ray and his wife Pat ran a greengrocery shop in Greenfield Road and, on hanging up his boots in 1954, he returned to his native Monmouthshire and bought a house previously owned by singing star Shirley Bassey.

Saints Past Players Association Secretary Geoff Pimblett made several attempts to contact Cale over the years, but it was only on learning of his death that Ray`s whereabouts were discovered. Ray died in Spain in May 2006, aged 83. Ex-team-mate and fellow Welshman Glyn Moses said: “Ray Cale must have been around 30 when he came to Knowsley Road, but he certainly made a lasting impression with his powerful running, tremendous tackling, and nfailing team spirit.” When Ray’s son Peter received his father’s Heritage Number Certificate, he was quick to point out one major anomaly in the story. The Welsh singer was not Shirley Bassey, but Maureen Davies, a prominent chanteuse in her own right, who had a Top 10 success with ‘Like I do’ in 1962, amongst others. Ray’s career ended after a broken leg continued to cause problems during the 1953-54 campaign and he moved back to Wales, where he had a milk round in Cardiff. Vince Karalius was the new boy who took over the loose forward berth, another player renowned for his all action, robust approach.

PLAYER HONOURS

SEASON STATISTICS

Season (Official Matches)TriesGoalsDGoalsMatches
1950~51 4 0 0 27
1951~524 0 0 27
1952~539 0 0 38
1953~54 6 0 0 25
1954~552 0 0 5
TOTALS:25 0 0 122
Season (Other Matches)TriesGoalsDGoalsMatches
1950~51 5103
1951~520001
1952~53 0002
TOTALS:5106

ALL MATCHES

DateMatchPosOpponentsCompVenueFTFTOTGDG
30th Aug 1950 --
W
 13 Italy* Fr H 74 38 2 1 VIEW
9th Sep 1950 1
W
 12 Rochdale Hornets L H 31 12 VIEW
5th Oct 1950 --
W
 11 Carcassonne * Fr H 24 22 1 VIEW
14th Oct 1950 2
L
 11 Salford L A 3 25 VIEW
21st Oct 1950 3
W
 13 Liverpool Stanley L H 26 4 VIEW
28th Oct 1950 4
L
 13 Warrington L A 2 19 VIEW
4th Nov 1950 5
W
 13 Workington Town L H 13 11 VIEW
11th Nov 1950 6
L
 12 Oldham L H 7 13 VIEW
18th Nov 1950 7
D
 12 York L A 6 6 VIEW
25th Nov 1950 8
W
 12 Hull L A 16 5 VIEW
2nd Dec 1950 9
W
 13 Whitehaven L H 47 10 1 VIEW
9th Dec 1950 10
W
 11 Rochdale Hornets L A 38 8 VIEW
23rd Dec 1950 11
W
 13 Swinton L A 11 3 VIEW
26th Dec 1950 12
L
 12 Wigan L H 5 39 VIEW
13th Jan 1951 13
L
 12 Belle Vue Rangers L A 8 9 VIEW
20th Jan 1951 14
W
 13 Barrow L H 10 6 VIEW
3rd Feb 1951 15
W
 13 Salford L H 10 0 VIEW
10th Feb 1951 16
L
 13 Bradford Northern CC1(1) A 6 11 VIEW
17th Feb 1951 17
W
 13 Bradford Northern CC1(2) H 4 0 VIEW
24th Feb 1951 18
L
 13 Hunslet L A 4 8 VIEW
3rd Mar 1951 19
W
 13 Hull L H 39 13 1 VIEW
17th Mar 1951 20
W
 13 Belle Vue Rangers L H 13 4 VIEW
23rd Mar 1951 21
L
 13 Wigan L A 13 22 VIEW
24th Mar 1951 22
W
 13 Warrington L H 5 3 1 VIEW
26th Mar 1951 23
L
 13 Oldham L AB A 0 3 VIEW
4th Apr 1951 24
W
 13 Leeds L H 22 14 VIEW
7th Apr 1951 25
L
 13 Oldham L A 4 17 VIEW
21st Apr 1951 26
W
 13 York L H 31 3 1 VIEW
25th Apr 1951 27
L
 13 Leigh L A 7 10 VIEW
30th Apr 1951 --
W
 13 Players Union * Fr H 45 38 2 VIEW
11th Aug 1951 --
W
 13 Barrow* Fr Ward Cup H 16 7 VIEW
18th Aug 1951 28
W
 13 Widnes L A 20 11 VIEW
21st Aug 1951 29
W
 13 Rochdale Hornets L A 20 2 VIEW
25th Aug 1951 30
W
 13 Liverpool City L H 23 3 VIEW
29th Aug 1951 31
D
 13 Swinton L H 12 12 VIEW
1st Sep 1951 32
L
 13 Belle Vue Rangers LC1(1) H 4 8 VIEW
8th Sep 1951 33
W
 13 Dewsbury L H 14 8 VIEW
15th Sep 1951 34
L
 13 Oldham L A 7 13 1 VIEW
22nd Sep 1951 35
W
 13 Barrow L H 16 3 VIEW
29th Sep 1951 36
W
 13 Warrington L A 19 13 VIEW
6th Oct 1951 37
L
 13 Hull L H 10 15 VIEW
13th Oct 1951 38
W
 13 Halifax L A 20 9 VIEW
20th Oct 1951 39
L
 13 New Zealand Tour H 10 33 1 VIEW
27th Oct 1951 40
L
 13 Workington Town L A 8 11 VIEW
17th Nov 1951 41
L
 13 Workington Town L H 11 20 1 VIEW
15th Dec 1951 42
L
 13 Salford L H 6 14 VIEW
22nd Dec 1951 43
L
 12 Salford L A 0 5 VIEW
25th Dec 1951 44
L
 12 Leigh L A 3 13 VIEW
26th Dec 1951 45
D
 12 Wigan L H 2 2 VIEW
29th Dec 1951 46
L
 12 Swinton L A 2 27 VIEW
1st Jan 1952 47
W
 12 Leigh L H 9 0 VIEW
5th Jan 1952 48
L
 12 Belle Vue Rangers L H 5 6 VIEW
9th Feb 1952 49
W
 12 Belle Vue Rangers CC1(1) H 6 5 VIEW
16th Feb 1952 50
W
 12 Belle Vue Rangers CC1(2) A 9 4 VIEW
15th Mar 1952 51
W
 12 Belle Vue Rangers L A 16 8 1 VIEW
22nd Mar 1952 52
L
 12 Batley L A 5 16 VIEW
29th Mar 1952 53
L
 13 Oldham L H 6 10 VIEW
12th Apr 1952 54
W
 12 Halifax L H 16 11 VIEW
18th Aug 1952 --
L
 13 Barrow * Fr Ward Cup A 18 32 VIEW
23rd Aug 1952 55
W
 13 Widnes L H 41 2 VIEW
27th Aug 1952 56
W
 13 Salford L A 15 9 VIEW
30th Aug 1952 57
W
 13 Barrow LC1(1) A 24 21 VIEW
3rd Sep 1952 58
W
 12 Barrow LC1(2) H 23 5 VIEW
20th Sep 1952 59
W
 13 Keighley L A 27 7 VIEW
23rd Sep 1952 60
W
 13 Rochdale Hornets LC2 H 31 7 1 VIEW
4th Oct 1952 61
W
 13 Castleford L H 18 17 VIEW
11th Oct 1952 62
W
 13 Bramley L A 21 0 VIEW
14th Oct 1952 63
W
 12 Warrington LCSF A 17 10 VIEW
1st Nov 1952 64
W
 13 Swinton L A 14 7 VIEW
8th Nov 1952 65
W
 13 Barrow L A 14 7 VIEW
15th Nov 1952 66
W
 13 Swinton L H 23 10 1 VIEW
22nd Nov 1952 67
W
 13 Warrington L A 19 8 VIEW
29th Nov 1952 68
L
 13 Leigh LCF N 5 22 VIEW
6th Dec 1952 69
W
 13 Workington Town L A 22 5 VIEW
13th Dec 1952 70
W
 13 Barrow L H 26 9 VIEW
20th Dec 1952 71
W
 13 Widnes L A 7 2 VIEW
25th Dec 1952 72
W
 13 Leigh L A 22 2 VIEW
26th Dec 1952 73
W
 13 Wigan L H 5 0 VIEW
27th Dec 1952 74
W
 13 Wakefield Trinity L A 20 11 VIEW
1st Jan 1953 75
D
 13 Leigh L H 9 9 VIEW
3rd Jan 1953 76
W
 13 Rochdale Hornets L H 37 5 VIEW
17th Jan 1953 77
W
 13 Bramley L H 52 14 VIEW
7th Feb 1953 78
W
 13 Oldham CC1(1) H 20 4 VIEW
14th Feb 1953 79
D
 13 Oldham CC1(2) A 5 5 VIEW
21st Feb 1953 80
W
 13 Belle Vue Rangers L A 20 7 VIEW
28th Feb 1953 81
W
 13 Belle Vue Rangers CC2 H 28 0 VIEW
7th Mar 1953 82
W
 13 Wakefield Trinity L H 69 17 2 VIEW
14th Mar 1953 83
W
 13 Leigh CC3 A 12 3 VIEW
18th Mar 1953 84
W
 13 Whitehaven L A 17 15 VIEW
21st Mar 1953 85
W
 13 Whitehaven L H 26 10 1 VIEW
28th Mar 1953 86
W
 13 Warrington CCSF N 9 3 VIEW
31st Mar 1953 87
W
 13 Rochdale Hornets L A 8 0 VIEW
3rd Apr 1953 88
W
 13 Wigan L A 16 5 VIEW
11th Apr 1953 89
W
 13 Belle Vue Rangers L H 38 9 2 VIEW
25th Apr 1953 90
L
 13 Huddersfield CCF N 10 15 VIEW
2nd May 1953 91
W
 13 Huddersfield ChSF H 46 0 1 VIEW
7th May 1953 92
W
 13 Halifax ChF N 24 14 1 VIEW
16th May 1953 --
W
 13 Workington / Whitehaven* Fr Benefit A 53 26 VIEW
22nd Aug 1953 93
D
 13 Widnes L A 11 11 VIEW
14th Nov 1953 94
W
 13 Swinton L H 2 0 VIEW
28th Nov 1953 95
W
 13 Whitehaven L A 12 4 1 VIEW
5th Dec 1953 96
W
 13 Belle Vue Rangers L H 38 7 VIEW
12th Dec 1953 97
W
 13 Oldham L H 21 9 VIEW
19th Dec 1953 98
W
 13 Salford L A 11 7 VIEW
25th Dec 1953 99
W
 13 Leigh L H 11 9 VIEW
26th Dec 1953 100
W
 13 Wigan L H 14 4 VIEW
2nd Jan 1954 101
L
 13 Warrington L H 2 7 VIEW
9th Jan 1954 102
W
 13 Swinton L A 8 0 VIEW
16th Jan 1954 103
W
 13 Rochdale Hornets L H 28 5 1 VIEW
23rd Jan 1954 104
W
 13 Barrow L A 15 11 VIEW
30th Jan 1954 105
W
 13 Salford L H 29 0 1 VIEW
13th Feb 1954 106
W
 13 Featherstone Rovers CC1(1) H 26 7 VIEW
17th Feb 1954 107
W
 13 Featherstone Rovers CC1(2) A 27 16 1 VIEW
20th Feb 1954 108
D
 13 Halifax L H 5 5 VIEW
27th Feb 1954 109
L
 13 Warrington L A 8 12 VIEW
6th Mar 1954 110
L
 13 Huddersfield CC2 A 5 12 VIEW
20th Mar 1954 111
W
 13 Liverpool City L H 18 0 VIEW
24th Mar 1954 112
W
 13 Workington Town L A 15 7 VIEW
3rd Apr 1954 113
W
 13 Whitehaven L H 34 12 1 VIEW
10th Apr 1954 114
W
 13 Bramley L A 25 12 VIEW
16th Apr 1954 115
W
 13 Wigan L A 14 8 VIEW
17th Apr 1954 116
W
 13 Widnes L H 28 4 VIEW
19th Apr 1954 117
L
 13 Huddersfield L A 13 29 1 VIEW
4th Sep 1954 118
L
 13 Halifax L A 2 22 VIEW
18th Sep 1954 119
W
 13 Wakefield Trinity L A 32 18 1 VIEW
20th Sep 1954 120
L
 13 Oldham LC2 A 9 20 VIEW
25th Sep 1954 121
W
 13 Huddersfield L H 20 7 1 VIEW
6th Nov 1954 122
L
 13 Workington Town L A 11 15 VIEW
*Unofficial Match. **Non Playing Sub.
WINS : 87 | LOSSES : 34 | DRAWS : 7

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