View source for Ken Gee

{{short description|Great Britain and England international rugby league footballer}}
{{for|the Australian barrister and judge|Ken Gee (judge)}}
{{EngvarB|date=May 2015}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2015}}
{{Infobox rugby league biography
|name                = Ken Gee
|fullname            = Kenneth Gee
|image               = Kenneth Gee - Wigan.jpeg
|imagesize           = 192
|caption             = 
|birth_date          = {{birth date|df=yes|1916|9|23}}
|birth_place         = [[Wigan]], [[Lancashire]], England
|death_date          = {{death date and age|df=yes|1989|4|17|1916|9|23}}
|height              = {{Convert|5|ft|9|in|cm|abbr=on}}
|weight              =
|position            = {{rlp|PR}}
|club1               = [[Wigan Warriors|Wigan]]
|year1start          = 1935
|year1end            = 54
|appearances1        = 559
|tries1              = 54
|goals1              = 508
|fieldgoals1         = 
|points1             = 1178
|club2               = → [[Oldham R.L.F.C.|Oldham]] 
|year2start          = 1943<small>([[Loan (sports)|guest]])</small>
|year2end            = 
|appearances2        = 1
|tries2              = 0
|goals2              = 0
|fieldgoals2         = 
|points2             = 0
|teamA               = [[Lancashire rugby league team|Lancashire]]
|yearAstart          = 1942
|yearAend            = 51
|appearancesA        = 12
|triesA              = 0
|goalsA              = 6
|fieldgoalsA         = 0
|pointsA             = 12
|teamB               = [[England national rugby league team|England]]
|yearBstart          = 1943
|yearBend            = 51
|appearancesB        = 20
|triesB              = 1
|goalsB              = 8
|fieldgoalsB         = 0
|pointsB             = 19
|teamC               = [[Great Britain national rugby league team|Great Britain]]
|yearCstart          = 1946
|yearCend            = 51
|appearancesC        = 17
|triesC              = 1
|goalsC              = 3
|fieldgoalsC         = 0
|pointsC             = 9
|new                 = yes
|retired             = yes
|updated             = 18 September 2020
|source              = <ref>RL Record Keepers' Club</ref><ref name="Statistics at rugbyleagueproject.org">{{cite web|url=http://www.rugbyleagueproject.org/players/ken-gee/summary.html|title=Statistics at rugbyleagueproject.org|publisher=rugbyleagueproject.org|date=31 December 2017|access-date=1 January 2018}}</ref><ref name="England Statistics at englandrl.co.uk">{{cite web|url=http://www.englandrl.co.uk/player_records?search=Gee&submit=Go&c=England|title=England Statistics at englandrl.co.uk|publisher=englandrl.co.uk|date=31 December 2017|access-date=1 January 2018}}</ref><ref name="Great Britain Statistics at englandrl.co.uk">{{cite web|url=http://www.englandrl.co.uk/player_records?search=Gee&submit=Go&c=GB|title=Great Britain Statistics at englandrl.co.uk|publisher=englandrl.co.uk|date=31 December 2017|access-date=1 January 2018}}</ref>
| module = {{infobox person
| embed = yes
| relatives = [[Sam Gee]] (grandson)<br>[[Samuel Gee (rugby league)|Samuel Gee]] (uncle)
}}
}}

'''Kenneth Gee''' (23 September 1916 – 17 April 1989) was an English [[rugby league]] footballer who played in the 1930s, 1940s and 1950s. He played at representative level for [[Great Britain national rugby league team|Great Britain]] winning 17 caps between 1946 and 1951, [[England national rugby league team|England]] winning 18-caps between 1943 and 1951, and [[Lancashire rugby league team|Lancashire]], and at club level for [[Wigan Warriors|Wigan]] and [[Oldham R.L.F.C.|Oldham]] ([[World War II]] [[Loan (sports)|guest]]), as a {{rlp|pr}}.<ref name="Statistics at rugbyleagueproject.org"/> He is an inductee of the [[Wigan Hall of Fame]], having featured in Wigan's [[Rugby Football League Championship]] wins of [[1945–46 Northern Rugby Football League season|1945–46]], [[1946–47 Northern Rugby Football League season|1946–47]] and [[1949–50 Northern Rugby Football League season|1949–50]] as well as their [[Challenge Cup]] victories of 1948 and 1951. He also won Lancashire Cup winner's medals seven times.

==Background==
Ken Gee was born in [[Wigan]], [[Lancashire]], England, and he died aged 72. Gee was the nephew of the rugby league footballer; [[Samuel Gee (rugby league)|Samuel Gee]], and he was the grandfather of the rugby league footballer; [[Sam Gee]].<ref name="Sam Gee">{{cite web|url=http://www.roughyeds.co.uk/news/sam-gee|title=Sam Gee|publisher=Oldham R.L.F.C.|date=24 October 2012|access-date=6 October 2016}}</ref>

[[File:Ken Gee.jpg|thumb|left|Ken Gee's [[headstone]]]]

==Career==
Signing with his home town club Wigan in 1933, Ken Gee played at {{rlp|pr}} in [[Wigan Warriors|Wigan]]'s 10–7 victory over [[Salford Red Devils|Salford]] in the [[1938–39 Lancashire Cup]] Final during the [[1938–39 Northern Rugby Football League season|1938–39 season]] at [[Station Road, Swinton|Station Road]], [[Swinton, Greater Manchester|Swinton]] on Saturday 22 October 1938.<ref name="1938-1939 Lancashire Cup Final">{{cite web|url=http://wigan.rlfans.com/fusion_pages/index.php?page_id=423|title=1938–1939 Lancashire Cup Final|publisher=wigan.rlfans.com|date=31 December 2014|access-date=1 January 2015|archive-date=27 December 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131227054625/http://wigan.rlfans.com/fusion_pages/index.php?page_id=423|url-status=dead}}</ref> Gee played Tighthead-{{rlp|PR}} for a [[Rugby League XIII]] against [[Northern Command XIII]] at [[Thrum Hall]], [[Halifax, West Yorkshire|Halifax]] on Saturday 21 March 1942.<ref name="inside programme, Northern Command v. A Rugby League XIII, 1942">{{cite web|url=http://rugbyleagueoralhistory.co.uk/gallery-images/86-large.jpg|title=inside programme, Northern Command v. A Rugby League XIII, 1942|publisher=rugbyleagueoralhistory.co.uk|date=31 December 2010|access-date=1 January 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131202223013/http://rugbyleagueoralhistory.co.uk/gallery-images/86-large.jpg|archive-date=2 December 2013|url-status=dead}}</ref>

Ken Gee played at {{rlp|pr}} and scored a [[Try (rugby)|try]] in [[Wigan Warriors|Wigan]]'s 13–9 victory over [[Dewsbury Rams|Dewsbury]] in the [[Rugby Football League Championship|Championship]] Final first-leg during the [[1943–44 Northern Rugby Football League Wartime Emergency League season|1943–44 season]] at [[Central Park (Wigan)|Central Park]], [[Wigan]] on Saturday 13 May 1944,<ref name="1943-1944 War Emergency League Championship Final">{{cite web|url=http://wigan.rlfans.com/fusion_pages/index.php?page_id=869|title=1943–1944 War Emergency League Championship Final|publisher=wigan.rlfans.com|date=31 December 2011|access-date=1 January 2012|archive-date=23 October 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131023061258/http://wigan.rlfans.com/fusion_pages/index.php?page_id=869|url-status=dead}}</ref> and played at {{rlp|pr}} in the 12–5 victory over [[Dewsbury Rams|Dewsbury]] in the [[Rugby Football League Championship|Championship]] Final second-leg during the [[1943–44 Northern Rugby Football League Wartime Emergency League season|1943–44 season]] at [[Crown Flatt]], [[Dewsbury]] on Saturday 20 May 1944.<ref name="1943-1944 War Emergency League Championship Final"/>

During the [[1945–46 Northern Rugby Football League season|1945–46 season]] Gee played at {{rlp|pr}} in Wigan's 3–7 loss to [[Widnes Vikings|Widnes]] in the [[1945–46 Lancashire Cup]] Final at [[Wilderspool Stadium]], [[Warrington]] on Saturday 27 October 1945. During the [[1946–47 Northern Rugby Football League season|1946–47 season]] Gee played at {{rlp|pr}} in Wigan's 9–3 victory over [[Broughton Rangers|Belle Vue Rangers]] in the [[1946–47 Lancashire Cup]] Final at [[Station Road, Swinton]] on Saturday 26 October 1946.<ref name="1946-1947 Lancashire Cup Final">{{cite web|url=http://wigan.rlfans.com/readarticle.php?article_id=1370|title=1946–1947 Lancashire Cup Final|publisher=wigan.rlfans.com|date=31 December 2014|access-date=1 January 2015|archive-date=7 September 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150907010546/http://wigan.rlfans.com/readarticle.php?article_id=1370|url-status=dead}}</ref> During the [[1947–48 Northern Rugby Football League season|1947–48 season]] Gee played at {{rlp|pr}} in the 10–7 victory over [[Broughton Rangers|Belle Vue Rangers]] in the [[1947–48 Lancashire Cup]] Final at [[Wilderspool Stadium]], [[Warrington]] on Saturday 1 November 1947.<ref name="1947-1948 Lancashire Cup Final">{{cite web|url=http://wigan.rlfans.com/readarticle.php?article_id=1420|title=1947–1948 Lancashire Cup Final|publisher=wigan.rlfans.com|date=31 December 2014|access-date=1 January 2015|archive-date=11 July 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180711055235/http://wigan.rlfans.com/readarticle.php?article_id=1420|url-status=dead}}</ref> During the [[1948–49 Northern Rugby Football League season|1948–49 season]] he played  in the 14–8 victory over [[Warrington Wolves|Warrington]] in the [[1948–49 Lancashire Cup]] Final at [[Station Road, Swinton]] on Saturday 13 November 1948,<ref name="1948-1949 Lancashire Cup Final">{{cite web|url=http://wigan.rlfans.com/readarticle.php?article_id=1474|title=1948–1949 Lancashire Cup Final|publisher=wigan.rlfans.com|date=31 December 2014|access-date=1 January 2015|archive-date=15 April 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150415073808/http://wigan.rlfans.com/readarticle.php?article_id=1474|url-status=dead}}</ref>

Ken Gee played at {{rlp|pr}} in [[Wigan Warriors|Wigan]]'s 8–3 victory over [[Bradford Bulls|Bradford Northern]] in the [[1947–48 Challenge Cup]] Final during the [[1947–48 Northern Rugby Football League season|1947–48 season]] at [[Wembley Stadium (1923)|Wembley Stadium]], [[London]] on Saturday 1 May 1948, in front of a crowd of 91,465.<ref name="1947-1948 Challenge Cup Final">{{cite web|url=http://wigan.rlfans.com/readarticle.php?article_id=1455|title=1947-1948 Challenge Cup Final|publisher=wigan.rlfans.com|date=31 December 2014|access-date=1 January 2015|archive-date=7 September 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150907011045/http://wigan.rlfans.com/readarticle.php?article_id=1455|url-status=dead}}</ref>

During the [[1949–50 Northern Rugby Football League season|1949–50 season]] Gee played at {{rlp|pr}}, and scored a [[Goal (sport)#Rugby football|goal]] in the 20–7 victory over [[Leigh Centurions|Leigh]] in the [[1949–50 Lancashire Cup]] Final at [[Wilderspool Stadium]], [[Warrington]] on Saturday 29 October 1949.<ref name="1949-1950 Lancashire Cup Final">{{cite web|url=http://wigan.rlfans.com/readarticle.php?article_id=1519|title=1949–1950 Lancashire Cup Final|publisher=wigan.rlfans.com|date=31 December 2014|access-date=1 January 2015|archive-date=13 August 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140813234745/http://wigan.rlfans.com/readarticle.php?article_id=1519|url-status=dead}}</ref> He played at {{rlp|pr}} and scored 5-[[Goal (sport)#Rugby football|goal]]s in the 28–5 victory over [[Warrington Wolves|Warrington]] in the [[1950–51 Lancashire Cup]] Final during the [[1950–51 Northern Rugby Football League season|1950–51 season]] at [[Station Road, Swinton]] on Saturday 4 November 1950,<ref name="1950-1951 Lancashire Cup Final">{{cite web|url=http://wigan.rlfans.com/readarticle.php?article_id=1566|title=1950–1951 Lancashire Cup Final|publisher=wigan.rlfans.com|date=31 December 2014|access-date=1 January 2015|archive-date=18 May 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150518075828/http://wigan.rlfans.com/readarticle.php?article_id=1566|url-status=dead}}</ref> played at {{rlp|pr}} and scored a [[Goal (sport)#Rugby football|goal]] in the 14–6 victory over [[Leigh Centurions|Leigh]] in the [[1951–52 Lancashire Cup]] Final during the [[1951–52 Northern Rugby Football League season|1951–52 season]] at [[Station Road, Swinton]] on Saturday 27 October 1951,<ref name="1951-1952 Lancashire Cup Final">{{cite web|url=http://wigan.rlfans.com/readarticle.php?article_id=1613|title=1951–1952 Lancashire Cup Final|publisher=wigan.rlfans.com|date=31 December 2014|access-date=1 January 2015|archive-date=7 September 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150907011721/http://wigan.rlfans.com/readarticle.php?article_id=1613|url-status=dead}}</ref> and played at {{rlp|pr}} and scored a [[Goal (sport)#Rugby football|goal]] in the 8–16 defeat by [[St Helens R.F.C.|St. Helens]] in the [[1953–54 Lancashire Cup]] Final during the [[1953–54 Northern Rugby Football League season|1953–54 season]] at [[Station Road, Swinton]] on Saturday 24 October 1953.

Gee joined Wigan teammate [[Joe Egan (rugby league)|Joe Egan]] on tours down under in 1946 and 1950, playing in all nine matches of three consecutive [[The Ashes (rugby league)|Ashes series]] matches against Australia. On the famous unbeaten tour of 1946 to Australia, the "Indomitables" tour, the front row in the first two tests of [[Frank Whitcombe]], [[Joe Egan (rugby league)|Joe Egan]], and Ken Gee laid the foundation for this Ashes win. Gee amassed a total of 559 games for Wigan, second only to [[Jim Sullivan (Welsh rugby league)|Jim Sullivan]]. He also kicked 508 goals.

In recognition of Gee, an amateur rugby competition in Wigan called "Ken Gee Cup" was formed. Gee died 17 April 1989 (aged 72) and was buried at St Matthew's Church at Highfield, Wigan.

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
*[http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/227718/Kenneth-Gee#tab=active~checked%2Citems~checked&title=Kenneth%20Gee%20--%20Britannica%20Online%20Encyclopedia Kenneth Gee at britannica.com]
*(archived by web.archive.org) [https://web.archive.org/web/20051029193750/http://www.wiganwarriors.com/SquadMember.asp?teamid=5&id=152 Ken Gee at wiganwarriors.com]
*(archived by archive.is) [https://archive.today/20051029193750/http://www.wiganwarriors.com/SquadMember.asp?teamid=5&id=152 Ken Gee at wiganwarriors.com]
*(archived by web.archive.org) [https://web.archive.org/web/20100114200402/http://totalrl.com/features/content.php?feat_id=262&featcat_id=32 Britain hold out Kiwis at Odsal]
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20120303103054/http://www.orl-heritagetrust.org.uk/HTML%20docs/player_stats_g.htm Statistics at orl-heritagetrust.org.uk]

{{Wigan - 1943–44 Championship Final winners}}
{{Wigan - 1946–47 Championship Final winners}}
{{Wigan - 1951–52 Championship Final winners}}
{{Wigan - 1948 Challenge Cup Final winners}}
{{Wigan - 1951 Challenge Cup Final winners}}
{{Great Britain squad – 1946 Australia & New Zealand Tourists "The Indomitables"}}
{{Great Britain squad – 1950 Australia & New Zealand tourists}}
{{Wigan Warriors Hall of Fame inductees}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Gee, Ken}}
[[Category:1916 births]]
[[Category:1989 deaths]]
[[Category:England national rugby league team players]]
[[Category:English rugby league players]]
[[Category:Great Britain national rugby league team players]]
[[Category:Lancashire rugby league team players]]
[[Category:Oldham R.L.F.C. players]]
[[Category:Rugby league players from Wigan]]
[[Category:Rugby league props]]
[[Category:Rugby League XIII players]]
[[Category:Wigan Warriors players]]
[[Category:20th-century English sportsmen]]