This month's object has been chosen by Councillor Clive Hudson, Wakefield Council's Cabinet Member for Culture, Tourism and Sport.  

If you ever go to Castleford or are asked what Castleford folk feel about Rugby the answer will always be they are “passionate" about their rugby and Castleford Rugby League Football Club.

Founded in 1926, the club has grown to become one of the most famous rugby league clubs in Britain with four Challenge Cup titles during its history, and consistently producing players who have achieved worldwide status and won other prestigious awards along the way. One of those greats was Arthur Atkinson.

Arthur “Brus” Atkinson was captain of the Castleford RLFC team that won the Yorkshire league in 1932, and the club’s first Challenge Cup title at Wembley in 1935. During Castleford’s league victory over St. Helens on 26th October 1929, Atkinson entered the record books when he scored a 75-yard goal kick, the longest successful goal kick in the history of the sport, a record that is still unbroken today. Atkinson is regarded both locally and nationally as one of the all time rugby league ‘greats’ and the main reason why I have chosen the ball that achieved that record as my ‘Object of the month’. Could anyone of the current players break this record even with the new, lighter balls used today? I think not.

Councillor Clive Hudson, Wakefield Council's Cabinet Member for Culture, Tourism and Sport and rugby fan.