Robert Hair

{{short description|Scottish cricketer and soldier}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2021}}

{{Infobox cricketer

| name = Robert Hair

| image =

| country = Scotland

| fullname = Robert Kelso Hair

| birth_date = 13 April 1867

| birth_place = Greenock, Renfrewshire, Scotland

| death_date = {{death date and age|1949|10|3|1867|4|13|df=yes}}

| death_place = Reading, Berkshire, England

| nickname =

| family =

| batting = Unknown

| bowling = Unknown

| role =

| club1 = Europeans

| year1 = 1895/96

| columns = 1

| column1 = First-class

| matches1 = 1

| runs1 = 0

| bat avg1 = –

| 100s/50s1 = –/–

| top score1 = –

| deliveries1 = 160

| wickets1 = 4

| bowl avg1 = 19.75

| fivefor1 = –

| tenfor1 = –

| best bowling1 = 4/25

| catches/stumpings1 = 1/–

| date = 28 November

| year = 2023

| source = https://www.espncricinfo.com/cricketers/robert-hair-29324 Cricinfo

}}

Robert Kelso Hair (13 April 1867 – 3 October 1949) was a Scottish first-class cricketer and banker.

Hair was born at Greenock in April 1867. He was a banker by profession, with that endeavour taking him to British India.{{cite news|url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0003197/18960728/067/0020|title=Announcements|work=Indian Daily News|location=Calcutta|page=20|date=28 July 1896|access-date=28 November 2023|url-access=subscription|via=British Newspaper Archive}} There, he made a single appearance in first-class cricket for the Europeans against the Parsees at Bombay in the 1895–96 Presidency Match.{{cite web|url=https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Players/13/13593/First-Class_Matches.html|title=First-Class Matches played by Robert Hair|publisher=CricketArchive|accessdate=28 November 2023|url-access=subscription}} Though he was not required to bat in the match, he did take figures of 4 for 25 in the Parsees first innings, before going wicketless in their second.{{cite web|url=https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Scorecards/4/4444.html|title=Europeans v Parsees, Bombay Presidency Match 1895/96|publisher=CricketArchive|accessdate=28 November 2023|url-access=subscription}} In addition to playing first-class cricket, Hair also played minor matches for Scotland in the 1880s, in addition to playing club cricket for Greenock.{{cite web|url=https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Players/13/13593/all_teams.html|title=Teams Robert Hair played for|publisher=CricketArchive|accessdate=28 November 2023|url-access=subscription}} Hair later served in the First World War, being commissioned as a lieutenant in the Army Service Corps in October 1916.{{London Gazette|issue=29815|date=7 November 1916|page=10749}} He was made an acting captain,{{London Gazette|issue=30375|date=9 November 1917|page=11640|supp=y}} which he relinquished in June 1918.{{London Gazette|issue=30818|date=26 July 1918|page=8973|supp=y}} Following the war, he was once again made an acting captain in February 1919.{{London Gazette|issue=31306|date=22 April 1919|page=5164|supp=y}} Hair completed his service in May 1920, being granted the full rank of captain.{{London Gazette|issue=32056|date=17 September 1920|page=9357|supp=y}} Hair died in England at Reading in October 1949.