Mick Bolewski Explained

Mick Bolewski
Fullname:Michael Patrick Bolewski
Birth Date:19 September 1888
Birth Place:Ballina, New South Wales, Australia
Death Place:Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
First:RU
Ru Club1:?
Ru Teama:Country Queensland
Club1:Bundaberg
Year1start:190?
Year1end:08
Club2:Leigh
Year2start:1909/10
Year2end:11/12
Appearances2:100
Tries2:3
Goals2:18
Fieldgoals2:0
Points2:45
Teama:Queensland
Yearastart:1908
Yearaend:??
Appearancesa:7
Triesa:0
Goalsa:0
Fieldgoalsa:0
Pointsa:0
Teamb:Australia
Yearbstart:1908
Yearbend:09
Appearancesb:4
Triesb:10
Goalsb:0
Fieldgoalsb:0
Pointsb:3
Teamc:Lancashire
Source:[1]

Michael Patrick Bolewski (; 1888–1974) was a pioneering Australian international representative rugby league footballer who played in the 1900s and 1910s.[1] He, along with his three brothers, Henry, Alec and Walter, became a pioneering Queensland representative player as well.

From a Polish family,[2] Bolewski was playing rugby union in 1908 when selected to play for Country Queensland in their victory against Metropolitan Brisbane.[3] Bolewski was then included in the first Queensland rugby league team formed to play against New South Wales, travelling down to Sydney for all three of the first series of interstate rugby league matches in Australia. He was then selected to go on the 1908–09 Kangaroo tour of Great Britain, the first ever such tour,[4] and with teammate Bill Heidke became the first Bundaberg locals to represent Australia.[5] Bolewski played in all three matches of the first Ashes series for Australia against Great Britain. He stayed in England after the tour to play for Leigh (Heritage No. 188).[6] In 1909 Bolewski started a three-season stint with the club. Also that year he played for Australia when they hosted the visiting New Zealand national rugby league team. Bolweski became the first overseas player to play 100 games for Leigh and reappeared in their A team after several seasons' break.[7]

In 2008, the centenary year of rugby league in Australia, Bolewski was named at in a Bundaberg rugby league team of the century.

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Statistics at rugbyleagueproject.org. rugbyleagueproject.org. 31 December 2018. 1 January 2019.
  2. Web site: Lex Marinos. From a Federation Game to a League of Nations. tombrock.com.au. Tom Brock Lecture. 10 August 2014. Lex Marinos.
  3. Web site: Historical Wallabies Player Profile. https://web.archive.org/web/20150906000123/http://www2.rugby.com.au/wallabies/TheTeam/HistoricalWallabiesPlayerProfile.aspx?pid=1211. dead. 6 September 2015. www2.rugby.com.au. Australian Rugby. 12 June 2016.
  4. Web site: First Kangaroos rugby league squad. pickle.nine.com.au. NineMSN. 12 June 2016.
  5. Book: Barnett. Murray. For the Love of the Game. 2015. Boolarong Press. Australia. 240. 12 June 2016. 9781925236088.
  6. Web site: Qld Rep Players. https://web.archive.org/web/20140310231842/http://www.qrl.com.au/about/qld-rep-players.html. dead. 10 March 2014. qrl.com.au. Queensland Rugby League. 12 June 2016.
  7. Web site: Club History. https://web.archive.org/web/20140306032713/http://www.leighcenturions.com/club/earlyhistory. dead. 6 March 2014. leighcenturions.com. Leigh Centurions. 12 June 2016.