Martin Hodgson

Martin Hodgson
Born	Template:Birth date Egremont, Cumberland, England
Died	July 23, 1991(1991-07-23) (aged 82) Swinton, Greater Manchester, England
Occupation(s)	Rugby league footballer, publican
Years active	1927–1940s
Known for	Rugby league player for Swinton, Great Britain, England, and Cumberland; British Rugby League Hall of Fame inductee

Martin Hodgson (26 March 1909 – 23 July 1991) was a prominent English rugby league player whose career spanned from the 1920s through the 1940s. Widely regarded as one of the finest s in the sport, he earned extensive caps representing Great Britain, England, and Cumberland. Hodgson devoted his entire club tenure to Swinton, securing two Championship titles during his time there. He participated in tours of Australasia with the Great Britain Lions in both 1932 and 1936, and uniquely stands as the sole British forward to have been part of five victorious Ashes campaigns between 1929 and 1937.

Biography

Born in Egremont, Cumberland, England, Martin Hodgson was employed in the heat treating section at David Brown Ltd. located in Lockwood, Huddersfield. Around 1950 to 1955, he also managed The Unicorn pub on Shambles Lane in Huddersfield, a venue that has since been demolished. Hodgson passed away at the age of 82 in Swinton, Greater Manchester, England.

Playing career

At just 17 years old, Hodgson joined the rugby league club Swinton in January 1927. As a goal-kicking , he played a vital role in Swinton’s triumph over Wigan to claim the 1927 Lancashire Cup. Between 1929 and 1937, he accumulated numerous appearances for Great Britain, featuring prominently in series against both Australia and New Zealand. Additionally, from 1928 to 1937, he represented England in contests versus Wales, France, and Other Nationalities.

Hodgson was instrumental during the 1929–30 Kangaroo tour of Great Britain, helping Great Britain retain the Ashes against Australia. He took part in the 1932 Great Britain Lions tour to New Zealand and contributed to Swinton’s Championship victory in 1931. In the subsequent 1933–34 Kangaroo tour of Great Britain, he aided Great Britain in achieving a historic Ashes clean sweep over Australia. Hodgson again played a key role when Swinton captured another Championship title in 1935.

Selected for the prestigious 1936 Great Britain Lions tour, Hodgson participated in all three Ashes tests against Australia, where his goal-kicking proved decisive. In April 1940, while playing for Swinton against the Rochdale Hornets at the Athletic Grounds, he reportedly set a record for a long-distance penalty goal with a kick measuring (though Arthur Atkinson’s 75-yard kick from 1929 contests this claim). Hodgson also featured in Swinton’s victory over Widnes during the final of the 1940 Lancashire Cup.

After retirement

In recognition of his outstanding contributions to rugby league, Hodgson was inducted into the British Rugby League Hall of Fame in 2005.

External links

• (archived by web.archive.org) Profile of Martin Hodgson at rugbyleaguehistory.co.uk