Jimmy Cotter Explained

Jimmy Cotter
Birth Name:James Alfred Cotter
Birth Date:17 February 1959
Death Place:Bombay Hills, New Zealand
Ru Position:Fullback
Wing
Centre
First five-eighth
Repteam1:Junior All Blacks
Repyears1:1978
Repcaps1:4
Reppoints1:20
Provinceyears1:1977–78, 1981
Provinceyears2:1985
Provinceapps1:29
Provinceapps2:3
Provincepoints1:59
Provincepoints2:4
School:Kuranui College

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 between 1977 and 1981, and three matches for 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]

Notes and References

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