White boots
White boots have a place in rugby league football's lore and culture.[1]
In Australia, white boots are associated with Graeme Langlands.[1] Langlands famously wore white boots during the 1975 NSWRFL Grand Final while playing full back for St George.[1] The size 11 white Adidas boots had blue stripes and soft toes.[1] In 2006, ABC's Can We Help? programme devoted an episode to finding the boots.[1] ABC wrote, "The white boots worn by Graeme 'Changa' Langlands in the 1975 grand final have become part of rugby league folklore, one of Australia's finest players, playing the most abysmal game of his career wearing the most conspicuous white boots ever seen, at a time when only black boots were worn. Langlands was sporting an injury but the white boots became a painful reminder of the Saints 38-0 thrashing".[1]
Langland never wore white boots again.[2] Later, on a tour to Britain, Langlands left the boots hanging from a crossbar in Huddersfield.[3]
[edit] References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 ABC (2006-08-04). "Changa's boots". Can we help?. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Archived from the original on 2011-06-07. http://www.webcitation.org/5zGwCgM2L. Retrieved 2011-06-07.
- ↑ Clarkson, Alan (1986-9-26). "The best Grand Finals I've see". The Sydney Morning Herald (Fairfax Media): pp. 77. Archived from the original on 2011-06-07. http://www.webcitation.org/5zGxp7vlI. Retrieved 2010-09-14.
- ↑ Read, Brent (2010-09-27). "Shot at atonement for white boots embarrassment". The Australian (News Limited). Archived from the original on 2011-06-07. http://www.webcitation.org/5zH5xv5jn. Retrieved 2011-06-07.
