James Reid Kerr

{{short description|British Lions & England international rugby union player & cricketer}}

{{Infobox rugby biography

| name = James Reid Kerr

| image = James Reid-Kerr with the British Isles team in 1910

| caption =

| birth_name = James Reid Kerr

| nickname =

| birth_date = {{Birth date|1883|12|04|df=yes}}

| birth_place = Greenock, Renfrewshire, Scotland

| death_date = {{death date and age|1963|08|19|1883|12|04|df=yes}}

| death_place =

| height =

| weight =

| position = forward

| amatyears1 =

| amatteam1 = Greenock Wanderers RFC

| ru_amclubcaps =

| ru_amclubpoints =

| ru_amupdate =

| provinceyears1 = 1906

| provinceyears2 = 1909

| province1 = South Western District

| province2 = Glasgow District

| provinceapps1 =

| provincepoints1 =

| repteam1 = Scotland

| repteam2 = British & Irish Lions

| repyears1 = 1909

| repyears2 = 1910

| repcaps1 = 1

| repcaps2 = 0

| reppoints1 = 0

| reppoints2 = 0

| ru_ntupdate =

| coachteams1 =

| coachyears1 =

| ru_coachupdate =

| occupation = Sugar Refining

| school = Greenock Collegiate{{Cite web |url=http://www.cricketeurope4.net/CSTATZ/saltires/bio/K/kerr_jr.html |title=Cricket Europe StatsZone Scotland |access-date=3 March 2009 |archive-date=24 May 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110524050343/http://www.cricketeurope4.net/CSTATZ/saltires/bio/K/kerr_jr.html |url-status=dead }}

| university = Glasgow University

}}

James Reid Kerr (4 December 1883 – 19 August 1963) was a Scottish sportsman who played both rugby union and cricket for his country. He was also part of the first official British & Irish Lions team that toured South Africa in 1910.

Early life

James Reid Kerr was born on 4 December 1883 in Greenock, Renfrewshire, Scotland. He was the son of Robert Kerr, a Sugar Refiner. After attending Greenock Collegiate and Glasgow University he worked for his father as a Sugar Chemist.

Rugby Union career

=Amateur career=

Kerr played as a rugby forward for his local side, Greenock Wanderers RFC.{{Cite web|url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0001876/19061210/048/0004|title=}}

=Provincial career=

He captained the South Western District side against North of Scotland District in 1906.

He played for Glasgow District in the 1909 inter-city match against Edinburgh District.{{cite web| url = https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=Jf89AAAAIBAJ&sjid=aUkMAAAAIBAJ&pg=2156%2C5764528| title = The Glasgow Herald - Google News Archive Search}}

=International career=

He played one game for Scotland, vs England at Richmond on 20 March 1909[http://www.scrum.com/juniorworld/rugby/player/2053.html Scrum.com]

The following year, he was selected for the first official British tour to South Africa (in that it was sanctioned and selected by the four Home Nations official governing bodies).

Cricket career

Kerr also played cricket for Greenock as a right-handed batsman. In 279 matches he scored 5,262 runs at an average of 23.08, and he had a top score of 119.{{Cite web |url=http://www.cricketeurope4.net/CSTATZ/saltires/bio/K/kerr_jr.html |title=Cricket Europe StatsZone Scotland specific information from Brian Papworth |access-date=3 March 2009 |archive-date=24 May 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110524050343/http://www.cricketeurope4.net/CSTATZ/saltires/bio/K/kerr_jr.html |url-status=dead }} He went on to play for the Scotland team, making only one appearance in 1921. That was against Ireland. In that match he scored 15 runs over two innings.[http://80.168.92.162/engvind/content/player/25257.html Cricinfo James Kerr player profile] {{webarchive|url=https://archive.today/20120707155350/http://80.168.92.162/engvind/content/player/25257.html |date=7 July 2012 }} He was also the cousin of the famous Scottish cricketer, John Kerr.[http://80.168.92.162/engvind/content/player/25257.html Martin Williamson on cricinfo.com] {{webarchive|url=https://archive.today/20120707155350/http://80.168.92.162/engvind/content/player/25257.html |date=7 July 2012 }}