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Lot 1054
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← May Sporting Memorabilia 7th & 8th May 2008

A maroon Wales international cap 1922, with wirework Prince of Wales's Feathers and inscribed 1922 appendix Jim Sullivan (Wigan, Wales and Great Bri

Hammer Price:
£600
Estimated Price:

£300 - £500

A maroon Wales international cap 1922, with wirework Prince of Wales's Feathers and inscribed 1922 appendix Jim Sullivan (Wigan, Wales and Great Britain) Lots 1054 to 1076 Jim Sullivan was a Welsh rugby league player born in Cardiff on 2nd December 1903. The Wigan full-back was a prodigious goalkicker, scored 6,022 points in a career that spanned 25 years. He had joined Wigan in June 1921 having switched codes from Cardiff RUFC. On 14 February 1925, he famoulsy landed 22 against amateurs Flimby & Fothergill in the Challenge Cup, which is still a record. He toured with the Great Britain Lions three times (1924, 1928 and 1932) and was captain on the final occasion. He top-scored on all three tours. He refused what would have been a record fourth trip, in 1936, for personal reasons. For twenty years, he dominated at fullback, representing Great Britain (25 times), Wales (26), England (3), Other Nationalities (6), Glamorgan (1) and Glamorgan & Monmouthshire (12). Due to the Second World War his last season was 1939/40, although he played several times when peace resumed, the last at Batley in February 1946. When he removed his Wigan jersey for the final time, he had made 774 appearances and amassed 2,317 goals and 4,883 points for the club. These figures are still unchallenged. He scored a club record of 161 goals in 1934/35 and a record total of 194 goals in 1933/34 (including representative games). As a player-coach from 1932, Sullivan continued managing Wigan after retiring as a player, creating one of the club's greatest sides before joining St Helens RLFC in 1952, overseeing their rise to power. He was inducted into the British Rugby League Hall of Fame in October 1988. Jim Sullivan died in Wigan in 1977.