Born: 25 May, 1877 – Lower Hutt Died: 19 December, 1961 – Concord, Australia Test record: 0 Tests Tours: 1907-08 tour of Australia and Great Britain
Wellington forward Arthur ‘Dick’ Callam was a member of the ground-breaking ‘All Golds’ squad that toured Australia and Britain in 1907-08.
Callam played for the Melrose, Poneke and Wellington FC rugby union clubs – representing his province in 1906-07 – before accepting a place in the touring party of ‘professional’ rugby players.
The insurance agent’s on-field contribution was limited, concentrating on helping Albert Baskerville with administrative duties. But he featured in three matches: the second encounter with New South Wales enroute to Britain, in the fixture with Northern Union club Barrow and against Queensland during the All Golds’ return leg.
Upon the team’s return, Callam featured in the first-ever rugby league match on New Zealand soil, a charity match at Wellington’s Athletic Park to raise funds for the widowed mother of Baskerville, who died of pneumonia in Brisbane near the end of the tour.
Callam subsequently relocated to Australia and passed away in Sydney in 1961.
