Robert W. (Bob) Elder (1974 [Acting] and 1976 to 1980) - deceased - March 2011
Bob Elder immigrated to Toronto, from Northern Ireland, in 1957, having played Rugby from the age of eleven. He joined the Irish Canadian Rugby Club, playing through the 1958 season when a severe eye injury prevented him from continuing to play serious Rugby. Bob served the I.C.R.C., as Secretary, from 1959 through to 1964. He served the Ontario Rugby Union, over this period, particularly as part of the O.R.U. committee which organized the fund raising to purchase Fletcher's Fields.
Bob and Jeane, whom he married in 1961 and who has, throughout his career in Canadian Rugby, been a constant source of inspiration and support, moved to Halifax in 1964 where he became actively involved with the Nova Scotia Rugby Union. In 1965 they moved to Kingston and in 1966 to Ottawa where Bob was promptly elected President of the Ottawa Irish Rugby Club, a position he held for the next 4 years. During
that time the club went from 1 team to 2 and from last to first in the Quebec leagues. Bob organized and managed the club's first tour - to Bermuda - in 1971. He was honoured by the club by being named their first Life Member in 1985 and by being in the first group admitted to their Hall of Fame in 2006.
On moving back to Toronto in 1970 his first responsibilities with the Canadian Rugby Union were as a co-opted member, looking after the organization of the tour to Wales, in 1971; he also had substantial responsibility for organizing the match with Wales who paid a visit to Canada in 1973 and was Manager of the Canadian team. He was elected Acting President of the Union following the tragic death of then
President Dick Ellis in mid year1974. In 1975 and 1976 Bob was Director of Finance for the Union enabling a successful cross country tour by the Barbarians.
The Elders moved to Winnipeg in 1974 and Bob took over the leadership of the Manitoba Rugby Union as President through the next two years.During that time Manitoba hosted the first Canadian Junior Rugby Championship.
He was elected as the President of the Canadian Rugby Union in 1976 and served in that capacity for four years. One of the most substantial initial contributions he made, while in this office, was to lay the groundwork for the Can-Am series, annual matches between the United States of America and Canada. He was active in promoting relations with Australia,New Zealand,the Pacific Islands, Japan,Argentina and England which eventually bore fruit in the form of increased Competition and assistance.
Throughout his involvement in administration of the Game in Canada, Bob has attended seven Asian and Pacific Congress for Rugby meetings, from 1974 to 1993, and he organized and chaired the 1983 Congress in Vancouver, attended by more Rugby nations, from around the world, than ever before. This particular meeting acted, boldly, as a catalyst for extended activities of the International Rugby Board as well asfor the creation of the Rugby World Cup, first staged in 1987.
After serving the National Union, Elder became involved, again, in the administration of the Game in Ontario, serving as a Director of the O.R.U. and he was elected as its President in 1984.He was the Director of the Senior Men's Team from 1983to 1990 and Manager from 1986 to 1990.
Bob has been a strong supporter of the Canadian Rugby Team, appearing on countless tours over the years through the 2003 R.W.C. in Australia.
Bob Elder has received substantial recognition for his efforts in the Game of Rugby, receiving the Province of Ontario Achievement Award in 1971, the Queen's Silver Jubilee Medal in 1977 and the O.R.U. Recognition Award in 1978. He received the 125th Anniversary of the Confederation of Canada Medal in 1992 and was inducted into the Ontario Rugby Union Hall of Fame in 2004.
He became Chairman of Rugby Canada's Past Presidents Committee in 2009.
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