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husheduphistory · 6 years

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Pickles: The World Cup, a Pup, and a Whole lot of Luck

On July 30th 1966 the World Cup was held high over the heads of the England national football team. The Jules Rimet trophy, the World Cup, the golden, glittering, hardest-won trophy in sports had already made headlines once before this final match. Not due to speculation about who would get to raise it up in triumph, but because there was chance that there would be no trophy to award at all.

In March of 1966 the Methodist Central Hall in London was hosting the Stanley Gibbons Stampex, a rare stamp exhibition with the theme that year being "Sport and Stamps.” To coincide with the theme, the expo had a very unique addition to the display, the World Cup trophy. With England providing the setting for the World Cup finals in only a few months, the timing of the special exhibition was expected to bring thousands upon of thousands of people through the doors to catch a glimpse of the coveted award. Standing 12" tall, perched on a base of lapis lazuli, and fashioned after Nike the Greek goddess of victory, the special guest at the exhibition was not an easy booking and the visit was only agreed upon when the strict demands of the Football Association (FA) were met. For one, the trophy was to be kept fully enclosed in a glass case. Additionally, it was to be guarded at all times with the association understanding that their most precious prize would never be alone in the months before its most important event. The showcase was secured. The security was scheduled.

Then on March 20th, only twenty-four hours after it went on display, the Jules Rimet trophy vanished.

The Jules Rimet trophy.

The shock over the disappearance could only be matched by the anger seething from the the heads of professional soccer all over the world. While the Football Association in England issued apologies expressing their deep regret over "this most unfortunate incident" and remarked that "It inevitably brings discredit to both the FA and this country" the Brazilian Sports Confederation stated "Even Brazilian thieves love football and would never commit this sacrilege! It would never have happened in Brazil.” Honorary president of the Finnish FA, Erik von Frenckell, laid his opinion out simply with his exclamation of "I’m damned angry!”

The obvious question on everyone's mind was how this possibly could have happened. The terms set by the Football Association were met, the trophy was housed in a protective cell, and it was always under a set of watchful eyes....right? To the utter dismay of the soccer world the best answer that could be given to that question was a reluctant "sort of". True, the coveted prize had protection, but security was not strictly enforced when the exhibition hall was closed to the public. On the morning of the theft a Methodist service was being held on another floor of the building and the stamp exhibition was closed. There was also wooden bar blocking the doorway to the trophy, a small padlock on the showcase, and a curtain over the padlock. Feeling intermittent checks would suffice on this quiet morning the guards went on a "break". At their 11am check all was safe and sound but when they returned for the midday check-in they found a broken board, a forced open lock, a disturbingly ruffled curtain, and an excruciatingly empty showcase. The building it was stolen from was only a few hundred yards from Scotland Yard headquarters.

Police stand guard at the display case after the Jules Rimet trophy was stolen. Photograph: Keystone/Getty Images

Alsa-Guard Security Services, the firm hired by the exhibition to protect the World Cup trophy, vehemently denied any negligence on their part calling the theft an incident of "human error" and saying that "nothing went wrong, it was just stolen.” The search for the trophy was forced to begin with a stab in the dark because there were simply no suspects and no solid leads. One security guard working that day reported seeing a man with slick black hair meandering around a pay phone just after 11am but he did not bother to investigate because when he saw the mystery man he was already walking to the nearest bathroom and did not feel it was overly important. The hopes of the soccer world rested on the Metropolitan police force. But, just in case there was more incentive needed, reward money for the return of the trophy began to flow in from businesses and people like the Gillette razor company, a doctor who had treated many of the players, and the chairman of Fulham. Everyone hoped for the best, but the FA had already secretly arranged for a replica trophy to be made in case the World Cup event arrived before the World Cup trophy was returned.

There was a question if the thief had even committed the crime for money. The value of the Jules Rimet trophy was approximately $8,500 but the stamps at the exhibition that were left untouched easily valued over eight million dollars and were considerably easier to hide. The question of financial motive was answered the next day on March 21st when English Football Association chairman Joe Mears was contacted by a voice named "Jackson" informing him that a package was on the way. When the parcel was opened the chairman found the removable liner from the top of the trophy and a ransom note demanding the equivalent of $42,000. The parcel also contained a threat that the trophy would be melted down if the authorities were alerted but Mears was not intimidated and they were informed anyway. When "Jackson" was contacted an arrangement was made to meet on March 25th in Battersea Park and make the exchange. The exchange never happened. When "Jackson" spotted law enforcement making their way toward him he attempted an escape but was apprehended. The man in cuffs was forty-seven year old dockworker Edward Betchley, a man with a past peppered in petty crime but when questioned Betchley insisted he was only a middle man to an entity he only knew as "The Pole.” He denied any knowledge of the trophy's location but was charged with theft regardless.

Edward Betchley, who is charged with the theft of the Jules Rimet trophy. William H. Alden/Evening Standard/Hulton Archive/Getty Images.

On the evening of March 27th there was one brain that was absolutely not thinking about the missing World Cup trophy, he just wanted to sniff the hedges outside. Pickles was a four year old black and white collie mix who spent his days living happily with twenty-six year old David Corbett and his wife in the London suburb of Norwood. Corbett's brother was expecting a baby and David decided to take Pickles out for an evening stroll over to a payphone to give him a call. Once outside Corbett fiddled with the leash while Pickles decided he had to explore the neighbor's car, specifically the front tire. When Corbett went to clip the leash to Pickles's collar he saw why the little dog was so insistent on exploring. Tucked behind the wheel was a package, wrapped in newspaper and tied tightly with string. Corbett picked up the package and felt its considerable weight before he placed it back down again. He was suspicious, thinking it might have been a bomb placed by the IRA. After a few rounds of picking up the parcel and putting it back down again he hesitantly picked it up one last time and tore away some of the paper. What greeted him from inside the wrappings was a gold shield and the words "Uruguay" and "Brazil". Corbett was a soccer fan. He knew exactly what this was. Pickles had just found the missing World Cup trophy.

David Corbett and Pickles.

Pickles posing for photographers.

Corbett's wife, who was not a fan of the sport, did not have much of a reaction to his announcement back home but when he rushed into the local police station, still wearing his slippers, he was certain the reaction would suit the magnitude of his find. He marched up to the desk, put it gingerly down in front of the sergeant, and declared "I've found the World Cup!" There was no exclamation of surprise, no fanfare, no gasp. The sergeant looked the statue over and only said "That doesn't look very World Cuppy to me, Sonny.” Despite the sergeant's lack of enthusiasm detectives were called in and were able to confirm that yes, this was the missing trophy. They were more than likely delighted, but the cloud of happiness enveloping the detectives and Corbett quickly turned cold. Within minutes Corbett went from savior to suspect and he was brought in for questioning. After hours of interrogation Corbett exited the police station and Pickles entered the spotlight as a national hero.

Pickles the dog being photographed by the press. Central Press/Getty Images.

The following morning when Corbett went to work he had the new obstacle of avoiding the press that was firmly planted outside his home. On his way in he stopped and bought every newspaper he could get his hands on. The headlines were ablaze with the news of England's new national hero, not Corbett, but a scrappy little pup named Pickles.

The fuzzy little dog won the hearts of everyone who heard the story of the chance discovery. Corbett was given a reward equivalent to $16,000 but Pickles was awarded a solid silver medal by lieutenant-colonel Alexander Hendrick Roosmalecocq, secretary of the National Canine Defense League in an elaborate ceremony, a silver platter, a one year supply of dog food,...and an agent. In the coming months Pickles appeared in numerous television commercials and secured a role in the film The Spy with the Cold Nose.

On July 30, 1966 Corbett and Pickles sat at home watching the World Cup final. It was down to England and West Germany and when the match came to an end it was England who met Queen Elizabeth II and won the privilege of raising the newly recovered Jules Rimet trophy after a 4-2 victory. Corbett and Pickles were guests of honor at the team's victory dinner in London and when team captain Bobby Moore went out onto a balcony to greet elated fans he was not alone. First he held up the World Cup trophy, and then he held up Pickles. The crowd went wild.

Corbett and Pickles watching the World Cup final at home.

Queen Elizabeth II presents the trophy to Bobby Moore, captain of England’s national team. STAFF/AFP/Getty Images.

Captain Bobby Moore kissing the trophy following England’s victory. Hulton Archive/Getty Images.

Four years later Brazil won the Jules Rimet trophy in perpetuity after a new trophy was designed. In 1983 the trophy was again stolen but this time there was no Pickles to come to the rescue. Sadly, the hero pup died unexpectedly one year after his time in the world spotlight. The trophy was never recovered and it is assumed it was melted down for the gold.

Pickles was buried at home in Corbett's garden, his resting place marked by a small plaque that reads "Pickles, Finder of the World Cup 1966.”

The grave of Pickles the dog.

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