by Billy Boston became the first knight of the 130 years of history of the rugby league after being honored by King Charles III at the Buckingham Palace on Tuesday.
Boston, 90, who watched Wigan and Great Britain in the 1950s and 1960s, was a pioneer for black athletes and one of the greatest players in the rugby league.
Advertisement
He scored 478 trials in 488 games for Wigan after having passed the Rugby Union in 1953.
The ceremony came before the public’s list of honors of the King’s birthday publicly about the concerns of the health of the former player. Boston has vascular dementia.
“Billy Boston is a real pioneer whose rugby league has contributed enormously,” said British Prime Minister Keir Starmer.
“It is a historic wrong that a sport that is the backbone of so many communities waited so long to receive this honor.
“Boston is a legend of the game that has overcome prejudices to represent Great Britain and opened the door to a more diverse game.”
Advertisement
The chivalry came after a campaign campaign by local politicians and figures from the senior rugby league.
The owner of Wigan Warriors, Mike Dance, said: “Without a doubt, Billy was a player who was – and is still – the biggest favorite in the rugby league.”
Kca / jw / pi
