Bobby Rackard

Robert "Bobby" Rackard (6 January 1927 – 19 October 1996) was an Irish hurler who played as a right corner-back for the Wexford senior team.

Rackard first came to prominence on the inter-county scene as a member of the Wexford minor hurling team in the early 1940s.

After losing the provincial final in 1950, Rackard was at centre-back the following year as Wexford faced Laois in the eastern decider.

The game has gone down in history as one of the all-time classics as Christy Ring was bidding for a record ninth All-Ireland medal.

The game turned on one important incident as the Wexford goalkeeper, Art Foley, made a miraculous save from a Ring shot and cleared the sliotar up the field to set up another attack.

[7] In spite of Cork's loss Wexford's Nick O'Donnell and Rackard, in an unparalleled display of sportsmanship in any game, raised Christy Ring onto their shoulders and carried him off the field.

Wexford had won the game and Rackard had collected his second All-Ireland medal but there was no doubt in their minds that the real hero was Ring.

In retirement Rackard, along with his brothers Nicky and Billy, came to be regarded as one of the greatest hurling families of all time.

[citation needed] In 1984, the centenary year of the foundation of the Gaelic Athletic Association, he was named on the Hurling Team of the Century selection.