Hockey Driscoll

John Henry Driscoll (1876[1] – 1921), also known by the nickname of "Hockey", was a Welsh rugby union, and professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1890s and 1900s. He played club level rugby union (RU) for Cardiff RFC as a three-quarter or half-back, and club level rugby league (RL) for Hull FC (Heritage № 64)[2]

Hockey Driscoll
Personal information
Full nameJohn Henry Driscoll
Born1876
Cardiff, Wales
Diedfourth ¼ 1921 (aged 46)
Cardiff, Wales
Playing information
Rugby union
PositionThree-quarter, Half-back
Club
Years Team Pld T G FG P
1895–98 Cardiff RFC 82 30
Rugby league
Club
Years Team Pld T G FG P
1898–02 Hull FC

Background

Driscoll was born in Cardiff, Wales, his wife Louisa was proprietor of a dining and tearooms in Cardiff c. 1914, his father Patrick Driscoll was born in Skibbereen, County Cork, Ireland.

Rugby union career

Driscoll joined Cardiff RFC during the 1895–96 season, playing as a half-back. He gained a place in the first team during his initial season and scored 9 tries. Driscoll was not as prolific the following season, with just five tries to his name; however during the 1897–98 season he was switched to the wing. This saw Driscoll becoming the club's fourth highest try scorer with a tally of 16, playing in 30 of the 31 first team games. Cardiff Rugby Club historian D. E. Davies described Driscoll that season as, "our excellent uncapped wing". Having been overlooked by the Wales (RU), the next season Driscoll switched codes to professional rugby league with Hull FC,[3] alongside former Cardiff half-back Tom Savage.

Nickname

Hockey Driscoll's nickname of "Hockey" was a corruption of Hawkeye, and pronounced Ockey, as he would prefer to ankle tap tackle, rather than body tackle, which demanded both a quick-eye (Hawkeye), and fast reactions to see and catch the opposition player's foot.

References
  1. 1881 England Census, Census Returns of England and Wales, 1881. Kew, Surrey, England: The National Archives of the UK (TNA): Public Record Office (PRO), 1881.
  2. "Stats → Past Players at hullfc.com". hullfc.com. 31 December 2011. Archived from the original on 2015-11-19. Retrieved 1 January 2012.
  3. Davies, D.E. (1975). Cardiff Rugby Club, History and Statistics 1876-1975. Risca: The Starling Press. pp. 40–43. ISBN 0950442100.
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