One in a series of articles checking out the careers of Warrington's sporting legends, who take a much deserved place in our Hall of Heroes

HARRY Bath holds legendary status in Warrington for his contribution to Wolves’ greatest period in history.

But that is only part of the story of an Australian rugby league icon who won league titles as a player for Brisbane Souths, Balmain and St George, as well as two championship glories in primrose and blue.

Then the lively character proved to be a giant of the coaching world too, guiding Australia to World Cup triumphs before further enhancing his glowing reputation at St George with two Premiership successes.

With Warrington, Bath became the first overseas captain to lift the Challenge Cup (1950), was the team’s highest points scorer when last completing the league and cup double (1953-54) and remains a club record holder for most points (363) in a season (1952-53).

Former teammate, Laurie Gilfedder, said the nearest player in the Super League era he could compare to Bath is Wolves’ Ben Westwood, highlighting the gentlemanly nature off the field but no-nonsense competitiveness on it.

Born Alfred Henry Bath in Brisbane on November 28, 1924, he seemed destined for a life in rugby league after playing the role of mascot to dad Dixie’s Carltons team when he was two years old.

And Bath admitted in one of the last interviews before his death, aged 83, in 2008, that he was never any good at school because he was always playing rugby league.

Bath was only 16 when he made his first-grade debut with Brisbane Souths, where he won the Premiership in 1945 and gained representative honours with Queensland.

Before he was 21, and after a move to Balmain, he had also appeared for New South Wales against Great Britain but collected a knee injury that prevented his selection for the Kangaroos against the tourists.

Bath played in Balmain’s Grand Final wins in 1946 against St George and in 1947 against Canterbury-Bankstown but joined a growing exodus of Australian talent when he accepted an offer to play for Barrow.

Although he could not settle in Cumbria, it was during his six months with Barrow that he married Gwen Howe, whom he had met when working at Brand’s Electrical in Sydney.

The next nine years of their lives were spent in Warrington, where Bath’s rugby career continued to reach great heights alongside his day job as landlord of the Britannia pub.

While he was a willing worker in defence, the lethal goal kicker also became Warrington’s most prolific try-scoring forward and highest points scorer at that stage in the club’s history.

He famously kicked two goals in the 4-4 Challenge Cup Final draw with Halifax at Wembley in 1954, featuring also in the replay win in front of a then world record crowd of 102,569 at Odsal Stadium in Bradford.

Bath also kicked the four goals that gave Warrington an 8-7 victory over Halifax in the Championship Final at Maine Road to seal the double that year.

His two kicks, along with Bevan’s try, steered Warrington to their last Championship title in 1955, while five years earlier he was among the try scorers as he skippered Wire to a 19-0 success against Widnes in the 1950 Challenge Cup Final.

Bath returned to Australia in 1957, aged 32 and.

Balmain elected not to re-sign their double Premiership winner because of his age, but their loss was St George’s gain.

Bath helped St George to Premiership titles in each of his last three seasons as a player.

In those 60 games he smashed club points scoring records, while his 16 points in the club’s Grand Final win over Manly has not been equalled.

Bath was sent off along with Manly’s Rex Mossop after a fight in the 1959 Grand Final win.

After being overlooked for Kangaroos selection, he retired at the age of 35 to pursue his coaching career.

He joined the inaugural New South Wales Rugby League Coaching Panel in 1961 and took the helm of Australia’s 1962 Ashes teams.

His greatest achievements as national coach came with victories in the 1968 and 1970 World Cups but also led the Green and Golds on tours of New Zealand in 1969 and 1971. He was also in charge of the Aussies for the 1972 World Cup won by Great Britain.

Although overlooked by Balmain second-time around as a player, Bath, who became known as the ‘Old Fox’, did tie up with them again as coach and steered them to Grand Finals in 1964 and 1966.

He came out of retirement to take a young St George side, tagged ‘Bath’s Babes’, to Premiership success in 1977 and repeated the feat in 1979 before ending his career in 1981.

Bath’s standing in the game in the world’s two hemispheres is recognised in his induction into both the Warrington Wolves and ARL halls of fame.

And never forgotten for all he gave to the clubs and game he served, the Harry Bath Trophy was awarded to the man of the match when Wolves face St George Illawarra Dragons in the World Club Series on Friday, February 20, 2015, at The Halliwell Jones Stadium. The recipient was Warrington's Ben Westwood.

If you have any pictures, information or stories about Warrington sporting legends we have already covered or those you feel should make the Hall of Heroes, then please send them to mike.parsons@nqnw.co.uk