Arthur Butler (rugby league)
{{Short description|Australia international rugby league footballer}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2023}}
{{Use Australian English|date=July 2013}}
{{Infobox rugby league biography
|name = Arthur Butler
|fullname =
|image =
|image_size =
|caption =
|birth_date = {{birth date|1884|06|08|df=y}}
|birth_place = Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
|death_date = {{death date and age|1947|05|30|1884|06|08|df=y}}
|death_place = Ashbury, New South Wales, Australia
|height =
|weight =
|retired = yes
|position = {{rlp|HB|FE}}
|club1 = South Sydney
|year1start = 1908
|year1end = 15
|appearances1 = 95
|tries1 = 20
|goals1 = 20
|fieldgoals1 = 0
|points1 = 100
|club2 = Glebe
|year2start = 1916
|year2end = 17
|appearances2 = 21
|tries2 = 1
|goals2 = 0
|fieldgoals2 = 0
|points2 = 3
|club3 = Annandale
|year3start = 1918
|year3end = 19
|appearances3 = 20
|tries3 = 0
|goals3 = 0
|fieldgoals3 = 0
|points3 = 0
|teamA = {{nowrap|New South Wales}}
|yearAstart = 1908
|yearAend = 11
|appearancesA = 7
|triesA = 2
|goalsA = 2
|fieldgoalsA = 0
|pointsA = 10
|teamB = Australia
|yearBstart = 1908
|yearBend = 09
|appearancesB = 3
|triesB = 1
|goalsB = 0
|fieldgoalsB = 0
|pointsB = 3
|teamC = Metropolis
|yearCstart = 1911
|yearCend = 15
|appearancesC = 3
|triesC = 0
|goalsC = 0
|fieldgoalsC = 0
|pointsC = 0
|updated = 6 May 2020
}}
Arthur Butler (1884–1947) was a pioneer Australian rugby league footballer who played in the 1900s and 1910s. An Australian international and New South Wales interstate representative half, he played club football for the South Sydney, Glebe and Annandale clubs in the NSWRFL Premiership.
Playing career
Butler played for Souths in the first season of rugby league in Australia, the 1908 NSWRFL season.[http://stats.rleague.com/rl/scorers/players/A/Arthur_Butler.html Arthur Butler] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120802014711/http://stats.rleague.com/rl/scorers/players/A/Arthur_Butler.html|date=2 August 2012 }} at rleague.com He was also selected to play for New South Wales at halfback in their first ever rugby league game against Queensland, scoring a try in the 43–0 victory, which was the first in a clean sweep of all three of the 1908 interstate series' games.
Butler missed his club Souths' grand final victory as he was selected to go on the first Kangaroo tour, the 1908–09 tour of Great Britain.
In London, Australia faced the English in rugby league football for the first time, and Butler played at halfback, scoring a try in the 22–22 draw.
He is listed on the Australian Players Register as Kangaroo No. 24.ARL Annual Report 2005, page 52 Butler also played in the second Test loss, altogether appearing in 23 matches on the tour.[https://archive.today/20121231004501/http://www.yesterdayshero.com.au/PlayerProfile_Arthur-Butler_1502.aspx Arthur Butler] at yesterdayshero.com.au The following year Butler again represented Australia when they hosted the New Zealand team. At the end of the 1909 NSWRFL season, he was one of the South Sydney players who showed up on Grand Final day to controversially claim the premiership while Balmain forfeited.Whittacker/Hudson: The Encyclopedia of Rugby League Players. 1995 {{ISBN|1875169571}}
The following year South Sydney again reached the grand final, and Butler played at halfback in the 4–4 draw with Newtown, who had finished the season higher on the ladder so were awarded the 1910 NSWRFL Premiership. He played 14 games in the 1914 season as Souths finished first and claimed the premiership. 1915 was his last season with South Sydney.
Butler then played two seasons with Glebe, then two seasons with Annandale before retiring.[http://www.rugbyleagueproject.org/players/arthur-butler/summary.html Arthur Butler] at rugbyleagueproject.org
In 1947, Butler died in his Sydney home 9 days short of his 63rd birthday.{{cite news|title=Arthur Butler Dies|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1301&dat=19470603&id=MYoQAAAAIBAJ&sjid=GZMDAAAAIBAJ&pg=4352,163760|accessdate=2 August 2012|newspaper=The Sydney Morning Herald|date=3 June 1947}}
References
{{reflist}}
{{1908-09 Kangaroo Tour squad - The First Kangaroos}}
{{South Sydney squad - 1914 NSWRFL premiers}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Butler, Arthur}}
Category:Annandale rugby league players
Category:Australia national rugby league team players
Category:Australian rugby league players
Category:Glebe rugby league players
Category:New South Wales rugby league team players
Category:Rugby league halfbacks
Category:Rugby league players from Sydney
Category:Rugby league five-eighths
Category:South Sydney Rabbitohs captains