Hall of Famer
George Anderson
Inducted in 1973
Member Details
Career Highlights
Resurrected the Canadian Football Soccer Association, which later became the Canadian Soccer Association
Organized visit to Canada of the famous Locomotive Moscow squad which was the first Soviet team to play in Canada
Lifetime membership in the Manitoba Soccer Association
Inducted into Manitoba Sports Hall of Fame
![Hall of Famer George Anderson](/media/member_files/upload/X981.501.1.3_u.jpg)
![Inspire](/themes/sportshall_2018/structure/logo_inspire.png)
Story
It's fair to say that were it not for George Anderson, soccer would not have become important to Canadians. Anderson immigrated to Canada in 1909 and promptly began to establish himself as "Mr. Soccer" in Manitoba. Mr. Soccer then spent the best part of the next sixty years building national and international profile and renown for the sport. From 1911 until 1914, he played soccer for several clubs, including Souris in the Manitoba Southwestern Senior League; Britannia Football Club, in the Winnipeg and District League; St. Stephen's, in the Winnipeg Church League; and, the Winnipeg Free Press, in the Winnipeg Printers' League. He enlisted with the Winnipeg Rifles in 1914 and served overseas until 1919. After his return to Winnipeg, Anderson was the secretary of the Manitoba Minor Soccer Association, Manitoba Senior Soccer Association, and the Canadian Soccer Football Association which he helped re-organize after the Second World War. Anderson was devoted to improving soccer in Canada to global standards. Much of his invaluable talent and efforts went into organizing tours of top teams from Europe so that Canadians could play against and enjoy professional-calibre players. One highlight was the visit, in 1956, from the famous Locomotive Moscow squad which was the first Soviet team to play in Canada. Possessing fantastic organizational ability, George Anderson was a true builder of sport in Manitoba and Canada. He was a recipient of many honours, notably lifetime memberships in the Manitoba Soccer Association in 1978 and the Manitoba Junior Football Association (Manitoba Youth Soccer Association) in 1937. Anderson was employed by the Veteran's Press in Winnipeg for thirty-seven years prior to his retirement.