Batley won the inaugural Rugby League Challenge Cup final in 1897.
The Challenge Cup was created as a knockout competition for rugby league clubs in the north of England. Batley defeated St Helens Recreation in the first final, played at Headingley in Leeds. The match ended 10–3, giving Batley the first major Challenge Cup title.
The competition became one of rugby league’s most famous traditions. Unlike a league season, its knockout format allows clubs from different levels to meet, and early rounds have often produced notable giant-killings. The modern final is associated with Wembley Stadium, although the competition has also used other venues.
Batley is sometimes confused with nearby Yorkshire clubs that later became Challenge Cup powers, especially Leeds, Huddersfield and Wakefield Trinity. Batley’s 1897 victory is specifically the inaugural final, not the first rugby league championship.