Eric Batten

Frederick E. "Eric" Batten (13 June 1914 – September 1993) birth registered in Sculcoates district, was an English dustman in the cleansing department for Hemsworth Rural District council, and professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1930s, 1940s, and 1950s, and coached in the 1950s, playing at representative level for Great Britain, and England, and at club level for Hunslet, Wakefield Trinity (Heritage № 393), Bradford Northern, Leeds, and Featherstone Rovers (Captain) (Heritage № 178), as a Wing, i.e. number 2 or 5, and coaching at club level for Featherstone Rovers. Eric Batten appeared in eight Challenge Cup Finals; two for Leeds, five for Bradford Northern, and one for Featherstone Rovers, winning three, and losing five, he scored a total of 443 tries during his career, he his third on the all-time try scorers list behind Brian Bevan (796 tries), and Billy Boston (571 tries), Batten died in Leeds.

Eric Batten started his rugby career playing rugby union at Sandal RUFC before signing for the rugby league club Wakefield Trinity in September 1933. He made his début for Wakefield Trinity in the 9-3 victory over Bradford Northern at Odsal Stadium, Bradford on Saturday 30 September 1933. He played 41 games for Wakefield Trinity, scoring 12 tries in those games, including a hat-trick against Hull Kingston Rovers in March 1936, before he moved to Hunslet in September 1936 for £400. During the war years, Eric returned to Wakefield Trinity as a guest player, playing two games in May 1940, and one February 1943, in these three wartime games he scored eight tries, including four against Huddersfield in May 1940, making his club total 20 tries in 44 appearances