Oscar Cox
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Oscar Alfredo Cox (* 20 January 1880, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; † 6 October 1931, Clermont-Ferrand, France). Oscar Cox introduced football (soccer) to Rio.
His parents were British diplomat George Emmanuel Cox, born in Guayaquil, Ecuador), and Minervina Dutra Cox. George Cox founded two cricket clubs in Rio: in 1872 the Paysandu Cricket Club, and in 1897 the Rio Cricket & Athletic Association.
Oscar Cox studied "Humanities" in the La Villa college of Lausanne, Switzerland where he first experienced football. After returning from Switzerland in 1897 he tried, initially without success, to introduce this sport in Rio. Eventually, on 22 September 1901 he was able to organize the first football match in the history of the Rio de Janeiro state.
The historic match between Brazilian born players and English born players ended one all and was played at the Rio Cricket field in Niterói, a club of which his father was president and he and his brothers (Sidney, Amanda, George, Noemia, Anita, Edwin and Harold) were all members.
He is best known though for founding Fluminense Football Club on July 21, 1902, one of the biggest clubs in Brazil, and where World Cup stars like Didi, Carlos Alberto, Rivellino and Branco have shown their talents to the world. Oscar Cox was Fluminense's first president, from July 21, 1902 to 1904.
In May 1910 he moved to Europe where he died. His body was brought back to his native country aboard the ship Massília and was buried in the "São João Baptista" Cemetery next to his father.
His younger brother Edwin (affectionally known as "Pops") would achieve greater fame in the field as champion and main goal scorer of the Ligue Romande de Football in 1900 playing for "La Villa" and also as three times champion of the Rio de Janeiro State Championship in 1906, 1907 and 1908 playing for Fluminense.
