Melville Marks Robinson (April 8, 1888 – June 6, 1974) was a Canadian journalist and sports executive, also known as M. M. Robinson and Bobby Robinson. He was the sports editor of The Hamilton Spectator, and founded the British Empire Games, now known as the Commonwealth Games.[1]
Career
Born in Peterborough, Ontario, Canada, Bobby Robinson left school at 13 to work as an office boy at the Toronto News where he later was assistant sports editor. In 1910 he became sports editor for The Hamilton Spectator.[2] He attended the 1928 Summer Olympics in Amsterdam as manager of the Canadian track and field team, to which he had recruited British Guiana runner Phil Edwards, whose "country" (actually a colony) had no Olympic team; like other countries' teams, this was Canada's first-ever co-ed track and field team.[3]
The Amsterdam Olympics provided Robinson with a venue for the contacts he would need to sell the idea of holding British Empire Games in the "spirit of friendly competition". The first British Empire Games were therefore held in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada in 1930, with Edwards competing for British Guiana.
He died in Burlington on June 6, 1974[4] and is buried in Greenwood Cemetery in Burlington.[5]
References
^Scheffler, Ken. . Archived from the original on January 23, 2005. Retrieved February 12, 2007.
^"M.M. Robinson — a Burlingtonian who made a difference". Burlington Post. Retrieved March 3, 2019.
^"'Just give us' the Commonwealth Games in 2030, Canada plans to tell counterpart countries". National Post. Retrieved April 15, 2018.
^. Archived from the original on September 26, 2007.
^"Melville Marks "Bobby" Robinson". Find a Grave. Retrieved June 11, 2022.
April 17, 2023
melville, marks, robinson, april, 1888, june, 1974, canadian, journalist, sports, executive, also, known, robinson, bobby, robinson, sports, editor, hamilton, spectator, founded, british, empire, games, known, commonwealth, games, career, editborn, peterboroug. Melville Marks Robinson April 8 1888 June 6 1974 was a Canadian journalist and sports executive also known as M M Robinson and Bobby Robinson He was the sports editor of The Hamilton Spectator and founded the British Empire Games now known as the Commonwealth Games 1 Career EditBorn in Peterborough Ontario Canada Bobby Robinson left school at 13 to work as an office boy at the Toronto News where he later was assistant sports editor In 1910 he became sports editor for The Hamilton Spectator 2 He attended the 1928 Summer Olympics in Amsterdam as manager of the Canadian track and field team to which he had recruited British Guiana runner Phil Edwards whose country actually a colony had no Olympic team like other countries teams this was Canada s first ever co ed track and field team 3 The Amsterdam Olympics provided Robinson with a venue for the contacts he would need to sell the idea of holding British Empire Games in the spirit of friendly competition The first British Empire Games were therefore held in Hamilton Ontario Canada in 1930 with Edwards competing for British Guiana Robinson who lived near Hamilton on a farm in Burlington Ontario 1 permanent dead link from 1920 1957 was later appointed to the board of Burlington High School serving from 1940 to 1963 including as its president from 1950 to 1963 Upon his retirement a new school M M Robinson High School was named in his honour He died in Burlington on June 6 1974 4 and is buried in Greenwood Cemetery in Burlington 5 References Edit Scheffler Ken 19th Canadian Machine Gun Company CEF M M Robinson Archived from the original on January 23 2005 Retrieved February 12 2007 M M Robinson a Burlingtonian who made a difference Burlington Post Retrieved March 3 2019 Just give us the Commonwealth Games in 2030 Canada plans to tell counterpart countries National Post Retrieved April 15 2018 The Hamilton Gallery Of Distinction Archived from the original on September 26 2007 Melville Marks Bobby Robinson Find a Grave Retrieved June 11 2022 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Melville Marks Robinson amp oldid 1093839368, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
