Jim Caldwell (footballer)

{{Infobox AFL biography

| name = Jim Caldwell

| image = Jim Caldwell.jpg

| caption = Caldwell during his South Melbourne career

| fullname = James McIlwrick Caldwell

| nickname = Ginger

| birth_date = {{Birth date|df=yes|1888|8|11}}

| birth_place = Williamstown, Victoria

| death_date = {{Death date and age|df=yes|1929|8|20|1888|8|11}}

| death_place = East Melbourne, Victoria

| height = 173 cm

| weight = 66 kg

| position = Rover

| guernsey = 4, 2, 6

| statsend = 1924

| coachstatsend = 1929

| years1 = 1907–08, 1920–22

| club1 = Williamstown (VFA)

| games_goals1 = {{0}}81

| years2 = 1909–19

| club2 = {{AFL SM}}

| games_goals2 = 155 (34)

| years3 = 1920

| club3 = Footscray Football Club (VFA)

| games_goals3 =

| years4 = 1923–24

| club4 = Perth

| games_goals4 = {{0}}13

| coachyears1 = 1923–24

| coachclub1 = Perth

| coachgames_wins1 = 28 (4–23–1)

| coachyears2 = 1925

| coachclub2 = {{AFL Car}}

| coachgames_wins2 = 11 (4–7–0)

| coachyears3 = 1929

| coachclub3 = {{AFL SM}}

| coachgames_wins3 = 4 (1–3–0)

| careerhighlights = *South Melbourne premiership captain 1918

South Melbourne captain 1918–1919
Williamstown: Team of the Century

}}

James McIlwrick "Ginger" Caldwell (11 August 1888 – 20 August 1929) was an Australian rules footballer who played with South Melbourne in the Victorian Football League (VFL).

Family

The son of Thomas Caldwell and Agnes Caldwell (1854–1907), née Smith,[https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/198101592 Deaths: Caldwell, The Leader, (Saturday, 28 December 1907), p. 51.] he was born at Williamstown, Victoria, on 11 August 1888.

He married Clarissa Ann Hayes (1891–1967), the daughter of Richard and Elizabeth Hayes on 7 August 1912.[https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/69672524 Wedding Bells: Caldwell—Hayes, The Williamstown Chronicle, (Saturday, 17 August 1912), p. 3.][https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/164459938 Personal Pars, The (Emerald Hill) Record, (Saturday, 9 December 1933), p. 6]; [https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/164488708 Mrs. Jim Caldwell Returns to South, The (Emerald Hill) Record, (Saturday, 9 October 1937), p. 3.] They had two children, Edna May Caldwell (1913),[https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/7249999 Births: Caldwell, The Argus, (Saturday, 25 October 1913), p. 11.] and John Arthur Caldwell (1917–1987).[https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/1669302 Births: Caldwell, The Argus, (Saturday, 8 December 1917), p. 11.] He was also the brother-in-law of former Williamstown footballer "Jack" May,[http://www.thevfaproject.org/pages/Players/May,_John.php John May, The VFA Project]; [https://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/SearchNRetrieve/NAAMedia/ViewPDF.aspx?B=8006317&D=D World War One Service Record: Private John Robert May (3125), National Archives of Australia.] who married Clarissa's sister in 1917.[https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/87749349 Marriage: May—Hayes, The Williamstown Advertiser, (Saturday, 10 February 1917), p. 2]; [https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/75953797 On the Wing and Off It, The Frankston and Sommerville Standard, (Wednesday, 16 May 1923), p. 4];

=Siblings=

He had nine brothers and sisters, including:

Robert John Caldwell (1876–1927): Williamstown footballer.[http://www.thevfaproject.org/pages/Players/Caldwell,_Robert_John.php Robert John Caldwell, The VFA Project]; [https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/206162861 Deaths: Caldwell, The Age, (Monday, 8 August 1927), p. 1.]
Thomas Campbell Caldwell (1879–1960): served in the First AIF, and was awarded the Military Medal in 1917.[https://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/SearchNRetrieve/NAAMedia/ViewPDF.aspx?B=3188571&D=D World War One Service Record: Private Thomas Campbell Caldwell (1684), National Archives of Australia.]
Arthur Edward Caldwell (1886–1915): St Kilda and Williamstown footballer, served in the First AIF; died of wounds sustained in action.
Joseph Albury Caldwell (1893–1966): served in the First AIF.[https://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/SearchNRetrieve/NAAMedia/ViewPDF.aspx?B=3188496&D=D World War One Service Record: Private Joseph Albury Caldwell (1786), National Archives of Australia.]

Football

=Williamstown=

Caldwell played his junior football with Williamstown CYMS, Yarraville Juniors and Newport Juniors before commencing with Williamstown in the VFA in 1905. He played until 1908 and was a premiership player with Victorian Football Association (VFA) club Williamstown in 1907, the Club's first. He transferred to South Melbourne in 1909.

=South Melbourne=

In his debut season (1909), South Melbourne reached the Grand Final but Caldwell missed playing due to a nine-week suspension for striking Carlton's George Bruce in the Preliminary Final.[https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/198476529 Furious Football: Last Saturday's Match: South Melbourne Player Disqualified, The Age, (Thursday, 30 September 1909), p. 8]; [https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/10737203 Rough Football: South Melbourne v. Carlton: A. Caldwell Disqualified, The Argus, (Thursday, 30 September 1909), p. 7.] Almost a decade later, in 1918, as captain-coach, he led the club to victory in the 1918. By then, Caldwell was playing as a rover and had become a regular Victorian interstate representative.

=Footscray=

Cleared from South Melbourne on 12 May 1920,[https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/1701170/409820 Sporting: Football: Permits Granted, The Argus, (Thursday, 13 May 1920), p. 5.] he played three matches for Footscray in the VFA — on 15 May,[https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/245594954 Pt. Melb. v. Footscray, The Herald, (Saturday, 15 May 1920), p. 2]; [https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/1702395 Footscray's Third Win, The Argus, (Monday, 17 May 1920), p. 5]; [https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/170613105 Merricks, C., "Athletics", The Advocate, (Thursday, 20 May 1920), p. 25.] 22 May,[https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/245605380/26875721 Footsc'y v. Nth. Melb., The Herald, (Saturday, 22 May 1920), p. 2.] and 29 May[https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/245603071/26875842 Hawthorn v. Footsc'y, The Herald, (Saturday, 29 May 1920), p. 1.] — before resigning as a player and moving on to coach "Footscray Diggers", in the Victorian Junior Football Association;[https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/242308382 Association, The Herald, (Friday, 2 July 1920) p. 3.] and, at least, by 31 July 1920, he was serving as captain-coach of Camperdown in the Corangamite Football Association.[https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/34475852 Football Notes, The Camperdown Chronicle, (Tuesday, 3 August 1920), p. 2]; [https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/34475838 Football, The Camperdown Chronicle, (Tuesday, 3 August 1920), p. 4.][https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/34476126 Football: Terang Wins Premiership, The Camperdown Chronicle, (Tuesday, 31 August 1920), p. 4]; [https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/34476133 Local and General News: Presentation, The Camperdown Chronicle, (Tuesday, 31 August 1920), p. 2.]

=Williamstown=

Caldwell returned to captain-coach Williamstown In 1921 and 1922, and led them to a premiership in the former season.{{cite book|last=Fiddian|first=Marc|title=The VFA – A History of the Victorian Football Association 1877 – 1995|year=2013|publisher=Melbourne Sports Books|page=47}} This meant Caldwell had played in both of Williamstown's first two premiership teams. In total, Caldwell played 81 games for 'Town, is a member of the WFC Hall of Fame and was selected on a wing in the WFC Team-of-the-Century.

=Perth=

Cleared from Williamstown on 25 April 1923,[https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/1893041 Football: Association Clearances, The Argus, (Thursday, 26 April 1923), p. 4.] he captain-coached the Perth team in 1923 and 1924 "without much success";[https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/211004903 Fellows We Know, The (Perth) Call, (Friday, 12 April 1929), p. 7.] and, in the second half of the 1923 season, "was disqualified for the [remainder of] the season for abusing a field-umpire".[https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/66711772 Metropolitan Football, The Geraldton Guardian, (Tuesday, 28 August 1923), p. 3.]

=Carlton=

On the resignation of Carlton's captain-coach Paddy O'Brien — who (later) went to play with Footscray in its first VFL season — Ray Brew acted as coach for four matches. Caldwell (then in Perth) was appointed coached of Carlton for the remainder of the 1925 VFL season.[https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/184821528 Carlton's Coach, The Sporting Globe, (Saturday, 30 May 1925), p. 2]; [https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/211316043 Jim Caldwell to Coach Carlton, The (Perth) Call, (Friday, 5 June 1925), p. 8]; [https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/184821867 Football Clearances Granted, The Sporting Globe, (Saturday, 6 June May 1925), p. 3]; [https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/2130188 O'Brien Seeks Clearance, The Argus, (Thursday, 25 June 1925), p. 5.]

=Rutherglen=

Although offered another year at Carlton in 1926, Caldwell took up a more lucrative offer,[https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/3779106 Caldwell to coach Rutherglen, The Argus, (Saturday, 1 May 1926), p. 26.] and was appointed captain-coach of the Rutherglen Football Club in the Ovens and Murray Football League.[https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/102292652 Rutherglen Club, The Albury Banner and Wodonga Express, (Friday, 30 April 1926), p. 18]; [https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/223322219 Ovens and Murray, The Weekly Times, (Saturday, 8 May 1926), p. 90.] Caldwell resigned as coach of Rutherglen in July, 1926.{{cite web |title=1926 – Caldwell resigns as coach of Rutherglen. |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/102304674 |newspaper=Albury Banner and Wodonga Express |date=30 July 1926 |publisher=The Albury Banner |access-date=21 May 2020 |ref=30th July, 1926, page 6.}} Due to financial considerations, the Rutherglen club not only decided not to appoint a playing coach for the 1927 season, but also decided not to appoint a paid coach at all.[https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/236073021 Football, The Corowa Free Press, (Tuesday, 22 February 1927), p. 3]; [https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/236062603 Football Notes, The Corowa Free Press, (Friday, 4 March 1927), p. 2.]

=South Melbourne=

Caldwell was appointed South Melbourne coach for the 1929 VFL season;[https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/164962837 Appointment of Coach: J. Caldwell Chosen: Given Wide Powers, The (Emerald Hill) Record, (Saturday. 19 January 1929), p. 1]; [https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/183982679 Fast and Evenly Balanced Team: Jim Caldwell Will Exercise Firm Control, The Sporting Globe, (Saturday, 20 April 1929), p. 6.] yet, despite the team's (unexpected) victory against Richmond on 1 June 1929, much dissatisfaction was expressed about Caldwell's coaching,[https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/183986412 Caldwell's Position, The Sporting Globe, (Wednesday, 5 June 1929), p. 8.] and Caldwell was invited to resign, which he did, on the following Tuesday (4 June 1929).[https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/244101653 South's Coaching: Caldwell Puts His Case, The Herald, (Friday, 7 June 1929), p. 15.]

Death

Admitted to the Melbourne Hospital with "internal trouble", Jim Caldwell died of peritonitis some three weeks later, on 20 August 1929.[https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/4031301 Deaths: Caldwell, (Wednesday, 21 August 1929), p. 1]; [https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/164964482 Death of Jim Caldwell, The (Emerald Hill) Record, (Saturday, 24 August 1929), p. 2]; [https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/204098643 Deaths: Caldwell, The Age, (Wednesday, 21 August 1929), p. 1.][https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/244003401 Jim Caldwell Dead: Former South Melbourne Footballer, The (Melbourne) Herald, (Tuesday, 20 August 1929), p. 1.]; [https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/204098719 League Notes: Death of J. Caldwell (South Melbourne), The Age, (Wednesday, 21 August 19129), p. 15]; [http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article51614654 Footballer's Death, The (Launceston) Examiner, (Wednesday, 21 August 1929), p. 2.][https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/164959411 South Melbourne Appeal for Mrs. Caldwell, ''The (Emerald Hill) Record, (Saturday, 5 October 1929), p. 3.]

Footnotes

References

[http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article1548206 Roll of Honour: Personal Particulars: Private A. E. Caldwell], The Argus, Friday 13 August 1915, p. 13.
[https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/184267806 Personalities and Gossip of the Field and Clubroom: Caldwell's Views, The Sporting Globe, (Wednesday, 16 May 1928), p. 8.]
"Wells" (Samuel Garnet Wells (1885–1972)), "Jim Caldwell: South Melbourne's Coach", The Herald, (Friday, 24 May 1929), p. 16.]

External links

{{AFL Tables|ref=J/Jim_Caldwell.html}}
{{AustralianFootball|Jim%2BCaldwell/2613}}
[http://www.boylesfootballphotos.net.au/Jim+Caldwell Boyles Football Photos: Jim Caldwell]
[https://www.blueseum.org/Jim+Caldwell Blueseum: Jim Caldwell Profile]
[http://www.thevfaproject.org/pages/Players/Caldwell,_James_'Jim'.php James "Jim" Caldwell: The VFA Project.]