1897–98 Challenge Cup

{{short description|Rugby league competition}} {{Infobox Rugby football league challenge cup |title = 1898 Challenge Cup |league = |logo = |pixels = |duration = |no_of_teams = |highest_attendance = 27,941 |lowest_attendance = |avg_attendance = |TV = |biggest_home_win = |biggest_away_win = |season = 1897–98 |season_champs = {{leagueicon|Batley|16px}} Batley |season_champ_name = Winners |second_place = {{leagueicon|Bradford|16px}} Bradford |MVP = |MVP_link = |top_scorer = |prevseason_link = 1897 Challenge Cup |prevseason_year = 1897 |nextseason_link = 1899 Challenge Cup |nextseason_year = 1899 }}

The '''1898 Challenge Cup''' was the 2nd staging of rugby league's oldest knockout competition, the Challenge Cup.<ref name="Challenge Cup">{{cite book|title=Encyclopedia of Rugby League Football|author1=John Huxley|author2=David Howes|year=1980|publisher=Robert Hale|location=London|isbn=0-7091-8133-7|pages=41–43}}</ref>

The final was contested by Batley and Bradford at Headingley Stadium in Leeds.

The final was played on Saturday 23 April 1898, where Batley beat Bradford 7–0 at Headingley in front of a crowd of 27,941.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.therfl.co.uk/challengecup/page.php?areaid=65 |title=RFL Challenge Cup Roll of Honour |access-date=2009-08-07 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090403144113/http://www.therfl.co.uk/challengecup/page.php?areaid=65 |archive-date=2009-04-03 |url-status=dead |df= }}</ref>

==First round== {| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center; font-size:90%" |- !scope="col" rowspan=2 width=200 style="background-color:#C1D8FF"| Team One !scope="col" rowspan=2 width=100 style="background-color:#C1D8FF"| Score !scope="col" rowspan=2 width=200 style="background-color:#C1D8FF"| Team Two !scope="col" colspan=2 style="background-color:#C1D8FF"| Match information |- !scope="col" width=100 style="background-color:#CCCCCC"| Date !scope="col" width=200 style="background-color:#CCCCCC"| Venue |- | Altrincham || 8–0 || Salford St Bart's || 26 Feb || The Devisdale |- | Barrow || 13–3{{0|0}} || Dalton || 26 Feb || Cavendish Park |- | Barton || 16–3{{0|0}} || Rochdale Rangers || 26 Feb || Tetlow Fold |- | Batley || 12–7{{0|0}} || St Helens || 26 Feb || Mount Pleasant |- | Birkenhead || 17–0{{0|0}} || Runcorn Recs || 26 Feb || Park Station |- | Bradford || 7–2 || Swinton || 26 Feb || Park Avenue |- | Castleford || 18–2{{0|0}} || Wigan || 26 Feb || Hunt's Field |- | Eastmoor || 22–3{{0|0}} || Smallbridge || 26 Feb || King George's |- | Fleetwood || 6–3 || Warr. St Mary's || 26 Feb || |- | Hull || 8–0 || Morecambe || 26 Feb || The Boulevard |- | Hull Kingston Rovers || 46–0{{0|0}} || Hull Marlborough || 26 Feb || Craven Street |- | Hunslet || 8–3 || Lancaster || 26 Feb || Parkside |- | Leeds Parish Church || {{0|0}}7–10 || Bramley || 26 Feb || Clarence Field |- | Leigh || 7–0 || Heckmondwike || 26 Feb || Mather Lane |- | Manningham || {{0|0}}5–11 || Huddersfield || 26 Feb || Valley Parade |- | Millom || 2–9 || Salford || 26 Feb || Salthouse |- | Mossley || 0–9 || Lees || 26 Feb || |- | Oldham || 8–3 || Leeds || 26 Feb || Watersheddings |- | Rochdale Hornets || 10–6{{0|0}} || Holbeck || 26 Feb || Athletic Grounds |- | Stockport || 5–6 || Brighouse Rangers || 26 Feb || Edgeley Park |- | Tyldesley || 2–3 || Broughton Rangers || 26 Feb || Well Street |- | Ulverston || {{0|0}}2–19 || Runcorn || 26 Feb || Fitz Bridge |- | Wakefield Trinity || 5–3 || Warrington || 26 Feb || Belle Vue |- | Walkden || 22–0{{0|0}} || Swinton Church || 26 Feb || Stocks Enclosure |- | Werneth || 14–0{{0|0}} || Oldham Jnrs || 26 Feb || |- | Whitworth || 2–2 || Rochdale Athletic || 26 Feb || |- | Widnes || 26–0{{0|0}} || Liversedge || 26 Feb || Lowerhouse |- | Halifax || 17–0{{0|0}} || St Helens Recreation || 1 Mar || Thrum Hall |- | Rochdale Athletic || 0–4 || Whitworth || 1 Mar - Replay || |- |colspan=5 style="background-color:#C1D8FF"|Source:<ref name=RLP>{{cite web|url=https://www.rugbyleagueproject.org/competitions/challenge-cup-1897-98/results.html |title=Challenge Cup 1897/98: Results |website=Rugby League Project |access-date=26 March 2026}}</ref> |}

==Second round== {| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center; font-size:90%" |- !scope="col" rowspan=2 width=200 style="background-color:#C1D8FF"| Team One !scope="col" rowspan=2 width=100 style="background-color:#C1D8FF"| Score !scope="col" rowspan=2 width=200 style="background-color:#C1D8FF"| Team Two !scope="col" colspan=2 style="background-color:#C1D8FF"| Match information |- !scope="col" width=100 style="background-color:#CCCCCC"| Date !scope="col" width=200 style="background-color:#CCCCCC"| Venue |- | Abbey Hills || 0–2 || Leigh || 5 Mar || Mather Lane |- | Altrincham || 11–2{{0|0}} || Eastmoor || 5 Mar || The Devisdale |- | Barton || 16–4{{0|0}} || Werneth || 5 Mar || Tetlow Fold |- | Birkenhead || 0–5 || Bradford || 5 Mar || Park Station |- | Brighouse Rangers || 3–3 || Runcorn || 5 Mar || Lane Head |- | Broughton Rangers || 3–0 || Wakefield Trinity || 5 Mar || Wheater's Field |- | Castleford || 14–7{{0|0}} || Whitworth || 5 Mar || Hunt's Field |- | Halifax || 3–8 || Oldham || 5 Mar || Thrum Hall |- | Huddersfield || 14–6{{0|0}} || Barrow || 5 Mar || Fartown |- | Hull Kingston Rovers || 11–0{{0|0}} || Morley || 5 Mar || Craven Street |- | Lees || {{0|0}}2–65 || Salford || 5 Mar || |- | Lostock Gralam || {{0|0}}0–10 || Fleetwood || 5 Mar || |- | Radcliffe || {{0|0}}0–18 || Hull || 5 Mar || Peel Street |- | Rochdale Hornets || 3–4 || Bramley || 5 Mar || Athletic Grounds |- | Walkden || 0–8 || Batley || 5 Mar || Mount Pleasant |- | Widnes || 8–7 || Hunslet || 5 Mar || Lowerhouse |- | Runcorn || 11–0{{0|0}} || Brighouse Rangers || 9 Mar - replay || Canal Street |- |colspan=5 style="background-color:#C1D8FF"|Source:<ref name=RLP/> |}

==Third round== {| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center; font-size:90%" |- !scope="col" rowspan=2 width=200 style="background-color:#C1D8FF"| Team One !scope="col" rowspan=2 width=100 style="background-color:#C1D8FF"| Score !scope="col" rowspan=2 width=200 style="background-color:#C1D8FF"| Team Two !scope="col" colspan=2 style="background-color:#C1D8FF"| Match information |- !scope="col" width=100 style="background-color:#CCCCCC"| Date !scope="col" width=200 style="background-color:#CCCCCC"| Venue |- | Altrincham || {{0|0}}0–16 || Salford || 19 Mar || The Devisdale |- | Barton || 3–9 || Bramley || 19 Mar || |- | Castleford || {{0|0}}4–10 || Batley || 19 Mar || Hunt's Field |- | Fleetwood || {{0|0}}0–31 || Hull Kingston Rovers || 19 Mar || |- | Huddersfield || 0–6 || Broughton Rangers || 19 Mar || Fartown |- | Hull || 2–6 || Bradford || 19 Mar || The Boulevard |- | Leigh || 3–3 || Widnes || 19 Mar || Mather Lane |- | Oldham || 11–0{{0|0}} || Runcorn || 19 Mar || Wattersheddings |- | Widnes || 22–3{{0|0}} || Leigh || 23 Mar - Replay || Lowerhouse |- |colspan=5 style="background-color:#C1D8FF"|Source:<ref name=RLP/> |}

==Quarter-finals== {| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center; font-size:90%" |- !scope="col" rowspan=2 width=200 style="background-color:#C1D8FF"| Team One !scope="col" rowspan=2 width=100 style="background-color:#C1D8FF"| Score !scope="col" rowspan=2 width=200 style="background-color:#C1D8FF"| Team Two !scope="col" colspan=2 style="background-color:#C1D8FF"| Match information |- !scope="col" width=100 style="background-color:#CCCCCC"| Date !scope="col" width=200 style="background-color:#CCCCCC"| Venue |- | Batley || 3–0 || Oldham || 26 Mar || Mount Pleasant |- | Bradford || 7–5 || Broughton Rangers || 26 Mar || Park Avenue |- | Hull Kingston Rovers || 0–0 || Widnes || 26 Mar || The Boulevard |- | Salford || 12–2{{0|0}} || Bramley || 26 Mar || New Barnes |- | Widnes || 6–5 || Hull Kingston Rovers || 30 Mar - replay || Lowerhouse |- |colspan=5 style="background-color:#C1D8FF"|Source:<ref name=RLP/> |}

==Semi-finals== {{rugbyleaguebox | date = | time = | team1 = Batley | score = 5–0 | report = | team2 = Salford | points1 = | points2 = | stadium = Watersheddings, Oldham | attendance = 15,000 | referee = | manofmatch = }} {{rugbyleaguebox | date = | time = | team1 = Bradford | score = 13–0 | report = | team2 = Widnes | points1 = | points2 = | stadium = Hanson Lane, Halifax, West Yorkshire | attendance = 14,000 | referee = | manofmatch = }}

==Final== {{rugbyleaguebox | date = 23 April 1898 | time = | team1 = Batley | score = 7–0 | report = [http://www.rugbyleagueproject.org/competitions/challenge-cup-1897/final/batley-vs-bradford/summary.html Report] | team2 = Bradford | points1 = Try: J. Goodall, Davies<br />Goal: J. Goodall | points2 = | stadium = Headingley, Leeds | attendance = 27,941 | referee = J. H. Smith (Widnes)<ref name="hoole">{{cite book|last1=Hoole|first1=Les|title=The Rugby League Challenge Cup An Illustrated History 1897-1998|date=2015|publisher=DB Publishing|isbn=978-1-78091-462-6|page=11}}</ref> | manofmatch = }} {| width="100%" |valign="top" width="50%"| {| style="font-size: 90%" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" |- !width="50"| |- |'''1'''|| Arthur Garner |- |'''2'''|| Wattie Davies |- |'''3'''|| John B. Goodall |- |'''4'''|| Dai Fitzgerald |- |'''5'''|| Fred 'Ted' Fozzard |- |'''6'''|| Joe Oakland |- |'''7'''|| Harry Goodall |- |'''8'''|| Mark Shackleton |- |'''9'''|| Jim Gath |- |'''10'''|| George Main |- |'''11'''|| Robert 'Bob' Spurr |- |'''12'''|| Fred Fisher |- |'''13'''|| Charlie Stubley |- |'''14'''|| John T. 'Paudy' Munns |- |'''15'''|| Jack Rogers |} |valign="top" width="50%"| {| style="font-size: 90%" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" |- !width="50"| |- |'''1'''|| B. Patrick |- |'''2'''|| T. H. Dobson |- |'''3'''|| F. W. Cooper |- |'''4'''|| W. Murgatroyd |- |'''5'''|| F. Murgatroyd |- |'''6'''|| R. Wood |- |'''7'''|| H. Prole |- |'''8'''|| T. Broadley |- |'''9'''|| J. Fearnley |- |'''10'''|| R. J. Robertson |- |'''11'''|| H. Holden |- |'''12'''|| E. Kelsey |- |'''13'''|| B. Holt |- |'''14'''|| J. McLoughlin |- |'''15'''|| J. Toothill |} |}

==References== {{Reflist}}

==External links== *[http://www.thechallengecup.com/ The Challenge Cup] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140122043124/http://www.thechallengecup.com/ |date=2014-01-22 }} *[https://www.rugbyleagueproject.org/competitions/challenge-cup-1897-98/results.html Challenge Cup 1897/98 results] at Rugby League Project

{{DEFAULTSORT:1897-98 Challenge Cup}} Category:Challenge Cup Challenge Cup

1897–98 Challenge Cup

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