Memories of Callister
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A BC Soccer History Series Report Memories of Callister Con Jones Park/Callister Park: 1921-1970 Vancouver Soccer’s Spiritual Home The history, photographs and personal memories of playing soccer at Con Jones Park / Callister Park, Vancouver’s home of soccer for 50 years. Prepared to mark the centenary of the first soccer game at the Park on June 23rd, 1921 BC Soccer Heritage: June 23rd, 2021 Memories of Callister Con Jones/Callister Park: Vancouver Soccer’s Spiritual Home: 1921-1970 Contents In 1904 John Callister acquired forest land in Hastings Townsite across from today’s PNE, The History of the Park 2 – 5 where he built his home. Archival Photographs 6 – 12 Personal Memories 13 – 16 In 1903, Con Jones, a flamboyant Australian, Notes & Credits, Further Information 16 arrived in Vancouver. He would be a driving force in soccer in BC for the next 25 years. Little Con Jones/Callister Park is known about Con Jones’ early As BC’s most popular sport, soccer now takes life, other than he was born in place at parks throughout the City of Vancouver Sydney, Australia in 1869 and and Lower Mainland. But for many lifelong may have been a bookie. Jones soccer players and supporters, the home of proved to be an impressive soccer in Vancouver is a park which has not Vancouver entrepreneur, seen a game since 1970. Across from the PNE, opening a chain of tobacconists, at Oxford Street and Renfrew Street, lies pool halls and a bowling alley, Callister Park. From 1921 to 1942 as Con Jones and becoming one of the city’s Park and from 1942 to 1970 as Callister Park, most successful sports Con Jones the stadium on this land was home to much of promoters ever. the storied history of soccer in Vancouver. While the phrase “hallowed turf” cannot be Early Soccer Stadiums in Vancouver used to describe what became a dirt pitch with The City of Vancouver was incorporated in 1886, hardly a blade of grass, many still regard this as following the initial development around Stamp’s Vancouver soccer’s spiritual home. Lumber Mill in 1867 and the completion of the CPR in 1871. The city grew rapidly on land within the traditional Con Jones and John Callister territory of the Coast Salish peoples. It reached a The history of the park is wrapped up in the population of 14,000 by 1891. stories of two men, Australian Con Jones, and The sports community also grew quickly, as many of the Manxman (Isle of Man, UK) John Callister. early settlers came from the UK and Europe, where organized sports were very popular. In 1889, sports fields John Callister arrived in Vancouver in 1885. were built at today’s New Brighton Park, at the Cambie Leaving the Isle of Man, he had been a Street Grounds (Larwill Park) and in 1890 at Brockton carpenter and builder in Chicago and San Point in Stanley Park. In 1899 the Vancouver AFC club Francisco, came to Vancouver and lost cleared the Powell Street Grounds (Oppenheimer Park). everything he owned a year later in 1886 in In 1905 the first field enclosed with covered stands, Vancouver’s “Great Fire” that Recreation Park at Smithe and Homer downtown, was destroyed the city. He went built for baseball and other sports, holding 6,000 on to success as a Vancouver spectators. In 1913, the park was closed when CPR sold builder/ developer, including the land for development. Bob Brown moved his building the "Ellesmere baseball team to Athletic Park, a new facility he built at Rooms" at Pender and Hemlock and 5th Avenue, again used by numerous other Homer, and a supporter of sports including lacrosse and soccer. In 1892, a racetrack the Vancouver Reading Room had been built at Hasting Park, later with an athletic park on Cordova. with sports fields inside the racetrack oval. By 1920, a booming population, limited facilities and a John Callister growing interest in watching sports created the need2 and business opportunity for more spectator sports facilities. At that time, lacrosse (field) was more popular Con Jones Park 1921 - 1942 than hockey. Jones promoted a BC Lacrosse There were two demonstration ‘test’ soccer Professional League featuring his team, the games at the new park on May 28th and June Vancouver Athletic Club. Jones recruited players 4th, and a professional lacrosse game between from Eastern Canada to compete against the Jones’ Vancouver team and Victoria. While the champion New Westminster Salmonbellies. His Newcastle tour did not materialize, a men’s Vancouver AC won the national championship Scottish FA team did tour Canada that summer. Minto Cup in 1911 with attendance of 14,000, The first significant soccer game at Con Jones at Recreation Park. Lacrosse was a huge Park was on June 23rd 1921 between the commercial and sporting success for Jones. Scottish FA and the BC All-Stars, the Scots To replicate his lacrosse success, Jones winning 3-0 in front of 5,000 spectators. promoted and started a professional soccer league, which operated occasionally in 1910 and 1911, before fading away. ~---SOCCER----~ Moving to Hastings vs Up to 1912, Jones’s lacrosse team played at SCO S B. C. Recreation Park downtown. When this was sold Thur day Evenin , 6:30, Con. Jon s' P rk Admwton 100, Boy, 250 for development, Jones moved his team out to a facility inside the Hastings Park Race Course. In 1920, Jones purchased Callister’s “Lot 5” land The next week, on July 1st, 1921 the opening across Renfrew from Hastings Park for $10,000. game of Jones’ latest men’s professional soccer By this time, Jones was promoting professional league took place at the park, Nanaimo beating soccer a second time. In 1920 he persuaded the Vancouver Celtics 2-1. This league did not catch national Canadian soccer body to recognize the on and very few other pro soccer games are new provincial association he had set up to recorded at that time. Con Jones Park became allow professional play, with a promise to bring the home of amateur and semi-pro soccer, England’s Newcastle United to tour Canada. lacrosse, baseball and other sports. In the space of a year, on “Lot 5”, Jones built a Jones died in 1929 following a stroke while fully-enclosed sports stadium named for watching a soccer game at his park. In June himself, with seating for 6,000 plus more 1934, the park’s grandstands burned down, but standing, primarily as a home for his lacrosse were quickly rebuilt by his two sons who had and soccer ventures, supported by extensive taken over running the park. on-site advertising for his tobacco business. Con Jones Park 1924 3 1942 - 1970: Callister Park English FA 4-4 in front of 9,200 spectators. This was the first time in 30 years of such games that Upon his death in 1934, John Callister, a a BC team had tied a visiting team of bachelor, left his property to two nieces. After professional players, and this FA team included the death of her sister, Mrs. Ada M. Stevenson the famed Stanley Matthews and Nat inherited all of the property. In 1942, Stevenson Lofthouse. “Weekend Boys take the FA Apart” reclaimed the “Con Jones Park” land, as Jones proclaimed the Vancouver Sun. and his sons had only made three payments of In 1951 BC All-Stars defeated AIK of Sweden at $1,000 on the $10,000 purchase, and had not Callister, shortly after Victoria All-Stars had paid city taxes. To settle matters with the city, registered BC’s first victory over touring Mrs. Stevenson then gifted the park to the City professionals by beating Fulham 1-0. In 1953, of Vancouver on condition it be renamed BC Mainland All-Stars defeated the Northern "Callister Park" in her uncle’s honour. Irish FA visitors. In 1959, in the last All-Star From 1942, managed by the PNE Association, game at Callister, BC All-Stars defeated Callister Park continued to host the same sports Municipal of Peru by 5-3. and became Vancouver’s premier soccer venue. Once Empire Stadium was built, its capacity led Callister Park would close before women’s/girls’ such games to be switched across Renfrew. soccer was established in the 1970s, but it hosted games between BC All-Stars and touring European professional men’s teams, was home Con Jones/Callister Park All-Star Games to Canada’s premier men’s soccer league, the Year All-Stars Visitors Score Pacific Coast League, and was the primary host 1921 BC Scottish FA (Third Lanark) 0-3 of men’s and boys’ Provincial Cup finals 1924 Vancouver Corinthians (**) 1-1 1924 Canada Corinthians (**) 1-2 All-Star Games at Con Jones/ Callister Park 1935 Vancouver Scottish FA 0-1 The highlights of each BC soccer season from 1937 Vancouver Charlton Athletic 2-3 the 1920s to the 1970s were the visits of 1938 Vancouver Islington Corinthians (**) 2-2 1938 Vancouver Islington Corinthians (**) 3-0 touring men’s professional club and national 1939 Vancouver Scottish FA 1-4 association teams. The touring teams played 1939 Vancouver Scottish FA 2-3 games in Vancouver, Victoria and Nanaimo as 1949 BC Newcastle United 2-5 part of cross-Canada tours. The local amateurs 1949 BC Newcastle United 1-8 always had a tough time, but thousands came 1950 BC English FA 4-4 out to see the pride of BC pit their wits against 1950 BC English FA 1-7 the world’s professionals. In the 20s and 30s, 1950 BC Atlas Club, Mexico 1-1 crowds reached 5,000 -7,000.