Bleddyn Williams
A commanding Welsh rugby centre whose powerful running and natural leadership made him a national hero and an undefeated captain of his country.
1923–2009 (age 86)·British Lions & Wales international rugby union player·Birthday: February 22·The Greatest Generation
Biography
Bleddyn Williams carried the hopes of Welsh rugby on his shoulders in the post-war era. A product of Cardiff's rugby heartland, he was a centre of rare combination: physically robust in defence and electrifying in attack with his signature surging runs. His leadership was instinctive; when he captained Wales on five occasions, the team won every time, a testament to the respect he commanded. In 1950, he led the British Lions on their tour of Australia and New Zealand, the ultimate honour for a home nations player. Dubbed 'The Prince of Centres', Williams embodied a golden age for Welsh rugby, his style and success forging a template for the legendary players who would follow him.
The Greatest Generation
1901–1927
Grew up during the Depression, fought World War II, and built the postwar economic boom. Defined by shared sacrifice, institutional trust, and a belief that hard work and loyalty would be rewarded.
Bleddyn was born in 1923, placing them squarely in The Greatest Generation. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Bleddyn Was Born
The biggest hits of 1923
#1 Movie
The Covered Wagon
Bleddyn's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1923Born
The Great Kanto earthquake devastates Tokyo
President: Calvin Coolidge"Yes! We Have No Bananas" — Billy Jones
1928Started school
Alexander Fleming discovers penicillin; Mickey Mouse debuts
President: Calvin Coolidge"Ol' Man River" — Paul WhitemanBest Picture: Wings
1936Became a teenager
Jesse Owens wins four golds at the Berlin Olympics
Gas: $0.19/galPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"The Way You Look Tonight" — Fred AstaireBest Picture: The Great Ziegfeld
1939Could drive
World War II begins; The Wizard of Oz premieres
Gas: $0.19/galMin wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Over the Rainbow" — Judy GarlandBest Picture: Gone with the Wind
1941Could vote
Pearl Harbor attack brings the US into WWII
Gas: $0.19/galHome: $3,060Min wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Chattanooga Choo Choo" — Glenn MillerBest Picture: How Green Was My Valley
1944Turned 21
D-Day: Allied forces land at Normandy
Gas: $0.21/galHome: $3,400Min wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Swinging on a Star" — Bing CrosbyBest Picture: Going My Way
1953Turned 30
DNA structure discovered by Watson and Crick
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $8,750Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Song from Moulin Rouge" — Percy FaithBest Picture: From Here to Eternity
1963Turned 40
JFK assassinated in Dallas; Martin Luther King's 'I Have a Dream' speech
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $13,100Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"Sugar Shack" — Jimmy Gilmer & The FireballsBest Picture: Tom Jones
1973Turned 50
US withdraws from Vietnam; Roe v. Wade decided
Gas: $0.39/galHome: $22,100Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round the Ole Oak Tree" — Tony Orlando & DawnBest Picture: The Sting
1983Turned 60
Internet adopts TCP/IP, creating the modern internet
Gas: $1.16/galHome: $57,700Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Every Breath You Take" — The PoliceBest Picture: Terms of Endearment
1993Turned 70
European Union officially established
Gas: $1.11/galHome: $86,600Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"I Will Always Love You" — Whitney HoustonBest Picture: Schindler's List
2003Turned 80
US invades Iraq; Human Genome Project completed
Gas: $1.59/galHome: $146,000Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"In Da Club" — 50 CentBest Picture: The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
2009Died at 86
Michael Jackson dies; Bitcoin created
Gas: $2.35/galHome: $148,500Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Boom Boom Pow" — The Black Eyed PeasBest Picture: The Hurt Locker
Key Achievements
- Captained Wales five times between 1947 and 1955, winning all five matches in charge.
- Selected as captain for the British Lions during parts of their 1950 tour of Australia and New Zealand.
- Earned 22 caps for Wales as a centre, becoming a cornerstone of the national team in the immediate post-war period.
- Played a central role in Cardiff RFC's dominant club sides of the late 1940s and 1950s.
Did You Know?
He was awarded the MBE (Member of the Order of the British Empire) for his services to rugby.
He was a talented cricketer who played minor counties cricket for Glamorgan's second XI.
His older brother, Lloyd Williams, also played rugby for Wales, and they played together for Cardiff and in one international.
“You lead by action, by going forward first into the gap.”
