MY SEARCH NAME OF MY CHOSEN HERO :('I am a very proud Australian and a very proud Queenslander in my State of Origin days; but above all. 'I am a VERY proud blackfella) Arthur Henry "Artie" Beetson was a prominent Australian Aboriginal and one of the greatest rugby league players of all time. Why I chose him: (the reason I chose/admired Arthur Beetson) The reason I chose Arthur Beetson is simply because he is a greater role model for young Aboriginal men and he helped not only its communities but also the Australian community in the sporting and educational fields. BIOGRAPHICAL DETAILS: Artie was born on January 21, 1945 in Roma, Queensland. By the age of 16, he was so skinny that he acquired the nickname "bone". Artie came from a hard-working family, his father, Bill, supplied trees for the power station before the introduction of coal, his mother, Marie, was taken away at the age of 11 and used as a servant during the stolen generation. Their mother hid the children for fear that they too would be stolen. Her mother always believed that to get out of disadvantage, you had to get a good education. His mother always told them that it doesn't matter what they call you, unless they call you late for breakfast. At the age of 6, he played his first rugby union match. At the age of 16, he was spotted by Redcliffe. At the age of 21, he played his first Grade A match in 1966 for Balmain, then captained the Maroons in the first ever Origin match in 1980. His personality: Arthur was an exceptionally gifted and talented sportsman who made a great contribution to the rugby league, on and off the field, throughout his extraordinary life. He had an endearing and down-to-earth character, he was always demons...... middle of paper ......young indigenous boy because he came from a small town in Rome, which represented his state and country and gave back to the community at large, he helped in any way he could, selflessly, without any gain to himself. Other interesting facts: Since his death, there is now the Arthur Beetson Foundation. As part of their commitment to our community, they have now become involved in the Murri Rugby League Carnival, an all-Indigenous carnival that showcases Queensland's best Indigenous rugby league players. They take place every year during the September holidays. In the carnival there is a men's and women's under-15 team, a Queensland under-15 team and a Queensland men's team. Arthur Beetson was honored at Lang Park Stadium (Suncorp) where a statue of him was erected alongside other Queensland greats, Wally Lewis and Darren Lockyer..