Name Arthur McCabe | Role Olympic athlete | |
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Died May 1, 1925, Redfern, Sydney, Australia | ||
Arthur John Michael "Mackker" McCabe (23 June 1887 – 30 July 1924) was a pioneer Australian rugby union and rugby league player. He represented for Australian in rugby union at the 1908 Summer Olympics.
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Rugby union career
A brilliant fly-half, Mackker McCabe was a member of the Australian rugby union team which won the gold medal with McCabe scoring two tries in the gold medal victory. While he toured the US and England with the Wallabies in the lead-up tour prior to the Olympics his gold medal match was his sole Australian representative appearance.
Rugby league career
On his return to Australia he joined the fledgling code of rugby league along with 13 of his Olympic teammates. He played for five seasons with the South Sydney Rabbitohs finishing his career with a premiership win in 1914. Despite representing for New South Wales in rugby league in 1910 he was unsuccessful in his bid to become a dual-code rugby international.
For the season 1910, he was the NSW Rugby Football League's top try scorer. He was so highly praised by the press, they dubbed him The Will-O'-The-Wisp, a phrase that became synonymous with McCabe.
Death
Arthur McCabe died suddenly of a heart attack at his home in Morehead Street, Redfern on 30 July 1924, age 37. A large funeral was held for 'Mackker' McCabe and was attended by many ex Wallaby players and South Sydney players. He was buried at Rookwood Cemetery on 31 July 1924.