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Jack Macdonald (sportsman)

Jack Macdonald
Born John Hoani Macdonald
(1907-10-26)26 October 1907
Blenheim, New Zealand
Died 1 January 1982(1982-01-01) (aged 74)
Picton, New Zealand
Occupation Professional rugby league player
Restaurateur
Relatives Leon MacDonald (grand-nephew)
Hoani MacDonald (grand-nephew)

Jamie Joseph (grand-nephew)
Medal record
Men's rowing
Representing  New Zealand
British Empire Games
Gold medal – first place 1930 Hamilton Coxed four
Silver medal – second place 1930 Hamilton Eight
Height 1.85 m (6 ft 1 in)
Weight 85 kg (13 st 6 lb)
Rugby union career
Position(s) Three-quarter
Full-back
Provincial / State sides
Years Team Apps (Points)
1927
1928–35
Manawhenua
Marlborough
()
National team(s)
Years Team Apps (Points)
1926–35
1942
1943–44
New Zealand Māori
England Services
New Zealand Services
()
Position(s) Three-quarter
Full-back
Provincial / State sides
Years Team Apps (Points)
1927
1928–35
Manawhenua
Marlborough
()
National team(s)
Years Team Apps (Points)
1926–35
1942
1943–44
New Zealand Māori
England Services
New Zealand Services
()
Rugby league career
Position(s) Three-quarters
Senior career
Years Team Apps (Points)
1935–37 Streatham and Mitcham
Huddersfield
Rochdale Hornets
()
Position(s) Three-quarters
Senior career
Years Team Apps (Points)
1935–37 Streatham and Mitcham
Huddersfield
Rochdale Hornets
()

John Hoani "Jack" Macdonald (26 October 1907 – 1 January 1982) was a New Zealand sportsman. He competed in rowing at the 1930 Empire Games, winning gold in the coxed fours, and at the 1932 Summer Olympics, becoming one of the first two Māori Olympians. He played rugby union for New Zealand Māori from 1926 to 1935 and professional rugby league in England from 1935 to 1939. During World War II he served in the Royal New Zealand Air Force and played rugby union for New Zealand Services and England Services sides. He also played tennis for the Royal New Zealand Air Force team in armed forces matches at Wimbledon. He was inducted into the Māori Sports Hall of Fame in 2008.

Macdonald was born in Blenheim in 1907. Of Māori descent, he affiliated to the Rangitāne iwi. His father, also called Jack, played rugby for the New Zealand Māori team, as did his brothers Manny and Enoka. In accordance with his mother's wishes, Macdonald always spelled his name with a lower case 'd'.

Macdonald was a member of the Wairau Rowing Club. At the 1930 interprovincial championships on the Whau River in Auckland, he was the number five in the second-placed Marlborough eight.

He competed for New Zealand at the 1930 British Empire Games in Hamilton, Ontario, winning a gold medal in the men's coxed fours and a silver medal in the men's eights.

At the opening ceremony of the 1932 Olympic Games in Los Angeles, Macdonald was the flag bearer for New Zealand. He was a member of the New Zealand boat which was eliminated in the repêchage of the men's eight. Macdonald and Laurie Jackson, also a member of the men's eight, were the first Māori Olympians.


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