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The 1953 American All Stars rugby league tour of Australia and New Zealand was a tour by a group of twenty men who had not previously played the sport of Rugby League. Most of the team were current or former College Gridiron footballers with Stanford University, the University of California, Los Angeles, or the University of Southern California. Some of the party had played rugby union at their colleges, during gridiron off-seasons.

Summary

The tour was instigated by player-manager Mike Dimitro, who claimed to have witnessed a game of rugby league in Sydney whilst serving in the Pacific during World War II. Dimitro had played for UCLA and was a high school teacher in Los Angeles in the lead up to the tour. Dimitro wrote to the Australian Rugby League Board of Control in February 1952. Several of the League's administrators were fervent promoters of their sport, and some were keen to take the game to the United States, so Dimitro's suggestion was favourably received. Another factor was the success of France's inaugural tour in 1951. Harold Matthews responded on behalf of the board in April 1952.

Apprised of the proposed tour, the New Zealand Rugby League were also interested, and their Secretary, J.E. Knowling, was able to meet with Mike Dimitro in Los Angeles.

Although arrangements in California did not run smoothly, with reassurances sought by the host nation boards, eighteen players arrived in Sydney on May 18, 1953. A further two players arrived on June 1.

The appointed coach, Norm “Latchem” Robinson, had less than a fortnight to educate the players. A touch-football game against South Sydney and a tackle match against a team of Army Engineers were used in preparations.

Remarkably, the American All Stars won their first match on the scheduled tour, beating a combined Monaro and Southern Districts side. The next two scheduled fixtures were against Sydney and New South Wales, and the Americans were understandably outclassed. The wisdom of setting novices against experienced semi-professionals so early in the tour was questioned at the time. The matches did, however, attract large crowds 65,453 on a Saturday against Sydney, and 32,554 on a Tuesday against New South Wales. There was consensus in the press that the host teams did take it easy on the visitors.

The tour progressed with matches in regional and country New South Wales, and then into Queensland. The Australian board had recommended that 28 players would be necessary given the two matches per week schedule, and injuries had an impact on the twenty-man squad. This led to the informal use of “ring-ins” in matches at Ipswich and Wagga, and formally in a return match against New South Wales on July 25, and throughout the New Zealand leg.

Through the tour the American players were commended for their excellent ball handling and robust tackling. The running ability of many, particularly the backs was praised. Referees showed leniency to a lack of understanding of offside rules in early matches. A slowness in comprehending and implementing cover defence was a common concern in reports on later matches.

A curiosity to local spectators and the press at the time was the All Stars' practice of warming up on the field with calisthenics, or “physical jerks”. Although this innovation did not immediately catch on, National Rugby League teams have utilised on field warm-ups since the 1990s.

A highlight for spectators was the American's use of the pitch-pass, with exhibitions given prior to most matches. In play, league rules against forward passing meant the pitch was restricted to lateral or backwards movement. Although a few pitch passes did lead to an All Stars try, usually the arc allowed defenders time to immediately tackle the receiver, or intercept.

A sad development of the tour was that Jack Bonetti contracted Polio. This was diagnosed after he entered hospital in Townsville, having exhibited pain after the match in Cairns.

Touring squad

Player	Pos.	Age	Weight	Height	College(s)	Games in Aus	Games in NZ	Tries	Goals	Field Goals	Points
Al Abajian	Five-eighth	25	13.3 (84)	5.8	USC	15		8	0	0	24
Bill Albans	Wing	25	13.8 (86)	6.4	North Carolina	13	0	5	0	0	15
Jack Bonetti	Second-row	22	15.1 (96)	6.1	Stanford	9	0	7	0	0	21
Bob Buckley	Centre	20	13.8 (86)	5.1	USC	12	0	4	0	0	12
Ed Demirjian	Wing	22	13.3 (84)	5.1	USC	6		2	0	0	6
Mike Dimitro	Second-row	28	15.1 (96)	5.1	UCLA USC	11		3	0	0	9
Steve Drakulvich	Prop	28	15.13 (101)	6.3	UCLA	9		1	0	0	3
Ted Grossman	Halfback	23	12.7 (79)	5.1	Pacific	16		7	0	0	21
Harold Han	Centre	20	13.8 (86)	5.9	USC	12	0	7	0	0	21
Pat Henry	Second-row	24	14.9 (93)	5.11	Stanford	11		1	0	0	3
Vince Jones	Prop	23	14.9 (93)	5.11	Dartmouth Stanford	16		3	0	0	9
George Kauffman	Fullback	26	14.0 (89)	6	UCLA	14		1	7	2	21
Gary Kerkorian	Wing	23	13.3 (84)	6	Stanford	17	0	5	79	0	173
Al D. Kirkland	Lock	23	15.5 (98)	6.3	USC Stanford	16		12	1	0	38
Alvin E. Kirkland	Centre	22	13.3 (84)	5.1	USC Stanford	16		14	0	0	42
Fran Mandulay	Second-row	24	15.0 (95)	6	Nebraska UCLA	15		1	0	0	3
Xavier Mena	Prop	24	16.1 (102)	6.1	UCLA	6		2	0	0	6
Sol Naumu	Five-eighth	23	14.0 (89)	5.11	UCLA USC	14		1	8	0	19
Ray Terry	Prop	29	16.3 (103)	6.2	Alabama	1		0	0	0	0
Sydney Walker	Hooker	21	15.0 (95)	5.8	UCLA	10		1	0	0	3

Note: The tally of games in Australia, tries and goals collated from newspaper articles, as referenced below. In a few instances newspaper accounts differ. Some match reports do not mention all participants. A concession was made to allow the Americans to use substitutes in the event of first half injuries. This was unusual for the time. Normally no replacements were permitted.

Four Queenslanders — Harold Crocker, Brian Davies, Alan Hornery and Ken McCaffery — played for the American All Stars in the July 25 match against New South Wales.

Five of the tourists returned to the United States at the conclusion of the Australian leg. By arrangement with the New Zealand Rugby League, they were replaced by four, later five, New Zealanders: Travers Hardwick and Frank Mulcare who took on coaching duties, and also Des Barchard, Roy Moore and Roy Roff.

Australian leg

May 27	Monaro-Southern Division	25–34	America	Manuka Oval, Canberra
3pm	Tries: 5 Roy Freebody (2) Bill Beazley Greg Watts Ron Bercene Goals: 5 Bill Beazley (5)	Teams Report Report	Tries: 8 Alvin Kirkland (4) Al D. Kirkland (2) Al Abajian Jack Bonetti Goals: 5 Gary Kerkorian (5)	Attendance: 4,877 Gate: AU£ 965 Referee: Jack O'Brien

May 30	Sydney	52–25	America	Sydney Cricket Ground
3pm	Tries: 10 Noel Pidding (4) Ken Kearney (2) Keith Holman Ron Taylor Ben Haslam Lloyd Hudson Goals: 11 Noel Pidding (11)	Program Report Report	Tries: 3 Sydney Walker Alvin Kirkland Sol Naumu Goals: 8 Gary Kerkorian (8)	Attendance: 65,453 Gate: AU£ 8,744 Referee: Jack O'Brien

June 2	New South Wales	62–41	America	Sydney Cricket Ground
2.30pm	Tries: 14 Tommy Ryan (6) Noel Pidding (2) Ken Kearney (2) Don Schofield Harry Wells Keith Holman Ken Slattery Goals: 10 Noel Pidding (10)	Program Report	Tries: 9 Alvin Kirkland (3) Al D. Kirkland (2) Harold Han Jack Bonetti Ed Demirjian Bob Buckley Goals: 7 Gary Kerkorian (7)	Attendance: 32,554 Gate: AU£ 3,533 Referee: Jack O'Brien

June 7	Combined Country	35–9	America	Wollongong Showground
	Tries: 7 Darcy Russell Ron Battye Don Schofield Jack Lumsden Robert Bartlett Charlie Gill Ernie Hammerton Goals: 7 Darcy Russell (7)	Team Report Report	Tries: 1 Jack Bonetti Goals: 3 Gary Kerkorian (3)	Attendance: 11,787 Gate: AU£ 1,627 Referee: Darcy Lawler

June 10	Western Division	24–21	America	Victoria Park, Dubbo
3pm	Tries: 6 Jack Grant Bruce Cohen Cec Edwards Leo Nosworthy Peter Burns Jack Lumsden Goals: 3 Jack Lumsden (3)	Team Report Report	Tries: 3 Jack Bonetti Gary Kerkorian Pat Henry Goals: 6 Gary Kerkorian (6)	Attendance: 4,717 Gate: AU£ 1,186 Referee: Darcy Lawler

June 13	Newcastle	10–19	America	Newcastle Sports Ground
	Tries: 2 Bill Shanks Brian Pead Goals: 2 Darcy Russell (2)	Teams Report Report	Tries: 3 Harold Han (2) Gary Kerkorian Goals: 5 Gary Kerkorian (5)	Attendance: 14,160 Gate: AU£ 2,136 Referee: Aub Oxford

June 17	Northern NSW	26–18	America	Brelsford Park, Coffs Harbour
	Tries: 6 Lyle McKay (3) Jim Ruge (2) Ken O'Reilly Goals: 4 Bob Hillier (4)	Team Report Report	Tries: 4 Bob Buckley Al Abajian Ed Demirjian Jack Bonetti Goals: 3 Gary Kerkorian (3)	Attendance: 5,400 Gate: AU£ 707 Referee: Aub Oxford

June 20	Queensland	39–36	America	Brisbane Cricket Ground
3pm	Tries: 9 Bob Buckley (4) Kel O'Shea (2) Neil Teys Athol Smith Tom Tyquin Goals: 6 Norm Pope (6)	Teams Report	Tries: 6 Vince Jones (2) Al D. Kirkland Ted Grossman George Kauffman Jack Bonetti Goals: 9 Gary Kerkorian (9)	Attendance: 24,397 Gate: AU£ 3,983 Referee: Frank Ballard

June 24	Far North Queensland	17–17	America	Parramatta Park, Cairns
	Tries: 3 Gordon Farrelly (2) Roy Greenwood Goals: 4 Gordon Farrelly (4)	Teams Report Result	Tries: 3 Bill Albans Jack Bonetti Al D. Kirkland Goals: 4 George Kauffman (3) Field Goals: 1 George Kauffman	Attendance: 6,042 Gate: AU£ 1,202 Referee: V. Renton

June 28	North Queensland	38–17	America	Townsville Sports Reserve
	Tries: 8 Jack Fifield (2) Kel O'Shea (2) P. Farrell Max Short Keith Martin Trevor Whitehead Goals: 7 R. Quinn (7)	Team Report Photo	Tries: 3 Ted Grossman (2) Harold Han Goals: 4 Gary Kerkorian (4)	Attendance: 7,898 Gate: AU£ 1,552 Referee: R. Allison

July 1	Central West Queensland	26–21	America	Longreach
	Tries: 6 McDonald (4) Lionel Wheatley Norris Goals: 4 Linde (4)	Report Result	Tries: 5 Alvin Kirkland Al D. Kirkland Harold Han Xavier Mena Al Abajian Goals: 3 Gary Kerkorian (3)	Attendance: 1,635 Gate: AU£ 400 Referee: Maquire

July 5	Central Queensland	33–26	America	Murray Street Grounds, Rockhampton
	Tries: 9 Peter Robinson (4) W. Liddell (2) P. Sear (2) W. Clarke Goals: 3 Ray Thomas (2) W. Liddell	Report	Tries: 6 Steve Drakulvich Ted Grossman Al Abajian Gary Kerkorian Mike Dimitro Harold Han Goals: 4 George Kauffman (2) Al D. Kirkland Gary Kerkorian	Attendance: 5,332 Gate: AU£ 1,154 Referee: H. Gilbert

July 7	Brisbane	39–26	America	Brisbane Cricket Ground
	Tries: 9 George Hayes (3) . Mundt (2) Len Blaik (2) Tom Tyquin Jack Veivers Goals: 6 Norm Pope (6)	Team Report	Tries: 4 Al D. Kirkland Harold Han Al Abajian Fran Mandulay Goals: 7 Gary Kerkorian (7)	Attendance: 7,000 Gate: AU£ 1,050 Referee: Vic Lynagh

July 15	Toowoomba	29–15	America	Toowoomba
	Tries: 7 M. Higgins (3) Russ Brown (2) D. McMurtrie . Connolly Goals: 4 M. Higgins (3) Cyril Connell Jr	Report	Tries: 3 Bill Albans Al Abajian Xavier Mena Goals: 3 Gary Kerkorian (3)	Attendance: 5,778 Gate: AU£ 893 Referee: Vic Vercoe

July 18	Ipswich	15–16	America	North Ipswich Reserve
	Tries: 3 Jim Pegg (2) Gary Parcell Goals: 3 Errol Meteyard (3)	Report Report	Tries: 4 Bill Albans Gary Kerkorian Alvin Kirkland Al Abajian Goals: 2 Gary Kerkorian (2)	Attendance: 3,155 Gate: AU£ 645 Referee: Les McMahon

July 19	Wide Bay	33–33	America	Maryborough Showground
	Tries: 7 D. Nixon (2) K. Drysdale K. Hutchins A. Anderson F. Heidke W. Faine Goals: 6 F. Heidke (6)	Report Result	Tries: 7 Bob Buckley (2) Gary Kerkorian Bill Albans Alvin Kirkland Ted Grossman Al Abajian Goals: 6 Gary Kerkorian (6)	Attendance: 6,166 Gate: AU£ 1,124

July 22	Riverina	30–14	America	ANZAC Park, Gundagai
	Tries: 6 Roley McDonell (2) George Robertson Len Koch Brian Longhurst Terry Brogan Goals: 6 Len Koch (6)	Team Report Result	Tries: 2 Mike Dimitro Al D. Kirkland Goals: 4 Gary Kerkorian (4)	Attendance: 2,560 Gate: AU£ 576 Referee: Col Pearce

July 25	New South Wales	27–18	America	Sydney Cricket Ground
2.45pm	Tries: 5 Johnny Rouse Ferris Ashton Brian Carlson Harry Wells Noel Pidding Goals: 6 Noel Pidding (6)	Program Report	Tries: 4 Ken McCaffery Brian Davies Bill Albans Al D. Kirkland Goals: 3 Gary Kerkorian (3)	Attendance: 19,686 Gate: AU£ 2,272 Referee: Aub Oxford

New Zealand leg

August 1	Auckland	54–26	America	Carlaw Park, Auckland
	Tries: 12 Goals: 9		Tries: 6 Goals: 4

August 4	Taranaki	18–21	America	Pukekura Park, New Plymouth
	Tries: 4 Goals: 3		Tries: 5 Frank Mulcare (3) Travers Hardwick Roy Roff Goals: 3 George Kauffman (2) Field Goals: 1 George Kauffman

August 7	Wellington	8–17	America	Basin Reserve, Wellington
	Tries: Goals:		Tries: Goals: George Kauffman (2)

August 11	West Coast	27–10	America	Wingham Park, Greymouth
	Tries: Goals:		Tries: Goals:

August 15	Canterbury	39–8	America	Addington Showground, Christchurch
	Tries: Goals:		Tries: Goals:	Attendance: 5,000

August 19	North Auckland	6–25	America	Jubilee Park, To Whangerei
	Tries: Goals:		Tries: Goals:	Attendance: 3,000

August 22	New Zealand Māori	40–23	America	Carlaw Park, Auckland
	Tries: Goals:		Tries: Goals:

August 24	South Auckland	19–2	America	Hamilton
	Tries: Goals:		Tries: Goals:

Sources

References

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• 1953 in rugby league
• Rugby league in the United States
• 1953 in Australian rugby league
• 1953 in New Zealand rugby league
• Rugby league tours of Australia
• Rugby league tours of New Zealand