Billy Boston will receive the first knighthood from Rugby League on Tuesday in a special ceremony in Buckingham Palace.
Boston, born in Cardiff, 90, was struggling for black sports stars in the 1950s and 1960s, making 488 performances for Wigan and ended his career with a British record 571 attempts to his name.
He also became the first non-white player to represent Great Britain on a Lions tour in 1954, scored 36 attempts in 18 performances in Australia and New Zealand, and with a total of 31 international test competitions.
Cultural secretary Lisa Nandy said: “Billy Boston’s knightship is a historic milestone that offers suitable recognition for the largest player that Rugby League has ever seen.
“As MP for Wigan, this is a proud day for our city, for the Welsh Nation, for Rugby League fans throughout the country and, especially for Billy and his family.
“The first knighthood for a Rugby League player is long -term recognition for a game that has contributed so much to our national life. This is the moment we straighten a historical error.”
Boston made a try-scoring debut for Wigan against Barrow in November 1953, and by the time he left the club in 1968, he played in Six Challenge Cup Finals in Wembley, with on the winning side in 1958, 1959 and 1965.
Wigan owner Mike Danson said that he was “excited” by the prize of Boston and described it as “a richly deserved honor, which means that these most humble men are rightly given, appropriate recognition for his extraordinary efforts”.
The honor of Boston followed a continuing campaign by local council members and parliamentary members and leading figures in sport, who have often pointed to the relative lack of recognition for Rugby League compared to Union, who has seen 20 knights anointed.
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Tony Sutton, Chief Executive of Rugby Football League, said: “On behalf of the Rugby Football League and the Sport or Rugby League it is a privilege to congratulate Sir Billy Boston with his knighthood.
“Sir Billy deserves to be recognized as an iconic figure in the history of British sport, for the way in which he conquered prejudices in his journey of working-class Cardiff to the legendary status in Wigan, and became the most productive British try-scorer in the 130-year history of Rugby League.”
The Full King’s Birthday Honors list will be announced later this week. It is understood to mean that the price of Boston was brought forward because of concern about his health.
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