Richard Callaway (umpire) facts for kids

Richard Callaway was an Australian cricket umpire. He was born on August 2, 1860, and passed away on March 19, 1935, in Sydney, New South Wales. His younger brother, Sydney, was also a famous cricket player for Australia.

Cricket Umpire Extraordinaire

Richard Callaway was a cricket umpire, which means he made sure the rules were followed during games. He oversaw 31 important matches, known as first-class matches, between 1899 and 1921.

He also umpired three "Test matches" in 1901 and 1902. These were big games between the Australian and English national teams.

A Fair Game: Umpire Choices

Before one Test match in Sydney in December 1901, there was a small disagreement. The captain of the England team, Archie MacLaren, wanted to choose one of the umpires for the game.

The local cricket group, the New South Wales Cricket Association, first said they had the right to choose both umpires. However, they later changed their mind, but still confirmed Callaway as their chosen umpire. In the end, MacLaren did not push his demand. Callaway umpired that match alongside Bob Crockett. England won that game.

"Father" of Australian Baseball

Besides cricket, Callaway was also very involved in trying to make baseball popular in Australia. He helped organize and umpire baseball games.

A newspaper, Sydney Morning Herald, once called him the "father" of baseball in New South Wales. This shows how important he was in helping the sport grow in the state.

Later Life and Legacy

Richard Callaway worked for 42 years in the accounts section of the New South Wales Lands Department. This department managed land for the government.

He passed away at his home in North Bondi, a beachside suburb of Sydney, on March 19, 1935. He was 74 years old and had been ill for a while. Richard and his wife, Elizabeth, had five sons and two daughters.

See also

• List of Test umpires