Obituary: Charlie Hodgson
2 Aug 2023Scottish Rugby is saddened to learn of the death of former Scotland wing Charlie Hodgson. He was 85 when he passed away in the United States last month.
Charles Gordon Hodgson won two caps for Scotland on the left wing against Ireland and England in 1968.
He made his debut in Dublin when he was a late replacement on the eve of the match for the injured Hamish Keith.
Born in Lenzie on 11 May 1938, Hodgson attended the High School of Glasgow and went on to play for the FP team, winning Glasgow District honours in 1961 and playing in the international trials in 1962.
A quantity surveyor, having graduated from what is now Strathclyde University, work took Hodgson south where he joined London Scottish and also played county championship rugby for both Hampshire and Middlesex.
Hodgson almost marked his second cap – and first international appearance at Murrayfield – with a Calcutta Cup try.
Pictured: Charlie sits two to the right of captain Jim Telfer ahead of Scotland’s Calcutta Cup match against England, 1968.
Contemporary reports noted: “A clean catch by (Alistair) McHarg initiated the move from which Hodgson almost scored a try inside the first ten minutes. The impetus from (Ian) Robertson’s half-break and kick-ahead was carried on by (John) Frame’s hack and the ball bounced up neatly for Hodgson. Even though the winger left the ball infield as he was bowled into touch near the corner (England) scrambled it out of play.”
Hodgson crossed the Atlantic and was based initially in Toronto, Canada, before moving to New Jersey. He was soon involved in a number of major construction projects in New Jersey and New York and continued to play club rugby in Manhattan.
He would regularly return to Scotland to watch the national team.
Scottish Rugby extends its sincere condolences to his wife of 53 years, Corinne, four children, six grand-children and all other family and friends.
