Jim Baird (rugby union)
James Alexander Steenson Baird (17 December 1893 — 7 June 1917) was a New Zealand international rugby union player and New Zealand Expeditionary Force soldier. He died aged 23 in World War I.[1]
| Full name | James Alexander Steenson Baird | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Date of birth | 17 December 1893 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Dunedin, New Zealand | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Date of death | 7 June 1917 (aged 23) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Place of death | Bailleul, France | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 5 ft 9 in (175 cm) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Weight | 168 lb (76 kg) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| School | Caversham School | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Rugby union career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Biography
Baird was born in Dunedin, where he attended Caversham School.[2]
Rugby union
A centre three-quarter, Baird played his club rugby with Dunedin club Zingari-Richmond and had made only two representative appearances for Otago when he won an All Blacks call up in 1913. He was a replacement player for Eric Cockroft in the side to play Australia at Carisbrook, selected over others as he was already in Dunedin. The All Blacks won 25–13 and he kept his place for the third Test in Christchurch, but had to pull out with a hand injury. He didn't play any rugby in 1914 due to illness.[2]
War service
Baird enlisted in the army on 29 June 1916 and served with the Otago Infantry Regiment. He died on 7 June 1917 at the No. 1 Australian Casualty Clearing Station in France from wounds received earlier that day during the Battle of Messines.[3]
References
- "All Blacks who trained for war". NZ Herald. 18 April 2016.
- "Jim Baird #190". stats.allblacks.com.
- "All Blacks at Messines Ridge, 1917". World Rugby Museum. 7 June 2017.