Gordon Mitchell (rugby union)

Gordon Mitchell (26 May 1865– 30 July 1896) was a Scotland international rugby union player.[1][2]

Gordon Mitchell

Birth name	James Gordon Mitchell
Date of birth	(1865-05-26)26 May 1865
Place of birth	Hamilton, Scotland
Date of death	30 July 1896(1896-07-30) (aged 31)
Place of death	Inhambane, Mozambique
School	Craigmount School
Rugby union career
Position(s) Forward Amateur team(s) Years Team Apps (Points) - West of Scotland () Provincial / State sides Years Team Apps (Points) 1883-85 1885-87 Glasgow District West of Scotland District () National team(s) Years Team Apps (Points) 1885 Scotland 3 (0)
18th President of the Scottish Rugby Union
In office 1890–1891
Preceded by	Andrew Ramsay Don-Wauchope
Succeeded by	Thomas Ainslie

Rugby Union career

Amateur career

Mitchell played for West of Scotland. He went on to captain the club. His time there was noted by the Dundee Evening Telegraph as 'one of the most brilliant in the history of the club'.[3]

Provincial career

Mitchell played for Glasgow District in the inter-city matches of 1883[4] and 1884[5] and 1885.[6]

He was also capped for West of Scotland District in their match against East of Scotland District in January 1885[7] and 1886.[8]

He captained the West side in January 1887.[9]

International career

He was capped 3 times for Scotland in 1885.[10]

The Dundee Evening Telegraph noted that 'Mitchell was a typical Scottish forward in as much as his play was a combination of physical prowess and brain power'.[11]

Administrative career

Mitchell became the 18th President of the Scottish Rugby Union. He served the 1890–91 term in office.[12]

Death

Mitchell died on his way back from to Scotland from Inhambane, Mozambique.[13] His obituary notes that he was an all-round sportsman with a talent, not only for rugby union, but for both cricket and running. However it goes on to say that he was not interested in either: he did not practise cricket and rarely 'donned his spikes' to run.[14]

References

1. http://en.espn.co.uk/scrum/rugby/player/713.html
2. https://www.ancestry.co.uk/family-tree/person/tree/165707492/person/362153401409/facts
3. https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000453/18960915/018/0002
4. https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=MbtEAAAAIBAJ&sjid=pbUMAAAAIBAJ&pg=1873%2C4820432
5. https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=2pBEAAAAIBAJ&sjid=fLUMAAAAIBAJ&pg=1785%2C5156350
6. https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0001055/18851207/044/0004
7. https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000452/18850202/078/0004
8. https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0001964/18860130/038/0003
9. https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000687/18870131/144/0007
10. http://en.espn.co.uk/statsguru/rugby/player/713.html?class=1;template=results;type=player;view=match
11. https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000453/18960915/018/0002
12. https://s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/sru-files/files/SR_RR1819_digital.pdf
13. https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000453/18960915/018/0002
14. https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000453/18960915/018/0002