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Sports Miscellany: 19th August, 1912

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There is a spirit of unrest in local athletic circles, and as a result there is some talk of forming a “progressive” party to look after the interests of athletes generally.   At the head of the movement are one or two well known runners, and it will be interesting to watch developments.

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Edinburgh Southern Harriers are having an invitation sprint in their programme on Saturday.   RC Duncan and HJ Christie will represent  West of Scotland Harriers, and George Sandilands of Edinburgh Harriers may make this his farewell appearance.   Sandilands has had a long career on the track, and in his time has won many notable victories.   He will be a loss to athletics in the Capital.

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Amateur sports will be held at Inverness on the 31st, which is the Trades Holiday in Glasgow, and several athletes, availing themselves of the cheap railway facilities, intend going north for this meeting.   The late JD Findlayson, an old Queens Park runner, was instrumental in sowing the amateur seed in the Capital of the North, and the meeting will always be regarded as a monument to his keen interest in amateur athletics.

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The Amateur Rowing Association has resolved “that in view of the efforts that are being made in other branches of athletics to raise funds by public subscription for the expenses and training of competitors at the next Olympiad, this committee deprecates such action as tending to professionalism in sport and calls the attention of its affiliated members to the fact that under ARA rules oarsmen are no longer amateurs if their expenses are paid by funds raised outwith their own rowing clubs.”

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AW Applegarth, the accomplished London sprinter has been holidaying at Copenhagen, and that, no doubt, accounts for his non-appearance at the Rangers  and Celtic meetings.   He established a Danish record for the 100 metres – 10 3-5th seconds – and on one occasion he covered the 200 metres in 22 seconds.    Altogether he captured eleven first prizes in handicaps and scratch races, and on the foregoing form would have proved a greater attraction at Ibrox and Parkhead than D Lippincott, of American distinction.

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Of the Olympic quartet who figured in the Glasgow fortnight, Melvin Sheppard was the only one who showed any running.   In the Rangers special half-mile he did 1 min 58 1-5th, and later in the afternoon equalled his last Scottish time, 1 min 56 2-5th sec.   At the Celtic Sports he won the scratch half-mile in 1 min 58 sec, and the quarter in 51 4-5th sec, while in the 1000 yards handicap, his time was 2 min 24 sec.   Thee are very creditable performances but not be compared with the sequence of brilliant runs made by HE Gissing last season.

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The AAA tug-o-war championships are to be decided at Stamford Bridge on September 21st in connection with the autumn meeting of the London AC.   We should like to see Scotland represented in this event.   The London Police have a great reputation as ‘pullers’ , but we have the impression that the HLI team which took part in the Territorial Championships at Edinburgh a few weeks ago could more than hold their own.   Colonel Cochran takes a great pride in his tug-o-war team and if he wants to win for it an international reputation he should send it to Stamford Bridge next month,

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Melvin Sheppard, JE Meredith and D Lippincott are on their way home.   All were delighted with their visit to Glasgow and speak in glowing terms of the welcome that they received at Ibrox and Parkhead – all the more appreciated by them seeing they did so little to deserve it, as they themselves declare.   Sheppard may not be seen on the track in this country again, as he is now nearing the veteran stage, but Lippincott and Meredith, should they prosecute an athletic career, will make a return visit to this country.   Hans Braun too has made associations in Glasgow which he has promised to renew next summer when he hopes to be less susceptible to the eccentric weather conditions.

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    The announcement, exclusively made in the ‘Herald’ that R Hales, the Irish champion, has decided to go to America in the course of a few months, has opened up a vista of splendid possibilities.   Properly trained Hales will accomplish great things in another season.   His two-mile performance at Parkhead on Tuesday took everyone by surprise, although in this column last Monday we prepared our readers for a performance that would make people speak.   Hales did more than anyone to invest the Celtic Sports with significance, and it is generally felt that but for his two performances, the meeting would not have had anything by which to perpetuate it in the annals of city athletics.

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Sports Miscellany, 12th August, 1912

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West of Scotland Harriers will be represented in the relay race at Leith on Saturday, and the team will probably be JH Douglas, WS Stewart, jnr, AB Kerr and WB Unkles.   Maryhill Harriers will hold a confined meeting at Ibrox Park on Wednesday evening, and as the membership is particularly rich in pedestrian talent, ranging from George Hamilton in the sprints to J McFarlane in the mile, the sport should be highly interesting.   There will be either three or four flat races, and a high jump.   All handicaps.

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After breaking quarter mile record at New Brighton on Bank Holiday, Van Johnston whose riding on Saturday was one of the glowing features of the Celtic FC Sports returned to his home in Birmingham, and there won three Midland championships – quarter, Mile and Five Mile – on Tuesday.   He had practically no opposition, the other cracks being engaged elsewhere.   Johnston has had an extraordinary run of success this season, and the fact that he has been in the forefront of British riders for so long is proof of the assiduity with which he train sand the care with which he nourishes his form.

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With regard to the Olympic Games in Berlin in 1916, it has been decided that there shall be a congress in Paris of all the Olympic committees in 1914to consider such questions as the desirability of a common programme and Standard regulations including the limitation of entries.   Questions regarding the organisation and management of the Games will be discussed,   and a proposal in favour of a considerable reduction in the number of entries will come from Britain.   The question of judging will also ne dealt with at the Paris congress, and it will be decided whether an international panel of judges will be drawn up, from whom alone the country in which the sports are held will be entitled to select the judges for the various events.

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That of the Ardrossan Athletic Club is the only “seaside” meeting in the West of Scotland.   With the passion for amusement that is now everywhere a characteristic of coast life, we are surprised that there are not more athletic meetings at watering resorts on the Clyde.   The Ardrossan meeting is gaining in popularity every year, and there is no reason why it should not in time become a rival to the great Glasgow Fair functions at Ayr.   The present committee have that ideal before them, and that they are fast realising it is the opinion of all who have followed the stages of progress which have marked the Ardrossan meeting.   For Saturday first, the entries are large and as this is practically the last meeting of the season the runners may be expected to display all their powers.

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One of the features of the Rangers supplementary sports, was the brilliant running of HJ Christie, West of Scotland Harriers, in the 300 yards handicap.   He won his heat in 32 2-5th sec and the final in 32 1-5th sec – both excellent performances, considering that he was not pushed in either race.   As a matter of fact he palpably slowed in the last 30 yards of the final, and even at that beat his club companion Stewart by a yard.   Christie, owing to a slight accident, opened the season inauspiciously, but since the beginning of July he has figured weekly in the prize-list, except at Kilbirnie, where he only finished fourth in the final of the 100 yards.   In all he has won four firsts, three seconds and two fourths, which is a splendid return for his exertions.

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Irish runners have been playing “skittles” with a number of handicaps lately.   Little more than a trot enabled J Wickham (Donore Harriers) to win the Rangers FC 100 yards handicap, but in this case there was something so obviously wrong with the “form” that the SAAA decided to make some enquiries.   At the Royton Sports on Bank Holiday, J Baird, East Antrim Harriers  (7 yards),  and I McCormich Queen’s University AC (8 1/2 yards) were first and second in 10 sec; and at Stoke on Tuesday, S McComb, Queens University AC (3 yards) and J Baird with a handicap reduced from 7 yards to 4, were first and third in the 100 yards in 10 1-5th sec, while at the same meeting WR McComish Cliftonville AC (10 1/4 yards) captured the 120 yards handicap in 11 4-5th sec.   In 1900 McComish was  Booth Hall Plate winner  and in the light of that fact, 10 1/4 yards is a very generous concession.    Irish handicapping is undergoing a very severe test at the moment not only in Scotland but in England as well, and unless the International Board takes the matter in hand we shall be treated one of these days to a repeat of the Ibrox incident.

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Those who won prizes at Hampden Park on Thursday night are the possessors of plate which from an artistic and value point of view is far ahead of anything that has been put up for competition this season, and possibly those who attempted to boycott the meeting are now sorry they lent themselves to such unsportsmanlike conduct.   The Queen’s have always given prizes that are worth running for and this characteristic was more than maintained on Thursday night.    JM Taylor, West of Scotland Harriers, 9 1/2 yards, won the 100 yards by inches from R Raeburn, winner of the Kilbirnie sprint; while RC Duncan was third.   WA Stewart, the Scottish champion won his heat, which was composed wholly of novices; but in the semi-final he was caught napping, for which it is just possible the easy win in the first heat was to blame.   Anyhow, the final lost something of its interest by his defeat, while at the same time it deprived many of an opportunity of balancing the respective merits of the past and present holders of the sprint championship.   The half-mile racing was the finest we have seen anywhere this season.   There were three heats, all of which produced remarkable finishes, while the final was as close a race as the 100 yards.   George Dallas, Maryhill Harriers 15 yards, was the winner and his time was 2 min 1 sec.   He just beat F Thomson, Paisley Junior Harriers 60 yards, by inches and JS Matthews, West of Scotland Harriers 50 yards, who was leading 20 yards from home was third.   In other words, the virtual scratch man just beat the limit man, and it is not often this is witnessed in a distance handicap.   R Hales, the Irish champion was a spectator and he expressed himself greatly delighted with the racing.

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The Celtic FC are holding a supplementary meeting tomorrow night.   It is with a view to providing a treat to those who participate in the shop-keepers half-holiday that Celtic are extending their sports over tomorrow, and no doubt many will find their way to Parkhead, and will be amply repaid for doing so, Mr Maley has persuaded the American runners to wait over for this meeting.   Meredith and Sheppard will will run in the 1000 yards handicap.   The former may not feel at home over this distance but Sheppard, to whom any distance from a quarter to a mile seems to come quite freely, will perhaps do a big performance.   The all-comers time is well within his powers, and if there is to be any record smashing it should be over this distance.   Those in the handicap, anyhow,  will pull him out and records can only be made with the help of others.   A two miles handicap will figure in the programme with R Hales, the Irish champion, scratch.   Hales, it appears has been specially training over two miles.   He requested the Rangers to put up a  race at this distance which they did but he did not appear at Ibrox.   Over 20 runners have been invited by the Celtic to take part in this handicap.   Then Meredith, Sheppard, and perhaps Braun, are to have a quarter mile for their special delectation.   All are great runners over the 440, and it is said they are going to make an attempt to lower Lieutenant Halswell’s  record of 48 2-5th sec.   That will take some shifting, as the saying goes.   Lippencott will appear in the 100 yards and possibly he may give us a glimpse of the pace he disclosed in Stockholm.   His two appearances over 100 yards have been a little disappointing, but there is always hope where there is life, so there is always a chance of a sprinter so talented as Lippencott doing something big.

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Sports Miscellany: 4th August, 1912

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The Celtic FC are holding supplementary sports on Tuesday evening next week.   They are appealing thereby to those in the city who participate in the weekly half holiday, and the response is certain to be generous.   Shopkeepers have few opportunities of seeing first class sport, and the fact that Celtic are catering specially for this section of the public is further proof of the business instinct of the Parkhead directorate.   The semi-final and final ties of the five-a-side football competition are one of the attractions, and there will be others in the form of flat handicaps, which may possibly betaken part in by the American athletes now on a visit to our city.

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The Queens Park FC are holding a modest meeting at Hampden Park on Thursday evening.   Besides a number of confined races, there are two open handicaps – 100 yards and 880 yards.   Capital entries have been received, and though these lack the Olympic glamour the racing will be none the less interesting  on that account.   Hampden has been the scene of much bustle lately, and there is evidently a desire on the part of all to take a higher position in league football than has been the lot of the premier club for some years.   They have the best wishes of a loyal public in their endeavour to make amends for past failures, and that is always an inspiring and refreshing asset for any team to have.

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No one can keep HJ Christie from winning the aggregate prize in conjunction with the evening meetings of the West of Scotland Harriers.   He is far ahead of all in the matter of points, and it would seem to be almost impossible to handicap him out of the races in which he takes part, b they sprints or middle distances.   On Wednesday of last week he won the 100 yards with an allowance of half a yard from RC Duncan.   In open handicaps he and Duncan are on the same mark, so there would seem to be little difference between the two from whatever point of view one estimates their worth.   WS Unkles, the Obstacle champion, won the 600 yards after a punishing finish with WS Stewart, junior,  Eric R MacDougall being third.   Four teams took part in the relay race, made up of four 220’s, and the winning quartet were JS Ritchie, AB Kerr, FM Stoddart and J Bird.   In some respects last Wednesday’s meeting was one of the most interesting of the series, and the good these series is accomplishing is to be seen in the frequency with which the magic letters W.S.H appear in the list of prize-winners.

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 Mr William Maley is well advanced with his arrangements for the great meeting on Saturday first.   His programme contains several novelties that were not in the Rangers’… For the first here is the cycling which always appeals to ones imagination.    It is a thrilling sport, and rivets the attention even to a greater extent than flat racing, not matter how interesting.   This sport has been allowed to go into decline in Scotland for various causes, and what was at one time the ‘peoples sport’ is now almost a thing of the past.    Thanks, however, to the Celtic we are to have several cycle races at Parkhead on Saturday.   These will be taken part in by several of England’s foremost riders, among others Victor Johnson and Ernest Payne, both of whom have frequently appeared at Scottish meetings.   Johnson is riding as vigorously as ever, and although Payne has gone back a little, which is only natural in view of growing years, he is still a first class rider.   Ireland will be represented by WP Murray and R Kerr, both of whom are little short in power, speed and and track intelligence to Johnson and Payne.   We expect refreshing sport in the cycle races.    Then Harry Martin will give speed displays on his motor.   These scarcely come under the category of sport, but are nevertheless an interesting departure from the orthodox sports entertainment.   Another novelty is the steeplechase with water jumps.   S Frost, the English champion, will figure in this event.   He is R Noakes’s successor and a most accomplished one too.   There is humour in the steeplechase, and it would be well if there was more of this element in modern athletics.   There will be several invitation handicaps for our American visitors, and in the meantime, everything points to a meeting superior to anything yet held by Celtic FC, and to those who can recall past functions of this club a remark of this kind implies immense possibilities in the way of recreative enjoyment.

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If tradition goes for anything – and it means a lot in the athletic realm – the running at the Rangers continuation meeting this evening should be an advance in some respects on what was witnessed at Ibrox on Saturday.   For evening sport in the western district has the reputation of being better than is usually witnessed on a Saturday afternoon.   It comes natural to our men to run then, coinciding as it does with their practice hours, and there is an abandon and a sprightliness which are sometimes wanting at other times.   The Rangers are putting up an interesting programme this evening.   The distances are a departure from orthodox lines, being 120 yards, 300 yards, 1000 yards and a mile and a half, all handicaps, in addition to which there will be two special handicaps for those who lent such a charm to Saturday’s proceedings.   The entries for the open handicaps  are considerably in advance of last year, there being 72 for the 120 yards, 61 for the 300 yards, 52 for the 1000 yards and 39 for the mile and a half, for which E Owens and R Hales adorn scratch mark.   McNicol has 15 yards, A Kerr 90, J McFarlane 60, D McPhee 85, SS Watt 80 and T McTurk is the limit with 200 yards.   There are familiar names in the sprints, WA Stewart the SAAA champion being scratch in both.   HJ Christie in the 300 yards has 6 yards, J Sandilands has 7, JB Sweet 10, RC McFarlane 13, JH Rodger 13, W Law 11 and TC Wright 11, while the limit is 28 yards.   We look for good racing in this event.   Douglas McNicol is scratch in the 1000 yards.   A few days ago at Ayr he ran a fine race over this distance finishing second in 2 min 17 1-5th sec or a shade worse than the Scottish record.   He will have to do as well tonight to win judging by the starts which are on a tolerably liberal scale.   For example, JH Rodger has 18 yards, WF Taylor 30, D McPhee 40, John Giffen 38, ER MacDougall 29, A McPhee 38, and Frank Stoddart 35.   The five-a-side competition will be completed tonight.

Archie Craig

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 A Craig founder0002

Archie Craig of Bellahouston Harriers won the National Cross Country Championships in 1913, second four times, was selected seven times to run in the international cross-country championships, and won two silver and one bronze medal in the SAAA track championships.   He had two sons, Archie and George, who were both cross-country internationals but his total number of vests was higher than theirs combined, this despite the fact that his career was disrupted by the War of 1914 – 1918, and  he was racing some of the finest ever to take part in the sport – eg Jim Wilson and GCL Wallach.   Craig seems to have been a cross-country specialist who could run very well on the track – as his SAAA medals show – but he ran sparingly on the latter surface and most years he did not appear in either the ten miles or four miles SAAA championships.   His name was also absent by and large from the results of the Rangers FC and Celtic FC sports.   Although we know that he ran in handicap races as wide ranging as 880 yards and three miles, they are far between and so his track running, other than in championships, has been omitted from this profile.

He first appeared in the championship results in 1911 when he was third in the West District championships but did not come to the attention of the public at large until he won the SCCU title in 1913.   Not a prolific racer, Craig did not appear in any of the major races of the summer in 1912 – there were nine men forward for the 10 miles championship but he was not among them, nor was he present at the SAAA Championships in June.   Came winter 1912/1913 and the first race of any consequence was the Clydesdale Harriers 7 miles handicap and team race at the beginning of November.   Craig was not mentioned in the results but by the start of December the sports writers were lamenting the fact that there had been little in the way of any races since then.   This did not mean there was no action, of course, as inter-club runs were the rule rather than the exception with the clubs organising joint fixtures pretty well on a weekly basis and with the occasional ‘muster run’.   A muster run was a major undertaking for the host club which invited five, six or, occasionally even more, other clubs to come to their headquarters for a mass cross-country run, usually in three packs.   Clubs often travelled quite a long way for these athletics and social occasions – the extreme maybe being Broughton Harriers joint run with West of Scotland Harriers on New Year’s Day.

The national cross-country championships were held on 1st March, 1913, at Scotstoun, where Bellahouston retained the team title and Craig won the individual title from Sam S Watt of Clydesdale.  The race was reported by Colin Shields in his history of the SCCU:   “Seven teams entered the national championships, including first time entrants Gala Harriers.   Archie Craig (Bellahouston) moved into the lead after just a mile with defending champion Sam Watt and George McKenzie leading a chasing group of runners.   Craig was challenged for the lead up to half distance in the 10 mile course, but finished strongly to win by forty yards from A McDonald (Monkland Harriers), who came through strongly in the final mile to finish runner up two seconds ahead of Watt.” 

This gained him automatic selection for the international  where he was 14th.  The international board discussed the requirements of a cross-country course in response to comments from the British delegates that there was too little real country in some events and too much racing track surfaces where speedy runners had it all their own way, and the strengths of cross-country specialists was not given a real opportunity.   The Board did not closely define the conditions but left it to each country to provide ,as natural a course as possible and the course should provide some hill, natural or other obstacles such as ditches, gates or hedges, and a little road if the same cannot be avoided.’   Colin Shields observed that the French in 1913 had provided a well varied 10 mile course, including flat meadow land, ploughed fields, and long stretches of hilly woodland paths through private parkland.

Clearly in excellent form he went on to be second in the SAAA 10 miles track championship on 5th April to GCL Wallach in a time just outside 54 minutes (Wallach ran 53:01)   The race report: “Under the auspices of the Scottish Amateur Athletic Association the ten miles championship of Scotland was run at Celtic Park on Saturday afternoon.   There were 13 entrants of whom 12 started.   T Jack the holder has now retired from racing and did not run.   At the start A Semple, Shettleston Harriers, took the lead, but in the second lap GCL Wallach, Bolton United and Greenock Glenpark, went to the front.   In the third lap, A Kerr, Bellahouston Harriers, led, but in the fourth quarter mile circuit Wallach was the first to pass the timekeeper and from this point to the finish he continued to gain ground.   At half distance he had lapped the field, and in the sixth mile only five runners were left – Wallach, A Smith, Falkirk Victoria Harriers, D Honeyman, Bellahouston Harriers, A Craig, Bellahouston Harriers, and AB Lang, Greenock Glenpark Harriers.   Craig, the Scottish cross-country champion, ran very consistently eventually finishing second, but Wallach continued to draw away from the others and at eight miles broke record, doing 42 min 13 1-5th sec as compared with the previous best of 42 min 14 set by T Jack in the championships of 1907.   In the next mile Wallach was no fewer than three seconds inside record and he maintained this advantage to the finish.”   

Craig picked up another second place medal in the SAAA championships over four miles, again won by Wallach in 20:44 who, apparently, looked a winner all the way with Craig as ‘his most formidable opponent.’.

After a summer of competing in the various sports and games meetings, and in which he won his two silver medals, it was back on to the surfaces of the sport in which he excelled, cross-country.

The 1914 national was held on a testing course on 7th March at Carntyne Racecourse in Glasgow.   Craig was second  to Wallach in the national by 50 yards after leading for the first half of the race with his Bellahouston team mate G Stephens third   Since Wallach was running as an individual not a team member, Craig was counted as first with Stephens second and other club runners third, fifth, sixth and twelfth for a comfortable victory.   The international was held at Chesham, in Buckinghamshire, and Scotland, with five Bellahouston Harriers in the team, finished second with Craig in twelfth place.

The following summer, Craig was active on the track in preparation for the SAAA Championships over a variety of distances – on 23rd May in the Greenock Morton Sports at Cappielow he ran in the half mile where he won his heat in 2:06 .2 from a mark of 35 yards but was unplaced in the final.   On June 13th Bellahouston Harriers won the Three Miles Team Race at East Kilbride with a team of J Lindsay, A Craig, G Cummings and J Smith.   These led to the SAAA Championships at Powderhall on 27th June  where he was third in the four miles to Wilson (first) and Wallach (second) both of whom ran for Greenock Glenpark.

The First World War then intervened and among the lesser tragedies was that there was total cessation of athletics championships in the UK.   Track championships resumed in 1919 and cross-country in 1920.

In 1920 the first post-war national was held on 6th March at Rouken Glen in Glasgow.  Craig was third behind another Anglo, James  Wilson, who was to wear the colours of Greenock Glenpark Harriers, and Dunky Wright.      The international championship was held at Belvoir Park, Belfast and Craig was third Scot to finish when he crossed the line in twentieth place.

The national championship was held on 5th March, 1921 again at Rouken Glen, and JH Motion of Edinburgh won the race from Wallack with Lawrie of Garscube third and Craig fourth.   When the squad of twelve for the international at Newport was chosen, Craig was named as the team captain for what looked like a good team, but unfortunately they could only finish fourth with Craig 32nd finisher.

4th March, 1922, saw the national held at Musselburgh Racecourse, where Craig was second and the report in the ‘Glasgow Herald’ read: “The Scottish National Cross-Country Championships, individual and team, were decided on Saturday at Musselburgh over a course of between nine and ten miles.   Sixteen clubs sent teams of 12, and there were also five individual runners.   By courtesy of the Lothian Racing Club, the racecourse grandstand with its fine range of stripping rooms and sightseeing accommodation, was put at the disposal of the committee.   

All the teams turned out and a start was made before a big attendance of the public in a hailstorm.   After the racecourse was covered, the leaders were JG McIntyre, Dumbarton, (the four miles Scottish track champion, GCL Wallach, Greenock Glenpark, winner in 1914, and WGS Moor, Edinburgh University, this year’s novice champion.   These were in a bunch.   Their time was 6 min 14 sec.   Before leaving the race course for cross-country work, the field had spread out for about a quarter of a mile, and men were beginning to drop out.   After the cross-country tour had been made by Inveresk, Dalkeith Road, Edenhall and Levenhall – rather more than half the journey – in 31 min 30 sec, the leaders were:- Wallach going steadily about 200 yards ahead of S McMillan, Greenock Glenpark, who was about 300 yards ahead of his clubmate D Cummings.   There was a fine struggle going on for the team championship by Shettleston, Greenock Glenpark, Maryhill and Garscube.   The cross-country tour was made again before the finish on the racecourse straight.   It was seen that Wallach was ahead and he romped home quite fresh.”

The result was Wallach first in 58:52 2-5th, Craig second in 60:03 and Riach, Maryhill Harriers, 60:07.   The international was held from Hampden Park in Glasgow, starting at half-time in a football match where admission was 1/- and 10,000 programmes for the race at 3d each were sold to the spectators.   The cross-country race was won by Guillemot of France (winner of the English cross-country championship a few weeks earlier), with Wallach fourth, Craig (vice-captain) tenth and Dunky Wright eleventh.   Scotland was third behind England in second and the winners were France.   France had earlier complained about the course being too rough and hilly, but withdrew the protest after winning the race.

 

The national in 1923 was held on  3rd March, at Bothwell Castle Policies, outside Glasgow.    Craig was fourth and so was Bellahouston.  First three individuals were Dunky Wright, JG McIntyre and A Lawrie, first three clubs were Greenock Glenpark Harriers, Garscube Harriers and Shettleston Harriers.   Chosen for the international in Paris on 23rd March, he was thirteenth.   JGF McIntyre finished a close-up second to Blewitt of England and Shields commented that ‘apart from near veteran Archie Craig the rest of the team disappointed badly’ and the team finished last.

In 1924 the date was 1st March, the venue Musselburgh Race course.   In what was to be his final run in the national championships, he finished second.   The ‘Glasgow Herald’ had the story: “over 200 runners were engaged on Saturday in the Scottish National Cross-Country Team and Individual Championships.   Besides 15 clubs there were seven individual entrants.   Boisterous and cold, the weather was quite favourable for a tough race, for it was dry and bright.   A novelty was introduced as far as the choice of track was concerned.   Except for three little breaks over farm fields, the running was all done on circuits of Musselburgh Racecourse, the fine springy turf of which favoured the going.   The race started and finished at the Lothian Racing Club’s grand stand.   Mr J Howieson, Shettleston Harriers, president of the National Cross-Country Union of Scotland, was referee and starter, and the time keepers were William Struthers, honorary president, George Hume, GM Grant, J McCulloch, JW Miller and D Taylor.   The race was a fine one and was witnessed by over 2000 spectators.   The runners were out of view for three little spells of a few minutes, and thus the interest was well maintained and the officials were able to form a useful opinion of the quality of the runners in view of the choice to be made in Glasgow this week of the international team to compete at Gosforth Park, Newcastle.   Shettleston Harriers early established a lead which brought them into the winning place.   They were particularly well served by D McL Wright, the holder of the individual championship which he won a yera ago when running for Clydesdale Harriers.   Wright kept in front all the way, taking it easily for a third of the distance, before drawing away to a 30 yard lead from WGB Moor at half distance.   Moor is an old Gala Harrier, an Edinburgh University student, and now running for Edinburgh Harriers.   At halfway the third man was RB McIntyre, West of Scotland Harriers, who was a candidate for the Scottish Junior National Championships which was also being decided.   In the end Wright finished fresh fully 50 yards ahead of A Craig (Bellahouston Harriers).   RB McIntyre was placed third, some 50 yards behind Craig.”

 Another very good run by Archie Craig who was of course selected for the international in England.   Not only selected, the 42 year old Bellahouston runner was the captain who led his team home when he was sixteenth finisher.

This was his final fling in the international but Archie Craig continued to serve Scottish athletics.   Colin Shields again:

“This was Craig’s farewell appearance for he announced his retiral from competitive running after the race.   He acted as trainer to future Scottish cross-country teams, became President of the Scottish AAA in 1937/38 and watched his two sons Archie junior and George run five times for Scotland between them in the immediate pre and post Second World War period.   “

As Colin says, Craig was president of the SAAA in ’37/’38, but it was as a member of Lochwinnoch – a small club in Renfrewshire located to the west of Glasgow which provided many athletes for Bellahouston Harriers, including the wonderful Harry Fenion.   Undoubtedly a class act, Craig, like many others, had his sporting career blighted by the effects of the hostilities between 1914 and 1918 which took six years out of his career when he should have been at his best.   Given that he was placed in the national when in his 40’s and ran in the international at 42, we look at his athletics and ask, “What if …?”

Auchmountain Harriers

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Auchmountain 33

The first three in the 1933 Renfrewshire Novice Championship

Auchmountain Harriers was established in Greenock in 1903.   The chap on the right above is wearing the Auchmountain vest – dark blue with a big white A.  They trained initially from the Greenock Morton FC clubhouse winter and summer but from 1912 used their new clubhouse at Carbrook Street although track training was done at Cappielow Park right up to the 1950’s with athletes from other Greenock clubs also using that particular facility.   Unfortunately the records of the club’s early years are not available and we must just go with what is currently available.   Any more information will be very warmly received.

 We know that the following were elected at their Annual General Meeting in season 1906/07:

Patrons, James Reid ; Bailie Williamson, ex-Bailie M’Innes, R. G. Adam, R. L. Scott, F. L. Wrede, D.   Caldwell, J. Farrell, R. Briton, and G. Morrell ;

Hon. presidents, James Ure, J. Holmes, and A. Christie ;

Hon. vice-presidents, J. A. Ure, R. Muir, R. Mills, and A. M. Campbell ;

President, N. J. Sinclair ; vice-president, N. B. Maclaine ;

Hon. Secretary and Treasurer, F. M’Intosh, 5 Belville Street. Headquarters, Cappielow.

Trainer, R. Smillie

The list of patrons was typical of the time – from the start of the sport of cross-country running in Scotland, all clubs approached noted local citizens, politicians and land owners to be club patrons.   This was for several reasons – first, it gave the new club instant respectability to be associated with these people; second, having the land owners onside meant access to country for running over; third it was a source, among other things, of revenue.   The patrons contributed to the club by letting them use whatever facilities they had, by making a donation to the club (often only one, two or five guineas) or in the case of politicians having a voice for the club at council deliberations.   The ‘trainer’ was the prototype coach.   In addition to advising on training, he filled many functions – masseur, physiotherapist and often also advised on diet.   His position was important to the club and a good trainer was often approached by other sports clubs including football clubs.

Given the absence of detailed records we do not know exactly what its achievements were but from what we do have, it seemed to be a good, solid but not quite spectacular club.   For instance, one of the big races in early Scottish athletics was the Clydesdale Harriers 7 mile cross-country individual and team race.   In December 1920 the race was abandoned halfway through because a local farmer had removed the markings, but when it was re-run the following week Auchmountain Harriers was the first of the Greenock clubs to finish when it was fifth team out of an entry of 27 clubs.   West of Scotland was one of the top clubs in the country but they were one place behind Auchmountain.

*

Having trained from the Greenock Morton FC ground at Cappielow since their inception, the club built their own clubhouse and the following article appeared in  the ‘Glasgow Herald’ of December 30th, 1912.

“New Harriers Pavilion Opened in Greenock

A new pavilion and clubhouse erected by the members of the Auchmountain Harriers Club, in Carwood Street, Greenock, was opened by Sir Hugh Shaw Stewart, Bart.   Since the formation of the club in 1903, during which time the members have occupied as headquarters an old pavilion of the Morton Football Club, progress has been impeded by insufficient accommodation, and it is hoped that the organisation, one of the most successful of its kind in the district, will prosper increasingly in its new headquarters.  

The new pavilion is of simple and effective design, built on the weatherboard system.   A fully equipped gymnasium and other accessories of athletic culture are included in the club’s facilities for the development of the sport.

Mr RK Duncan, president of the club, presided at the opening ceremony.   A flag presented by the president was unfurled by Sir Hugh Shaw Stewart who expressed the hope that the club would continue to prosper.   When he stood in the presence of such a fine lot of healthy young men, he thought it afforded an excellent opportunity for doing a little bit of business, and he hoped that, when after the running season, when they were feeling particularly fit, some of them might, in the recruiting season, call at the Headquarters of the 5th Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders (Applause).   As a memento of the occasion, Sir Hugh was presented with a carriage clock by Mr Ryrie Orr who remarked that their sport of cross-country running was entirely free from very objectionable features attributed to other sports.   The fine nobility and beauty of football was being spoiled by the betting and gambling associated with it.   (Applause)   The members of Auchmountain Harriers afterwards took part in a run with members from Bellahouston.”

The notion of athletes getting fit during the summer and then heading off to join the Army at the start of the cross-country season was a new one to me.   But it was 1912 and the war of 1914-18 was looming.   The men of Greenock and Auchmountain played their part and several lost their lives in the war – two in one day on 22nd April 1916, John Gillespie, a Lance Corporal in the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders and Hugh C Smith, in the Seaforth Highlanders.

At this time the relevant District was the West District and the first ever West District Relays were held in season 1925/26 where Auchmountain fielded a team that was ultimately unplaced.   There is no record of them competing in these relays but that was not peculiar to them: it was a very big area to be covered by a single championship and many other clubs, including the other two Greenock clubs, were infrequent competitors in these races.   Then in 1929-30 the West District was split into the Midland District and the South-West District with all the Greenock clubs, including Auchmountain, being part of the latter body.   In the first season of the new event, they finished twelfth with their runners being W Richardson (15:20), J King (16:25), N Preston 16:58 and H Gray (16:32).   Any disappointment at the position would be eased considerably by the fact that Wellpark Harriers finished thirteenth just two seconds behind them.   Two years later they finished ninth with the runners being W Richardson (16:22), J Gibson (17:18), J Pettigrew 16:30) and AL MacDonald (16:30).    There were no  South West District relays for the next two years and on the days on which the other Districts held their relays, the clubs in Ayrshire, Renfrewshire, etc held club races and the Auchmountain championship held in 1933 over two and a half miles from Carwood Pavilion was won by AG McPhail in 14:31 from A McDonald (14:48) and J Boyle (15:23) with J Richardson (15:52) fourth.   They were a typical Harrier club of their time and included a team race within the race with the winning squad being AG McPhail  1, J Stewart  6, and R Parker 13.

Alex McDonald was becoming the man to beat but he was not a long way clear of the club opposition by any means.   We could look at the 1934/35 season which was one his, and the club’s, best we will see just that.       On 3rd November the National Novice Championship was held at Hamilton Race course with 35 teams competing.   Auchmountain was 16th with D McEwan eighth.   Good performances both.   The Novice Championships were confined to those runners who had not won a race and so most of Scotland’s cross-country men were eligible.   The following Saturday, the club held a relay from the club head quarters and the fastest time over the two and three quarters mile trail was R Bottomley in 14:22 from McDonald in 14:28 and McEwan in 14:32.   All remarkably close.   A week later and there were more relays – just about every club had a relay held as preparation for the Districts.   This time Auchmountain’s fastest was McDonald in 14:12 from HC Gray in 14:47 and McEwan (15:02).

The relays were just a week after that and the club was fifth with A McDonald of Auchmountain leading the field at the end of the first lap ahead of A McLean – a future Scottish internationalist – of Glenpark.   McDonald’s time was 14:46 with the rest of the team being D McEwan (14:57), J Richardson (15:11) and R Bottomley (15:08).   The club’s second team was 13th.  It was a good team performance.

There seems to have been no Auchmountain team entered in the Renfrewshire Relay Championship on 30th November – maybe just as well since the result was declared void:   the start was delayed for an hour and the last leg was run in darkness!   There was a protest after the event, staged at Kilbarchan, about the course marking.   Bellahouston was leading by about twenty five yards at the end of the first leg but by the end of the race Kilbarchan, who had been tenth, won ‘by virtue of their local knowledge.’   Auchmountain were well off out of that one!   The race was re-run on 15th December with Bellahouston winning by 7 seconds from Greenock Glenpark with Shawfield Harriers third and Auchmountain sixth.

The club 6 miles race was held from Carwood Street on 5th January 1935 and it was won by D McEwan (30:58) from McPhail (31:37) and Richardson (32:09) and this set them up for the Renfrewshire County Championships at Lochwinnoch.   Bellahouston Harriers retained their title with Greenock Glenpark second and Auchmountain third.   McDonald was third individual and led the club team home.   Another fortnight and it was the District Championships at Beith.   AK McDonald was a very good runner indeed and this time  he won the South-West championship – the only clubman ever to do so.   The race was reported in the Daily Record by its athletics correspondent ‘Ggroe’ as follows:

“AUCHMOUNTAIN SURPRISE.   A McDonald led Auchmountain to a grand double victory in the South West.   Although the success of A McDonald , Auchmountain, in the South Western Championship at Grangehill, Beith,  did not come altogether unexpected, the victory of his club in the team race was a surprise.   Auchmountain did extremely well to aggregate 122 points, to beat Beith by 25 points, with Kilmarnock,  who were much better placed at half distance, third.    Until five miles had been covered, the individual race looked like developing into a tussle between P Allwill, Beith, and T McLaren, Wellpark.   But when McDonald moved up to challenge over the last two-and-a-half-miles, neither Allwill nor McLaren could cope with the Auchmountain leader’s pace and he won a finely judged race.”

Result:   1.   Auchmountain (A McDonald 1, D McEwan 8. AG McPhail 17, HC Gray 27, R Bottomley 28, J McGilvray 41)122 points.     2.   Beith (P Allwill 2, G Murdoch 7, W Murdoch 12, J Quinn 30, TJ McAllister  46, A Barrett 50) 147 points.

Times:   McDonald 40:23;   Allwill 40:41;   McLaren 40:56.

Two weeks seemed to be the standard gap and on 16th February the club eight miles championship was run from the Carwood Street pavilion and McDonald won in 52:03 from HC Gray (52:11) and McGilvray (54:37).

The National Novice Championships were held at the start of the cross-country season and the various areas held their own district novice championships.   A novice was any runner of any age or years in the sport who had never won a prize at any open meeting.   The race for the Greenock clubs – Auchmountain, Glenpark and Wellpark Harriers – was usually held at the end of October.   In 1937, for instance they were held at Wellpark and the individual winner was J Thomson of Glenpark, and Wellpark won the team race with Glenpark second and Auchmountain third.

AK McDonald was a significant figure in Scottish athletics, not just Greenock or Auchmountain’s.   He ran for the club all through the 30’s and when the 1939/45 war started he was already a fairly senior figure on the SAAA and, especially, the SCCU.   In August 1943 there was a meeting in the Blythswood Masonic Chambers of clubs in the Midland and South Western Districtc to consider restarting inter club fixtures.   The club delegates supported the principal and the Scottish Cross Country Association – the name of the first ever governing body back in the 1880’s – with two aims: first, to offer cross-country competition to suit the current demand for those at home …, the Scottish Youth at school and beyond, and for all interested servicemen stationed in Scotland; and second, to preserve cross-country running in Scotland and present it in as healthy a state as possible to the post-war era.   The office bearers of the Association were Dunky Wright, president;  John Cuthbert (Garscube), vice-president; Alex K McDonald (Auchmountain) secretary/treasurer.   The organisation staged various races and runs at many venues around central Scotland, including Auchmountain Harriers clubhouse.   In the spring of 1944 the Scottish Marathon Club was founded and Alex McDonald was one of the founder members.   He went on to become President of the Scottish Cross Country Union in 1960/61 (not the first Auchmountain man to hold that office – W Murdoch was president in 1932/33 and represented the SCCU on the SAAA Committee) which was ironically the year that Auchmountain went defunct.

SMC Inaugural

The inaugural run of the Scottish Marathon Club at Pollockshaws Baths:

J Lindsay (Bellahouston), W Shields (Auchmountain), J McNamara (Maryhill), J Millar (Shettleston), Dunky Wright, JS Richardson (Auchmountain).

Unfortunately. although they took part in all the County as well as he South Western District championships and relays, they did not always support the national championships in the inter-war years.   They were not unique in this, many clubs had club races held on the same day as the national.   Greenock Glenpark Harriers was the most successful club in the area at the time and appeared consistently at the nationals, but the other local rivals, Greenock Wellpark Harriers did not turn out teams in the national in most years either.

On District Championship day the following year, Auchmountain’s held a pack run with two packs covering six miles from headquarters with the top runners exempted because they were doing a fast two and a half miles with J Lynch being fastest, ahead of AG McPhail.

In the Scottish national championships AK McDonald ran all through the 30’s as an individual, finishing down the field.  In some years there was an incomplete team and in others there was no team at all from Auchmountain.   eg the seniors were limited to McDonald running in 1937/38 (58th),  and McDonald (24th) and Willis (176th) in 1938/39.  The young athletes in the Youths team did well in the years leading up to the war:

1937/38:  6th team: W Stewart 5th, J McKinven 39th, A Willis 42nd, I Sinclair 54th.

1938/39:  5th team:  I McKinven 12th, A Adam 16th, A Taylor 42nd, I Sinclair 45th.

Auchmountain Benwhat 1937

A puzzle picture.The start of the Ayrshire championships at Benwhat in Ayrshire, 1938.    Auchmountain did not usually run in the Ayrshire Championships,  and  the vests of number 17 and his fellow were white with black letters.    

“The Scots Athlete” was started up by Walter Ross in Glasgow in 1946 and was a wonderfully detailed history of the sport of athletics, with an emphasis on endurance running, for just over ten years.   The very first issue of the magazine had an illustrated report on the Dundee Relay Race of 6th April 1946 in which Auchmountain Harrires was third behind Shettleston Harriers  and Garscube Harriers  teams but ahead of Dundee Thistle Harriers and Dundee Hawkhill Harriers among others.   The drawings used to illustrate it included John McKinven and AK McDonald of Auchmountain and the short report read: “The relay was held on Saturday, 6th April, 1946 and the holders Maryhill Harriers were unable to send a team.   This took some of the spice from an otherwise successful race.   Shettleston Harriers with three internationals in their team were too good for the main opposition of Garscube Harriers and Auchmountain Harriers.   Though run in brilliant weather, the very high wind must account for the slowness of the times in comparison with the existing lap records shown.   Shettleston B dropped out at the end of the second lap after a fine effort by Paterson on the first leg.   No doubt he was carefully coached by his club mate Willie Connor, but Paterson is just a young lad and shows distinct possibilities.   Alex McDonald (Auchmountain) pulled his club up well in the third lap and was three seconds faster than Harry Howard.”

The Greenock club’s places were: 1st stage:   J McKinven 3rd;  2nd stage: Bryce  4th;   3rd stage:  A McDonald 3rd;   4th stage:  Smith 3rd.    The second issue of the magazine intimated that the club was to hold a sports meeting at Cappielow Park on Monday 24th June with a programme to include a 17 miles road race and an invitation relay.   At this time, there was a Scottish Athletics Points League with points of 3,2,1 for first, second and third in all events, handicap or scratch, at all open sports meetings and Auchmountain had athletes ranked in this league.  The club was indeed going well after the War.   By the end of July they had a total of 35 points accumulated with half the season still to go.   The Scottish Cross-Country Association was a body set up to regulate the sport at the end of the War and never intended to replace the NCCU and it would up its business at the start of the winter season 1946/47.   The Secretary was AK McDonald and he sent a letter to the “Scots Athlete” wishing it well and enclosing the ‘residue of the estate’  (ie the money that the SCCA had in the bank) which amounted to only ten shillings.   As the Editor said, it showed the simplicity of the organisation which had done so much and had such power for a few years of transition from war to peace.

Auchmountain cartoon

The South West Cross-Country Relay Championship took place on 7th December, 1946, at Johnstone.   At the end of the first leg, the three Greenock clubs were in the lead – McLean of Glenpark leading Bownes of Auchmountain and Rippingale of Wellpark; on the second leg AK McDonald took Auchmountain into the lead followed by Kilmarnock and Wellpark; Kilmarnock passed Auchmountain on the third stage but the club held second with Glenpark third and at the end of the race, it was J Reid of West Kilbride in the lead with McKinven of Auchmountain second and Sinclair of Wellpark third.   A hard fought race with 5 teams featuring in the first three at various times but the Carwood Street club was always in the first two.    Their second team finished sixth – eight men ran well for the club that day.   The juniors all had a great day at the races on 1st February, 1947, in Ayr when they contested the South Western District Junior Championships: with no one in the first three, they won the team race from West Kilbride with 51 points against 75.   The team was made up of J McKinven 4, W Stewart 6, J Bownes 7, J Richardson 8, A McLean 12, J McLean 14 – wonderful packing by the first four in particular.   The magazine added separately in the same issue the following:    “When winning the South Western Championship at Ayr, Auchmountain only fielded 10 men – comprising nine former club novice championsand their President.   A unique record!   The President, by the way, failed to make the counting six.”

When it came to the national championship, however, – the first championships after the war – on 1st March, 1947, the seniors unfortunately had an incomplete team of finishers (45th, 65th and 66th) but the Youths team was twelfth with runners 47th, 48th, 52nd and 55th.

It must have been some club: in the May 1947 issue of the same magazine, club secretary A Lambies wrote th following letter: “I enclose a copy of our club song, which was written a number of years ago by one of our members.   I have never seen anything in the magazine about club songs, and I thought it might be interesting to find out if other clubs had songs of their own.”   

For the Empire Exhibition in 1947 the Scottish Marathon Club organised a Fiery Cross Relay from Edinburgh to London and among those taking part was AK McDonald of Auchmountain who ran a total of 23 miles with the cross.Clydesdale Harriers prestigious Youth Ballot Team Race was held on 8th November in Clydebank and Auchmountain runner J Bownes finished second to Harry Fenion of Bellahouston and one place ahead of Alex McDougall of Vale of Leven.   A few years later, they would both represent Scotland in the Empire Games Marathon at Cardiff and indeed Harry would win the SCCU championship and SAAA Marathon titles in the course of a wonderful career.   P McIntosh of Auchmountain was 18th in the same race but it is clear that the club runners were holding their own with some of the best in the country.

The first championship[ of the winter was the national novice championship held at Pollok Park in Glasgow on 22nd November 1947,   Auchmountain had seven runners forward and the team was 17th out of 27 entered with some clubs having incomplete teams.

The South Western District Relay was held on 6th December at Beith and Auchmountain were the defending champions.   However, Emmet Farrell commented that they were suffering from the depletions of a winning team becoming Seniors, and they could only finish fifth and tenth behind Glenpark’s winning team.  The Renfrewshire Championships took place from the club’s own headquarters on 24th January 1948 and they were third behind Bellahouston and Glenpark.   The Youths team went one better and finished second.    The South Western District Junior Championships were held from the Kibble School in Paisley on 7th February 1948 and, with many of the previous year’s team up an age group, the could only finish fifth with R Smith in seventh their first runner.   In the National at Ayr the senior team was twelfth – McKinven 43rd, W Lindsay 51st, J Bownes 60th, J McLean 91st, W Carson 96th and I Graham 111th with three non-scoring runners in McNaughton 120th, D Livingston 121st and W More 124th.   The youths team this time was 8th, led home by Wilson in fourth place, followed by P McIntosh 36th, A Smith 38th, C Flacherty 51st and A Mills 76th.   This was to be the club’s best national post-war.

Rangers Sp 1948

.Rangers Sports 1948

The season of 1948/49 started as usual with the four man McAndrew Relays at Scotstoun and there were two teams from Auchmountain which finished eleventh and 34th out of 41 complete teams.   The on 20th November 1948 the national novice championship was held at Hamilton Racecourse and Auchmountain had a team forward that, led by J Graham, finished 28th.    A week later the South Western District Relays were held from Wellpark’s Greenock headquarters and Auchmountain had two teams forward that finished fifth and twelfth of 20 teams from 13 clubs entered.

The District 7 Mile Championships were held on 5th February at Kilmarnock and the club finished fifth out if nine With W Lindsay being their leading runner, finishing in 4th place, of the ten who represented them.   In 1949 there was a large number of Auchmountain Harriers runners listed in the programme for the national cross-country championships – 15 seniors and 7 youths – but no Auchmountain team finished in the national.  The names were there but many were of pre-war vintage.  Those entered were – W Lindsay   J Freeman   A Mills   J Bownes   I Graham   W More   JK Bryce   J McKinven   J Morrison   W Carson   D McNaughton   RG Smith with A McLean, J Wilson and J Pye as reserves; the Youths entered were W Bownes   C Facherty   P McIntosh   R Clark   J Kean   AG Smith and R Scott as reserve.     Only one senior (W More) ran and the junior team was seventeenth out of eighteen.

The following winter the team in the McAndrew Relay on 1st October was J McLean, R Smith, J Bownes and W Lindsay and they finished 32nd.    On 5th November at West Kilbride the club team – Smith, Lindsay, McLean and Pye – was twelfth in the District Relay and a week later they hosted the Renfrewshire championship on their own course.   The team was not in the first three but W Lindsay had seventh fastest time of the day and the club’s organisation and course were praised by Association secretary Alex McLean.   In the Scottish Youths cross-country championship on 3rd December 1949, the Auchmountain squad was nineteenth with Ramsey, McLeod, Findlay and Kerr being the quartet.   Into 1950 and on 5th February the club was fourth in the District championship at Paisley with a team of W Lindsay, JK Bryce, J Bownes, W Carson, C Facherty and AK McDonald.   The numbers seemed to be there in the club, but  on 4th March at Hamilton in the national cross-country they were represented by only one senior,  W Lindsay 43rd,  and one junior, W Carson 75.

It if is the first Saturday in October, it must be the McAndrew Relay and on 7th October 1950 the Auchmountain team of Morrison, McFarlane, McLean and Lindsay was 33rd of 43 teams to start the season’s competition.   At the end of that month (28th) in the Renfrewshire championship relay,  they were 10th of 19 teams and again W Lindsay was their fastest man, seventh quickest overall for the course.   Unfortunately, a week later in the South Western District relay the club fielded an incomplete team and failed to finish.   No matter where the club team finished, W Lindsay always ran well, and on 16th December he ran in the Inter-Counties championship for the Renfrewshire team.   He finished 11th to be the first runner for the county to cross the line, with the next man being 26th.   A the start of the year in the Nigel Barge Road Race, organised by Maryhill Harriers in Glasgow, there was a club team out which finished 13th, the runners being Lindsay, Morrison and W More.  Lindsay finished 11th in the Renfrewshire cross-country championships on 20th January in a race from the Wellpark HQ and the six man team finished sixth.   In the Youths race, the team of Findlay, Forsyth and Allison was second behind Bellahouston.   The District championship was held at Dalmellington in Ayrshire on 3rd February, 1951, and there was not a single Auchmountain runner in either the senior men’s race or the youths’ race.   Came the national and there was only Lindsay from the club running at all and he was 41st. 

Not a good year for Auchmountain Harriers and championships: the club clearly had  enough men and youths to make up teams for District and National championships, and they had quality in the form of Lindsay among the seniors and in the team that was second in the County relay.   In fact as far as the National was concerned no one from the club ran in 1952, 1953, 1954, or 1955.

Winter 1951/52’s version of the McAndrew relay did not feature any team from Auchmountain but in the Renfrewshire relay on 27th October, they were ninth with a team of W Bownes, J Cairns, J Ramsey and S McIntosh.   An improved performance saw the team ninth in the District relay championship at Dam Park in Ayr one week later with one change in  personnel – J McLean for J Ramsey.   The actual cross-country championships for the county were held at Pollok in Glasgow but there were no teams from the club forward – at least none in the published results.   By now the Renfrewshire events had come to include the Glasgow Police AAC as well as Bellahouston (there were no Glasgow championships at this point) but some other teams such as Kilmarnock were competing in the Ayrshire fixtures.   The District was also suffering from lack of entries and there were no teams from Wellpark, Auchmountain, West Kilbride, or Bellahouston in the championships at Paisley on 2nd February, 1952.   As has been stated above, there was not a single runner from Auchmountain Harriers in the National of 1952 – and by now there were three races – seniors, juniors and youths.

Came winter 1952/53 and there was no team from the club in the McAndrew relay and there was not a single runner in the Clydesdale Youth Ballot Team race for the second year in succession.   In the county relay championships on 18th October at Kilbarchan, the club had two teams of four out which finished ninth and 17th, indicating that the runners were there if they would turn out.  There was a senior team in the District relay on 1st November but it could only finish twelfth out of fourteen clubs.   The actual District championships were on 31st January 1953 and there was no team forward but the club had four individuals – J Cairns 52nd, P McIntosh 54th, J McLean 62nd and W Shields 69th.   Six were required for  team position.   There were no Youths forward.   The story was the same for the County championships in February when four men ran – Cairns 33rd, McLean 46th, Shields 49th and D Mangan.   There was one runner in the Youths race – J Campbell who was 13th.

On 7th November 1953 in the District championships, Auchmountain Harriers was eighteenth out of eighteen clubs competing.   On 6th February 1954 there was no team in the senior race of the District championships with only W Shields competing and not even an individual in the Youths race.   With no one in the National, it was not a healthy scene for the Greenock club.   Season 1954/55 started with the McAndrew relay and as in ’52/’53 there was no representation from Auchmountain.   In the Renfrewshire relay towards the end of the month they were fourteenth out of fourteen teams competing.   In the District championships on 5th February 1954 there was no team but one individual running in the Auchmountain vest – W Shields was 51st and there were no Youths running at all.   The national was bereft of club runners.

In the South-Western District relay championships in November 1954, the team was sixteenth out of sixteen but in the District championships at the end of January there were no Auchmountain runners in the races:  the event was staged at Johnston and distance to travel might have been an issue but the race was won by Greenock Wellpark and if they could travel, then it should have been possible for their neighbours.   Season 1955/56 was not significantly better with the absence of Auchmountain runners becoming chronic.

This was not a happy state of affairs and the club determined to take some steps to deal with the situation, and the following article appeared in the Greenock Telegraph at the start of the 1956/57 season.

“AUCHMOUNTAIN HARRIERS’ DRIVE FOR RECRUITS

Mr James M Lynch, Auchmountain Harriers president is leading a drive to rejuvenate the club and recapture some of its lost prestige.   He is being supported in his endeavour by vice-president Mr John McLean, and Mr William Shields, 100, Rankin Street.   The latter has been associated with the club for more than 25 years and has become secretary.   He has as his assistant Mr AK McDonald.

Mr Alex Lambie, Port Glasgow, who has given good service as treasurer during the past ten years is to serve another term.   Control of training and coaching has been undertaken by Mr Pollock McIntosh (captain) and vice-captain Mr Jas. K Bryce.   The committee is completed by Messrs TM McKay, WA Docherty, N Preston, senr, N Preston, jnr, and Ian Wilson.”

T McKay is an interesting member of the club in that before the first world war  he was a fairly successful race walker and he was an active club official right up to the late 50’s.

The national at the start of 1956 had not been a happy one for the club either with only two juniors representing it at Hamilton –  Ian Wilson had been 89th and N Preston 91st.  But whether it had been the result of the recruitment drive or not, the national in March 1957 was a much, much better day.  In the senior race,   SP MacIntosh was 158th;  In the junior (U20) race, N Preston was 91st, A Wooler 105th; and the youths team was best of all with H McWilliams  14th, T More 66th, L Lyons 68th, W Loughray 82nd   to see the team finish in 11th  with a man to spare,  J O’Donnell was a non scoring runner in 90th.

Harry Cappielow

Track training at Cappielow: Harry McWilliams in front with the dark vest

Harry McWilliams, who led the team home, was a real find for the club – he was to be one of their best post-war runners and an athlete who would go on to have a career in the sport well into the senior age group with Greenock Glenpark Harriers.   He appeared on the scene in March 1956  after some very good performances in ATC races – seventh in a field of 195 in the Glasgow championship, and was selected to race in the ATC cross-country international at Turnhouse in Ayrshire.   He was one of a good number of Under 17’s to represent the club that year – Willie Loughran from Port Glasgow, Tom More, youth champion the year before, John Preston, Joe O’Donnell, Laurie Lyons and Tom Barrett all supported the club in domestic races as well as championships and open races such as the Clydesdale Harriers and Bellahouston Harriers Helen Corbet youth ballot team and individual races.  In Bellahouston he had a particularly good race finishing fifth, one stride behind fourth pace in a good field.   The club held the normal series of races from their headquarters at Carbrook Street: the Youths cross-country handicap where Harry was first individual and first in the handicap, novelty team races from Carbrook Street, Senior Championship  (won by I Wilson), Juvenile Championship (Billy Crerard), Five Miles Handicap (Pollock McIntosh). Six Miles Handicap (McIntosh), Five Miles Road Handicap (Alistair Wooler), Youths three miles handicap (L Lyons), Juvenile Handicap (F Gatens), 2.5 miles cross-country handicap (McWilliams) and the Dalrymple Trophy was awarded for the for most meritorious performance (H McWilliams).  The Dalrymple Trophy winning performance was for McWilliams’s run in the South Western District cross-country championship at Irvine where he was sixth after slashing his leg open from ankle to thigh on a barbed wire fence early on in the race.   The Youths team was third in that race with Lawrie Lyons 15th and Tom More 19th.   The report in the local ‘Telegraph’ also said that “while not exactly setting the heather on fire, Auchmountain Harriers gave their best performance for years in the championships.”   … “Veteran Jim Bryce ran particularly well in his untrained state to lead the club home.   He was 49th.   SP McIntosh (50), I Wilson (55) and N Preston (61) are all capable of better things.   Auchmountain are especially pleased with the efforts of A Wooler (63) and SE Hagen (64) who ran doggedly and finished the course to give the team fifth place.”

The club was clearly in a healthy state with good numbers of seniors available to them, a promising Youths section, a complete committee which was a good blend of experienced men and younger newer members and a full racing programme.   Nor were the club activities were not restricted to the winter season – training for the summer was at Cappielow Park, the home of Greenock Morton FC, which was just over the railway bridge from Carwood Street.   Club members took prt in local and nationa open competition.

The season started with the Renfrewshire Youth Panel athletic badge meeting where Harry McWilliams was second in the half mile and third in the mile.  Like any other club in the 1950’s, the club held championship and handicap races for club members and right at the start of the season, they had races handicap and scratch for Juveniles, Youths and Junior/Senior categories over distances from 100 yards to three-quarters of a mile.   McWilliams continued to excel in ATC competitions – second in the Scottish 880 yards, he was third in the British championship at Uxbridge in July.   At home, David Caldwell won the open 440 yards at Kilwinning Sports and took the senior 100, 220, 440 and 1320 yards in the club championships in 11.0, 24.5, 57.9 and 3:25.   The other age group competitions were won by Crerand in the youth events and Ian Hamilton in the juvenile championships.  In the Renfrewshire County Championships, the new sprinting ‘find’ of the season, Hugh Livingstone won the Youths 100 yards as well as finishing fourth in the 880 yards.   David Caldwell was third in the junior 100 yards and McWilliams wcarrying the torchas unplaced in the final of the 880 yards.   The club was performing at a reasonable level on the track as well as over the fields of winter and numbers were healthy.   There was a Scotland-wide campaign to impress upon the population the benefits of having X-rays taken with national papers having lengthy features on the subject and there was a relay race involving runners from all clubs to publicise the campaign locally.   Auchmountain played their part in this with Ian Wilson, William Shields, Jim Bryce, Pollock McIntosh, Harry McWilliams, David Caldwell and Willie Loughran with five from Wellpark and one from Glenpark also involved.

After that good competition year, things looked good for winter 1957/58 which started with a two and a half miles cross-country race on each of two weekends where the traditional officials of starter A Lambie,  judge W Shields and timekeeper T McKay were on duty.   In the Renfrewshire cross-country relays in November, the A team of Pollock McIntosh (14th at the end of the first lap), David Caldwell, Ian Wilson and Harry McWilliams finished seventh, three seconds down on sixth, with the B Team of Wooler, Barrett, McLean and Bryce seventeenth.   The programme of club championship and pack runs continued with the Six Miles championship was won by McWilliams (43:54) from McIntosh (44:23), Caldwell (45:51) and Wilson (46:59) with McWilliams also winning the handicap race.   In the South West championships at the start of 1958, T More was third in the Under 17 race and W Crerand was second in the Under 15 race but the race was declared void because a number of finishers were not recorded – a shame for the first three who were recorded.   When it came to the national championships at Hamilton, the club was not well represented by the senior athletes – despite the numbers available to them, only Pollock McIntosh turned out in the  and finished 141st.   There was a full junior team though which finished 16th and included McWilliams 63, Wilson 84, Caldwell 98 and  Wooler 108.   The youths squad finished 14th: Sheridan 25,  More 46,  O’Donnell 83,   Preston 97;  The boys team was 7th: Smith 13,  Crerand 34, Findlay 48,  Knight  80, and there was even a non-scoring runner, W Watson 102.

The summer ’58 season started with a one mile scratch race at Cappielow which was won by McWilliams from newcomer Bill Youden after a titanic struggle with Findlay and Sheridan dead-heating for third place.   The reason for a race on the very first track night of the year was soon apparent – there was to be a race at half-time at the Morton v Stirling Albion match the following Tuesday.   This was to be a handicap race to entertain the crowd.  The report read:

Pollock McIntosh took the lead shortly after the gun and cut out a fast pace ahead of D Caldwell, H McWilliams and I Wilson.   At half-distance Wilson went to the front but he was only allowed to remain in this position for half a lap when youngster David Smith decided that the pace was too slow and shot ahead.   He stayed in front for over a lap when he was overtaken by Harry McWilliams and David Caldwell who were now going all out for the tape.   Caldwell tried desperately to overhaul the club champion but McWilliams who had nursed himself in the early stages now had all the “stops” out and raced on to win by 15 yards in 4 minutes 41 seconds.   D Caldwell was second and W Loughrey staged a late burst to take third place just ahead of the youthful Smith.    SP McIntosh was fifth, Ian Wilson sixth, Wm Youden seventh and Joe O’Donnell eighth.”

There had been 12 runners in the race: McWilliams had been off scratch, with Wilson and Caldwell off 10 yards, Tom More off 20 yards, Loughrey 30 yards, Smith 40 yards.    McWilliams was the man to beat all summer but by the start of the winter season he was clearly the best endurance runner in the club.

Winter 1958/59 saw him win all scratch races from two miles to ten miles: the longer the races, the more he won by – the ten miles race was won in 53:30 from 57:13.   Auchmountain boys team won the Renfrewshire county cross-country championship at the start of 1959 but the club does not appear in any published results for the District Championships in January 1959 and there were only one Auchmountain vests to be seen in the senior national at Hamilton on 28th February –  SP McIntosh in 99th.   The youths were out in slightly bigger numbers – that good club man Harry McWilliams was 42nd, Jim Sheridan 90th and and D Caldwell 100th.   In the Boys race W Watson was  85th .    The lack of seniors prepared to travel from Greenock to Hamilton was surprising.   Was the answer to be found in a paragraph at the end of the report on the annual prize giving?  It read:

“Auchmountain Harriers is primarily a club which seeks to achieve top-grade health for the youth of the community who are interested in running – the best health-giving body builder of all pastimes.”

When the election for the committee for 1959/60 was held, TM McKay was President, A Lambie vice-president, W Shields secretary – the main positions all in the and Hugh Livingston  safe and experienced hands of long-time club members, while Ian Wilson was assistant treasurer, David Caldwell was assistant secretary, SP McIntosh captain and H McWilliams vice captain.   It was a nice division of young and old.    At the time it was clear to all that the Carbrook building that had served the club so well was in dire need of treatment and a Repair Committee set up – Pollock McIntosh was the convener with Alistair Wooler, David Caldwell, Willie Loughran, Harry McWilliams, Joe O’Donnell and Hugh Livingstone as members.    Elected to the Renfrew AAA, SAAA and NCCU were AK McDonald and JK Bryce.    The club was a fully functioning organisation with no shortage of members to fill all the positions and able to take a full part in the governing bodies of the sport.

One of the biggest awards in Greenock athletics was the Lithgow Trophy.   It had been awarded by Mr Henry Lithgow in 1947 for annual competition between all the local athletic clubs with one of the few conditions being that the tournament be held in Port Glasgow.   In 1959 Greenock Wellpark Harriers had won it for each of the previous eight years but it was felt that the contest would be close this time round.   With only one event to go – the Mile Medley Relay – the points totals were Auchmountain ten and a half points, Wellpark ten and Glenpark nine.   Any one of the three clubs could win the Trophy.    The ‘Telegraph’ read:

“The last event was a one mile medley relay race and the distances to be covered in order were 880 yards, 220 yards, 220 yards, 440 yards.   The atmosphere was tense as the 880 runners lined up.   Wellpark were pinning their faith in many times cross-country internationalist Tom Stevenson, Auchmountain hopes were centred on youthful club champion Harry McWilliams, while Glenpark had to call on a rather tired Jim Spence – not long recovered from his mile race.   Stevenson went into the lead at the gun with McWilliams two yards behind and Spence a similar distance away third.   These runners had four laps to do.   At two laps the order was the same and then the experienced Stevenson forced on more pace in an endeavour to pull clear of his younger rivals.   The gap started to widen but McWilliams was quick to seee the danger and gradually closed in again.   So it remained until 150 yards to the change-over when the Auchmountain boy, with the judgment of a veteran, decided to make his effort.   He drew level with Stevenson in the back straight but Tom was not going to be easily passed and he spurted too.   Shoulder to shoulder they raced to the bottom bend.   Then young Harry, now at a disadvantage running outside on the bend, found some more pace and forced himself into the lead before the home straight was reached.   But he was having no runaway lead.   Tom Stevenson, although now used to longer distances, refused to be dropped and hung on with such determination that there was only two yards in it at the line.   Over the first 220 yards there was another Skirving-McSwein duel and there might well have been an iron tow-bar between these two athletes so perfectly were they matched.   George Barrett maintained this two yard Auchmountain lead from Chick Aitken (Wellpark) over the second furlong.   Glenpark had dropped back but over the final 440 yards the race upfront was a real hum-dinger as John Cairns of Wellpark twice tried to slip past David Caldwell on the inside.   During the final lap Cairns still made efforts to take his club to the front  but with 150 yards to go Caldwell surged away to a lead which grew to twenty yards at the tape to give Auchmountain a glorious victory in the race and in the contest.   Auchmountain’s colts had triumphed over the seasoned strength of Wellpark to break an eight year monopoly and capture the Liddell Trophy. “

The younger Auchmountain team included several runners who were still at school while the Wellpark team had Frank Stevenson and Duncan McSwein among an altogether more experienced Wellpark squad.

Away from club races which continued as before, winter 1960 started with the South West District Championship Relay at Paisley with the Senior team of Sheridan, McIntosh, Caldwell and Wilson finishing in eleventh place.   The Renfrewshire championships were held at Gateside, the headquarters of Wellpark Harriers, on 12th December where the Youths team was second, having been led home by D Smith in second place, 35 yards down on the winner.   The District Championships were held at Beith on 23rd January at Beith and only two seniors ran – Jim Sheridan was 31st and Harry McWilliams 37th.   The Youths team was third with D Smith fifth, D Hodelet ninth and T Knight tenth.   Dick Hodelet in ninth was a real talent and would go onto great things in athletics as a senior runner.   In the national at Hamilton on 5th March   there were no seniors running at all but Harry McWilliams in 35th and J Sheridan 40th turned out in the Junior race.  As far as the youths were concerned, Hodelet turned the tables on Smith by finishing 31st to Smith’s  41st with Knight finishing  85th.    The lack of a fourth man meant that the club had no team.   It was a disappointing national for the club, especially after the previous season.   1960/61 was the year that AK McDonald of Auchmountain, the winner of the 1935 South West District championship and elder statesman of the club, was President of the Scottish Cross-Country Union – a well deserved honour for the man who had represented the club so well as a runner, as an official who refereed the national cross-country championships and as an administrator, being the club representative on Renfrewshire, South West District, SAAA and SCCU levels.

Top man on the track next summer was young Dick Hodelet who ran well in open competition.   For instance, on 11th June at Ibrox in the Glasgow Police Sports he won the Junior 880 yards handicap, off 38 yards,  from Jim Finn  of Motherwell in 1:56.5; on 25th June he won the 880 yards at the Stewarton Bonnet Guild meeting, again off 38 yards, in 1:58.1.   None of the other Auchmountain runners appeared in the results nationally that summer.

In the winter of 1961/62, the south west district relays there was no Auchmountain team among the results but in the District Championships, their youths were  3rd team with the runners being Smith 5th, McLean 12th, Knight 13th.    Came the national at Hamilton on 4th March 1962 the youths were again the sole club representatives with only T Knight 88th and F McLean 92th finishing the course.

And that was where the Auchmountain story ended.   By the national of 1960/61 runners like Hodelet, Sheridan, McIntosh and McWilliams were running for Greenock Glenpark.   Hodelet became one of the country’s best ever half-milers, McIntosh emigrated to Australia and died in Adelaide on 27th May 2016, Sheridan and McWilliams ran for a long time with Greenock Glenpark Harriers for whom they were loyal club men as they had been with Auchmountain.

Just why the club went is not known to me – I’d be delighted to hear from anyone with that information – but it seemed to be doing well.   It ran a complete programme of club events winter and summer, the runners were taking part in open meetings and championships, the younger members (particularly the Under 17 age group) were particularly successful and there was a good, mixed committee – indeed Mr McDonald was President of the Scottish Cross Country Union in 1961/62.   Founded in 1903, it folded in 1960.   It is a puzzle to me why it collapsed.    It was doing comparatively well – from the depression of the early 50’s, the situation had been turned round and in 1960/61 the team was relatively strong with youngsters led by Dick Hodelet and a senior team that had won the Lithgow Trophy.   One suggestion that was put forward was that the Carbrook Street premises was ina state of serious disrepair and they could not afford to repair it: but most clubs in Scotland used local authority facilities – eg swimming baths were headquarters for Bellahouston Harriers, Clydesdale Harriers, Dumbarton AAC, Springburn Harriers and many more.   There might have been possibilities there but no doubt they were all gone into.   A good, solid club had gone to the wall.

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Photo from the Gourock Games website.

More Photographs, Mainly Elliott and Cerutty

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Like many runners of whatever generation, Hugh had his heroes – in this case he and I agree that Herb Elliott was top of the list.   Any list, any time, Herb was The Man.   His coach Percy Cerutty was/is a legendary figure.   The picture below needs no caption.  Herb watches as Perce works on the bar.

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All coaches have their wee sayings to motivate their athletes: don’t know how some of today’s athletes would take this challenge!

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Percy conducts a ‘warm up’ wrestling match!

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Coach and athlete enjoying each other’s company.

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Lennart Strand with Herb Elliott and Percy Cerutty.

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A remarkable photograph: the six athletes pictured set 50 world records and won 19 Olympic medals between them.

Standing:   Paavo Nurmi, 16 world records and 9 Olympic medals; Hannes Kolehmainen 6 and 5; Ron Clarke 19 and 1; Marcel Hansenne 1 and 1; Laurie Lehtinen 2 and 2; Robert Pariente (journalist).

In front: Robert Bodin – Jazy’s coach, Michel Jazy 6 and 1.

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Hugh’s Photos, Clippings and Memorabilia

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Hugh Barrow’s collections of photographs, pictures and memorabilia receive many visits each week and these are the new additions of items of interest to us all.   First, from the Australian Sports Museum in Melbourne we have the plaque at one of Herb Elliott’s items – read it and wonder!   I talk frequently about ‘our heroes’ – one of mine used to start  us off with ‘I mind one time when …’ – and probably the athletes of the 21st century think it’s an old man being sentimental.   It isn’t.   We did have particular athletes that we looked up to and Herb Elliott was the supreme runner, certainly for any miler; the nonpareil as the really old runners used to say.   Unequalled – then along came Peter Snell and the debates started.   Zatopek was ‘the man’ for long distance runners although Alain Mimoun was also a superb athlete who was fated to be the Merv Lincoln to Zatopek’s Elliott.  Note Michel Jazy’s comments below. However here is the plaque –

… and here is The Vest …

If you want to see more of Herb and his coach, Percy Cerutty, scroll down the page.

 

 Westerlands in the 1920’s:

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Programme of the Australian ‘Ten Mile Championship of Victoria’.   Have a look at the Dressing Room arrangements!

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Now a reminder of the good old amateur days with a letter to Alf Shrubb.

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Next, a public letter to John Landy – signed too!

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The race that got Peter Snell (25) to Rome: Herb Elliott (50) in there too.

Next is the plan of Parkhead at the start of the twentieth century when major athletic meetings, including SAAA Championships, were held there.   But note the two tracks: the inner for runners, the outer was of concrete for (1) cycle racing: separate races were held for hard tyres, cushion tyres and pneumatic tyres.   (2) the Celtic Sports were the only one that had motor cycle trials, which had motor cycle records set, and these were held on the outer track.

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It wouldn’t be Hugh Barrow without a Herb Elliott picture: two greats – Herb with Zatopek

Below is a report on a race which Herb didn’t win

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Above is a very interesting cutting indeed.   Hugh says:

“It was 1869 – Many of these athletes were involved in the birth of international rugby in 1871
Arthur and Robertson signed the famous challenge letter in Dec 1870 that led to the first game v England in March 1871.   Arthur ,Cross ,Robertson all played and Cross scored the first ever recorded in international”
Below is the letter referred to above
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Another athletics venue of old:  Clyde FC’s Shawfield Park which was the venue for such big events as the Lanarkshire Police Sports.   There was an inner and outer track here too – the outer for dog racing.

Below:   Herb Elliott training in Rome

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The grouping below has one of the most unique medals I have ever seen. Then there are several clippings and other things from the past, followed by some more modern photographs (ie from after 1960).   First of all – the medal from cross country races at Flanders Field in 1917.   Note the hallmark on the medal.

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In this post-amateur era, it is difficult to realise how serious the founders of amateur athletics were in the beginning.   Just read ‘Fifty Years of Athletics’ elsewhere on this site to get the picture.   The clipping below is self explanatory.

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Below is from an early Rangers Sports at Ibrox

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Extract from an Australian programme for a race including Alfred Shrubb: note the nutrition advice!

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Rangers were not slow to experiment or to let their supporters witness top class sportsmen and women form other sports: this is from a tennis demonstration at Ibrox.

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Then Stanley Matthews came on a one-day contract to play in an exhibition match – here he is in a Rangers jersey.

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No comment!

WHB Waitress Walk Ronnie Delany’s spikes, worn in the 1956 Melbourne Olympics 1500m final.   Now in the National Sports Museum in Melbourne.   Why can’t we do things like that?   eg The NZ museum in Dunedin has Shirley Strickland’s long jump measured out in a sand pit, Bob Charles’s winning putt is laid out on a putting green in the museum, etc.

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Ibrox Sports: Note the runner from Auchmountain Harriers on the right

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Extract from an international programme: note the autograph!

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Competitors at Rangers Sports

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Rangers 7

Sports Miscellany: 29th July 1912

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The Queen’s Park will run two open handicaps – 100 yards and 880 yards – in connection with their club sports on Thursday evening first.

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Dr JL Huggan – the Edinburgh University and Jed-Forest rugby three-quarter back – is due congratulations on passing tenth among the thirty successful candidates for commissions in the Royal Army Medical Services.

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F Boor, who was one of the ‘stars’ at the recent sports of Ayr United FC, has got himself into trouble with the National Cyclists Union and in consequence has been ordered the ‘rest cure’ till the beginning of the year.   Boor was to have taken part in the Celtic Sports but that arrangement will now fall to the ground.

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Maryhill Harriers are holding confined sports at Ibrox Park on August 14th.   The programme is of modest dimensions.   There are a number of first-class runners at this club, among others G Dallas, G Hamilton, J McFarlane, JA Coyle and D Fulton.   The decision to hold confined sports should help to increase the membership.

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Ralph Craig, who won the 100 and 200 metres at the Olympic Games, has now retired from athletics; he has conquered all that is worth conquering and believes it better to retire with an unsullied reputation.   At one time it was thought that Craig would run at the Celtic Sports but he has returned to America and the last has been heard of him in connection with amateur athletics.

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JG Brock (Clydesdale Harriers) won no fewer than four firsts at the Young Men’s Christian Association’s camp at Ardgoil during the Fair holidays.   The sports were a great success there being over 500 entries.   HJ Christie first caught the racing fever at the YMCA Camp two years ago and from a modest beginning has developed into one of the speediest amateurs in Scotland.   Mr William Gardiner has organised these camp sports for several seasons, and their success is to be measured as much by the unalloyed enjoyment they afford as by the number of recruits they give to open athletics.

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Although JT Soutter’s leg is now quite sound again, it is stated on most reliable authority that he has now retired from the track.   If such be the case, British athletics will be much the poorer in the near future for the Aberdeen University divinity student, with a distinct personality of his own, has been an ornament to the track since his debut in open competition in 1910.   He shares the Scottish native half-mile record of 1 min 58 2-5th sec with R Burton, and each has beaten the other thrice on level terms, but Soutter’s best performances were accomplished last year in England where he ‘clocked’ 1 min 57  sec at Birmingham, 1 min 57 1-th sec at the British Press Charity Sports, and 1 min 56 1-5th sec in the AAA Relay Championships at Fallowfield, Manchester.

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Local sprinters are debating eagerly the respective merits of RC Duncan, George Sandilands and HJ Christie, all of whom are on the same mark in the 100 yards – viz. 1 yard.   Duncan and Sandilands, it will be remembered, put up a great race at the SAAA Championships, and although the former was accounted the better man, not a few thought Sandilands was slightly in advance of the West of Scotland Harrier.   Still, there was little between them, and now that Christie has worked his way to the same mark as Duncan and Sandilands, many would like to see either the Rangers or Celtic extending an invitation to each to run a level race.   It might lack the electrifying effect of a race composed of Olympic and other champions, but from a local point of view it would be infinitely more interesting.

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Mr JE Sullivan, secretary and treasurer of the American Athletic Union, is indignant at the accusations of semi-professionalism in connection with international sport.   In an interview he says:-

“There is no call for the introduction of this argument.   There no doubt are, and always will be, isolated cases of men in amateur sport who are not pure amateurs.   Doubtless you can think of some on your side of the water, although I do not doubt that the Amateur Athletic Association and its kindred bodies do their best to deal repressively with any breaches.   We are in the same position in America, and our record shows that we also do much to keep semi-professionalism down.   The difficulty will arise with greater force in Sweden, Germany, Finland and other countries which have not the advantage of years of organisation which America and England have enjoyed.   We made no imputations on the cleanness of British amateur sport, although in my long experience there are plenty of instances of British champions turning professional.   As to international sport generally, we do not allow our athletes to race abroad without our permission, and I think it could be better regulated if there was agreement between the various nations on this point.”

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History, it is fully expected, will be made at the Rangers Sports on Saturday, and that is equivalent to saying that there will be some sensational running.   Hannes Kolehmainen is their trump card, though possibly the best running will be seen in the half-mile if Melvin Sheppard, JE Meredith and H Braun are among the competitors.   A few days ago at Berlin Braun scored a notable victory over the Americans.   The Bavarian is a beautiful runner, and the public will be charmed with his style as much as by his speed qualities.   Sheppard we have seen before, and many must still have vivid recollections of his “all-comers” record set at Ibrox.   Meredith is the American holder of the 800 metres.   He is only 19 years of age, and it may interest some to know that he was trained by an old Scottish runner, Jimmy Curran.   As to Kolehmainen. whose brother by the way was running at the Clyde’s ground on Saturday, Little need be said beyond the fact that he was the most striking figure at the recent Stockholm games, winning no fewer than three distance events, and making time in each which gives him an incomparable position among present day runners.   Kolehmainen won the English four miles championship last season and his performance on that occasion will not be forgotten by those who had the pleasure of witnessing it.   There will be lots of crack runners, besides the ones we have mentioned, and if the anticipations of the Rangers committee are realised, the meeting on Saturday will be one of the best they have yet held.

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Two Army records were lowered last week in the Army Championships.   Lieutenant HE Blakeney, Royal Sussex, won the hurdles in 15 2-5th sec, or a fifth faster than CRL Anderson’s time in the English championships.   This is Lieutenant Blakney’s best performance, and it is one that elevates him to a very high position as a hurdles performer.   Then in the three miles Sergeant O’Neill, Connaught Rangers, was first in 14 min 45 sec, which is excellent travelling, and accentuates one’s regret that the Irish crack was not at Stockholm, not that he would have made any impression against Hannes Kolehmainen but he would certainly have acquitted himself better than several who represented Great Britain.   Corporal Hutson ran second to O’Neill in the mile, the time for which was 4 min 28 1-5th sec.   These two wins are among the finest O’Neill has to his credit in open competition.   Sergeant Gray, who ran such a plucky race in the Scotland  v  Ireland international, was beaten by Lieutenant Alan Patterson in the quarter-mile in 51 1-th sec, which was a shade too good for him, as on Powderhall, which is greatly superior to the track at Aldershot, his time was 52 sec.   Patterson also won the half-mile, beating among others MC Harrison, an old Irish international runner.    In the officers 100 yards, Patterson was first in 10 4-5th sec and Captain Dugmore, ASC, cleared 21 feet 9 inches in the broad jump.   Lieutenant R Simson, the old Edinburgh Academy boy, took part in several of the events but could not breast the tape first in any.   On the whole, the performances were an advance on last season, and Army athletics, if not all that they might be, are in a fairly satisfactory condition.

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