Alexander Obolensky facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Prince
Alexander Obolensky |
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Obolensky scored on his England winning debut over New Zealand in January 1936
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| Born | 17 February 1916 |
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| Died | 29 March 1940 (aged 24) |
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| Cause of death | Aircrash | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Resting place | Ipswich New Cemetery, Suffolk | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Nationality | Russian (later British) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Education | Brasenose College, Oxford | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Occupation | RAF officer | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Known for | International rugby footballer | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Title | HSH Prince | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Parent(s) | Prince Serge Obolensky Princess Lubov' Naryshkina |
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| Relatives | Obolensky family | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Rugby career
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| Rugby union career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Prince Alexander Sergeevich Obolensky (Russian: Александр Серге́евич Оболенский; 17 February 1916 – 29 March 1940) was a famous rugby player. He was a prince from a noble Russian family. He became a British citizen and played for the England rugby team. People often called him "The Flying Prince" or "Obo" because of his amazing speed on the field.
Contents
Life of a Flying Prince
Early Life and Education
Alexander Obolensky was born in Petrograd, Russia (now Saint Petersburg) on 17 February 1916. His family was very important in Russia. His father was Prince Sergei Alexandrovich Obolensky, an officer in the Tsar's Imperial Horse Guards. After the Russian Revolution in 1917, his family had to leave Russia. They moved to Muswell Hill, London, in England.
Alexander went to school in England. He attended The Ashe Boys' Preparatory School and Trent College in Derbyshire. Later, he went to Brasenose College, Oxford University in 1934. There, he studied Politics, Philosophy, and Economics. He also played rugby for the university team.
Rugby Star
While at Oxford, Alexander was a fantastic rugby player. He earned two "blues" for playing for the Oxford University RFC team. A "blue" is a special award for top athletes at Oxford and Cambridge universities. He played as a wing or three-quarter.
Before playing for Oxford, he played for local clubs like Chesterfield RFC. He also played for famous clubs like Leicester Tigers and Rosslyn Park FC.
His biggest moment came when he was chosen to play for the England national team. This was a big deal because he wasn't originally a British citizen. He became a British citizen in March 1936.
The Famous Try
On 4 January 1936, Alexander Obolensky made his debut for England against the New Zealand team. This was a huge game! England won 13–0, and it was the first time England had ever beaten New Zealand.
Obolensky scored two tries in that game. His first try was legendary. He ran almost the entire length of the field, dodging several New Zealand players. Many people still remember it as one of the greatest tries ever scored by an England player. Old news footage from Pathé News helped make his name famous.
After that, he played three more games for England in 1936. He also joined the British Lions team that toured Argentina. He also played for the "invitation only" Barbarian F.C. team, scoring three tries in seven games.
Joining the Air Force
In August 1939, Alexander Obolensky joined the Royal Auxiliary Air Force (RAuxAF) as an Acting Pilot Officer. He was part of 615 Squadron. When World War II started in 1939, he joined RAF 504 Squadron.
Tragic End
Sadly, on 29 March 1940, Prince Obolensky died during a training flight. He was a Pilot Officer at the time. His Hawker Hurricane plane crashed while landing at Martlesham Heath Airfield in Suffolk. He was only 24 years old. He was buried at Ipswich New Cemetery.
Legacy
Prince Alexander Obolensky is still remembered today:
- The "Obolensky Lecture" is an annual talk about rugby.
- At Twickenham Stadium, the home of English rugby, there is a special room named Obolensky's in his honor.
- In February 2008, a project started in Ipswich to build a statue of him. A £50,000 statue was unveiled on 18 February 2009 by his niece, Princess Alexandra Obolensky. The statue stands in Cromwell Square in Ipswich.
- A building at his old school, Trent College, is named after him.
- The "Prince Obolensky Award" is given out every year by the Prince Obolensky Association at Rosslyn Park F.C..
See also
- Russian nobility
- List of England rugby union footballers killed in the World Wars
- Twickenham Stadium
Images for kids
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Statue of Prince Obolensky on Cromwell Square, Ipswich
