# Ed Fry > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Ed_Fry > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Ed_Fry.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ed_Fry > Source revision: 1266360730 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) {{Short description|Australian rugby footballer}} {{Use dmy dates|date=July 2023}} {{Use Australian English|date=July 2013}} {{Infobox rugby biography | name = Ed Fry | image = Son Fry 07.jpg | caption = | birth_name = Edward Fry | birth_date = {{birth date|1880|09|02|df=y}} | birth_place = [Sydney](/source/Sydney), [New South Wales](/source/New_South_Wales), [Australia](/source/Australia) | death_date = {{death date and age|1968|03|27|1880|09|02|df=y}} | death_place = [Rockdale](/source/Rockdale%2C_New_South_Wales), [New South Wales](/source/New_South_Wales), [Australia](/source/Australia) | height = | weight = | ru_position = Centre | years1 = 1907 | clubs1 = {{rut|New South Wales}} | module = {{infobox rugby league biography | embed = yes | position = {{rlp|CE}} | pointsA = 3 | club1 = [South Sydney](/source/South_Sydney_Rabbitohs) | year1start = 1908 | appearances1 = 9 | points1 = 6 | club2 = [North Sydney](/source/North_Sydney_Bears) | year2start = 1910 | appearances2 = 1 | teamA = [NSW](/source/New_South_Wales_rugby_league_team) | yearAstart = 1908 | appearancesA = 2 | module = {{infobox person | embed = yes | father = | mother = | spouse = | education = | alma_mater = | relatives = [Fred Fry](/source/Fred_Fry) (brother) }} }} }} '''Edward "Son" Fry''' (1879–1968) was an Australian [rugby league](/source/rugby_league) and [rugby union](/source/rugby_union) footballer. He was one of the founding players of rugby league in Australia at the time of the rebel code's breakaway from rugby union.{{Cite news | last = Clarkson | first = Alan | title = Now the South Africans | work = [The Sydney Morning Herald](/source/The_Sydney_Morning_Herald) | place = Australia | page = 19 | date = 2 July 1963 | url = https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=RocVAAAAIBAJ&sjid=MeYDAAAAIBAJ&pg=7234,221385 | access-date = 6 October 2010 | archive-date = 26 May 2020 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20200526211310/https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=RocVAAAAIBAJ&sjid=MeYDAAAAIBAJ&pg=7234,221385 | url-status = dead }} He played for [New South Wales](/source/New_South_Wales_rugby_league_team) in the very first rugby match run by the newly created '[New South Wales Rugby Football League](/source/New_South_Wales_Rugby_Football_League)' which had just split away from the established [New South Wales Rugby Football Union](/source/New_South_Wales_Rugby_Football_Union). == Rugby union career == thumb|left|200px|Fry seated 3rd from left, NSW team who met the All Golds in Sydney 1907 Fry was one of the New South Wales rugby union players who matched up against the first professional New Zealand team, [Albert Baskiville](/source/Albert_Baskiville)'s '[All Golds](/source/1907-1908_New_Zealand_rugby_tour_of_Great_Britain)' in three matches in Sydney in August 1907. The [New South Wales rugby union side](/source/New_South_Wales_Waratahs) had defeated the [All Blacks](/source/All_Blacks) 14–0 in their second of two matches in 1907 and so were expected to be tough opponents. The first professional game was played on the [Royal Agricultural Society Ground](/source/Royal_Agricultural_Society_Ground) to a sell-out crowd of 20,000. Played under [rugby union](/source/rugby_union) rules, the All Blacks led 6–0 at halftime and closed out the match, winning 12–8.{{cite book|last=Haynes|first=John|title=From All Blacks to All Golds: Rugby League's Pioneers|publisher=Ryan and Haynes|location=Christchurch|year=1996|isbn=0-473-03864-1}} The game was deemed to be a great success, as the organisers had not expected more than 12,000 people. The second game, a mid-week game, was held in front of a crowd of 3,000. The All Golds, who had made several changes, defeated the "All Blues" 19–5. They then won the third match of the series 5–3 in front of a crowd of 8,000. Ed Fry played in all three matches and along with the other Australian rebel players was promptly blacklisted by the [New South Wales Rugby Union](/source/New_South_Wales_Rugby_Union) for breaching its fundamental principle of amateurism. == Rugby league career == Along with [Billy Cann](/source/Billy_Cann), [Arthur Hennessy](/source/Arthur_Hennessy), [S. G. "George" Ball](/source/S._G._%22George%22_Ball) and [John J McGrath](/source/John_J_McGrath), Fry was one of five founders of the [South Sydney District Rugby League Football Club](/source/South_Sydney_Rabbitohs),{{cite book | last = Haddan | first = Steve | title = History of the NSW Rugby League finals | publisher = Stephen Haddan | year = 1991 | location = Australia | page = 9 | url = https://books.google.com/books?id=8yLwAAAAMAAJ&q=%22Son+Fry%22 | isbn = 9780646050980}} attending meetings in October 1907. In 1908 Fry played for the Rabbitohs in the [inaugural NSWRFL season](/source/1908_NSWRFL_season),[http://www.rabbitohs.com.au/The-Club/Tradition/Season-Archive/W-Son-FRY.html W 'Son' Fry]{{Dead link|date=August 2019 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} at ''rabbitohs.com.au'' and was a member of the run-on side in South's first-ever game on 20 April 1908 (Easter Monday) at [Birchgrove Oval](/source/Birchgrove_Oval) against [North Sydney](/source/North_Sydney_Bears).Whiticker/Collis p. 12 He played nine games at centre that season, scoring two tries and was a member of the club's first premiership winning team, playing in the August 1908 final against [Eastern Suburbs](/source/Sydney_Roosters).Whittacker/Hudson: The Encyclopedia of Rugby League Players. 1995 {{ISBN|1875169571}} In 1908 Fry was also selected in the first [New South Wales side](/source/New_South_Wales_rugby_league_team) to play a national selection series against a [Queensland side](/source/Queensland_Maroons). The New Zealand AtoZ website reports that in the first ever interstate clash a particular Queensland tackle rendered one NSW player – Ed Fry – completely naked from the waist down although it did not stop him from scoring a try.[http://www.newzealandatoz.com/index.php?pageid=826 Lost his pants] In the 1910 season, Fry turned out for [North Sydney](/source/North_Sydney_Bears) making just one first grade appearance. In retirement he remained actively involved with the South Sydney club through till his death in 1968.Whiticker/Hudson p. 174 Ed Fry was awarded Life Membership of the [New South Wales Rugby League](/source/New_South_Wales_Rugby_League) in 1914. ==Sources== * [Whiticker, Alan](/source/Alan_Whiticker) & Hudson, Glen (2006) ''The Encyclopedia of Rugby League Players'', Gavin Allen Publishing, Sydney * [Whiticker, Alan](/source/Alan_Whiticker) & Collis, Ian (2006) ''The History of Rugby League Clubs'', New Holland, Sydney * Heads, Ian and Middleton, David (2008) ''A Centenary of Rugby League'', MacMillan Sydney ==External links== * [http://www.newzealandatoz.com/index.php?pageid=826 New Zealand A to Z] ==References== {{Reflist}} {{South Sydney squad - 1908 NSWRFL premiers}} {{DEFAULTSORT:Fry, Ed}} Category:1879 births Category:1968 deaths Category:Australian rugby league players Category:Australian rugby union players Category:Footballers who switched code Category:New South Wales rugby league team players Category:New South Wales rugby union team players Category:North Sydney Bears players Category:20th-century Australian sportsmen Category:Rugby league centres Category:Rugby league players from Sydney Category:South Sydney Rabbitohs captains Category:South Sydney Rabbitohs players --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Ed Fry](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ed_Fry) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ed_Fry?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.