Tom Calder

{{Short description|Australian rules footballer}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2020}}

{{Use Australian English|date=August 2012}}

{{Infobox AFL biography

| name = Tom Calder

| image = Tom_Calder_Brisbane_Telegraph_pg_10_25_September_1948.png

| fullname = Thomas Charles Calder

| birth_date = 17 December 1917

| birth_place = Carlton, Victoria

| death_date = {{death date and age|1997|6|23|1917|12|17|df=yes}}

| death_place =

| originalteam = Coorparoo

| height = 183 cm

| weight = 83 kg

| position =

| statsend = 1945

| years1 = 1945

| club1 = South Melbourne

| games_goals1 = 5 (0)

| careerhighlights =

}}

Thomas Charles Calder (17 December 1917 – 23 June 1997) was an Australian rules footballer who played with South Melbourne in the Victorian Football League (VFL). He is a member of the Queensland Football Hall of Fame.

Although born in Victoria, Calder played his early football in Tasmania and started his senior career at North Hobart in 1935. While with North Hobart, Calder suffered a serious on-field injury and had a kidney removed.The Mail (Adelaide), [http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article56066212 "At the Brisbane carnival"], 22 July 1950. p. 6

A centre-half back, he made his way to Queensland Australian National Football League club Ascot in 1940 and joined the Royal Australian Air Force in the same year, serving as a pilot during the war.{{cite web|url=http://www.ww2roll.gov.au/Veteran.aspx?serviceId=R&veteranId=1042432| title=Calder, Thomas Charles| publisher=WW2 Nominal Roll}}

Calder was posted at Melbourne in 1945 and was joined VFL club South Melbourne, with whom he would make five successive appearances from round 14. Although the club went on to make the grand final, Calder wasn't selected in any finals fixtures.{{cite web|url=http://afltables.com/afl/stats/players/T/Tom_Calder.html| title=Tom Calder| publisher=AFL Tables}}

When Calder returned to the QANFL in 1946, it was with Mayne, but after just one season he crossed to Coorparoo as captain-coach. He represented Queensland at interstate football regularly post war, until 1953, including matches in the 1947 Hobart and 1950 Brisbane Carnivals. In 1948 he was captain-coach of Queensland and had his most successful season with Coorparoo, winning the league's Grogan Medal. Calder won the award once more in 1950 and after retiring continued his involvement in Queensland football as an administrator.{{cite web|url=http://australianfootball.com/players/player/tom%2Bcalder/7377| title=Tom Calder - Player Bio| publisher=Australian Football|accessdate=14 August 2015}}