Jimmy Cotter

Jimmy Cotter
Birth nameJames Alfred Cotter
Date of birth(1959-02-17)17 February 1959
Date of death5 September 1985(1985-09-05) (aged 26)
Place of deathBombay Hills, New Zealand
SchoolKuranui College
Rugby union career
Position(s) Fullback
Wing
Centre
First five-eighth
Provincial / State sides
Years Team Apps (Points)
1977–78, 1981 Wairarapa Bush 29 (59)
1985 Wellington 3 (4)
International career
Years Team Apps (Points)
1978 Junior All Blacks 4 (20)

James Alfred Cotter (17 February 1959 – 5 September 1985) was a New Zealand rugby union and softball player.

Early life

Cotter was educated at Kuranui College in Greytown, and was a member of the school's 1st XV rugby team in 1976.[1]

Sporting career

Cotter represented New Zealand in two sporting codes: rugby union and softball.[2]

Rugby union

Cotter was a Junior All Black in 1978.[3][4] A utility back who played in all positions from first five-eighth to fullback, Cotter played 29 games for Wairarapa Bush between 1977 and 1981, and three matches for Wellington in 1985.[3]

Softball

Cotter played 10 international games for the New Zealand men's national softball team between 1980 and 1984.[5] A powerful batter, he has been described as "one of the greatest softballers produced by New Zealand".[4][6]

Death and legacy

Cotter died on 5 September 1985 in a road crash on the Bombay Hills, south of Auckland.[1][7]

Since Cotter's death, the Jimmy Cotter Memorial Trophy has been contested in representative rugby matches between Wairarapa Bush and Wellington.[1][8] Cotter was inducted into the Softball New Zealand Hall of Fame in 1998.[9] Another Jimmy Cotter Memorial Trophy is awarded by Softball New Zealand to the emerging player of the year.[10]

References

  1. ^ a b c "James Alfred 'Jimmy' Cotter". Wairarapa Bush Rugby Union. Retrieved 15 October 2021.
  2. ^ "Multisports champions of note". Wairarapa Times-Age. 1 May 2020. Retrieved 15 October 2021.
  3. ^ a b "James Alfred Cotter". New Zealand Rugby History. Retrieved 15 October 2021.
  4. ^ a b "Drake one of many sportspeople who died too soon". Stuff. 4 February 2009. Retrieved 15 October 2021.
  5. ^ "BSX test Caps". Softball New Zealand. Retrieved 5 November 2021.
  6. ^ Taonga, New Zealand Ministry for Culture and Heritage Te Manatu. "Softball stars and future challenges". teara.govt.nz.
  7. ^ "Softball super coach Mike Walsh honoured by Sport Wellington". Stuff. 15 June 2010. Retrieved 15 October 2021.
  8. ^ "Halftime 'rack-up' works". New Zealand Herald. 25 May 2006. Retrieved 15 October 2021.
  9. ^ "Honours Board". Softball New Zealand. Retrieved 15 October 2021.
  10. ^ "Softball: Man with two missions". New Zealand Herald. 22 January 2004. Retrieved 15 October 2021.