Michael Cleary (rugby)
New South Wales Parliament for Coogee | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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In office 20 July 1974 – 3 May 1991 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Preceded by | Ross Freeman | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Succeeded by | Ernie Page | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Born | Michael Arthur Cleary Dover Heights, New South Wales | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
School | Waverley College 1947–1958 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Rugby league career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Rugby union career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Medal record
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Michael Arthur Cleary AO (born 30 April 1940) is an Australian former rugby union and rugby league footballer of the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s, and a politician. He represented Australia in both rugby codes as well as in athletics making him one of only four Australians who have represented their country at full international level in three different sports.[2] He represented as a Wallaby in 6 Tests in 1961 and as a Kangaroo in 8 Tests from 1962.
Early life
Cleary was born in
Rugby union
In 1959 he joined the Randwick DRUFC and played in the club's 1960 winning first-grade premiership side. He was selected in the Australian national side for all three Tests of the 1961 series against Fiji and made further Wallaby appearances against France, and against the Springboks on the 1961 tour of South Africa.
Athletics
After leaving rugby union, during his first year of rugby league with the South Sydney Rabbitohs, Cleary maintained his amateur status to enable his selection for the Commonwealth Games later that year. He represented Australia in athletics at the 1962 British Empire and Commonwealth Games in Perth, placing third in the 100-yard sprint. He recorded 9.3 secs for the 100 yards during his athletic career.[3]
In 1964 he beat the rugby league speedster Ken Irvine in a A£2,000 match race at Wentworth Park, and in 1966 he won the Australian professional 130m sprint race.
Rugby league
Cleary joined the
His international rugby league debut in the 1st Test against
Triple international
He is one of only four Australian sportsmen to represent internationally in three different sports at the senior level (see also Dick Thornett and Snowy Baker).
Politics and community
Cleary joined the
He was at one time or another the Chairman Sports House Advisory Committee, member North Bondi Surf Life Saving Club, member Coogee Surf Life Saving Club and a director South Sydney Leagues Club.
In the Queen's Birthday Honours list of 1992, Cleary was awarded an
Cleary was a wrestling commentator for World Championship Wrestling.[8][9]
References
- ^ a b c d "Scrum.com player profile of Mike Cleary". Scrum.com. Retrieved 12 July 2010.
- ^ a b "Michael Cleary". Sport Australia Hall of Fame. Retrieved 24 September 2020.
- ^ Pollard, Jack (1965). Gregory's Guide to Rugby League. Australia: Grenville Publishing. p154.
- ^ "1963 Kangaroos Team". Sport Australia Hall of Fame. Retrieved 24 September 2020.
- ^ "The Hon. Michael Arthur Cleary AO (1940- )". Former members of the Parliament of New South Wales. Retrieved 11 October 2019.
- ^ It's an Honour – Officer of the Order of Australia
- ^ It's an Honour – Australian Sports Medal
- ^ "Mike Cleary – Online World of Wrestling". 13 May 2023.
- ^ "League and Union great's scary brush with racism back in the days of Apartheid".