by The honor of the rugby league star “Sir Billy Boston came” a little late “, said his son, when his father became a knight in a first for sport.
Sir Billy, who scored 478 trials in 488 games for Wigan after making the passage of Rugby Union in 1953, was knight by the king during a private ceremony at the Buckingham Palace on Tuesday.
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The 90 -year -old man, born in Wales, revealed in 2016 that he lived with vascular dementia.
Sir Billy Boston being made knight by King Charles (Aaron Chown / PA)
Speaking after his father was a knight, Sir Billy’s son Stephen said: “It’s a great honor. I think it happened a little late. It could have happened a little earlier.”
Sir Billy’s chivalry was awarded before the public announcement of the last cycle of honors, among the concerns of his health.
This comes after a campaign of local advisers, deputies and personalities in sport to make him honor – and Sir Billy’s family was supported by Josh Simons, the deputy of Wakerfield, near Wigan, during the event.
Billy Boston in a final of the Challenge Cup in Wembley (PA archive)
“It should have been much, much earlier,” said Sir Billy’s son to the AP news agency. “130 years before a rugby league player was made in advance.
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“We are all really grateful and very grateful for all the support we have of Wigan, Rugby League Club, local deputy and all fans.”
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said it was a “historic evil” that no rugby league player had been knight before.
He said: “Billy Boston is a real pioneer who has contributed enormously to the rugby league. 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 overcome prejudices to represent Great Britain and opened the door to a more diverse game.
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“He left a truly durable heritage and the first chivalry in the rugby league could not go to a more deserving player.”
It is understood that the Prime Minister wrote to Sir Billy to congratulate him on the honor.
In 1954, he entered the story as a first non-white player to be selected for a tour of the Lions of Great Britain Rugby League, marking 36 trials in 18 appearances in Australia and New Zealand, including a record of four in a match against the Kiwis.
He made two other lions tours in 1958 and 1962 and finished with 24 tests in 31 test appearances for Great Britain.
