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,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.Wedding Bells: Caldwell—Hayes, The Williamstown Chronicle, (Saturday, 17 August 1912), p. 3.Personal Pars, The (Emerald Hill) Record, (Saturday, 9 December 1933), p. 6; Mrs. Jim Caldwell Returns to South, The (Emerald Hill) Record, (Saturday, 9 October 1937), p. 3. They had two children, Edna May Caldwell (1913),Births: Caldwell, The Argus, (Saturday, 25 October 1913), p. 11. and John Arthur Caldwell (1917–1987).Births: Caldwell, The Argus, (Saturday, 8 December 1917), p. 11. He was also the brother-in-law of former Williamstown footballer "Jack" May,John May, The VFA Project; World War One Service Record: Private John Robert May (3125), National Archives of Australia. who married Clarissa's sister in 1917.Marriage: May—Hayes, The Williamstown Advertiser, (Saturday, 10 February 1917), p. 2; 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.Robert John Caldwell, The VFA Project; 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.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.World War One Service Record: Private Joseph Albury Caldwell (1786), National Archives of Australia.
Football Williamstown Caldwell played his junior football with CYMS Football Association (CYMSFA) club 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.Furious Football: Last Saturday's Match: South Melbourne Player Disqualified, The Age, (Thursday, 30 September 1909), p. 8; 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,Sporting: Football: Permits Granted, The Argus, (Thursday, 13 May 1920), p. 5. he played three matches for Footscray in the VFA — on 15 May,Pt. Melb. v. Footscray, The Herald, (Saturday, 15 May 1920), p. 2; Footscray's Third Win, The Argus, (Monday, 17 May 1920), p. 5; Merricks, C., "Athletics", The Advocate, (Thursday, 20 May 1920), p. 25. 22 May,Footsc'y v. Nth. Melb., The Herald, (Saturday, 22 May 1920), p. 2. and 29 MayHawthorn 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;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.Football Notes, The Camperdown Chronicle, (Tuesday, 3 August 1920), p. 2; Football, The Camperdown Chronicle, (Tuesday, 3 August 1920), p. 4.Football: Terang Wins Premiership, The Camperdown Chronicle, (Tuesday, 31 August 1920), p. 4; 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. 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,Football: Association Clearances, The Argus, (Thursday, 26 April 1923), p. 4. he captain-coached the Perth team in 1923 and 1924 "without much success";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".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.Carlton's Coach, The Sporting Globe, (Saturday, 30 May 1925), p. 2; Jim Caldwell to Coach Carlton, The (Perth) Call, (Friday, 5 June 1925), p. 8; Football Clearances Granted, The Sporting Globe, (Saturday, 6 June May 1925), p. 3; 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,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.Rutherglen Club, The Albury Banner and Wodonga Express, (Friday, 30 April 1926), p. 18; Ovens and Murray, The Weekly Times, (Saturday, 8 May 1926), p. 90. Caldwell resigned as coach of Rutherglen in July, 1926. 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.Football, The Corowa Free Press, (Tuesday, 22 February 1927), p. 3; 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;Appointment of Coach: J. Caldwell Chosen: Given Wide Powers, The (Emerald Hill) Record, (Saturday. 19 January 1929), p. 1; 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,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).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.Deaths: Caldwell, (Wednesday, 21 August 1929), p. 1; Death of Jim Caldwell, The (Emerald Hill) Record, (Saturday, 24 August 1929), p. 2; Deaths: Caldwell, The Age, (Wednesday, 21 August 1929), p. 1.Jim Caldwell Dead: Former South Melbourne Footballer, The (Melbourne) Herald, (Tuesday, 20 August 1929), p. 1.; League Notes: Death of J. Caldwell (South Melbourne), The Age, (Wednesday, 21 August 19129), p. 15; Footballer's Death, The (Launceston) Examiner, (Wednesday, 21 August 1929), p. 2.South Melbourne Appeal for Mrs. Caldwell, The (Emerald Hill) Record, (Saturday, 5 October 1929), p. 3.
See also List of Australian rules football families
Footnotes
References Roll of Honour: Personal Particulars: Private A. E. Caldwell, The Argus, Friday 13 August 1915, p. 13. 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
Boyles Football Photos: Jim Caldwell Blueseum: Jim Caldwell Profile James "Jim" Caldwell: The VFA Project.