Colin Calder

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Colin Bain Calder

1st President of Club Atlético Rosario Central
Colin Calder.png
Born(1860-04-16)16 April 1860
Dingwall, Ross and Cromarty, Scotland
Died25 January 1907(1907-01-25) (aged 46)
Rosario, Argentina
Resting placeCementerio de Disidentes, Rosario
MonumentsColin Bain Calder street, Rosario
NationalityScottish
CitizenshipUnited Kingdom
Alma materSaint Clement's School
OccupationRailway worker
EmployerCentral Argentine Railway
TitlePresident of Club Atlético Rosario Central
Term24 December 1889 - 1900
SuccessorWilliam Taylor Paul
Spouse(s)Mary Green
ChildrenLily Jane, Charlotte, Margaret, Elizabeth, John Colin Alexander
RelativesMichael H. Green, Danny Green (brothers in law)

Colin Bain Calder (16 April 1860 - 25 January 1907) was the Scottish founder, and first president, of the Rosario Central football club (Club Atlético Rosario Central) in Argentina.

First years[]

Dingwall's Coat of Arms.

Calder was born in Dingwall, Ross and Cromarty, in the Scottish Highlands. His middle name, Bain, was his mother's surname. His family enjoyed prosperity, as his father Alexander Bain was a prestigious cabinetmaker. After his father's death, the family economic situation worsened. His mother worked as a seamstress and the family moved into a poor house.[1]

At the age of ten, Calder was still at school and living with his mother. By the time he was 21, Calder was working as a coach painter at a carriage works and the family was in better circumstances.[1][2]

Arrival in Rosario[]

Calder migrated to Rosario to work for the Central Argentine Railway, a British-owned company,[3] and by 1889, when he was aged 29, he was the manager of the Central Argentine Railway Paint Shop. He was also a local champion of the game of football.[1]

President of Rosario Central[]

Before 1889, Calder, together with his secretary Chamberlain, asked the railway company to provide land for teams to play football. This was achieved, and on the historic day of 24 December 1889 he was elected as the first president of the new Rosario Central football club. He made a fiery speech in favor of football, and to the detriment of cricket, the other sport the British had brought to Argentina. He continued to serve as president until 1900. His eleven years in office makes him the club's third longest-serving president, after Víctor Vesco and Federico Flynn.[4]

Private life[]

In 1890, Calder married Mary Green, who was also from Scotland, born in Addiewell, and a sister of Michael and Daniel Green. They had five children: Lily Jane, Charlotte, Margaret, Elizabeth, and John Colin Alexander.[3]

Calder died in 1907, at the age of 46. His remains are in the Nonconformist Cemetery at Rosario.[3]

Memorials[]

Plate at the beginning of Colin Calder street that remembers the date of its mention.

On 23 December 2014, by order of the Municipal Council of Rosario, a street was named Calle Colin Calder (Colin Calder Street). This is in the Alem Park and joins Colombres Avenue with Nansen Street.[5]

In 2011, after a contact initiated by one of Calder's descendants, his native city of Dingwall named him an Honorary Citizen.[2]

References[]

  1. ^ a b c "Who were ye?: Scot who brought football to Messi city". BBC. Retrieved 9 July 2014.
  2. ^ a b "Argentinians pay tribute to their 'father' from Ross". Ross-shire Journal. Archived from the original on 16 September 2016. Retrieved 20 November 2009.
  3. ^ a b c "Colin Bain Calder, el primer Presidente de Central". Central Crece. Retrieved 29 October 2012.[permanent dead link]
  4. ^ Brisaboa, Jorge (1996). De Rosario y de Central. Rosario: Homo Sapiens Ediciones. pp. 13 to 15. ISBN 9508081007.
  5. ^ "El primer presidente tiene calle". InfoNews. Retrieved 22 December 2014.
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