Louis Bookman

Eastern European migrants aren’t that new to Ireland, in fact a Lithuanian born footballer played his part in one of Ireland’s earliest successes…

Name: Louis James Arthur Oscar Buckhalter
Born: 6 November 1890, Zagaren, Russia (now Lithuania)
Died: 10 June 1943, Dublin
Position: Outside-Left

Representative Honours: Ireland: 4 Full Caps (1914-1921), Amateur Caps.

Club Career:
Clubs............... --Seasons-- Signed -Fee- League FACup
Cabra Junior & Dublin Grammar Schools
Belfast Celtic.................... 1910 (Irish League)
Bradford City....... 11/12-13/14 Feb-12.......32/ 2 .2/ 0
West Bromwich Albion 14/15 ..... Jun-14...... .16/ 1
Luton Town.......... 20/21-21/22 May-19 £ 875 .72/ 4 .5/ 1
Port Vale........... 23/24 ..... Jul-23 £ 250..10/ 0 .1/ 0
Shelbourne ......... 24/25-26/27 Aug-24 (League of Ireland)
Totals....................................... 130/ 7 .8/ 1

Biography:
Louis Bookman (born Buchalter in what is now Lithuania) was a multi-talented sportsman, and capped by Ireland at both football and cricket. His family immigrated to Ireland in the 1890s to escape the persecution of the Jews in their native land, changing their name to Bookman in an effort to fit in with their new surroundings.

In 1911, when Bookman gained an Irish Amateur cap against England, he became the first recorded Jew to earn international footballing honours, and also the first ever British international to play under an assumed name. At the time he was featuring for Belfast Celtic, who were just beginning to challenge for honours on a regular basis.

Transferred to Bradford City for the 1911/12 season, Bookman was slow to settle in the English First Division, appearing 32 times in three seasons. During his time in Yorkshire he did break into the Ireland Full international team for the first time, appearing in a 2-1 win over Wales during the 1914 Home Nations Championship – it was a victory that set Ireland on track for their first ever Championship success.

The following season Bookman was transferred to West Brom, making 16 appearances before football was suspended due to the outbreak of the First World War. When Bookman resumed his international career after the War he was on the books of Luton Town, where despite passing thirty, he enjoyed the most sustained first-team football of his Football League career. He added a further three international caps to his total during 1921, including in an impressive 1-1 draw with England.

After a brief spell with Port Vale, Bookman returned to Ireland, signing for Shelbourne, aiding them to a number of successes through the mid-1920s.

In the 1920s Bookman also began to excel at cricket, having signed up with Dublin based Railway Union Cricket Club for their inaugural season in 1919, and later joining the Leinster CC. In all he played cricket for Ireland on fourteen occasions between 1920 and 1930.

Louis Bookman was just 52 years-old when he died in June 1943.

Ireland Cap Details:
19-01-1914 Wales... (a) W 2-1 British Championship
26-02-1921 Scotland (h) L 0-2 British Championship
09-04-1921 Wales... (a) L 1-2 British Championship
22-10-1921 England. (h) D 1-1 British Championship

Summary: 4/0. Won 1, Drew 1, Lost 2.