Charles William Miller

This article is about the Brazilian footballer and referee. For other people called Charles Miller, see Charles Miller (disambiguation).

Charles William Miller
Miller in the St Mary's side of 1893-94.
Born	24 November 1874(1874-11-24) São Paulo, Brazil
Died	30 June 1953(1953-06-30) (aged 78) São Paulo, Brazil[1]
Nationality	Anglo-Scots-Brazilian
Occupation	Sportsman Civil Servant
Known for	Introducing football to Brazil

Charles William Miller (24 November 1874 – 30 June 1953) was a Brazilian sportsman, who is considered to be the father of football in Brazil.^[2]

Early life

He was born in São Paulo to John Miller, a Scottish railway engineer and Brazilian mother of English descent, Carlota Fox.

In 1884 he was sent to the Banister Court public school in Southampton, Hampshire, England where he learnt to play football and cricket.^[3] Whilst at school he played for and against both the Corinthians and St. Mary's (now Southampton FC). He was recorded in the 1891 English Census whilst a boarder at Millbrook School.^[2]

Influence

When he returned to Brazil in 1894, Miller brought two footballs and a set of Hampshire FA rules in his suitcase.^[3] Miller was instrumental in setting up the football team of the São Paulo Athletic Club (SPAC) and the Liga Paulista, the first football league in Brazil. With him as striker SPAC won the first three championships in 1902, 1903 and 1904.

By 1906, Miller was playing in goal and as such participated in SPAC's heaviest defeat, 9-1 to Sport Club Internacional of São Paulo (not to be confused with Sport Club Internacional). After the result SPAC resigned from the league as did Miller from its directorate.^[2]

It was Miller that suggested the name to the first President of Sport Club Corinthians Paulista.^[2]

Personal life

Miller worked at the São Paulo Railway Company becoming the Royal Mail's agent and Acting British Vice-Consul in 1904. In January 1906, he married the renowned pianist Antonietta Rudge; the union produced two children, Carlos (1907) and Helena (1909). The late 1920s saw the couple split with Antonietta moving in with the poet Menotti.

In 1939 on perhaps his last return to England, he was nearly killed in the first IRA bombing on the mainland; his daughter stopped to window shop just seconds before the bomb went off on the steps to the nearby underground station.^[2]

See also

• Oscar Cox
• Henry Welfare

Sources

• Lacey, Josh (2007) God Is Brazilian: Charles Miller, the Man Who Brought Football To Brazil. NPI Media Group. ISBN 0-75243-414-4

References

1. ^ "Introdutor do futebol no Brasil: Charles William Miller". educacao.uol.com.br. 2009-10-21. http://educacao.uol.com.br/biografias/ult1789u725.jhtm. 
2. ^ ^{a b c d e} Hamilton, Aidan (1998). An Entirely Different Game, The British Influence on Brazilian Football. Mainstream Publishing. ISBN 1-84018-041-2. 
3. ^ ^{a b} "The First Brazilian Saint". Southampton FC. 16 June 2010. http://www.saintsfc.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10280~2072034,00.html. Retrieved 17 June 2010. 

External links

• Cricket career (Brazil)
• Cricket career (England)

Persondata
Name	Miller, Charles William
Alternative names
Short description
Date of birth	24 November 1874
Place of birth	São Paulo, Brazil
Date of death	30 June 1953
Place of death	São Paulo, Brazil