ALL BLACK PLAYER DIES

Hawera Star, Volume LII, 5 September 1932, Page 5

ALL BLACK PLAYER DIES

PALMER INJURED FATALLY. COLLISION ON FIELD. (By Telegrapn—Press Association.) AUCKLAND, ,Sepit. 4. The death occurred this: morning of B. F. Palmer, All Black Rugby forward, who sustained a severe head Injury when playing for Otahuhu against University yesterday. . Palmer was charging down towards an opponent with the ball and dived at the latter just as he passed the ball. Palmer’vs head .struck his opponent’s hip.

It was at once seen 1 that Palmer was in a serious condition and he was hurried to hospital l , but died without regaining consciousness. An examination at the hospital failed to rev.eal any Sign of a knock or bruise on the head’, and it is understood the cause of death was internal haemorrhage due to the breaking of a blood vessel. Palmer was a member of .the Ponsonby senior team from 1925 to 1931. This year he had been playing for Otahuhu on account of a change of residence. He had represented Auckland every year since 1925. He played for the North Island in' 1928 and 1932, represented New Zealand in' all' three test’s against New South Wales in’ 1928 and was a member of the All Black team which tourned Australia in 1929 and again this year, when he earned the reputation of being one of the finest hookers the Dominion has ever sent across the Tasman.

Palmer was 28 years of age and resided with his mother at Otahuhu. He was an exceedingly popular figure oin’ the playing fields of Auckland and had bum selected to play against Taranaki at Eden Park next Saturday.

V. C. Butler, a University player, was also taken to hospital suffering from concussion which be sustained in the closing stages of the same game, but he was out of dam'ger to-day. The game was a particularly cleam! and bright one, University gaining the victory with two- tries scored in as many minutes at the end of the game.