Bob Elder was a former President of the Manitoba Rugby Union (1974-76), the Ontario Rugby Union (1984) and the Canadian Rugby Union (1974,1976-80) who always left a mark, wherever he lived in Canada, on the local rugby community since he immigrated from Northern Ireland in 1957.
While an eye injury in 1958 prevented Bob from playing serious rugby on the field, he became involved off the field. Bob and his wife Jeane passionately supported rugby at the club, provincial, national and international levels – especially Canadian sides in nearly 25 venues domestically and internationally.
He was always involved with the local “Irish” side wherever he lived and played a number of key roles such as the establishment of Fletcher’s Fields (Greater Toronto Area); organizing international tours; managing the Canadian Senior Men’s Team; and, as President of the Manitoba Rugby Union hosted the first Canadian Junior Rugby Championship in the mid-1970s.
While President of the Canadian Rugby Union, he laid the groundwork for the Can-Am Series (annual matches between the United States of America and Canada). He later organized and chaired the 1983 4th Congress of Asian and Pacific Rugby – which was catalytic in extended activities of the International Rugby Board, as well as the creation of the Rugby World Cup, first staged in 1987. In 2009, he became Chairman of Rugby Canada’s Past Presidents Committee.
Bob’s contributions received significant recognition over the decades, including the Province of Ontario Achievement Award (1971), the Queen’s Silver Jubilee Medal (1977), the Ontario Rugby Union Recognition Award (1978), First Honorary Member of the Ottawa Irish Rugby Club (1985), the 125th Anniversary of Confederation of Canada Medal (1992), induction in the Ontario Rugby Union Hall of Fame (2004), the First Ottawa Irish Rugby Club Hall of Fame Inductee (2006), and induction as a Builder by the Manitoba Rugby Hall of Fame (2011).
While an eye injury in 1958 prevented Bob from playing serious rugby on the field, he became involved off the field. Bob and his wife Jeane passionately supported rugby at the club, provincial, national and international levels – especially Canadian sides in nearly 25 venues domestically and internationally.
He was always involved with the local “Irish” side wherever he lived and played a number of key roles such as the establishment of Fletcher’s Fields (Greater Toronto Area); organizing international tours; managing the Canadian Senior Men’s Team; and, as President of the Manitoba Rugby Union hosted the first Canadian Junior Rugby Championship in the mid-1970s.
While President of the Canadian Rugby Union, he laid the groundwork for the Can-Am Series (annual matches between the United States of America and Canada). He later organized and chaired the 1983 4th Congress of Asian and Pacific Rugby – which was catalytic in extended activities of the International Rugby Board, as well as the creation of the Rugby World Cup, first staged in 1987. In 2009, he became Chairman of Rugby Canada’s Past Presidents Committee.
Bob’s contributions received significant recognition over the decades, including the Province of Ontario Achievement Award (1971), the Queen’s Silver Jubilee Medal (1977), the Ontario Rugby Union Recognition Award (1978), First Honorary Member of the Ottawa Irish Rugby Club (1985), the 125th Anniversary of Confederation of Canada Medal (1992), induction in the Ontario Rugby Union Hall of Fame (2004), the First Ottawa Irish Rugby Club Hall of Fame Inductee (2006), and induction as a Builder by the Manitoba Rugby Hall of Fame (2011).
Passed 2011