George Baker 1958 Wales squad

[uncle bob]

My next door neighbour passed away yesterday after a short illness.
He loved talking about the football and watching his darts on Tv.
Will be sadly missed by his family and friends especially his wife Moira.

https://www.walesonline.co.uk/sport/...ining-29048548

It's crazy, He said the Welsh FA committee took there wives to the world cup and they were refused entry onto the plane at the airport as the plane had to much weight.

He was the only reserve striker and didn't travel.
We had no striker to play in the semi final I think he told me and that would/should have been him playing due to the injury to John Charles was it? In the quarter final?

[Cleve van Leef]

Quite true about the Wales committee members, players were treated as second class. As for the Q/F against Brazil, John Charles was injured, he was kicked out of the competition by the Hungarians in a play-off to play Brazil. 1-0 win to Brazil saw them in S/F and the rest is history.

[uncle bob]

https://pasoti.co.uk/threads/george-baker-rip.128011/

[Keyser Soze]

My next door neighbour passed away yesterday after a short illness.
He loved talking about the football and watching his darts on Tv.
Will be sadly missed by his family and friends especially his wife Moira.

https://www.walesonline.co.uk/sport/...ining-29048548

It's crazy, He said the Welsh FA committee took there wives to the world cup and they were refused entry onto the plane at the airport as the plane had to much weight.

He was the only reserve striker and didn't travel.
We had no striker to play in the semi final I think he told me and that would/should have been him playing due to the injury to John Charles was it? In the quarter final?

Well that’s understandable. Look at community photographs back then and many women were fat once they had kids and got over 25 years of age. They used to have silly sayings like “Well look at her there’s no meet on her is there?” or “She needs fattening up, have another cake”. Most of them could pass off as truck drivers back then.

So I can imagine weight issues on the wives meaning they got rejected. Understandable.

My grandad uaed to talk about Baker. He could recite that world cup team man for man up until 15 years ago. RIP Baker.

[jon1959]

Well that’s understandable. Look at community photographs back then and many women were fat once they had kids and got over 25 years of age. They used to have silly sayings like “Well look at her there’s no meet on her is there?” or “She needs fattening up, have another cake”. Most of them could pass off as truck drivers back then.

So I can imagine weight issues on the wives meaning they got rejected. Understandable.

The Daily Mail do not agree with your analysis of the evolution of women's weight and body shape. Surprised you did not consult them. If there is one thing the Daily Mail is good at it is producing in depth analysis of women's weight and body shape. Actually that is the only thing they are good at - and it is a pretty niche and offensive speciality. They are useless at everything else.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/a...-Not-more.html

If you can't be arsed to read it (totally understandable) the headline is that women in the UK were 2 inches shorter and half a stone lighter in the 1950s - and they all looked like Angelina Jolie. I was skim reading so may have got that last bit wrong!

[splott parker]

The Daily Mail do not agree with your analysis of the evolution of women's weight and body shape. Surprised you did not consult them. If there is one thing the Daily Mail is good at it is producing in depth analysis of women's weight and body shape. Actually that is the only thing they are good at - and it is a pretty niche and offensive speciality. They are useless at everything else.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/a...-Not-more.html

If you can't be arsed to read it (totally understandable) the headline is that women in the UK were 2 inches shorter and half a stone lighter in the 1950s - and they all looked like Angelina Jolie. I was skim reading so may have got that last bit wrong!

Sure it wasn’t Dom Joly?

[Citizen's Nephew]

In John Charles' autobiography he writes about my uncle 'Citizen' (of the Western Mail & Echo) having to give him a lift from the station because nobody from the Welsh FA sent anyone to pick him up as he travelled independently from Italy. The story about the wives is absolutely true. I spent my childhood looking through a scrapbook of press photographs (most of which were/have never been published) of the '58 World Cup. I wasn't born until years later but I've still got that scrapbook that was given to my dad. It's an heirloom.

[alan_corneli]

I used to have a set of cards of the Welsh team that were created many years after the tournament took place. George Baker was included, but they'd used a photo of Tom Baker (Dr. Who)!!!

[splott parker]

In John Charles' autobiography he writes about my uncle 'Citizen' (of the Western Mail & Echo) having to give him a lift from the station because nobody from the Welsh FA sent anyone to pick him up as he travelled independently from Italy. The story about the wives is absolutely true. I spent my childhood looking through a scrapbook of press photographs (most of which were/have never been published) of the '58 World Cup. I wasn't born until years later but I've still got that scrapbook that was given to my dad. It's an heirloom.

‘Born years later’ ?????? Don’t use your showbiz age on here

[uncle bob]

In John Charles' autobiography he writes about my uncle 'Citizen' (of the Western Mail & Echo) having to give him a lift from the station because nobody from the Welsh FA sent anyone to pick him up as he travelled independently from Italy. The story about the wives is absolutely true. I spent my childhood looking through a scrapbook of press photographs (most of which were/have never been published) of the '58 World Cup. I wasn't born until years later but I've still got that scrapbook that was given to my dad. It's an heirloom.

Have you got any of George may I ask mate?
Silly question really as he never went.

[Cyncoed Slumdog]

In John Charles' autobiography he writes about my uncle 'Citizen' (of the Western Mail & Echo) having to give him a lift from the station because nobody from the Welsh FA sent anyone to pick him up as he travelled independently from Italy. The story about the wives is absolutely true. I spent my childhood looking through a scrapbook of press photographs (most of which were/have never been published) of the '58 World Cup. I wasn't born until years later but I've still got that scrapbook that was given to my dad. It's an heirloom.

Your uncle was Dewi Lewis?
There was another occasion when Wales were catching a flight to East Germany and everyone sat down except a Committee man who didn't have a seat. The plane had been overbooked by one so they made Gil Reece get off and catch a later flight on his own so the Committee man could have his seat.

[Citizen's Nephew]

Your uncle was Dewi Lewis?
There was another occasion when Wales were catching a flight to East Germany and everyone sat down except a Committee man who didn't have a seat. The plane had been overbooked by one so they made Gil Reece get off and catch a later flight on his own so the Committee man could have his seat.

Yes he was. I met loads of players as a kid and used to go to Cardiff matches and sit with him in the press box. I don’t remember much other than the smell of pipe tobacco and scotch! Not that I was drinking and smoking as a nipper!

[Citizen's Nephew]

‘Born years later’ ?????? Don’t use your showbiz age on here

This board adds at least 10 years! 😛

[Citizen's Nephew]

Have you got any of George may I ask mate?
Silly question really as he never went.

There are so many press photos (not just of the Wales WC squad), some aren't labelled but I'll have a look to see if there's anything. If there is I'll let you know. I'll have a look next week.

[splott parker]

This board adds at least 10 years! ��

And the club itself another 20

[Citizen's Nephew]

And the club itself another 20

[Citizen's Nephew]

Have you got any of George may I ask mate?
Silly question really as he never went.

Not sure if you or anyone else saw this piece in WoL but there's a great action shot of George Baker playing for Plymouth. Those old press shots are pretty amazing considering the cameras of the time and it was all 35mm B&W film which had to be couriered to the developers and then to the picture editor. Some was even roll film using medium format. It was an art form really.

https://www.walesonline.co.uk/sport/...-1958-25261251