Early History – Page 8 – Anent Scottish Running

Celtic Sports: 1900 – 1910

Posted on July 2, 2015 by Admin

100 Yards race at Celtic Park in 1915

The difficulties faced by the organisers of Celtic FC Sports in the mid- to late-30’s which saw or accelerated the decline, and eventual demise of the once fine athletic meeting should not blind us to the fact that it had been running successfully since the end of the nineteenth century. The Scottish athletic scene had many very good sports meetings, each with its own date on the calendar and this made it difficult to switch any one meeting. Celtic’s date was the second Saturday in August and when the football season started a week earlier then there was a clash and the club had to move its sports. Some examples of the other dates:

First week in June was Queen’s Park FC Sports, Third in June was the Glasgow Police Sports, fourth week in June was the SAAA Championships, First week in July was the Partick Thistle Sports, third week in July was Clyde FC sports – but they were for a time a professional games and they only reverted to the amateur code in 1935, first week in August was Rangers sports. There were others – Monkland Harriers sports on last week in May, Greenock Glenpark Harriers were on the last week in July – an so on. There was an opening on the second Saturday in July when the football season made the change necessary, but after the first CFC meeting, the organisers of the Triangular International changed the date of their fixture from June. The Celtic meeting as a major fixture was almost certainly doomed from that date. This page is to give some idea of the size of event that they hosted – for instance, they always needed a follow-up or supplementary meeting on the Monday after the Saturday; there were many heats in the sprints – over 20 was not uncommon and 25 were known. We have only a brief coverage of each sports from 1900 here but they should give an indication.

In 1900, the Celtic FC Annual Sports Meeting was a major athletic fixture in Scotland. Coming as it did the week after the Rangers Sports, it was the last big meeting of the summer before King Football started his winter reign. The meting on 11th August 1900 was followed by a supplementary meeting there on the Monday evening with the same athletes from the USA, Ireland and England as well as Scotsmen. There were also cycling events and five-a-side football. These things did not happen by accident. Willie Maley had been at the AAA’s Championships and ‘succeeded in inducing AF Duffy the 100 yards champion; W Long, 440 yards champion; John Flanagan, world’s record holder for hammer throwing; and John Bray, Canadian half-mile record holder, to compete at the Celtic Sports meeting on Saturday and Monday next. This is a big catch, and all interested in athletic science must be indebted to the Celts, and through the Celts to Mr Maley for bringing such an accomplished quartette of athletes to Glasgow.’

The report on the meeting read:

“Bad as the weather was on Saturday, there was some really fine flat racing at Parkhead and in reviewing the proceedings, one can merely speculate what developments there might have been under more congenial conditions. As it is, M Long’s remarkable running in the quarter handicap will go a long way to give the Celtic meeting this year an exalted place in athletics history. To cover the distance in 50 seconds in pelting rain and on a sodden track is great work – the greatest perhaps that the American has put in since he came to England. True he ran a shade faster at the English championships but the conditions at Stanford Bridge were very different from what prevailed at Parkhead, and it is when we bear this in mind that the dignity of Saturday’s performance is found. Long now holds the “all-comers” 440 record, Bredin being the previous holder. It was in his Heat that the American accomplished 50 seconds, and although he ran a shade slower in the Final, he had a punishing finish with McFarlane, Edinburgh Harriers 24 yards, for first place. The invitation 100 yards handicap was the next most interesting item to Long’s record. There were three Heats, two of which produced grand finishes, the third of which was spoiled through Tewkesbury anticipating the pistol. The starter declared the Heat “no race” and though the American attempted to get a place, he failed. The Final was an exciting clash. J Ford of Motherwell Harriers, four and a half yards, beating M Long, scratch, by a foot, while Ballantyne, who comes from the Border counties was third off five and a half. Ford never ran better than he did in this race, and the speed he disclosed in this event as well as in the 120, makes him the fastest amateur in the Western District. The feature, or at any event, one of the features of the 120 handicap, which we may say was replete with exciting incidents – was Tewkesbury’s victory from virtual scratch, one and a half yards. Long did not run, while both Duffy and Rowley were absent. D Carr, an old stager, won the half-mile off 60 yards in 1 min 56 sec. Even when in his prime, Carr has never been able to accomplish anything like this time. Therefore we must regard this as the race of his life. S Mitchell, another runner who has not blossomed into a winner for at least a couple of seasons, secured the mile in 4 min 25 sec off 105.”

The supplementary meeting on the Monday was held in fine weather with a crowd of 10,000 spectators – an excellent attendance for an evening meeting and maybe a testament to the quality of the Saturday event in the rain. The feature of the meeting was said to be the running of the American runner M Long but my attention was drawn to the winner of the fifth Heat of the open 100 yards – AS Maley (running for Celtic FC) off one and a half yards. There were no fewer than thirteen Heats of the 100 yards, Maley was second his semi-final, and won the Final. There were eight Heats in the 220 yards which was won by Long. The runner who was third in the six laps steeplechase was also running for Celtic FC. The programme also had men competing in the colours of Queen’s Park FC, Royal Albert FC and Annfield FC.

On the Monday before the 1901 meeting, the ‘Glasgow Herald’ again remarked on Maley’s efforts. “The Celts make their annual athletic appeal on Saturday first, and from the elaborate arrangements made by Mr William Maley, they are not likely to appeal in vain. The American runners are the trump card this season, as they were last, and the recollections of Maxwell Long’s brilliant quarter-mile running last August should make all who saw him on that occasion anxious to see him again. He does not come arrayed in English championship honours, as he did a year ago, but for all that his reputation is as great now as it was then. Long is one of the pedestrian marvels of the present day, and so too is A Duffy, who has been described as “the greatest sprinter in the world for his inches”. Duffy could not come to Glasgow last August but he is a certain starter this weekend. He will run in the 100 yards open, while it is just possible the Celts will put up an invitation handicap for the American’s special delectation. Duffy will teach Scotch sprinters how to start and if his example in this important matter is to be followed, we shall have faster sprinters than at present. R Wadsley who is running at the Exhibition tonight, having arrived in the city from Manchester yesterday evening, may remain over for the Celtic Sports, and if he does, he and Long may meet in the quarter-mile handicap, in which case we will have the English championship battle all over again. All round the entries are large and influential, even more so than in the case of Rangers on Saturday, and there should be some good sport.” The report continued to list some of those who would be competing and in general the article may well have helped attract at least part of the crowd.

Held on 10th August 1901, the Celtic Sports in the opinion of the reporter for the ‘Glasgow Herald’ would have had an even greater crowd than the previous year ‘but for the breakdown in the weather’ – as it was the attendance was estimated at 15,000! Again there were Americans, Irish and English competitors as well as domestic Scots including the great John McGough of Bellahouston Harriers. From early in the report: “It has been said by one whose opinion in athletic matters is valued highly that the Celtic meeting is the greatest in the country, and with the recollection of many fine gatherings which the club has celebrated, we are not inclined to question the verdict.” What was in the meeting in 1901 to occasion that kind of remark? A Duffy the American sprinter who had been invited in 1900 but had failed to turn up, was there and he beat Denis Murray of Dublin by half a yard in 10.4 – a disappointing time but he was running on sodden grass. There were 23 heats (twenty three) Heats of the 100 yards; the heralded American Maxwell Long won his Heat of the 440 yards but did not turn out in the Final ‘fearing a breakdown’; Baxter, the American high jumper gave an exhibition; N McIntosh (Maryhill Harriers) won the mile from John McGough who was conceding 60 yards. McIntosh was competing the previous year as ‘Celtic FC’. As before, there was a top-up meeting on the Monday evening with 9 heats of the 220 yards and last year’s 100 yards winner, AW Maley – was second after leading most of the way. There were also several athletes racing in their football club colours, among them Clyde FC, Annbank FC, Hamilton Academicals FC.

“The directors of this club submitted an attractive programme, which brought together on Saturday athletes from all parts of Britain, whilst one or two well-known American sprinters &c were among the competitors. The weather was perfect and there was a large attendance of 20,000 of the public.”

In 1902 the sports were on 9th August, the sports seemed to go off well, but there was only a vestigial report – they fell at the time of the Coronation of King Edward and the crowning of Queen Alexandra and the sports coverage was minimal with athletics possibly the most minimal of them all. It could have been worse – the Rangers Sports were cancelled. The papers were full of the coronation with pages of coverage, line drawings, diagrams, reports on all the celebratory activities. The Herald for example had four or five broadsheet pages of reportage plus a couple of pages with short pieces covering the celebrations in many towns and villages throughout Scotland. There was great competition for the attention of the ‘man n the street’. Celtic had been hoping for Alfred Shrubb to come north but he had apparently already agreed to compete in fixtures nearer home. The reporter pointed out that distance runners were very popular than sprinters in these parts “no doubt due to the fact that they give better value and more sustained excitement” than sprinters.

The 1903 sports were held on 8th August – 24 heats of the open 100 this times – with a total of six track events and four field and a total of £700 drawn at the gate. The standard was high with, eg, Tom Nicolson against Denis Horgan of Ireland in both weight and hammer and an international high jump competition. Coverage was limited to a couple of lines plus results but it was another very successful meeting. The follow-up meeting was on Monday, 10th, and not only were there athletic events + cycling but there was motor cycling events in which the Scottish one mile record was broken.

The preview of the 1904 version of the club sports read, “By their ingenuity, liberality and enterprise the Celtic Football Club have created for themselves a very high ideal as sports promoters and the query on all hands is, “Will they maintain that ideal in connection with the forthcoming meeting?” As far as we can gather they will. In the first place it is only natural they should profit in many ways by the extraordinary exertions put forward by the Rangers FC and if they do we are at once ensured of an exhibition of athleticism equal at least to what was witnessed at Ibrox Park on Saturday. And in the second place the Celts, possessing as they do the finest cement track in Scotland, will provide cycle racing of the very highest class. … Mr Maley is hopeful of inducing A Shrubb to come North for the mile handicap, and if he is successful, we will have a series of lively passages between him and John McGough. Strange as it may seem, the Bellahouston crack has never done anything great at Parkhead and he does not like to be reminded of this by his Celtic friends. But it is scarcely fair to upbraid him, even in a jocular way, for not establishing records at Parkhead, as by August he can hardly be at his best.”

On to the meeting on 14th August, “The Celtic Football Club on Saturday added another to the many splendid honours they have to their credit as sports administrators. One, in fact, is left to wonder what the attendance would have been had the weather conditions been a little better. It ruined more or less all ? , and at one time it looked rather bleak for any form of outdoor recreation, but about two o’clock there was a change for the better with the result that crowds flocked to Parkhead and it is estimated that attendance was not much under 30,000 which is a tribute to the stature of Celtic Sports.” The fields were made up mainly of Scots with some good Englishmen taking part, many good races were held although no records were set. On the Monday meeting, held in better weather, also had some top class competition with the invitation 100 yards being won by the American AF Duffey ‘by inches’ from JW Morton of England in 10.6 seconds. R Craig of Bellahouston Harriers won the 1000 yards race by about two inches in a field of 50 runners. Duffey was considered the fastest man in the world at the time and had been encouraged to come to Scotland by William Wilton of the Rangers in 1903 for their Sports the previous week. Duffey had been favourite in the 1900 Olympics but despite a good run in the Heats had to pull up in the final with an injury. American 100 yards champion in 1899, he won the AAA’s in England every year from 1900 to 1904. He ran 9.6 for 100 in 1902, a world record, but after a quarrel with the AAU over his refusal to wear Spalding running shoes he was found guilty of breaking the amateur code. There is genuine dispute over this verdict – the AAU President worked for Spalding Shoes and it was after the refusal to wear these that the President himself brought the accusation that Duffey had been accepting illegal expenses every year since 1899. There seems to be little if any evidence that he did actually do a bad thing! However, when he came to Ibrox in 1903 and Parkhead in 1904, he was still a world class athlete. There were also cycle races and a motor bike race. I don’t know of any other meeting during the period that actually had motor bike races at their sports but then maybe the aforementioned cement track was used for these.

What was it with Celtic Sports and the weather in August? The weather on 12th August 1905 was again against good running. “As luck would have it, Saturday was a bad day for athletics and while in many respects the Celtic meeting will stand out as one of the most successful of the long and brilliant series held by that club, nothing was achieved that will single it out as memorable in later years. The sprinters had a strong wind to battle against and this very naturally had a prejudicial effect on form. It was the strong men who in most cases carried the day, and this was perhaps more marked in the sprint than in the distance events. Quite a number of the lighter men did not compete at all, any chance they had of distinguishing themselves being neutralised by the vigour of the breeze. The invitation 100 yards handicap was won by JW Morton, the English champion, in 10 3-5th sec and in ordinary circumstances the time would have been 10 seconds. Kitson was second with Stark third. Lighter than the other two, undoubtedly Stark suffered by the conditions, and that he managed to even finish third, says a great deal for his pluck and determination. JB Taylor, the American, did not break the record in the quarter. No one expected he would in such conditions but many thought he would have done better than he did. WD Anderson won in 51 2-5th sec off 10 yards, Blunden being a good second off 8 yards, while the American just succeeded in beating W Roxburgh for third place. Again RS Stronach had a popular win over in the hurdles over E Amsler of America. This is the fourth time in succession that the Scot has beaten Amsler. On Saturday however he had less to spare than in the other races, the American running him to a couple of yards. Where Stronach excels is the facility with which he clears the lights. A Shrubb lost the mile-and-a-half invitation race to G Butterfield and in view of the fact that McGough beat the Londoner a few days ago there should not be too much difficulty in allocating to each his position in the order of merit. The story of the race is that Shrubb led throughout and was overcome at the crucial stage – the sprint. The first half-mile was done in 2 min 9 sec, the mile in 4 min 36 secand the full distance in 6 min 55 2-th sec. The two open sprints were won by J Smith of Bellahouston Harriers – the 100 yards off 8.5, the 220 off 15. Smith would seem to be possessed of great sprinting resource as he won the first round in 10 3-5th sec, the second in 10 1-5th and the Final in 10 sec. It is interesting to mention that Smith at the June meeting of the West of Scotland Harriers was in receipt of 9.5 yards from Morton and did not win, while on Saturday off a reduced mark, he carried off one of the great prizes of the year. This is the first time this season that Smith has ventured beyond the initial stage of a handicap. WH Mill, West of Scotland Harriers, won what, under better conditions, would have been the fastest half-mile of the season, off 35 yards: as it was the time has only once been bettered and that was at an Edinburgh meeting. The mile went to a stalwart Irishman, SS Lee, the Junior cross-country champion of Ireland, and the steeplechase, which provoked a constant ripple of laughter, was captured by A Russell of Walsall who enjoys a unique reputation for this class of pedestrianism. One very marked feature of the track races, was the extraordinary success of the Bellahouston school. Eight of the 100 yard Heats and three of the 220 yards were captured by members of that club while of the prizes they won three firsts, three seconds and three thirds.”

That is the report in its entirety and the preview of the Monday meeting concentrated on the Four Miles Handicap.

“We are to have A Shrubb in a Four Miles Handicap and that is something which is not seen every day. Two years ago Shrubb ran a very fine race at the Celtic enclosure, the occasion being the summer sports of the West of Scotland Harriers, when he created record, 19 mins 32 2-th sec, which he afterwards lowered at Ibrox to 19 min 23 2-5th sec, in the historic ten miles race. We are not likely to have either of these efforts repeated tonight, although we shall be surprised if the Englishman does not crack 20 minutes. Last week on grass he was quite at his best, beating Alridge quite easily over four miles, and as this is the distance he favours most, we feel confident he will put in a performance worthy of the great name that he enjoys. There are twelve entrants, distributed as follows: J McGough, Bellahouston Harriers 100 yards; S Stevenson, Clydesdale Harriers, 120 yards; PC Russell, Bellahouston Harriers, 230 yards; G McKenzie, West of Scotland Harriers 320 yards; T Robertson, Edinburgh Harriers 390 yards; J Reston, Clydesdale Harriers, 400 yards; WJ Elliott, Herne Hill Harriers, 420 yards; R Craig, Bellahouston Harriers, 430 yards; WG Kerr, Clydesdale Harriers, 430 yards; T Stewart, Springburn Harriers, 450 yards; J Stewart, Maryhill Harriers, 450 yards; J Mullinch, Bellahouston Harriers, 470 yards. In other words, Shrubb is asked to give away a lap and 30 yards which is a very formidable task.” The 220 yards featured English and American runners as well as Scots and was also previewed fairly extensively. It should be noted that among the runners in the Four Miles were two past or future Olympians in McGough and Stevenson and several Scottish cross-country internationalists including James Reston who emigrated to the USA in 1920 and was the father of the great American political columnist James Scotty Reston.

After that the race had to be good. The headline the following morning read: “SHRUBB AND McGOUGH IN GOOD FORM.” and the article, although brief, reported on a good race. The amateur athletic sports of the Celtic Football Club were continued last night in fine weather and before a large attendance attracted by the entry of several English cracks. Principal interest centred in the Four Miles flat race handicap in which Shrubb, Butterfield and McGough met. An exciting race was witnessed. The London runner was in grand form, and starting at once to draw in his men succeeded in passing McGough when two miles had been covered. Half a mile short of the distance, Butterfield had retired owing to the muscles in one of his legs stiffening. After he had taken the lead of the Bellahouston man, Shrubb went straight ahead and got into first place at the end of two and three-quarter miles. He won in 19 mins 34 seconds by fully 100 yards from McGough who completing the four miles put up a record for a Scottish runner of 20 min 6 1-5th sec, the previous best being 20 min 10 3-5th sec.” The evening saw 16 heats of the 100 yards and 8 heats of the 220 yards as well as two cycle races. Home Scots won the sprints.

If 1905 was good, 1906 was better. Held on 11th August, the report was headlined “CELTIC CARNIVAL”. The headline act was Lieutenant Halswell but the reporter was in no doubt about the place of the Celtic FC meeting in Scottish athletics.

“All roads lead to Parkhead on the day of the Celtic FC Sports. Glasgow people seem to have got it into their heads that all worth seeing in athletes and athletics are to be seen as they are seen nowhere else, at the meeting of the Celtic Football Club. This is eminently flattering to the Parkhead management, though at the same time it is hard to say the least on such clubs as Clydesdale Harriers, West of Scotland Harriers and Bellahouston Harriers, all of whom in their own modest way have done, and are still doing incalculable service in the cause of athletics advancement in the city. There was a great variety of events on Saturday: if anything the programme was a little too rich in good things.

An Epoch Maker Lieutenant Halswell was the “magnet” and it goes without saying that he rose to the dignity of the occasion. He gave no fewer than three very noble turns, all of which were greatly appreciated, though of course the one that caught the fancy most was the 49 sec in the quarter mile, which is three-fifths better than his previous accomplished if we mistake not, in the West of Scotland Harriers June Sports at Ibrox Park. Halswell on Saturday could have easily given the concessions that proved too severe for him at Ibrox, so full of life was he at the finish. He was also second in the invitation 100 yards off one and a half yards, and was just defeated in the half-mile scratch by George Butterfield of Darlington Harriers in 2 min. It was the brains of the latter that triumphed in this race and if Halswell knew as much of the science of running as the AAA mile champion, his efforts, great as they are, would be even greater. Butterfield, for instance, would never have courted the jostling that ruined Halswell’s prospects in this race. All the same, the Lieutenant is a fine athlete, and there is not, we are safe in saying, another runner, be he amateur or professional, who could do what he did at Parkhead on Saturday with apparently so little exertion. Halswell’s 49 sec here is equal to 48 sec in England, and the magnificence, as well as the significance, of the performance can only be appreciated by those who are in a position to contrast the conditions in Glasgow with those in the South of England. We are afraid Halswell will not succeed in breaking world’s record in Scotland, and for the fruition of his ambition he should go to London before the season ends. One who has accomplished so much already should not stop till he has erased the present world’s record for the quarter. There is a rumour that he is retiring from the path tonight, but this is not true as he has applied to the AAA for permission to run at Christiania, Norway towards the end of the month and it may be taken as certain that he will represent the rest of Scotland against Scottish Universities at Aberdeen on the occasion of the King and Queen’s visit to that city in September. What will happen afterwards will be determined by military considerations.

New Mile Record Another very fine performance was John McGough’s mile record of 4 min 21 3-5th sec. This is his second best public effort, the best being his 4 min 19 sec at the AAA’s Championships last month. We have been expecting a new record from him for some time back; indeed, all his performances since the West Harriers meeting when he did the mile and a half in 7 min, have led up to this brilliant effort, and like every clever article, he keeps the best till last. Being closely associated with the Celtic Football Club, McGough is naturally proud that Parkhead shares with him the glory of the record. Tonight he will endeavour to improve on Saturday’s time and by way of aiding him,. the Celts are putting up an invitation handicap with G Butterfield, Darlington Harriers, scratch; JW Lee Heaton Harriers, 25 yards; Sam Lee, Bellahouston Harriers, 70 yards; and J Lambie, Bellahouston Harriers 80 yards. In addition there is the 1000 yards handicap, which will be quite as interesting as the mile, from the fact that Lieutenant Halswell is to run. Last Monday night, George Butterfield managed to slice a fifth of a second off the all-comers record which had resisted every onslaught. It was an excellent performance and will give the Rangers carnival a prominent place in athletics history. Butterfields time was 2 min 16 4-5th sec with which he displaces the name of FE Bacon, one of the great athletes of the Victorian era. Halswell has designs on the 1000 yards record and, if he can stay the distance, certainly has the necessary pace; but how he will negotiate the large field is another matter. Vallance who won the open half-mile in 2 min off 13 yards is off 10 in the 1000 and the man who can plough through a field of seventy runners, as he did on Saturday, is possessed of greater speed and stamina than he has previously been credited with. Taking the time of the open half, and that of the special invitation – 2 min – there was evidently not need for a special race over this distance, as the backmarkers would have been supreme in the one as they were in the other.”

The report continued with coverage of the sprints but the big events had clearly been the endurance races mentioned above. As for the Monday session, the sport was good, the crowd was large and appreciative but no records were set.

McGough and Butterfield were again present and in action on both sessions in 1907 and, following the example of Rangers FC, a five-a-side tournament was introduced with four teams competing – Celtic, Rangers, Partick Thistle and Clyde – on the Monday evening. Of the Saturday the report read – “Failure as a term has no place in the vocabulary of the Celtic FC. All the years they have held sports, they have drawn immense crowds, and we should say that Saturday’s attendance will compare favourably with the past. There must have been 20,000 people present, while the private enclosures were as well patronised as on the occasion of an important football match. Nor was the large crowd sent away disappointed. With the exception of the world’s cycling champion, all who were advertised to appear, were present. Throughout there was some excellent sport and there is a general impression that it would have been even better but for the negative effect of the wind which, in the case of the sprinters, was right in their teeth.” The sprints were contested by Scottish, English and American runners, the invitation mile was won by an Englishman and ‘neither McGough nor Butterfield were seen to advantage’, and it was pointed out that Bellahouston Harriers had four wins to their credit. There was an interesting comment that I will quote without adornment: “The open 100 yards which has lost a lot of its monetary charm in consequence of the suppression of open betting, was won by GJ McNeil (Kilbirnie).”

The Monday session attracted approximately 5000 spectators and the star was the American Nat Cartmell who won the invitation 120 yards plus the 220 yards handicap. There were thirteen heats of the 100, necessitating semi-finals as well as final and seven heats of the 220 which had no semi-finals. In the 1000 yards, there were 36 runners with Butterfield and McGouch on scratch but they did not finish. The weather of course played its part – a torrential downpour just before the start affected the attendance and left some puddles on the track and infield

The crowd numbers quoted for these meetings generally are astonishing to the present day athletics supporters – in 1907 there were 20,000+ spectators over the Saturday afternoon and Monday evening events. The numbers competing are no less surprising – at times over 100 in a mile handicap, 25 or more heats of a good 100 yards. Some say that Scots today ‘love their sport’ but that generally means they love watching football. This was the first time that Celtic had 5-a-sides at their athletics meetig and the crowds were not really appreciably bigger than in previous years. Have we really more to do with our time these days? Is the publicity and ‘selling of the events’ less than it was then? Is athletics less entertaining?

The Rangers Sports at this time also had two meetings – the big Saturday one and the supplementary on the Monday with a couple of featured races and a restricted programme of, in the main, local events. The net result was a wonderful ten days when the Glasgow citizenry had the Rangers Sport on the Saturda and the Monday followed five days later by the Celtic Sports on the Saturday. Normally there would have been a fourth session – the Celtic Monday meeting – but in 1908 for some reason this did not happen. The success of all these meetings in the London Olympics year of 1908 was noted in an article praising the efforts of both clubs to provide top-grade entertainment.

AN ATHLETIC BOOM

Last week was a memorable one in the sporting history of the city, [reported the Glasgow Herald of 10th August 1908]. On Monday the Rangers FC concluded what from every point of view had been the most successful meeting that they had held for a very long time, while on Saturday Celtic FC added one more to their brilliant list of triumphs. Both are in the fortunate position of having money to spend, and money judiciously handled will yield, as we have just seen, as big a return from athletics as from most forms of public amusement. That there was more lavish expenditure this season than previously is frankly acknowledged by the two managements and, without pausing to inquire how this sort of thing squares with official notions, we would merely mention that the Glasgow public has much to be grateful for to the Rangers and Celtic for introducing so many of those who distinguished themselves at the recent Olympic Games. But for those clubs it is just possible that we might never have had the privilege of seeing Melvin Sheppard, Reginald Walker and others who, by their achievements at the stadium, have enrolled themselves in the lists of the immortals. All are agreed that good as the racing was at Ibrox on the first day, it was infinitely better on Monday evening. General excellence took the place of individual excellence for the greater part and, after all, there is a greater source of satisfaction in this than in the creation of records, the one being the gratification of personal ambition, the other being the manifestation of universal competitive interest. It is difficult to say whether Reginald Walker’s win in the open sprint or Sheppard’s win in the half-mile was the finer effort. Both are monumental in that the time in the sprint is likely to be bracketed with JM Cowie’s record of 10 sec while Sheppard’s half-mile will rank as one of the finest ever witnessed in Britain and its significance is greatly enhanced by the fact that for a third of the distance he may be said to have cut out his own pace. It was however a disappointment to many at Ibrox that that he did not run in the handicap specially prepared for him. Those who saw Walker’s finish in the final of the 100 yards handicap will never forget it. At 20 yards from home he seemed hopelessly beaten but with a supreme effort managed to break the tape first. …..

As we have seen, the Rangers function scintillated with excitement and there was a renewal of this form of appreciation at Parkhead on Saturday afternoon. If anything, however, the Celts programme was too large. A start was made at 2:45 and it was seven o’clock when the last event was decided. Roughly speaking there were four hours sport and, however interesting the proceedings, it was felt that for once, the limits of discretion had been exceeded. No athletic meting should exceed two and a half hours, or at most three hours, and when a programme cannot be compressed within those limits there is a miscalculation of public endurance. Where the Celts erred was in combining a two days programme into one; but in this connection we are in a position to state that in another year there will be a return to the custom of a double meeting which, as we had occasion to remark recently, should never have been departed from, least of all this season when the country at large was extending hospitality to so many eminent American athletes …

Reginald Walker of South Africa, who had an excellent appreciation of everything Scotch except the climate, only ran in the 100 yards at Parkhead where he was third but Sheppard turned out in the half-mile. “Perhaps the best performance of the afternoon was M Sheppard’s half-mile in 1 min 56 1-5th sec or a fifth worse than his time at Ibrox last Monday. This is a marvellous performance when allowance is made for the fury of the breeze. Under normal Glasgow conditions, it is believed Sheppard, paced as he was, would have come close to his world’s record time at the Olympic Games. T Fairbairn Crawford is entitled to part of the honour as he ran a vigorous race. Lieutenant Halswell did not run in the quarter which lost all of its interest on that account. …. the winner of the open mile, G Dallas, who is a good cross-country runner, finished quite fresh in 4 min 22 3-5th sec.”

There was a total of 11 running events plus cycle racing plus several field events on the programme. The comments on the money available to the two clubs and the comment on how ‘money judiciously spent squares with official notions’ is a leading one.

The meeting on 14th August 1909 was held under a cloud: Mr McLaughlin, the Celtic chairman who had been a key figure in organising the sports had died and there was talk of cancelling the meeting. It went ahead because there were several English runners who had travelled a long way to compete. It was nevertheless a low-key affair with the top men being Cartmell, Rodger and Tom Jack.

Steeplechase, Celtic Sports, 1910 (Photo courtesy Eric Giacoletti)

“Glasgow Herald” Report:

In 1910, the story was very different and the report started: “Everything for the time being seemed to contribute to the magnificent success which the Celtic management scored in connection with their amateur athletic sports on Saturday: the weather was charming, the huge crowd were in excellent spirits, the running, if never sensational, was always interesting and often exciting and, all combined, gave quite a distinctive note to the meeting. But amid so much of a congratulatory character, there was a pretty general feeling that the programme assumed pretty unreasonable dimensions. Apart from motor-cycle flights, which cannot be described as sport by any stretch of the imagination, there were no fewer than 15 races, not to mention countless heats and a five-a-side football competition.” There was much more about the length of the meeting and the need for a ‘pruning knife’ – similar to previous comments on the meeting and to several others such as the Glasgow Police Sports which were notorious for over-running. In the sports themselves, EW Haley from London won three of the four invitation events – the 100 yards, the 220 yards and the 440 yards – with the other, the invitation half mile, being won by JC English (Manchester AC) in 1 min 57 1-5th off 20 yards but a new record 1 min 58 2-5th sec was set by R Burton, the SAAA Champion who was third finisher. John McGough was defeated in the Mile by Owen (Broughton Harriers) who was giving him 20 yards. After several years of criticising the organisation of the sports, the final sentence of the report read, “Considering the magnitude of the programme, the arrangements were highly creditable to Mr W Maley who deserves special credit for the triumph which crowned his labours on Saturday.”

Having come from 1900 to 1910, we will soon start a new page for 1910 to 1920 but it is clear from the little reported here that the Celtic FC Sports were major events that attracted some of the top athletes of the day to Parkhead.

Celtic Sports: 1911 – 1920

Posted on July 2, 2015 by Admin

Programme courtesy Mr A Mitchell

The Celtic Programme of August 1910

By 1911, the Celtic Sports was one of the biggest meetings in the country and the second Saturday in August was the date. Coming as it did one week after the Rangers FC Sports, it completed a week of top class sporting action in the city with tens of thousands attending the Saturday meetings. Both clubs put on Monday ‘supplementary’ meetings too which regularly attracted 5000-8000 a time. In 1911 the Celtic FC Sports meeting was held on 14th August.

It was a huge success. Even the ‘Glasgow Herald’ reporter had difficulties toning down his exuberance as he wrote of it. “Besides FL Ramsdell, HE Gissing and JJ Flanagan of America, several distinguished English athletes and cyclists took part in the annual sports of Celtic FC at Parkhead on Saturday and, as a consequence, competition in many events was very much above the average of what is usually witnessed in the city, celebrated as it is for its rare sporting associations. The Celtic management spare neither money nor time in connection with their sports, and this season by way of celebrating an interesting epoch in their history, they extended more invitations than they usually do, with the result that Saturday’s meeting in many respects will hold a cherished position in the club’s records. Large as the attendance was, it it would have been larger still but for the tramway strike. As it was, the official estimate was 30,000. The arrangements of Mr Maley were in advance of anything previously witnessed at Parkhead, and when we mention that over and above football there were 53 different events all of which were disposed of in three hours and a half, it will be admitted that there has been nothing better in the way of athletics management seen in the city. Every item was so rapidly dealt with that there was scarcely any time for reflection.

HE Gissing won the invitation half mile in 1 min 58 sec which in cold type does not compare with his recent efforts at Ibrox and Parkhead. It should be noted, however that weather conditions on Saturday were somewhat against fast times, though, had he taken part in the open 880 yards which was done in 1 min55 2-5th sec, it is just possible that we might have got a sensational performance. Gissing, however has imparted gaiety to Scottish athletics this season and his three half-miles and 1000 yards efforts will not soon be forgotten. The 100 yards special handicap was brilliantly won by VH D’Arcy of Polytechnic Harriers. He had two yards from Ramsdell and finished a yard ahead of RC Duncan in 10 1-10th sec, which is a yard worse than “evens”. D’Arcy is a very powerful finisher but a bad beginner. Ramsdell was not at his best in this race, and this is not surprising in view of the amount of travelling and running he has put in this week. In the furlong however he had the satisfaction of winning by a short distance from RC Duncan in 223-5th sec. The Polytechnic crack did not run in this race while Duncan and others were at a disadvantage owing to the fact that they had just taken part in a strenuous relay race. Both Gissing and Ramsdell were favoured in this respect. ….. “

Harry Gissing was a member of the Irish-American Athletic Club of New York and a noted middle distance runner, Ramsdell was a sprinter from the University of Pennsylvania and Cornell and JJ Flanagan was an Olympic record breaking hammer thrower who won three Olympic gold medals, the first of these being in 1900. At Parkhead Flanagan was second in the handicap hammer thgrow to Scotland’s T Nicolson who had a 10′ handicap allowance. But the Americans were indeed as good as the reporter from the ‘Herald’ said they were.

The comments on Willie Maley’s management skills are interesting but not really surprising. He had been involved in the sport since the early 1890’s with Clydesdale Harriers, was now on the SAAA Committee where he would later be tasked with leading a post-war committee on the re-establishment of the sport after the 1914-18 war. In addition both Ibrox and Parkhead were used for several sports meetings every summer – some by clubs such as Clydesdale Harriers (who favoured Ibrox but also used Parkhead ), Shettleston Harriers (who favoured Parkhead), West of Scotland Harriers (who moved from one ground to another depending on when they held their meetings), and some by a variety of public services such as Glasgow Transport (who favoured Helenvale), Glasgow Police (who favoured Ibrox) and Lanarkshire Police who latterly went to Shawfield). The result was that the groundsmen became expert in getting the impedimenta associated with every event on and off with minimum fuss, the organisers had good connections with the governing bodies and athletic clubs and there was generally a high level of expertise at all clubs. Possibly higher than at some specialist venues in the twenty first century.

If 1911 was good, 1912 was better with an estimated 40,000 spectators at Parkhead on a sunny and warm afternoon to see even more American and English athletes in action. The half-mile scratch race was won by America’s Melvin Sheppard (Irish American Club) from Germany’s Braun with JE Meredith of the American Olympic team third, but only in a time of 1:58 – in a refrain that was familiar over the years, not as fast as he had done at Ibrox the previous Saturday. Hardly surprising at the end of a long season with two races the week before. The race was said to be disappointing with Meredith dropping out with 200 yards to go. The Mile was won by Ireland’s R Hales of Donore Harriers in 4 min 24 4-5th sec and WR Lippincott of the American Olympic team was third in the invitation 220 yards handicap behind Hawich RFC wing three-quarter WR Sutherland of Teviotdale Harriers (8 yards) and RC Duncan of West of Scotland Harriers.

The meeting on Tuesday promised a very good 1000 yards invitation with Sheppard, Braun and Meredith, all off scratch, George Dallas Maryhill Harriers) and Sam S Watt (Clydesdale Harriers) off 38 yards, in a field of 38 entries. There were also invitation races at 100 yards and two miles. As it happened all three scratch men ran in the 1000 yards but were unplaced with the winner being L Littler (Bellahouston) off 80 yards from JB Thomson of West of Scotland off 95 yards. Part of the explanation might lie in the fact that they Olympians all ran in a scratch invitation 440 yards with Sheppard winning in 51 4-5th seconds. There were two five-a-side tournaments, Rangers defeated Airdrieonians in the Senior final and Petershill beat Shettleston in the Junior 5-a-sides. The motor cycles were also in action as were pedal cycles. The crowd was estimated at 5000.

1913 was the year Willie Applegarth set a Scottish 100 yards record at Ibrox and then broke the 220 yards record at Parkhead seven days later! Applegarth was one of the best sprinters in the world and ran in the 1912 Olympic 100 metres, 200 metres and as a member of the GB 4 x 100 relay team and in the process won bronze in the 200m and gold in the relay. A year later he was racing in Glasgow so he was probably at his best. He turned pro in 1914 and emigrated to the USA in 1922. But it was a real coup for Rangers FC and Celtic FC to have such a runner at their meetings. This probably contributed to the 36,000 who turned up to spectate.

The record was discussed first. “A new Scottish record at 220 yards was created by WR Applegarth, who, it will be remembered, broke the 100 yards record at Ibrox the previous Saturday. The new time for the distance was accomplished in the seventh heat of the open handicap at the distance. Applegarth was on scratch, conceding starts up to 25 yards. He ran strongly all the way just overtaking in the last two yards T McAllister the winner of the two sprints at the Rangers Sports who had 18 yards. Applegarth’s time was 22 seconds, or one fifth better than the record established by DF Lippincott at Ibrox last August.” Applegarth also ran in the 120 yards off scratch but finished second, and in the 220 final he caught his foot on the inside of the bend, failed to recover and finished out of the prizes. In the distance races, the three miles handicap was won by England’s E Glover from Ireland’s P Flynn and A Loch of Clydesdale Harriers in third. Loch also won the handicap mile and George Dallas won the invitation 500 yards.

August 15th, 1914, was the date for the last big amateur meeting in Scotland before the declaration of war. At Parkhead, for that is where it was held, there was yet another American to add to those seen in recent years: Homer Baker. Baker was the US half-mile champion in 1913 and 1914 and toured Europe in 1914, winning the AAA’s title from Albert Hill. He ad a best time of 1:56..4 and held the world best for 660 yards of 1:20.4 for 26 years.

He was written of as follows: “Homer Baker has the genius of racing in a fuller degree than any other American that has visited Glasgow. An estimate of this kind, of course, is based entirely on times accomplished, and Baker’s excel those of Melvin Sheppard, HE Gissing and others of remoter days. Baker was less favoured in the matter of weather than than were Sheppard or Gissing when they made their records at Ibrox, and when that is borne in mind, the value of his efforts is greatly enhanced. Let us recall Baker’s performances in Glasgow. At the Rangers Sports he took part in the half mile handicap and was third in his heat in 1 min 56 sec, thus equalling Scottish record. In the final he finished fourth a shade worse than existing record. The double journey does not appeal to many Americans any more than to some of our own runners, but it is inevitable when there are 80 runners. In the 1000 yards handicap at Ibrox, Baker was first in 2 min 16 2-5th sec or a fifth faster than Gissing’s time in 1911. At the Celtic Sports, the American won the invitation half-mile handicap in 1 min 55 4-5th which is a fifth faster than Sheppard’s time at the Rangers Sports in 1908, and it is reasonable to assume tat in more favourable weather conditions he would have accomplished an even finer performance – some say 1 min 54 sec at least. At the English championship in July, Baker won the half-mile in 1 min 54 2-5th sec but his Celtic performance is even better when the relative ground conditions are taken into account. Baker on Tuesday evening of last week finished fourth in the 1000 yards in 2 min 16 sec. All the watches were on the American and the time may therefore be taken as authentic. These form a casket of memorable performances. They impart to the season much the same importance as WR Applegarth gave to last summer’s racing. Baker sailed for home last Saturday and expects to take part in the American championships next month. He is much pleased with the cordiality experienced at Ibrox and Parkhead and the hospitality of the Celtic will remain in his own words “a cherished memory for years.”

It was however impossible to get away from the what which was inevitable and the column which had the above report on Baker had this a bit further down. Many clubs from all sports also made donations of money and all had members serving in the forces. It is worth bearing these circumstances in mind when reading about the various athletic meetings up to 1918. The freedom of American to come and go at this time when their country was not involved in the war is also noted.

SPORT AND WAR

Sporting bodies are contributing munificently to the various war funds. First and foremost up to the present is the Scottish Football Association’s £1000 with the promise of more if required; an excellent second is the Scottish Football Union with £500. The Celtic, true to one of the fundamental principles on which the club was established, contributes £100 and the MCC, the fountain head of cricket, has has given £250 to the Prince of Wales’s Fund. These examples are expected to be widely followed during the present week: – Several of the Glasgow Academicals have joined Lord Tullibardine’s new force – Mobilisation of the Territorials prevented WF Taylor, President of the Bellahouston Harriers; JM Taylor of the West of Scotland Harriers, and others taking part in the recent sports of the Celtic FC; – WR Applegarth was a Territorial but resigned last summer, it is just possible he may rejoin his old regiment; – it is stated that no fewer than 600 applications have been received by Cambridge Officers Territorial Corps, and that headquarters have been opened at Corpus Christi College. Students who have been prominently identified with sports of the ‘Varsity, especially rowing, are predominant among the applicants; – Colonel JD Boswell, an ex-President of the Scottish Football Union, is with the Ayrshire Yeomanry; – T Barrie Erskine, Clydesdale Harriers is proceeding immediately to join the Officers Special Reserve on active service, and his brother Ralph, the ex-amateur lightweight champion, will also join the forces; – the Open Amateur Golf Championship of Irelandwhich was to have been held at Portrush in the first weekend in September has been abandoned owing to the crisis; – WR Milligan, who has been at the head of the Rugby reformers in the district, has re-enlisted with the 5th Scottish Rifles; – It has been suggested that in the event of the receipts of the League clubs falling off to the extent anticipated, the professionals should assist to ease the situation by consenting to take reduced wages. – Ronald Cowan, who played several games for West of Scotland last season, has taken a commission in the 6th HLI, the head of which, Colonel Cochrane, is an old rugby footballer. Cowan’s military experience was gained at Merchiston as a cadet. – There is some anxiety at Derby with regard to S Bloomer, the English international “soccer” player, who went to Berlin as coach shortly before hostilities broke out. – Glasgow University is giving the flower of its athletic resources to the war. The following , among others, have volunteered through the Officers Training Corps for commissions. (a) in the Territorial Force for home defence; (b) in the Special Reserve of Officers, the latter to fill vacancies as they occur in the regular army:- Territorial Force – J Hood, J Andrew, J Millar (Rugby)A Kennedy (tennis), – Gilchrist (hockey); Special Reserve – WE Maitland, JN MacKay, FE Ferguson, TC Caldwell, HH Spencer (rugby), DM Hill (tennis), HT Alexander, MT Allen, P McQuaker, HEC Bacon, GH Davis (hockey). Dr Stanley Robertson has joined the Navy. JB Sweet of international Rugby fame, has also taken a commission in the reserve.

On 14th August 1915, in front of a crowd of 18,000, it was a purely domestic field although there were several quality athletes in action including J Wilson who won the mile. The programme included flat handicaps at 100 yards, 220 yards, 440 yards, 880 yards and one mile plus a 100 yards for military personnel and an invitation military marathon race and a five-a-side tournament. “For the open events there were large entries, for the 100 yards being 52 and the furlong 50. Proceedings began with the half mile handicap, for which there was an entry of 37, but several of the entrants did not run. G Dallas (Maryhill Harriers), virtual scratch at 8 yards, was generally expected to win the race, but though he caught the field with 100 yards to go, he failed to finish at his usual pace, and was fourth at the tape. J Wilson, the Scottish four miles champion, competed in the mile, in which he showed a considerable improvement on his form throughout the season, winning winning by a yard in 4 min 28 sec. Six teams entered for the marathon race, which was run on the track, and resulted in an easy win for the for the first team of the 8th Provisional Battalion HLI.

If 18,000 was a good crowd for wartime, the attendance in 1916 was estimated at 40,000. There were three events for the military – 100 yards flat race handicap military, the three miles military marathon race and the six laps steeplechase (military and navy) – as well as four open races and a five-a-side tournament. The report read: “The Celtic Football Club has the happy knack of introducing a touch of originality into the programme of its athletic sports. In consequence it usually reaps a rich harvest. Many novel items were presented on Saturday and these first attracted and then pleased a large crowd. Enterprise met with its fitting reward. It is however impossible to escape from the feeling that the programme was overloaded and that the enjoyment of the spectators was diminished by the necessity of simultaneously watching a variety of happenings. The dissipation of attention subtracted from the intensity of the pleasure. A reproduction of the methods of bomb-throwing under trench conditions was both picturesque and educative, and left a clear impression of the accuracy with which such missiles can be directed. The military marathon severely tested the stamina of the competitors and the Royal Scots Fusiliers, who won, showed remarkable freshness after such a gruelling ordeal. Sailors from HMS Pactolus created amusement in an obstacle race, and the boys of Westhorn School gave a pleasing display of physical drill. The element of pageantry was provided by a procession symbolic of the Allied cause, but it is to be feared that the feature was greater in conception than in execution. However it pleased the crowd, ever ready to respond to any stimulus to their patriotism. From the foregoing catalogue of novelties, it will be apparent that ordinary athletics were overshadowed. Generally speaking the running lacked distinction although it was never commonplace. The outstanding character was Joe Gamble of the Irish Guards, but he was not in his best form. …. “

A very interesting report in lots of ways but the fact that the event was still going ahead during the hostilities and still attracting a crowd of that size must have been encouraging.

A good meeting on a good day with a domestic field. In 1916, the crowd was again thought to be about 40,000, a programme of four events – 100, 220, 880 and Mile – was carried through along with the three ‘military only’ events but the report was vestigial. The country at large had other things to think of. On the athletic front, a sports meeting had been organised in 1915 and again in 1916 by Harland and Wolff at Ibrox in aid of local war funds. I couldn’t find the report of the 1917 meeting but in 1918, on 10th August, 30,000 spectators turned up for the meeting which had seven events, five-a-side football, a gymnastic display by the boys of Westhorn School and a parade by the bands of the Royal Scots Fusiliers which ‘blended pipes and brass’ plus a parade ‘symbolic of the Alliance against Germany.’ For all that the athletics ‘did not fail in attractiveness’, the report was scanty with the invitation 220 yards being the highlight of the afternoon.

Celtic FC Sports: 1918 – 1935

Posted on July 2, 2015 by Admin

The cartoon above shows just how much money Maley was making in football, for the club of course, more than he would have made from athletics, but the interest in the sport continued.

Willie Maley: SAAA President 1920-21

The sports continued throughout the War and the story of that period (with a slight overlap up to 1920) can be read here – Celtic Sports: 1911- 1920.

This page begins at the end of the First World War and the position of their manager Willie Maley. As is well known, Maley was a runner with Clydesdale Harriers who sprung a surprise when he won the SAAU 100 yards championship at Hampden in 1896. He had been on the Harriers football committee and had possibly trained with them at Ibrox before being approached to join the football club. His love of the sport did not fade however and he was a member of the SAAA and became President in 1920-21, going on to become a Life Vice President. He was always active on the athletics front, and one of the big jobs he was given was that of the re-structuring of the sport after the War. At the SAAA AGM in February 1919 he was elected vice president and on to many sub committees. He was on the Finance Committee (as was Matthew Dickson), on the International Conference group, on the West District Permits Committee, the Handicapping Board of Control and the Reconstruction Committee. If ever there were a record of involvement in athletics, it is in this imposing list of responsibilities

He presided over a meeting in Edinburgh in 1919 to review the recommendations of the Reconstruction Committee referred to above. There were seven recommendations to be approved:

Applications for reinstatement from pre-war professionals were to be decided on their merits; applications from amateurs who may have forfeited their status during the war be viewed sympathetically;
The Scottish Police Force, still outside the Association should be approached with a view to getting them into line with those forces affiliated with the SAAA.
That an endeavour be made to persuade the Executives of Highland Gatherings to hold their sports under SAAA laws.
To ask clubs to hold events for schoolboys in their sports programmes, and in the case of clubs with grounds of their own to allow for training facilities and to endeavour to get old athletes to attend the leading grounds to coach boys in field and other events;
Give greater encouragement to field events;
To approach the railway companies with a view to getting reduced fares for competitors at athletic meetings;
To circularise all Higher Grade and Secondary Schools to hold sports wherever practicable and to send a similar circular to clubs whose one time annual sports have been allowed to lapse.

Other recommendations included (a) the setting up of a organisation with a subscribing membership in each county; (b) the promotion of county championships for track and field, cross country, elementary schools championships, secondary schools championships; (c) to form similar organisations in each county and burgh, rural and urban districts; (d) “believing that prizes of large intrinsic value are prejudicial to true amateurism, the Committee recommends that the limit of value for an individual prize shall be £1”: in this respect I quote from the Clydesdale Harriers Committee Meeting Minute of 24/2/20, “Mr McGregor reported that he had attended a meeting of the SAAA and that the motion to increase the prize limit from £7:7:0 to £10:10:0 had been passed unanimously” (e) a manual for the organisation and management of athletics should be prepared for circulation.

This is not the place to discuss these interesting recommendations or to speculate on what would have happened if they had been adopted in their entirety.

THE CELTIC SPORTS

All photographs from Alex Wilson

In addition to the work on the committee and various sub-committees of the SAAA, he helped organise the annual club sports and it is unlikely that he did not have a hand in the many athletics events hosted at Celtic Park.

The first sports meeting after the war was on 10th August 1918 and referred to as the Celtic gala. It included ‘a series of spectacular items’ such as the Band of the Royal Scots Fusiliers which provided the novelty of both pipes and brass instruments, the youths of Westthorn School provided a gymnastics display, and the ‘management introduced an element of pageantry into the programme by means of a parade symbolic of the alliance against Germany, as well as the obligatory five-a-side football. As far as what were termed ‘the more particularly athletic events’ were concerned, the race of the day was the invitation furlong in which an Argentinian called Bollini finished second to a Scot called Mcfadden (further details were not published by the Glasgow Herald’) and the Two Miles handicap was a hard battle between from W Ross and G Malcolm, both from Edinburgh with Ross (off 15 yards) winning from his rival who was off 105 yards.

A year on, the situation was a bit more back to normal, and the meeting was held on 9th August 1919. The report from the “Glasgow Herald” was as follows:

“RECORDS AT PARKHEAD. Evidently the officials at the Celtic Football Club expected that new records would be created in the half and one mile at Parkhead on Saturday, as the best times on the books of the Scottish Amateur Athletic Association for these distances were given in the programme. Expectation was fulfilled, Sgt Mason lowering the half-mile time, and AG Hill that of the mile. In one way Hill’s performance was the more meritorious, as the mile was an open event and the English mile champion had a very large field to get through. In the circumstances he did remarkably well, in reducing by 1 2-5th seconds a record that has stood since 1894. The weather was favourable for fast running, and good times were registered throughout the afternoon – that of the open 100 yards for instance being recorded as 10 seconds, the 220 yards at 22 seconds, and the mile at 4 min 17 13 4-5th seconds. The mile was won from 145 yards and it is not surprising that Hill – who of course ran the full distance – failed to finish first.

The other record was made in the invitation half-mile, which had an entry of 14, although some of those, including Hill, did not turn out. Sergeant Mason had an allowance of 10 yards but in the champion’s absence, he preferred to start from scratch, and justified his optimism by winning the race and beating Homer Baker’s 1 min 55 4-5th sec by two fifths. Next to Mason’s successful attempt on record, the feature of the event was the fine effort of S Small, who from 30 yards, ran a good race and was actually moving faster than the New Zealander at the finish. ….. None of the southern visitors entered for the half-mile, and most abstained from the furlong probably in view of the relay race towards the end of the programme. By running this event on handicap terms, the issue was made more open that it otherwise would have been; but before the start, Maryhill Harriers were not too confident that the 45 yards allowed them would enable them to beat the Polytechnic, and the fear proved well founded.”

There were about 30,000 spectators and the entries included ‘several well-known English and Colonial runners.’ The relay was won by Poly Harriers in 3 Min 32 4-5th sec, with Maryhill second and a Celtic Select third. The team was Sgt Mason, JB Bell, MC Cook and Sgt Lindsay.

The sports of 1920 had a huge entry. For instance “with 22 preliminary heats of the 100 yards, interest began to flag, though it must be confessed that a similar complaint could not be made of the 19 heats of the furlong.” the sheer number of entries in 1920 necessitated semi-finals as well as heats before a final could be run. Despite the prolongation of the meeting this occasioned, there were three invitation events that were of the highest class. One of these was the half-mile in which W Ross of Edinburgh, running from a mark of 12 yards beat the scratch runner GL Morgan of Salford by a yard. There was an invitation 120 yards race from which three of the eight invited withdrew. Gagan of Salford won from AH Goodwin (Maryhill Harriers) – who had already run a heat and semi-final of the open sprint! In the invitation 220, Dumbarton runner A Gordon won by a foot from S Colberry (Maryhill Harriers).

Clearly a very successful meeting with an almost entirely domestic entry. The fact that it was almost the final event of the season and the fact that t was coming one week after the Rangers Sports in no way affected the enthusiasm of the paying Glasgow public. The venue itself was popular, with meetings organised by many clubs – Maryhill Harriers, Shettleston Harriers, Clydesdale Harriers and especially St Peter’s AAC holding good meetings at Parkhead. The SAAA Championships, the first after the War, were held there in June 1919 with the 10 miles championship also held at Celtic Park in April that year. The championship would be held there again in 1921 and 1923 while the 10 miles would be held there again in 1920, ’21 and ’22 (and fairly frequently thereafter). There was still a preference for Hampden and Ibrox was also very popular but Celtic Park was a recognised championship venue.

Programme courtesy Andy Mitchell

In 1921, Albert Hill and Eric Liddell were in action on the track and the standard generally was the highest it had been since 1919. Before that, the national 10 miles and seven miles walking championships had been held there on 30th April, and the championships proper had been on 25th June. In these, Eric Liddell won the 100/220 yards double, Duncan McPhee had won the 880 yards/Mile double, and Tom Nicolson had won the Putting the Weight, Throwing the Hammer, and Throwing the Hammer (standing style) triple. August had started with the Rangers Sports on the first Saturday and the Celtic event was on the second Saturday, the 14th. We often complain now of the dominance of football but it seems that this has always been the case. The report begins,

“The second Saturday of August usually sees the close of the athletics season so far as important amateur meetings are concerned, and the rule holds good this year as next Saturday football will be in full swing. Athletics cannot compete against football, and only in some of the war years was it possible to conduct athletic meetings after the commencement of the football season. Those meetings that were held were for the most part largely successful but they were not ordinary club fixtures. They were abnormal products of an abnormal time, they were mostly organised by munition workers and they depended largely for their success on the support of those same workers. They could not be safely repeated now. Therefore, as in bygone times, nothing of importance from an athletic point of view comes after the meeting of the Celtic Football Club which on Saturday was favoured with fine though dull weather and an attendance of 18,000..”

The report on the meeting went on as follows: “AG Hill it is true was only second in the Mile handicap, but the race was run in fast time for this part of the country and Hill had practically no pacing. Had McPhee, Hatton and Ross run, the result might have been different. The Scottish champion was at 20 yards, Hatton at 30 yards and Ross at 35 yards, whereas Hill’s nearest actual opponent was at 45 yards. In the circumstances Hill did well to beat all but one. He did not start in the half-mile, in which MJ McEachern, the quarter-mile champion of Ireland, secured a comfortable win in a very fast time. The English champion, HFV Edward was seen to advantage in the quarter-mile invitation in which he was able to give the Scottish champion four yards and to finish a yard to the good. Over one of his own distances, the 100 yards, however, he was unable to concede a yard to EH Liddell, the Scottish champion. Liddell, a runner of good performance and even greater promise, gained a narrow victory, and emphasised his quality by winning the open furlong from scratch.

Open Winners. Beyond Liddell’s meritorious win in the open furlong there was nothing outstanding in the open events. The 100 yards was won by a runner who has hitherto been unheard of, AA Russell, from 8 yards. He achieved some prominence at the Rangers Sports by winning his Heat and Semi-Final with a yard less, but was unable to find place in the final. Dobbie, of Maryhill Harriers, who has been running for several years, picking up a prize now and then, scored a meritorious win in the half-mile, and the mile went to a competitor who has this season shown improving form, D Farmer of Clydesdale Harriers. In this event, J Hatton, Surrey Athletic Club, was virtual scratch at 10 yards, the Scottish champion being a non-starter, but he was able to get through the huge crowd – the entries numbered 146 – and failed to find a place. The expeditious methods of the management of the meeting may be judged by the fact that the programme was completed fully 20 minutes before the advertised time.”

The invitation event winners were Eric Liddell in the 100 yards in 10 1-5th seconds; HVF Edwards in the 440 yards in 50 3-5th seconds, the half-mile by J McEachern (Clonliffe Harriers) from D McPhee in 1 min 56 4-5th sec, and J McIntyre (Dumbarton – 60 yards) in 4 min 23 sec from AG Hill (scratch). And as a matter of interest, Rangers beat Celtic 5 – 1 in the five-a-sides. Complete results below, courtesy Andy Mitchell:

Eric Liddell winning the 120 yards at Parkhead in 12.2 in 1922.

Liddell was back in 1922. He had won the 220 yards at Ibrox a week earlier in 22 seconds from two yards, Edward having failed to qualify. The weather for the Celtic meeting was in stark contrast to that a week before with rain depressing the attendance to half of what it would normally have been. The first race was the 120 yards invitation. “The result of the first race, a victory for EH Liddell, pleased the crowd and the procedings were greatly enjoyed throughout. The opening event was the 120 yards scratch race that was substituted for the handicap originally contemplated. Liddell was to have received a yard from HFV Edward, but as it turned out he did not need it, winning by rather more than that margin. It was a well-run race, Edward and Liddell being level until this last quarter of the distance when the Edinburgh man drew steadily away. Again in the 220 yards handicap, Liddell gave a fine display. He had two yards on Edward who showed some improvement on his previous running, but not enough to catch Liddell who won comfortably. The quarter-mile proved a brilliant victory for GT Stevenson who showed that he has now regained championship form. Earlier this season he ran indifferently but wins on two successive Saturdays prove that he is now at his best. Duncan McPhee had little difficulty in getting home first in the half-mile. He ran steadily all the way getting home without being seriously challenged. His time, 1:58, is faster than the native record but he started from six yards. CR Griffiths, the scratch man, failed to find a place.”

It was a pity that the crowd was a relatively poor 15,000 compared to the 30,000 at the Rangers Sports but the meeting ran to time, the crowd were happy and it had been a successful meeting.

The SAAA Championships were held at Parkhead again in June 1923 with double victories for Liddell (100/220 yards), McPhee (half-mile/mile), JG McIntyre (Four Miles/ten miles) and FOUR victories for TR Nicolson (Putting the Weight, Throwing the Hammer, Throwing the Hammer (Standing Style) and Throwing 56 lb Weight). Liddell was also a member of the Edinburgh University team that won the relay from Maryhill Harriers. Liddell, McPhee and McIntyre all ran and there were no field events in 1923. However, Liddell disappointed this time round – “Apart from his initial dash in the 100 yards invitation, when he showed traces of his wonted vigour, the British champion seemed still out of form.” He finished third in this race behind J Crawford of Queens Park FC and WP Nichol of Highgate Harriers. Duncan McPhee turned out in the Open Mile but was unplaced. The only champion to win was McIntyre who won the Two Miles Invitation in 9:35.4 off an allowance of 60 yards from CE Blewitt, the scratch man, of Birchfield Harriers. Reported as the race of the day, it seemed that Blewitt had it all sewn up when McIntyre’s late challenge carried him to victory. The Glasgow Herald was in no doubt that the meeting had been a success:

” The closing meeting of the Western athletic season at Celtic Park must be written down an unqualified success. True, the French champions were not forward, but such was the quality of the native talent that the absence of the continental contingent did not detract from the standard of entertainment provided. CE Blewitt, WP Nichol and CR Griffiths maintained their high reputations, but EH Liddell and D McPhee were still in the shadow, neither being able to secure more than a third place. The most thrilling event was the Two Miles Invitation, the finish of which will live in the memory of all present as the most stirring of the season. JG McIntyre, Blewitt and CH Johnston virtually hurled themselves at the tape almost simultaneously, the judges placing these runners in the order named. … Blewitt who expressed his desire to compete in the eight laps steeplechase, found his task too formidable and it was not surprising to find him drop out with a lap to go.”

If the press were united in their praise in 1923, they were not so in 1924. Let me quote from the ‘Glasgow Herald’ of August 11th 1924. “In former years the second Saturday of August saw the last of the big amateur athletic gatherings in Scotland. Rangers Football Club occupied the first Saturday, Celtic the second; but this year there has been a change, the East-End club giving up their sports in favour of a five-a-side football tournament. The estimated attendance at Parkhead on Saturday, 15,000, compares badly with the 40,000 or 50,000 that assembled at Ibrox a week previously, but the Rangers offered attractions of an almost unprecedented nature, the competitors including some of the most famous competitors from the Olympic Games in Paris. Had Celtic followed suit they might have had an equal attendance, but on this occasion they chose to follow a more prudent but less heroic course. The performances of the Olympic giants at Ibrox were not impressive, and it might not have happened that the glamour had gone off, and that the Parkhead club might have been saddled with the heavy expense of a first class meeting and missed the reward. Still, the decision to abandon an old-established meeting, and one that has always been held in the highest repute, is to be regretted, and all interested in athletics in Scotland and hope that the meeting will be revived next year.”

The none-too-subtle advice was taken and the event was held again on 8th August 1925. The weather was good and there were 10,000 spectators – there were also no fewer than eight clubs represented in the five-a-sides.

“CELTIC’S SUCCESS. Although Celtic were without the usual array of prominent athletes from a distance, their sports on Saturday proved from a sporting point of view one of the most successful meetings held by them in years. JJ Ryan, the Irish four miles champion, was the outstanding personality in the distance race, and he had a hollow victory, only one other of the ten starters finishing. Ryan conceded a start of 25 yards to TM Riddell, the Scottish one mile champion, who led for about half-distance; but the pace he set was too hard and he did not finish. The weather was exceedingly hot, and the other seven runners found themselves in like case and were unable to stay the distance. Riddell was successful in the half-mile invitation in which, from the 5 yards mark, he returned the good time of 1 min 57 4-5th sec. Five-a-side football bulked largely in the programme and was probably responsible for a large proportion of the 10,000 spectators. The winners were the redoubtable Rangers who are almost as successful in the abbreviated game as in the full Association code.”

So there it is – the Sports returned but with an expanded football element. There were eight races and a high jump – the distance race referred to was over three miles and the winning time was 14:48.6. The Rangers meeting of the previous week had several American athletes among the participants and Scottish records were set in four events – the 1000 yards, the 120 yards hurdles, the high jump and the pole vault – the 1000 yards and high jump being British records as well. There were four invitation events and nine open events of which three were field events and the estimated attendance 30,000. The contrast was marked and two football club sports meetings which had at one time been pretty well comparable, had diverged to a fairly large degree: the one going for bigger names, top quality competition and maximising the athletics, the other pulling back from athletics (the two best competitors in 1923 and 1925 being Irish champions among almost entirely domestic fields) and inflating the football component. It was a trend that would continue to develop.

Into 1926 and the football season started on the second Saturday of August – with the Rangers sports on the first Saturday, what were the Celtic management to do? Abandon the whole idea? No, what they did was to switch from a Saturday to the following Tuesday evening. The ‘Glasgow Herald’ previewed the meeting. “The last of the big athletic meetings in the West takes place tomorrow evening at Parkhead, where Celtic Football Club hold their annual sports. Many of the distinguished athletes who competed at Ibrox have stayed over, and several special events have been framed. JJ Webster Birchfield Harriers will take part in a Three Miles handicap and Tom Riddell will do his best at his own headquarters in the Mile. The entries actually exceed last year’s total.” Tom Riddell had attempted to break the mile record at Ibrox on the Saturday and was going to have another go four days later at Parkhead, where as a member of Shettleston Harriers, also domiciled in the East End of Glasgow, he probably did regular training. The report simply read: “CELTIC FC SPORTS. Celtic Football Club held their annual athletic sports and five-a-side tournament at Celtic Park last night before 8000 spectators under moderately good conditions. There was a good representation of amateur talent providing interesting running; and a particular attraction, to JW Webster, of Birchfield Harriers, who unfortunately failed in his attack on the Three Miles record. The Maryhill Harriers members were prominent on the prize list.”

The result of the three miles handicap special was – 1. D McLean (Maryhill Harriers) 145 yards; 2. WH Calderwood (Maryhill Harriers) 125 yards; 3. F Stevenson (Monkland Harriers) 145 yards. Time 14 min 39 45th sec.

Second in the Mile Handicap was D McSwein from Greenock Wellpark Harriers off 100 yards – Parkhead seemed to suit him – he had won the event the previous year from 125 yards. Duncan McSwein went on to be a famous long serving treasurer of the SCCU.

The picture above comes from the annual SAAA championship meeting in April where the two long distance events took place – the 10 miles championship and the 7 Miles Walk. It had been held often at Celtic Park and it took place again in 1927. The Celtic Sports did not take place on the second Saturday in August since the football authorities felt that their season should now begin on that date and it is fair to suppose that Celtic were looking for a suitable date. What is sure is that it did not take place on the first Saturday, the following Tuesday or the Tuesday after that. The meeting had decamped to the 2nd July. Their range of alternative dates was circumscribed (a) by all the other regular meetings, and (b) by the lengthening football season – ending later and starting earlier. Queen’s Park FC Sports were on the first week in June, the Glasgow Police on the third week in June, SAAA Championships a week later, Greenock Glenpark were on the last week in July, Rangers on the first week in August and so on. It had to be a move back and the second Saturday in July seemed a good choice but this year it fell on the same day as the English championships.

“There was a time in the past when Celtic Football Club’s meetings scintillated with most of the stars that shone in the athletic firmament, but this year the bringing forward of the gathering, due to the encroaching of the football season and its consequent coincidence with the AAA championships compelled the management to rely entirely on home talent. Frankly the absence of the imported element did not affect the afternoon’s sport, so varied and well balanced was the programme. Chief interest centred naturally on the two special handicaps over 880 yards and the two miles, as it was no secret that these had been framed with a view to giving JD Hope and Donald McLean , both national champions, opportunities of placing new national figures on the record books of the SAAA. Neither of them succeeded but the feeling of disappointment, particularly in McLean’s case, was more than counter balanced by the interesting character of both events. In the half-mile, JD Hope ran his best race ever over the distance as far as time goes, as in finishing three yards behind WH Calderwood (Maryhill Harriers) the winner, his time worked out as 1 min 58 1-5th sec. Calderwood, who made such an excellent showing in the half-mile against Griffiths and Houghton at the Tramways meeting on Tuesday evening, ran from 12 yards, and his time was recorded as 1 min 57 4-5th sec, the same as CB Mein’s Scottish record. It is somewhat surprising to find the Maryhill man in this form when it is considered that he made his first public appearance of the season only a week ago.

It cannot be said that in the two miles McLean displayed sound judgment. Probably the failure of his pacemaker, and his anxiety to be in touch with the leaders may account for his mile time of 4 min 38 1-5th sec, but it was evident that his exertions in the early stages had left him with no reserve when challenged by F Stevenson and J Suttie Smith 100 yards from the tape, as he eased up when headed and cantered the rest of the way home. From start to finish it was a replica of the four miles championship duel between Stevenson and Smith, and as before Smith’s superior speed in the finishing straight brought him home a good winner.

In Smith we have one of the most promising distance runners we have had for a long time. His action is easy and his judgment good, and when allowance is made for the few opportunities he had had in Dundee for testing his strength against first-class opposition, his advance has been rapid. He has had four visits to Glasgow this season and has collected three first prizes and one second. His time on Saturday off 20 yards was 9 min 31 sec, and running out the full distance was was clocked as doing 9 min 34 2-5th sec.”

The meeting had seven open races and four special invitation events with one field event and two cycle races included in the programme. The five-a-side was won by Rangers 3-2 over a Celtic side which included McMenemy and McGrory.

Problems arose on the new date almost immediately – the triangular international with England and Ireland which had previously been held on the last Saturday in June moved to the second Saturday in July in 1929, and was still there in 1930. The reason is understandable. It was the week after the SAAA Championships. To compete in two such high profile events in successive weeks was not ideal and they were moved. This left Celtic with another headache. Almost every Saturday in June and July was taken up with one event or another, some of the major events are listed above but other football clubs such as Partick Thistle and Falkirk had their own dates, and there were meetings all over the country from Golspie to Lockerbi via Aberfeldy, Beith and Catrine.

In 1930 the club was back at the first Tuesday in August, the 5th to be exact. The report, in its entirety, read: “KEEN TUSSLES AT CELTIC SPORTS. The sports meeting under the auspices of Celtic Football Club were held at Celtic Park last night in fine weather and before 5000 spectators. The sport throughout was interesting. In the two miles team race, the struggle between Donald McLean and WH Calderwood for victory was the chief feature. McLean jumped into the lead at the bell and, running strongly, defeated his team mate by five yards.” A good meeting with the report apparently written on the back of an envelope. There were also cycle races and, naturally, a five-a-side competition. McLean’s winning time was 4:46.8 and Celtic beat Partick Thistle 4 – 3 in the football.

Despite the success of the 1930 meeting there was apparently no follow up meeting in 1931 – at least not on the three dates previously used by the club – second Saturday in July, second Saturday in August or second Tuesday in August.

THE CELTIC SPORTS

In 1932, the triangular international was again on the second Saturday in July and the Tuesday in August which had previously been the club’s alternative date of choice saw most of the regular athletes (Bobby Graham, Walter Calderwood, etc) in action at the Springburn Harriers meeting at Helenvale. At Celtic Park, Celtic FC had their final trial before the opening of the football season the following Saturday.

The sports of 1933 were unable to go ahead on the first Tuesday in August because the Glasgow Transport Sports were taking place at Helenvale that night – nor were they to be found on the following Tuesday or on any of the ‘vacant’ Saturdays in the year..

In 1934 the sports were held on Tuesday, 7th August and although the event was covered there was no report on the athletics – the entire report was devoted to the fact that a Celtic player called Crum (we were never told his Christian name by the ‘Glasgow Herald’) had his leg broken when he fell in a tackle by a Clyde player called McPhail during the first five-a-side match. Five paragraphs were devoted to the event. There were six races, two cycle races and a five-a-side tournament. The races were all domestic affairs with not a single big name or champion among them.

Just when you thought the event was on its last legs, an excellent meeting came up on Tuesday 6th August 1935. The headline read: “NEW SCOTTISH RECORD AT CELTIC SPORTS: R GRAHAM’S SUCCESS OVER THREE-QUARTER MILE. The annual sports meeting of Celtic FC was held last night at Celtic Park, Glasgow, in fine weather conditions and before a moderate attendance. Some excellent sport was witnessed, and in the special invitation race over the three-quarter mile, R Graham set up a new Scottish record of 3 min 4 6-10th sec, this time being 1 6-10th sec faster than that set up by Tom Riddell at the Queen’s Park Sports three years ago. Graham ran from the scratch mark, instead of the 10 yards as originally intended in the handicap and he was accompanied by J Gifford and JP Laidlaw to both of whom he conceded 10 yards. He covered his first lap in 61 seconds, but took 63 4-10th for the second. In his final 300 yards however, he put in a great finish catching the leaders at the last bend went on to win by six yards from W Gunn. “ There were six races, three cycle events and a five-a-side. The fields were entirely domestic and almost exclusively from the West of Scotland.

On 3rd August, 1936, the programme was even more reduced with only five races, three cycle races and a five-a-side competition with four teams taking part – Rangers, Celtic, Partick Thistle and Queens Park. The fields were composed of local athletes and the complete report read: “CELTIC FC SPORTS: SHAWFIELD HARRIERS PROMINENT. The annual athletics sports meeting promoted by Celtic FC took place last night at Parkhead, Glasgow, where an interesting programme was quickly and successfully carried through. About 6000 spectators were present. Shawfield Harriers were prominent, J Baillie having a good “double” by winning the 100 yards and 220 yards handicaps, and G Beveridge getting the Mile. Celtic were popular and deserved winners of the football tournament.”

In 1937 and 1938, team trials seemed to be the order of the day for the club and there were no notes of any Celtic FC Annual Sports on the usual dates available to them in the past. On Wednesday, August 9th, 1939, there was no report on any sports although there was a lot of praise for Willie Maley’s book “The Story Of The Celtic.”

It would seem that the great sports meetings held by the club for several decades had come to a stuttering halt. They were thrown in chaos when first of all the SFA decided to start their League programme on the second Saturday in August making the event impossible, and then by the SAAA/AAA/NIAAA altering the date of the international to the new Celtic date in July. It might be instructive to look back at the Celtic Sports as they were at the start of the century on a fresh page.

SAAA Ten Miles Track Championships: 1901 – 1910

Posted on June 16, 2015 by Admin

This decade belonged to Tom Jack of Edinburgh Southern Harriers. His record – ran 7, won 6, and third in the other. The greatest Scottish ten mile runner since Andrew Hannah of Clydesdale Harriers. We will come to him but first …

The 1901 Ten Mile Championships was won by David Mill of Clydesdale Harriers – who had been second to J Paterson the previous year – in 55:16.4. No other competitor finished the race which was held at Hampden Park, Glasgow, on April 6th. Mill is an interesting character – a member of Greenock Glenpark Harriers, he joined Clydesdale Harriers at the peak of his powers and won the Scottish Cross-Country Championship in 1901. He was also Clydesdale Harriers club champion that year but when he won the SAAA 10 miles, he was noted in the ‘Glasgow Herald’ as being from Greenock Glenpark. The report read: “As if to show that there was no room for dubiety regarding the genuineness of his victory in the recent cross-country championship, DW Mills of Greenock won the ten mile championship of Scotland on Friday night. Paterson, last year’s winner did not compete, but JJ McCafferty of West of Scotland Harriers, who has recently come to the front as a long distance runner, stripped, but six miles seemed to satisfy him. Up to this point the race was interesting as such, and there was all the promise of keen competition, but when McCafferty retired Mills was alone in all his glory. He maintained a neat, competent pace throughout and at no time did he disclose any signs of tear and wear. The time was 55 min 16 2-5th sec, which is a most creditable performance, making Mills one of the best distance men we have turned out. His style is pleasing and he has excellent judgment. The win was very well received by the few people present, and this was only to be expected as Mills in one of the right sort of amateurs. We hope he will be able to take part in the different athletic meetings this summer.”

McCafferty was a very good runner in his own right and went on to win the 10 miles championship himself in 1903 although a bit more slowly than Mill did in ’01.

Mill (not Mills!) won again in 1902 but he was a bit slower and was not alone – there were two finishers! Mill’s time was 57:56.8 on the Powderhall track with W Marshall second. There was not a lot of coverage because of the collapse of a stand at Ibrox (19 dead) which had pages of coverage, including lists of the names and addresses injured of crowd members treated by individual doctors and at what hospitals.

McCafferty’s turn came on 3rd April 1903 at Ibrox Park. DW Mill was also on the line at the start and the report read “The Ten Miles SAAA Championship at Ibrox on Friday night was a one-horse affair, PJ McCafferty of the West of Scotland Harriers winning as he liked in 57:07.2. DW Mill, Glenpark Harriers, who had completely recovered from the accident that prevented him running in the recent international contest, made a good show up to eight miles, at which stage, or thereabouts, McCafferty took the race in hand and won as he liked. Four competitors started, all belonging to the Western District, and the absence of Eastern men, while much regretted, must be regarded as symptomatic of the declining interest there is in distance running. McCafferty, what with club and representative honours, has had a brilliant cross-country season. He won the Irish junior championship, the individual Scottish Cross-Country championship, was twentieth in the international contest on the Irish side, and these, along with club distinctions, constitute a record which gives him an honourable place among the best of Scottish distance performers.”

McCafferty was the only one of the four starters to complete the distance.

in 1904 Tom Jack won the first of six ten miles titles in seven years (he was third in 1905) which added to his record of one first, four seconds and a third in the Four Miles, made him the most successful distance runner in the SAAA championships between 1904 and 1910 inclusive. The 1904 victory was achieved on 1st April at Powderhall in Edinburgh and he was timed at 57:09.8. “The flat season was opened on Friday night with the Ten Miles SAAA Championship at Powderhall where the course was in excellent order. The only drawback was the wind which was rather gusty, and therefore of a somewhat trying nature. Only four took part in the race, three from this District and one from Edinburgh. Rankine, who won the cross-country championship, and who was the first huntsman to finish in the Grand National at Haydock Park, did not enter. It was thought S Kennedy of Garscube Harriers, winner of the Western District cross-country championship, would win, and for a time he moved very freely, but when the pinch came, he was not able to hold out, the wind having contributed to his defeat as much as the want of stamina. A comparatively unknown man in Jack of the Southern Harriers won the race in 57:09.8 which is a very creditable performance when the conditions are taken into account. He finished well and was fully 30 yards in front of Marshall of the West of Scotland Harriers, who just managed to beat his club companion Mulrine by inches. Jack, the winner, is a valuable addition to the realm of distance amateur runners.”

The 1905 championship was also held on 1st April and this time the best that Jack could do was third behind Sam Stevenson of Clydesdale Harriers and PC Russell (Bellahouston Harriers). The race was won by Stevenson – who would go on to run in the London Olympics – in the fast time of 53:31.4. “This important fixture was run off in heavy rain. The track was all against the runners, of whom seven faced the starter. Russell forced the pace, and led the field until the seventh mile, when Stevenson got the lead and won a great race in the splendid time of 53 min 31 2-5th sec – only 5 sec outside of record.”

It was back to Edinburgh for the 1906 event, 31st March in Edinburgh. Back in his home city, Jack turned the tables on Stevenson when he won in 54:42.2 . The ‘Fifty Years of Athletics’ official history of the SAAA gave JM Guild third place.

“PEDESTRIANISM

TEN MILES SCOTTISH CHAMPIONSHIP

This event was decided over the Heart of Midlothian Football Club’s track at Tynecastle on Saturday evening in ideal weather. Seven started including the holder, S Stevenson, Clydesdale. The half distance was completed in 26 min 38 2-5th sec. From this point the issue lay between T Jack, Edinburgh Southern Harriers, and the holder, S Stevenson, who led alternately until the last lap, where Stevenson sprinted 300 yards from home but failed to sustain the effort, and Jack coming away with a great burst in the last 100 yards won by sixteen yards from Stevenson. W Lang, Edinburgh Harriers was third, RE Hughes, Edinburgh Harriers fourth and T Robertson, Edinburgh Harriers fifth. JM Guild, Edinburgh Harriers, and N Cormack, Preston Harriers, gave up at three and four miles respectively.”

The last sentence corrects the official history (The first 50 years) as far as third place was concerned. Given the lap-about running between Jack and Stevenson, a pre-arranged ploy for a fast time maybe, the time was slower than the previous year in the rain when the Bellahouston Harrier forced the first seven miles.

Jack won for the third time in 1907 at Ibrox on 6th April, and he did it in some style. “Record smashing in April s something of a novelty as far as Scottish pedestrianism is concerned. Yet at Ibrox on Saturday, T Jack (Edinburgh Southern Harriers) not only won the Ten Miles SAAA Championship, but enhanced the distinction by setting new records from five to ten miles. Jack as supreme from start to finish being fully 760 yards in advance of H Young (Monkland Harriers), who in turn was well ahead of W Bowman (West of Scotland Harriers). Jack ran with admirable judgement and consistent speed. He accomplished the first mile in 5 min 0 2-5th sec, and the last in 5 min 21 2-5th sec while his time for the full distance was 53 min 4 sec. The previous record holder was Andrew Hannah who, at Hampden Park in 1895, did the distance in 53 min 26 sec which, in view of the reputed fastness of Ibrox, is little, if any, inferior to Jack’s performance on Saturday. Twelve years is a long time for a record to remain in these days of high physical culture, and the fact that it has held the field so long goes to show what an exceptional distance runner Andrew Hannah was. Jack has had a brilliant season, as he won the Cross-Country championship, and was first man home among the Scotsmen who ran in the international a few days ago, while on Saturday he added lustre to these achievements by winning the Ten Miles championship for the third time.”

The intermediate records which erased Hannah’s figures were – 5 Miles 29:57.6; 6 Miles 31:18.8; 7 Miles 36:45.0; 8 Miles 42:14.0; 9 Miles 47:42.2s

The following year, on 3rd April, 1908, at Powderhall Gounds, Jack won the title for the fourth time, and the third year in succession. Not quite as fast as the previous year, he was timed at 55 minutes exactly. That was probably down to the heavy going after a lot of rain that week. The referee was Charles Pennycook, Clydesdale Harriers, former Scottish Mile and Cross-Country Champion and only four of the five entrants started the race. Jack won from T Robertson (Edinburgh Harriers) in 56:24.8, and J Torrie (Gala Harriers) in 58:03.6.

A year on to the day, 3rd April, 1909, Jack again emerged triumphant. The ‘Glasgow Herald’ reported:

“For the fourth time in succession and the fifth time in all, T Jack (Edinburgh Southern Harriers) won the SAAA Ten Miles Championship on Saturday. The race was run at Ibrox Park and, though the conditions were far from favourable, the time – 53 min 3 4-5th sec – has only been beaten on four occasions since the institution of the championships in 1895. Jack is credited with the fastest time, 53 min 4 sec at Ibrox in 1907, A Hannah (Clydesdale Harriers) next 53 min 26 sec in 1895, S Stevenson (Clydesdale Harriers) third with 53 min 31 2-5 sec, and A Hannah fourth with 54 min 2 3-5th sec in 1894. Five of the ten who started in Saturday’s race finished inside standard – 57 min – which is perhaps one of the most noteworthy features of the race.

Jack led all the way till the second last lap when A McPhee (Clydesdale Harriers) got in front but his stay there was short lived as the champion with 200 yards to go put on a fine spurt and won by a couple of yards. It was a fine finish and it is just possible that McPhee might have won had he not forced matters until the last lap. All the same he ran a very creditable race, which in con junction with his win in the cross-country championships, gives him a very honourable place among distance runners. Jack ran with apparent ease, as he always does and he seems more at ease over cinders than he does over field and fen. A Mann (Clydesdale Harriers) was the third to finish his time being 54 min 49 sec. No one has displayed more consistent form over the season than Mann and his running at Ibrox on Saturday was a revelation to many. …. ”

1910 was Tom Jack’s final victory in the championship again beating Alex McPhee – but he was second to McPhee in the SAAA Four Miles later that year at the SAAA Championships. The Ten Miles was held this time at Hawkhill Ground in Edinburgh on 2nd April in glorious weather with a really first class field forward. Straight to the report:

“The opening of the Scottish athletics season took place on Saturday when under the auspices of the Scottish Amateur Athletic Association the ten miles championship was run off at the Hawkhill Grounds, Leith, in glorious weather. The entry was unusually large and out of the 18 entrants, 16 started. From the start the race lay between the holder, T Jack, Edinburgh Southern Harriers, A McPhee, Clydesdale Harriers, GCL Wallach, Bolton United Harriers, and J Duffy, Edinburgh Harriers. These runners kept in close company until the third mile, but at the next mile Duffy had dropped back 80 yards, and at half distance was practically out of the hunt. The field at this distance was reduced to 11. With three laps to go the Glasgow man tried to pull out from the others but before a lap was covered, Wallach and Jack had closed up on him. Thereafter they ran neck and neck until 90 yards from the tape, when Jack rushed to the front an won a magnificent race by five yards from McPhee with Wallach third four yards behind the Clydesdale Harrier.

Result: 1. T Jack, Edinburgh Southern Harriers; 2. A McPhee, Clydesdale Harriers. Time : 53 min 46 2-5th sec. T Jack has now won the championship six times and five years in succession. His best time, which is a Scottish record, was at Ibrox Park on April 6, 1907.

The following gained standard medals: GCL Wallach, Bolton United Harriers, third, J Duffy, Edinburgh Harriers fourth, A Mann, Clydesdale Harriers, fifth, RM Bruce, Edinburgh Harriers, sixth, JC Venn, Edinburgh Northern, seventh, W Laing Edinburgh Harriers, eighth.

Mile times were: First 5:01.2; Second 10:14.6; Third 15:34; Fourth 20:55.8; Fifth 26:19.6; Sixth 31:49.4; Seventh 37:24.2; Eighth 42:56.4; Ninth 48:36.4; Tenth 53:46.4

Clydesdale Harriers, 1890 – 1900

Posted on April 11, 2015 by Admin

The notion behind this page is that it would maybe appropriate to look at the early days of the sport through the history of Clydesdale Harriers. The intention is to publish, on a year by year basis, the club’s own annual reports as printed in the club annual handbooks and follow them up later with notes on some of the events as published in the ‘Glasgow Herald’ . The club was founded on 4th May 1885 but we don’t have handbooks for the first three years and the Minute Book for the 1885 – 1892 period was destroyed in the Clydebank Blitz although the succeeding Books are still available. I will start with the 1890 – 1900 period while trying to decide how best to tackle the first five years. So – we start with the annual report for 1890 – ’91. It will necessarily be a slow job so be patient!

1890 35,36

Andrew Hannah

1891 – ’92

1891 36,37 *

1892 – ’93

1892 34,35

1893 – ’94

Hugh Barr

1893 40,41 *

1894 – ’95

1894 38,39

1895 – ’96

1896 – ’97

1897 – ’98

1888 – ’99

1889 – 90

Queen’s Park Sports: 1926 – 30

Posted on March 20, 2015 by Admin

Maryhill’s Donald MacLean

The brief review of the Sports held on 5th June 1926 read:

The annual sports meeting of the Queen’s Park Football Club was held at Hampden Park, Glasgow on Saturday, afternoon in brilliant sunshine before an attendance of about 7000. The feature of the meting was the fine running of TM Riddell who finished second in the invitation half-mile and defeated CB Mein in the inter-city relay race. For the first time for several years, Glasgow was successful in this event. The other invitation events were also productive of good racing.”

All well and good but a bit short on detail. To take the above events in order, Riddell was running in the invitation half-mile which was a handicap race. The race was won by L Campbell, Maryhill Harriers, who was off 52 yards and was timed at 1:52.6. In the relay he clearly defeated CB Mein reigning SAAA Half-mile champion who had dropped out of the invitation race with a stitch. Despite running well enough in the relay, Mein was six yards down on Riddell. Unofficially timed at 1:57.4 for the distance it was clear that Riddell was in very good form. Glasgow never lost the lead in the relay. The other invitation events referred to were a 220 yards, where the first two places went to A Kennedy and A Fraser (both Edinburgh Northern), and the two miles team race which went to Caledonia AC. This latter was a ‘club of champions’ formed by Dunky Wright – he had started his career with Clydesdale Harriers, moved to Shettleston Harriers, formed Caledonia which like all ‘clubs of champions’ had a short shelf-life, before finally joining Maryhill Harriers. While it existed it was a good club and in this race they won by 4 points from Maryhill. Individual positions were – 1. WH Calderwood (Maryhill); 2. F Stevenson (Monkland); 3. C Freshwater (Caledonia); 4. D Wright (Caledonia). Freshwater was a Scottish international cross-country runner who joined Caledonia from Clydesdale Harriers.

The meeting on 4th June 1927 was not as lucky with the weather and, consequently, the attendance was down. With heavy conditions underfoot and before a crowd of about 4000, the times were consequently not as good, but the Glasgow Herald commented, “The sport throughout was interesting.” The highlight was apparently the running of RB Hoole who won the special 440 yards in 51.8 seconds by two yards. His form prior to the meeting had not been good but he fought all the way to defeat RT Hollinger of Plebeian Harriers. JD Hope, the champion,was ‘of a build not suited to the conditions, better suited to calm than storm’.

The two miles team race was a three mile team race – a seldom raced distance – in which Maryhill defeated Monkland by only one point, with the decision being taken on the position of the third man in each team. The statement that It was all the more regrettable, therefore, that the race should have been marred by a series of incidents which were, to say the least, not creditable to the runners concerned. It was all the more welcome that the winner, Donald McLean the Maryhill Harrier, was not in the trouble, and his win was decisive enough to suggest that he is a strong candidate for a title at the championships three weeks hence.” Intriguing!

The other main event was the Mile medley relay which was won by Glasgow’s team of RB McIntyre, DD Burns, R McLean and JD Hope. HC Maingay was not able to run in the half-mile for Edinburgh and CB Mein stepped into the team but was not properly fit and totally unable to hold McIntyre which made the task of the next three runners just too difficult.

Duncan McPhee

The following year was one where the first Saturday of June had two biggish meetings – an inter-university championship where the star of the show was Hugh Maingay, and the first of a series of inter-club matches organised by St Peter’s AC. No meeting by Queen’s Park that weekend and the following week was one where all events were rained off except for the Singer’s Sports Gala at Clydebank and the Glasgow University OTC meeting. There was also one at far away Hawick but nothing at Hampden.

1st June 1929 saw an attempt on the Scottish native record for two miles at the Queen’s Park FC Sports. A special handicap had been set up for him to go for it with the talented WJ Gunn of Plebeian off 85 yards. Gunn won in 9:32.2 with Suttie Smith, who started rather lethargically before getting into his rhythm, 2.6 seconds worse than the record of 9:31. In the One Mile relay Beith Harriers defeated Maryhill Harriers.

In 1930, the event took place on 7th June and the report read

“GOOD TIMES REVISITED

The annual meeting of the Queen’s Park Football Club was held at Hampden Park on Saturday afternoon in fine weather and before 5000 spectators. Performances and times were good throughout, Donald McLean, W McLaughlin and FW Brown putting up the outstanding efforts among the backmarkers. McLean finished first in the Two Miles team race, McLaughlin was second in the 220 yards, and Brown third in the 100 yards. James Crawford and R Hamilton, the Scottish short distance champions, took part in the sprint but did not survive their Heats. In the High Jump, KM Smith cleared 5′ 8″ but did not get in the prize list. At the close the prizes were presented by Mrs Logan, wife of Mr H Logan, ex-President of the club. “

That short report shows already several differences from the present day – Imperial measurements rather than decimal, handicaps which are rare in the present day, prizes awarded publicly at the end of the meeting rather than being collected by the athlete but there is one similarity in the importance being attached to the prizes. Results:

100 yards: 1. AD Turner (Maryhill Harriers 4 yards); 2. RM Rintoul (Shettleston Harriers 7.5); 3. FW Brown (West of Scotland Harriers 2). Winning Time: 10.0. Won by a yard.

220 yards: 1. W McRoberts (Maryhill 18 yards); 2. W McLaughlin (Springburn Harriers 5); 3. JJ Cameron (Glasgow Police AC 14). 22.6. Won by inches.

880 yards: 1. JR Donaldson (Edinburgh Northern 40 yards); 2. J Mackell (Springburn 38); 3. I Hamilton (Canon ASC 53). 1:58.0 Won by inches.

One Mile: 1. SK Tombe (Plebeian Harriers 70 yards); 2. ME Anderson (Shettleston Harriers 130); 3. AC Montgomery (Springburn Harriers 123). 4:23.6. Won by 5 yards.

Two Miles Team Race: 1. Maryhill Harriers (D McLean 1, WH Calderwood 3, T Blakely 7); 2. Plebeian Harriers (WJ Gunn 2, PJ Connolly 10, A Ingram 13). e 9:39.6. Won by 5 yards.

Road Race: 1. D Wright (Maryhill Harriers) 1:15:13; 2. D Robertson (Maryhill) 1:17:40; 3. J Winnie (Hamilton Harriers) 1:19:03.

There was also a 120 yards hurdles race, an inter-city relay, a high jump, an obstacle race and a 100 yards for Youths, as well as the almost obligatory 5-a-side football tournament which was won by Partick Thitsle who faced Celtic FC in the Final.

Queen’s Park Sports: 1919-25

Posted on March 19, 2015 by Admin

Tom Riddell: one of the stars of the QPFC Sports in the 20’s

A WELCOME RESUMPTION

“Queen’s Park, probably the outstanding organisation in amateur sport in the countryresumed the function of sports promoters on Saturday after a lapse of nine years. This fact had aroused the keenest anticipation as to the quality of the fare, and possibly the high expectation accounted for the sense disappointment at the end of the proceedings. The various events failed in intensity, and as a whole, competition did not get beyond the commonplace. The heavy rain which fell midway through the meeting was no doubt influential in some degree in dulling the edge of interest, but when due allowance is made for this factor, there remains the impression of the need to discover some other cause which operated against the realisation of the expected standards. An examination of the programme discovered a great proportion of newcomers, concerning whom recent and reliable data for the estimation of capacity cannot have been available. To this may be attributed the lack of closeness in the majority of finishes. There were one or two notable exceptions, but on the whole the general remark made above is justified. Of course, as the season advances, data will accumulate, and the handicapper’s presently difficult task will be rendered less difficult.

The most interesting evet of the day was the senior relay race, and distinction was given to this by the presence of teams from Edinburgh and Glasgow Universities. Neither succeeded in outpacing the Maryhill Harriers combination, who owed much to George Dallas and to their slickness in exchanging the silken token. Glasgow University lost considerable ground rgeough the failure of Browning, who had run a fine furlong, to connect expeditiously with his colleague, and despite a magnificent quarter by Ball, the Edinburgh representative maintained himself in second place. If Glasgow can but develop a fair measure of intrepidity in exchanging, they will give the best of teams a hard run for victory.”

The above report appeared in the Glasgow Herald of June 9th, 1919 in the column ‘Notes on Sport’ welcoming the return of the event after the War. The actual report on the return of the Queen’s Park amateur sports, which appeared further through the paper, was shorter and told us that there were 7000 spectators. Events were 100 yards, 220 yards, half mile, Mile, Mile Invitation Relay, a schools relay race and a high jump – plus the almost obligatory five-a-=side which was won by Rangers (3 corners) from QPFC (2 corners). The sports were back. And Scotytish athletics were the better for it.

The Twenties started with two good meetings: good interms of total entries and close competition, good in terms of crowd turnout. but very few big names. The Sports of 1920 took place on 5th June with almost 12,000 spectators and in fine weather. Shettleston Harriers and Dumbarton FC had put on a counter-attraction in a meeting in Dumbarton and initially it was felt that this would affect entries and gate at Hampden while the Dumbarton event managed to attract only about 3000 paying customers. Despite that, the QPFC Sports were a great success. Several top names – eg Duncan McPhee – had admittedly headed off to the county event but competition was good in Glasgow. The name that jumps out to the modern student of athletics is that of George Dallas (Maryhill Harriers) who won the 440 yards off a mark of 5 yards in 50.8 seconds, and then ran the half-mile opening stage of the Mile Medley Relay for the winning Maryhill Harriers team. The report said that in fine weather, fully 12,000 spectators attended the event. It read:

“The meeting turned out to be quite successful, regarded from a sporting standpoint, while in respect of public attendance it was the best that the club has ever had, the crowd numbering not far short of 12,000. In the 100 yards handicap a considerable proportion of the competitors were long mark men with unfaniliar names, and in the final no back-marker found a place. The Scottish champion, AH Goodwin, was absent owing to illness, and interest was largely centred on JB Bell who, from 2 yards, won his heat in easy fashion, and also got home first in the semi-final; but the final was won in faster time than he has shown, the winner doing 10 2-5th seconds from 7 yards. In the heats of the furlong, Bell was unable to touch 23 seconds for the full distance, and in the 440 yards he did not finish.

Both the half-mile and the mile fell to Jas McFarlane of Maryhill Harriers from 25 and 35 yards respectively. The invitation relay race was deprived of some interest by the absence of the teams representing Glasgow and Edinburgh Universities, only Maryhill, West of Scotland and Edinburgh Northern Harriers taking part. The champions were easy winners, but it is quite possible that another result would have been seen if Glasgow Universityt had been able to raise a team, as in that case, JB Bell would have run against the winners rather than for them.

WL Hunter, Edinburgh University, competed in the high and broad jumps and the hurdles. He was unable to concede ths starts given in the jumps, but he won the hurdle race with a fine sustained effort. Giving AG Deans 16 yards, he made ground steadily, and the pair cleared the last hurdle simultaneously, the ex-champion obtaining the verdict at the tape.

A five-a-side football tournament was included in the programme, the first six First League clubs in the city being represented, and a win for Queen’s Park in the final tie formed an appropriate termination to a n enjoyable meeting.”

The 1921 meeting on 4th June was invaded by a big Edinburgh contingent including Eric Liddell and a two miles team from Edinburgh Southern Harriers that took first, second and third individual places in the event. Again we look at the Glasgpow Herald report as it was always the most complete of the dailies as far as Glagsow clubs were concerned. It said
“Queen’s Park Football Club were fortunate in the weather on Saturday, when they brought off their annual sports in conditions that were ideal alike for competitors and spectators, though probably the participantss in the five-a-side football tournament would have been suited with a lower temperature. The fine day and an unually attractive programme combined to swell the attendance which, estimated at something over 10,000, was by far the largest seen at an athletic meeting this season. As at several previous gatherings, fields were very large, the half-mile requiring four heats, while in the 100 yards the 160 competitors were divided into 20 heats. In addition to all the standard flat races, hurdles and jumps, the club staged several interesting novelties, among which was a relay race taken part in by teams representing Glasgow and Edinburgh respectively. The Edinburgh team, with the exception of EH Liddell, who won the first furlong, were somewhat disappointing in this event, but compensation was obtained in the two miles Harriers race, which was won by Edinburgh Southern Harriers, the club providing the first, second and third men home. Keen competition was also seen in the two invitation 100 yards and quarter mile races, and the only event that failed to meet anticipations was the hurdle handicap which lost much of its attractiveness with the absence of LJ Dunn. Perhaps the best individual performance of the afternoon was that of JCS Ponsford in the half-mile. With an allowance of 30 yards, he won his heat in 1 min 58 2-5th sec which equals the Scottish native record for the full distance, and in the final he returned nearly 2 seconds less. Ponsford ran with distinction in the Glasgow University sports last year, and if he chooses to compete in the championships nearer the end of the month he will be a force to be reckoned with in the half-mile.”

It only remains to add that Celtic won the five-a-side, defeating Queen’s Park by two goals to nil.

But 1922 was a different story. “A Meeting Of Champions” was the heading on the report on the sports of 1922 which began:

Probably the sports of the Queens Park Football Club will rank as the finest meeting of the season, not even excepting the Scottish Championships gathering in Edinburgh. Entries were large and included the champions at all distances, at the jumps and at the hurdles. It is true that they did not all compete in all the events for which they were entered, some reserving themselves for particular contests, such as the relay race, Edinburgh to Glasgow, but everyone made at least one appearance so that the proceedings were invested with an unusual interest from start to finish. Some disappointment was caused by the non-success of EH Liddell, the sprint champion, who failed to reproduce his usual form, but it is understood that he was suffering from a slight indisposition during the running of the open 100 yards handicap and the invitation sprint, and was unable to do himself justice.

Liddell won his heat and ran second in the semi-final of the open, but he was appreciably slower in the final, in which he was fourth. He ran better in the inter-city race, which would have been again won for Edinburgh but for the final half-mile of D McPhee, the champion at the distance. On starting McPhee was 15 yards behind CB Mein; at the finish he was two yards in front, the Edinburgh harrier being harassed by the strong adverse wind in the straight.”

Of the names mentioned, Liddell and McPhee are still well-known but CB Mein was a winner of medals of every colour at the SAAA Championships through the 1920’s and very good 880 yards specialist. Also running in the meeting was George Dallas who this year ran a 220 yards stage for the winning Glasgow team in the relay. Unfortunately this time the crowd was not nearly as good, being estimated at about 4000, due at least in part to poor weather at the start of the day discouraging the potential spectators from venturing out.

In 1923 it all came together – brilliant sunshine, six national champions and a crowd of 12,000. ” …. The six Scottish champions who took part were accompanied by most of the prominent athletes in the east and the west , but possibly the most pleasing feature of all was the presence in the field of runners who have hitherto shown little interest in participation in open meetings. Two of those newcomers distinguished themselves on Saturday. R McLean, the Glasgow High rugby footballer, running off the five and a half yards mark in the open hundred and nine yards in the furlong, captured both events in such excellent style as to suggest that were he to take to the track seriously he would prove a strong opponent for those in the first flight. His success was no surprise to those who have watched his running this season in inter-club relay races, and it would be interesting to see him opposed to Liddell and McColl over the quarter mile. The other newcomer who impressed was CD McTaggart, of Watson’s College, who established a new school record for the mile a month ago. Although he was competing in a field, the dimensions of which must have been disconcerting to his experience, his performance in running into fourth place, 15 yards behind J Dickson, the winner, whose time was 4 min 25 4-5th sec, was a creditable one.

It is questionable if JG McColl, the Glasgow University representative, has ever done better in an open meeting. In addition to his win in the invitation sprint, he secured second place in the open hundred and ran a very fine quarter in the relay race. In the invitation he ran very strongly and stalled off Liddell’s finishing burst by inches, and in addition to beating the champion, he had revenge on AF Clarke for his recent defeat in the University championships. The inter-city relay race was again won by Glasgow for the third consecutive time despite Liddell’s excellent effort in the second furlong to turn the tide of victory for Edinburgh, and it is evident that so long as Glasgow can call on the services of Duncan McPhee they are always likely to win this event. It was intended to include LJ Dunne in the Edinburgh side but the hurdles champion is nursing a leg injury at the present and stood down. He was present, however, and ran in the hurdles, but could only finish third to AF Clarke, to whom he was conceding six yards. Twelve teams turned out in the harriers team race, and here the contest between JG McIntyre and WGS Moore, of Edinburgh University, for first place was very keen for a major portion of the journey. In the dash at the finish, however, the Edinburgh man could not live with the champion, who won by 50 yards. Shettleston’s margin over Maryhill was a narrow one and, but for the pluck of A Barrie, who completed the last half-mile with only one shoe, they would not have won at all.”

Despite fine weather, a ‘good attendance’ and Olympic trials at 100, 400 and 800 metres, the Sports on 7th June 1924 were said to be a disappointment. How so? “With the Scottish championships due on Saturday next, it cannot be claimed that the Olympic trials over the 100, 400 and 800 metres which were introduced by Queen’s Park Football Club into the programme for their annual sports meeting at Hampden Park, served any useful purpose. In the absence of such prominent runners as EH Liddell, WR Milligan, EB Mein, AR Valentine and Duncan McPhee, they shed no new light on the problems faced by the selectors. It can however be said that both the 100 and 800 metres provided excellent finishes. In the sprint, AF Clarke snatched the victory from R McLean by a matter of inches, with J Crawford of Queen’s Park, just at the old High School boy’s shoulder. The finish in the distance event was equally close, half a yard separating WH Calderwood, JD Hope and JR McIntyre, the trio finishing in the order named. The 400 running event was almost a fiasco, only two of the ten runners invited turning out, and D McRae of Maryhill Harriers created a surprise by defeating his team mate AH Graham by three yards.

Apart from the disappointments of the trials, the meeting was up to the usual high standard associated with Queen’s Park gatherings. The visitors from Edinburgh captured a fair share of the prizes as, in addition to Clarke’s success in the 100 metres, they secured first places in the open 100, the hurdles, the harriers team race and the inter-city relay. The hurdles final with Clarke, LJ Dunn and JFA Wood competing was an exceptionally interesting race. Dunn, who has remodelled his style of hurdling since last season, had again to concede the honours to the champion who, in returning 12 2-th sec must have been in almost his best form. Dunn was unfortunate in the jump in which he covered 21′ 2″ as he came up against A Morrison of Glasgow University who, with a concession of 18″, touched 22′ 3.25″. The winner’s jump shows a very marked advance on his attempts at the University meetings. WF Weekes of Edinburgh Northern Harriers, and A Caponis of Glasgow University, ran a very close race in the open 100, and the Greek Student, as in the Celtic race of last August, was only robbed of first place by the narrowest of margins. In the two miles harrier team race, one of the keenest events of the day, JG McIntyre, the four and ten miles champion, finished first with G Malcolm occupying second, WD Patterson third and R Paterson seventh place, the team prize was easily taken by Edinburgh Southern Harriers. Edinburgh’s victory in the inter-city relay race was largely due to the excellent running of RS Mein in the quarter, where he transformed a leeway into an advantage which gave his brother an easy win in the concluding half mile.”

The final comments on the mile medley relay are interesting because they indicate the running order of (2 x 220) + (1 x 440) + (1 x 880). Most reports of the mile medley comment on the result of the ‘opening half mile’ and there are some others that list the order as (1 x 440) + (2 x 220) + (1 x 880). The race eventually settled to running the half mile first, then the two furlongs and finally the quarter mile whereas south of the Border the running order was usually the other way round with the quarter first and the half last.

With no Olympics in 1925, the meeting stood on its own two feet and was a magnificent success: all the top talent was there – CB Mein, Eric Liddell, WH Calderwood, Dunky Wright, Tom Riddell, Donald McLean, JG McIntyre, AF Clarke – with a crowd of 10,000 and good weather as well.

A BRILLIANT SUCCESS

The Queen’s Park Football Club’s annual meeting at Hampden Park on Saturday will rank as one of the most successful run by the club. For the first time this season we had brilliant sunshine and an absence of wind, the ideal conditions that make for good performances, and as a result the times recorded in the various events were much in front of anything we have had so far. The chief attraction for the 10,000 supporters lay in the presence of EH Liddell, and although the champion did not win the special quarter mile, he ran well enough, both in this event and also in the relay race, to suggest that he is approaching his true form. He was unofficially clocked as recording 50 1-5th sec in the quarter mile, and as he slowed down a little on approaching the tape, he may be taken as travelling a yard or two faster than that time. He appeared to be moving very much more freely in the quarter of the relay race, and defeated McCrae, the half mile champion, very easily over the distance. RA Robb, of Glasgow University, and JD Hope, the West of Scotland harrier, fought a very keen race for first place in the special quarter, and it was only in the last few strides that Robb got up to winin the excellent time of 49 4-5th sec.

New Scottish Record

The effect of Liddell’s running for the Edinburgh team in the relay race was reflected in the time returned, 3 min 39 4-5th sec – this being 1-5th better than the previous best over the distance, recorded by the Edinburgh University quartette in 1922. Glasgow’s chance was hopeless here from the completion of the first section, as CB Mein defeated RB McIntyre by three yards and FB Wardlaw and AF Clarke gave so little away in the two furlongs that McCrae, Glasgow’s fourth man, was asked to concede a yard to Liddell when the final quarter was entered upon. McIntyre’s failure was unexpected in view of his recent good form, but he had run previously in the invitation half which he won in comparatively slow time, and apparently this effort had taken too much out of him. At least Mein had no difficulty in shaking off his challenge when the pair settled down to race. The five who turned out in the special half mile included McCrae but he is evidently not quite fit, as he eased up in the finishing straight. The open half mile was won by JG Sloss of West Kilbride, off 80 yards, and the time, 1 min 56 sec, indicates that he has made great progress. Possessing a good style, he should go further. Off the 106 mark, J Dickson, Glasgow Harriers, captured the mile.

A Thrilling Duel

From the spectacular point of view, the tit-bit of the meeting was the finish of the two miles for harrier teams. Not since Johnston and McIntyre fought out their memorable duel in the championship last year has there been so thrilling a struggle as that which took place between T Riddell of Shettleston and D McLean, the Greenock policeman, who runs with Maryhill Harriers. The resemblance between the two races was further accentuated by the fact that Riddell, the winner, collapsed, like Johnston, after passing the tape. There was nothing between the pair from the moment the bell sounded until the finishing post was reached, and as an exhibition of splendid courage on the part of both runners, it could hardly be surpassed. Eastern runners generally do well at this meeting, and Gordon Thomson of Edinburgh Harriers carried on the tradition by winning both sprints. The finalists in the 100 yards covered the distance twice, owing to the four failing to notice the starter’s recall, and there was an exceptional incident in the youths’ race, where W Taylor of Hamilton Academy, after finishing first in the final, was disqualified for, it is said, some irregularity in his entry form.”

That’s the report and it seems to have been a very good meeting. The result of the two miles race referred was as follows:

1. T Riddell (Shettleston); 2. D McLean (Maryhill); 3. WH Calderwood (Maryhill); 4. R Paterson (Edinburgh Harriers); 5. D Wright (Shettleston); 6. F Stevenson (Monkland). Winning time: 9 min 42 sec. “Won at tape after desperate finish.”

The team race was won by Shettleston (1, 5, 12) 18 pts: 2. Edinburgh Southern Harriers (4, 7, 11) 22 pts.

Queen’s Park FC Sports 1930 -37

Posted on March 9, 2015 by Admin

There were many important sports meetings in Scotland without which the sport would never have developed or progressed as it did. One of these, possibly the most important to begin with, was that held by Queen’s Park FC. There was a wider contribution made by football clubs to the sport and all the major clubs had their own sports day – Rangers, Celtic, St Mirren, Clyde, Heart of Midlothian, Falkirk and many others had annual sports, but QPFC was the first of these two and to some extent set the tone. Athletics coaches work backwards ( set the target then decide how to get there!) and we are following that precept here. The 30’s first and then back to the 20’s and so on. The last of these meetings I could find was that of 1937 so we stop there – for now!

Queen’s Park FC was a wonderful sports club – always a football club, it promoted other sports such as rugby intermittently and athletics consistently for decades. Like all the early football clubs, it had many very good athletes whom it encouraged to compete during the lengthy close season. Our purpose on this page is to look at the athletics in the 1930’s and then work backwards through the decades. The last meeting I could find was for 1937 but 1938 and 39 might yet turn up! The meeting almost always took place on the first Saturday in June and was part of the athletes’ progress towards the SAAA Championships always held at the end of the month. It was an integral part of their plans.

In 1930, the event took place on 7th June and the report read

“GOOD TIMES REVISITED

100 yards: 1. AD Turner (Maryhill Harriers 4 yards); 2. RM Rintoul (Shettleston Harriers 7.5); 3. FW Brown (West of Scotland Harriers 2). Winning Time: 10.0. Won by a yard.

220 yards: 1. W McRoberts (Maryhill 18 yards); 2. W McLaughlin (Springburn Harriers 5); 3. JJ Cameron (Glasgow Police AC 14). 22.6. Won by inches.

880 yards: 1. JR Donaldson (Edinburgh Northern 40 yards); 2. J Mackell (Springburn 38); 3. I Hamilton (Canon ASC 53). 1:58.0 Won by inches.

One Mile: 1. SK Tombe (Plebeian Harriers 70 yards); 2. ME Anderson (Shettleston Harriers 130); 3. AC Montgomery (Springburn Harriers 123). 4:23.6. Won by 5 yards.

Two Miles Team Race: 1. Maryhill Harriers (D McLean 1, WH Calderwood 3, T Blakely 7); 2. Plebeian Harriers (WJ Gunn 2, PJ Connolly 10, A Ingram 13). e 9:39.6. Won by 5 yards.

Road Race: 1. D Wright (Maryhill Harriers) 1:15:13; 2. D Robertson (Maryhill) 1:17:40; 3. J Winnie (Hamilton Harriers) 1:19:03.

Walter J Gunn, Plebeian Harriers.

On a year and the traditional ‘first Saturday in June’ date was taken over as the climax of the Glasgow Civic Week celebrations with a big sports being held at Ibrox Park. Queen’s brought their fixture forward a week and it took place on 30th May, 1931, at Hampden. The big race was the Two Miles Team and Individual Race in which the rivalry between Maryhill Harriers and Plebeian Harriers always produced a good hard race and close finishes all down the field. It was the third such contest in eight days between the teams. The attendance was estimated at 4000 on a dry but dull afternoon.

QUEEN’S PARK FC SPORTS

THIRD VICTORY FOR WJ GUNN

FURLONG CHAMPION IN FORM

At Hampden Park on Saturday, despite the heavy rain on Friday, the track was in excellent condition, a fact that is clearly shown by the times recorded in the 100 yards, half mile and both mile events. Even time in the sprint, 1:58 in the half mile, and 4:21.2 and 4:22.2 in the two mile races indicates the task faced by the backmarkers had they been out. The keen rivalry that exists at the moment between the evenly matched teams of the Maryhill and Plebeian clubs is tending to elevate the two miles scratch races for harrier clubs into the chief events of each programme on which they appear. At the Monkland Harriers meeting last Saturday, at Firhill Park on Monday, and again at Hampden Park on Saturday the racing in this event transcended everything else on the programme. This was due as much to the personal duel between WJ Gunn of Plebeian Harriers on the one hand, and WH Calderwood and Donald McLean on the other, as to the struggle for supremacy between the clubs. In all three races run between the clubs during the past ten days, Gunn has had the measure of the ex-Scottish champions, and as each of the three has been run through in different fashion, the Plebeian Harrier can claim that, both in the matter of tactics and of pace, he is the best man in the district at the moment over the distance.

His victories at Coatbridge and Firhill were of the narrowest, but on Saturday he defeated Calderwood by a good five yards, and at the finish was travelling as fast as at the beginning, a tribute to his stamina as his opponent carries as powerful a finish as any of our distance runners. Gunn’s time, 9:38.8, is the best he has done in public so far. Under something of a cloud last season owing to a physical handicap, he is improving with every appearance. The result of the team race was close, Maryhill winning by 11 points to 13 and they now have two victories to one over their rivals.

The late arrival of JF Michie, an accident to AW Lapsley, and the somewhat indifferent form of the others, made the high jump disappointing. On paper it looked like a championship rehearsal but the best jumps were only 5′ 6.75″ by J Alan Wilson, the old Glasgow High School boy, and 5′ 5.75″ by L Higney, the Universities champion. Roy Hamilton and Ian Borland both ran in the hundred, the former failing in his heat, and Borland falling in his semi-final. Hamilton did not survive his heat in the furlong either, but Robin Murdoch upheld the prestige of the back markers, for after taking third place in a particularly hot hundred yards final, he ran magnificently to win his heat in the furlong in 22.8 sec, the fastest time of the series. He did not, however, touch the same time in the Final, being slow off his mark and leaving himself an impossible task in the finishing straight.’

Something that seems to have fallen out of fashion in the twenty first century is the sight of the top men racing against each other. When Scotland was at its best in athletics, the top runners used to compete against each other frequently throughout the season with the Two Mile team races being a feature of many meetings up to the end of the 1970’s and medley relay races through to the late 60’s. They not only added excitement to the meetings but hardened the competitors to tough competitions as a regular part of their competitive diet. This meeting was no exception with Gunn, Calderwood and McLean going head-to-head in a scratch race at Hampden for the third time in ten days. For the sprinters the appearance of the opposition was not enough, there were the handicaps to contend with – no one had it easy. A look at the winning margins indicates hard races almost all the way through the programme -100 yards won by a yard; 100 yards Youths won by a yard; 100 yards women won by a yard and a half; 220 yards won by inches; Half-Mile won by two yards; Mile (first class) won by a yard; Mile (second class) won by a yard; 120 yards hurdles won by inches; Two Mile team race won by 5 yards and Inter-City Relay ‘won easily.’

Tom Riddell

The Sports were held on 28th May in 1932 and the two top men were the internationalists Tom Riddell and John Suttie Smith. On a showery afternoon and before 5000 spectators, records were set by Riddell over three-quarters of a mile and by Suttie Smith who took a whole three seconds from the record set at Ibrox the previous year by JF Wood. Among the other winners were Rab Forman (100 yards) who went on to become one of Scotland’s best and best known officials and Robert Graham (Mile) who was another of the country’s best endurance runners. From the report on the meeting:

“The first of these (records) fell to T Riddell, the Scottish mile champion, who crossed from Belfast to run at the meeting. Running from scratch in the three-quarter mile handicap, he covered the distance in 3 min 6 1-5th sec, this being 3 4-5th sec faster than the previous record made by himself at the evening meeting of Shettleston and the West of Scotland Harriers on the same track three seasons ago. Riddell ran a magnificent race,caught his men a furlong from home and went on to win by 15 yards. He finished so fresh that the impression was left that had he been pushed in the last quarter his time would have been even better. He returned 59 sec in the first quarter, 63 in the second and 64 1-5th in the final lap. Riddell’s races have been comparatively few on the Scottish track during the past three seasons, but on each occasion he has demonstrated the loss sustained by Scottish athletics when he took up permanent residence in Ireland.

“The three Mile scratch race was in some respects the best event of the afternoon, as it provided the man-to-man duel that is always acceptable to the people on the terracing. J Suttie Smith and JF Wood were the central figures and it was the rivalry between the pair that enabled Smith to slice 3 sec off the 14 min 44 1-5th sec recorded by Wood when running against Paavo Nurmi at the Rangers meeting last August. During the past two seasons Smith has been somewhat overshadowed but on this occasion he was at his very best, running with an easiness and a poise and a confidence that was impressive.

” He was content to let Wood do the pacing throughout practically the whole journey, but when the final lap was entered upon he was withing striking distance, and getting on terms halfway down the back straight passed Wood to win by a good 10 yards. Wood ran up to form; he equalled his own record time but for the afternoon he had met his master. The revival shown by the Dundee man was a welcome one and a great race is promised when D Sutherland and Wood meet in the Scottish Championship a month hence.”

WH Calderwood was second in the three quarter mile and Maryhill won the three miles team race although their first man home was Tom Blakely in sixth position. Good racing was again a feature of the programme – Rab Forman won both 100 yards and hurdles races and Bobby Graham again took the Mile.

The 1933 meeting was held on 27th May and this time Blakely was no bit player, Riddell was beaten and Plebeian Harriers won the three miles team race.

ANOTHER SCOTTISH RECORD FOR BLAKELY

Laidlaw Defeats Riddell

The conditions which prevailed at Hampden Park, Glasgow, on Saturday afternoon during the whole course of one of the most successful sports meetings ever held by Queen’s Park Football Club were conducive to good performances. The track was fast, there was little or no wind and the temperature was of a level that brings the best out of a runner. The somewhat moderate crowd that graced the terracing was not disappointed, for in almost every race the times ruled fast and one new Scottish record was created. This was by Tom Blakely in the Three Miles which he covered in 14 min 33 sec, 5 1-5th sec faster than his own time set up at Celtic Park a year ago. This was his second record of the week, as he had set up fresh figures of 9 min 19 4-5th sec for the Two Miles. These two performances within six days of each other stamp the Scottish Champion as a really good runner. Saturday’s time was only 5 4-5th sec outside Alfred Shrubb’s all-comers record for the distance. Blakely is a stylist and gets his effects with such apparent ease that the future holds distinct possibilities of more records.

His chief drawback so far has been a modesty that bred a distrust in his own abilities. These two performances should have improved his confidence. He took the lead at the end of the first mile and remained there until the end. The first mile was covered in 4 min 45 sec and the second in 9 min 42 sec. JC Flockhart was second, 100 yards behind. There was a keen struggle between Plebeian and Maryhill Harriers for the team honours LKed by Max Rayne, the former packed well and finished in fourth, fifth and seventh places to gain victory from their rivals by a single point.

TM RIDDELL BEATEN

The first appearance upon a Scottish track this season of TM Riddell, the Mile champion, was awaited with interest. Riddell, as usual served up a good race in the 1000 yards special event but was eclipsed on the afternoon by JP Laidlaw who, running from 10 yards, not only won the race with comfort, but actually returned better time over the distance than did the champion. The Edinburgh man has won three races within eight days, and all three over different distances. Last Saturday he secured first place at the Monkland Harriers over Two Miles, on Monday he won Maryhill Harriers’ half-mile, and then on Saturday he again broke the tape. He has thus amply realised the promise of last season, and in addition to pace, he possesses a high sense of track tactics. He was content to let Riddell do the forcing work in Saturday’s race, but never allowed himself to be far away. When the champion went to the front in the back straight Laidlaw was only a couple of yards behind, and when he made his effort 100 yards from the tape, Riddell could not hold him and was beaten by a good five yards.

Laidlaw’s convincing time for the race was 2 min 15 3-5th sec and, running out the full distance, was returned as doing 2 min 16 4-5th sec, 4-5th sec outside Duncan McPhee’s record. Riddell’s time was returned as 2 min 17 sec. If, as has been hinted, Laidlaw’s ambition is to secure the Scottish mile honour, a stern struggle is promised in the champion ships between the pair and possibly another record-breaking performance. Riddell will be fitter then and will not accept defeat lightly.”

The above extract from the ‘Glasgow Herald’ report on the meeting covers the top two races on the programme but the excitement did not stop there. Maryhill Harriers won the half-mile Relay from Glasgow University by four yards and the Inter-City Relay went to went to Glasgow where WH Calderwood faced Laidlaw on the opening half-mile stage where Laidlaw despite the earlier race against Riddell, won by five yards. There was a fairly full programme of Open and Invitation events with no disappointing events among them.

The quality is all over the meeting – Laidlaw, Riddell, Flockhart, Blakely, Gunn and others in the distance races with Robin Murdoch, AD Turner and PW Brown in the sprints.

Jackie Laidlaw

The 1935 sports were held on 1st June, in fine weather and before an estimated attendance of 5000, and Laidlaw and Riddell were again involved in the afternoon’s events. The ‘Glasgow Herald’ reporter went as far as to say that “the class of competitor was the best that Scotland can produce.’ Riddell ran in the special (read ‘invitation’) mile where he ran 4:18.4 which was regarded as a good time for the windy conditions. Behind at the bell, he moved ahead in the back straight and won by eight yards. Ten years earlier he had had a hard race against Donald McLean but this time McLean was well back and did not feature at the finish. Laidlaw won the three miles, defeating W Sutherland and was said to be concentrating on that distance for the Scottish championships. Withe seven open events, seven invitation events plus the inevitable five-a-sides it was an interesting programme. Results of the invitation events are noted.

440 yards (Eric Liddell Trophy): 1. C France (Bellahouston Harriers 10 yards); 2. CF Campbell (Springburn Harriers 15); 50.6 sec. Won by 4 yards.

One Mile: 1. T Riddell (Shettleston scr); TM Armstrong (Garscube 85 yards). 4:18.4. Won by 8 yards.

Half Mile Relay (Women): 1. Edinburgh University; 2. Glasgow University. 1:53.8. Won easily.

Three Mile Team Race: 1. Shettleston Harriers (W Sutherland 2, JC Flockhart 3, JC Ross 11); 2. Edinburgh Northern Harriers (JP Laidlaw 1, W Hinde 7, U Stewart 10).

Individual Places: 1. JP Laidlaw; 2. W Sutherland; 3. JC Ross. 14:59.4. Won by 5 yards.

Inter-City Mile Relay Race: 1. Edinburgh (W Botha, Edinburgh University; T Littlejohn, Edinburgh Harriers; AG Clark, Stewart’s College; RR Wylde, Edinburgh University); 2. Glasgow (R Graham, Maryhill Harriers; AD Turner, Maryhill Harriers; B Murdoch, Atalanta; WM Murray, Glasgow University). 3:35.4. Won by 2 yards.

The inclusion of the women’s relay is also of interest – the Scottish Women’s athletic scene had really started to take off at the start of the 1930’s with clubs such as Dundee Hawkhill Harriers, Clydesdale Harriers, Shettleston Harriers and Maryhill Harriers all producing strong teams. Queen’s Park mght not have had the big budgets of Rangers and Celtic but their old established sports were still giving the paying public what they wanted: quality sport with talented competitors.

6th June, 1936, saw a change in the entries for the meeting. There were several athletes from south of the border present to add an extra challenge to the domestic competitors. No Riddell, no Laidlaw but another great day of sport for the spectators.

“W ROBERTS’ FINE VICTORY

Attractive Meeting At Hampden

Queen’s Park Football Club Annual Sports at Hampden Park on Saturday were for the first time favoured with the presence of outstanding English athletes, but only 3500 people turned out to watch the sport. The weather was dry, but not by any means suitable for good times, yet W Roberts (Salford) and AW Sweeney (Milocarians) acquitted themselves with distinction. The sprinters were helped along with a strong following wind, and though the distance men had little assistance from it down the back stretch they found themselves with head winds of unusual velocity up the home straight.

One of the best performances of an extremely attractive programme was the quarter mile victory of W Roberts in the Eric Liddell Trophy race. Pulled out by eight of our best runners, the Englishman set out about his task in business-like fashion. He was forced to run wide at the last two bends into the finishing straight. and despite a determined challenge by young CF Campbell, Springburn Harriers, who was set on 20 yards, Roberts held on to win with a yard and a half in hand in the fine time of 49 3-10th sec. Charlie France who was expected to give Roberts a warm challenge did not finish, owing to his having run a splendid ‘quarter’ for Glasgow in the inter-city relay race.

AW Sweeney, the English 100 yards and Empire sprint champion, ran in the heat and semi-final of the open 100 yards besides appearing in the 120 yards. Throughout he showed how superior he was to all on view. He won his 100 heat from scratch in 9 8-10th sec, but went out in the semi-final. The sprint, by the way, fell to JE Creegan, Uddingston, who conquered Sweeney in the cross tie and won the final in 9 6-10th sec from his mark of 6 yards – probably the fastest sprint ever run at Hampden.

Sweeney qualified easing up in the second heat of the 120 yards in 11 6-10th sec, equalling RE Walker’s South Africa all-comer’s record of 27 years ago. He just failed to hold RTE Littlejohn, Edinburgh Harriers, from four yards, in a tremendous finishing burst, also in the same time as his heat. Robert Graham, Maryhill Harriers, turned out in the special one mile handicap and disappointed by only reaching fourth place, finishing about 30 yards behind the winner, G Andrews, Plebeian, in 4 min 27 4-10th sec. Of course a strong breeze militated against fast times in this race. In the inter-city one mile race, Glasgow beat Edinburgh by six yards in the slow time of 3 min 46 2-10th sec.

The other performance of real merit was the win of Jack Gifford, Bellahouston in the three miles. He beat JC Flockhart in a great race by three yards in the splendid time of 14 min 49 6-10th sec. Maryhill Harriers took the honours in the team race with seven points to spare from Bellahouston Harriers. The Scottish Women’s Select Team were fine winners of the women’s 4 x 110 yards relay race. They returned the fast time of 52 8-10th to beat Bellahouston by ten yards.”

It was quite a detailed report of a meeting that had six invitation events and eight open events plus two cycle races and a five-a-side tournament with all six Glasgow clubs (Queen’s Park, Rangers, Celtic, Third Lanark, Clyde and Partick Thistle) competing.

John Emmet Farrell

1937 was the first time that John Emmet Farrell appeared on the programme at Hampden – he ran in the Three Miles individual and team race where he finished second behind Laidlaw and led the Maryhill squad to victory. No English runners this time, but there were lots of close finishes. The following race descriptions are from the ‘Glasgow Herald’ of 7th June, 1937.

“The three miles was a keen race and the lead fluctuated many times. First, JC Flockhart, the international cross-country champion, set the pace, and others took their turn leading the field, but the actual winner JP Laidlaw (Edinburgh Northern Harriers) waited until 60 yards from the tape and challenged JE Farrell (Maryhill Harriers). Runing on strongly, Laidlaw won with five yards to spare. He held the three miles championship two years ago but sustained a serious injury last season and could not defend his title which was won by Jack Gifford (Bellahouston Harriers) . Gifford never showed any signs of winning Saturday’s race and was a poor fourth although he will undoubtedly do better on championship day.

Result: 1. J Laidlaw; 2. JE Farrell; 3. WG Black (Plebeian Harriers). Winning Time: 14:56 2-10th. Team Race: 1. Maryhill 17 pts; 2. Plebeian 17 pts.

One Mile Inter-City Relay. Exceptionally fine form was shown by the competitors in the one mile invitation inter-city relay race between Glasgow and Edinburgh. Murdoch’s injury weakened the Glasgow team, and W Millar of Ayr, who also has a connection with Maryhill Harriers, had to take his place. Over the first part of the race, a half mile, Robert Graham, the Scottish mile champion and record holder, ran for Glasgow and his opponent, in the absence of JC Stothart, who was present but not fit enough to run, was Olaf Hoel, an upstanding Norwegian who is attached to Field Events Club. Hoel accepted the task of pace-making and made the speed comparatively slow, while Graham allowed him to keep in front until the last bend. It was there that Graham made his effort, but although he drew away momentarily, Hoel challenged powerfully, and the pair enjoyed a thrilling neck-and-neckl struggle up the back straight. Whatever small advantage the Glasgow runner had was destroyed when JD MacKenzie took the lead against W Millar at the change-over. MacKenzie ran out strongly, and passed the baton to J Wilkie five yards ahead.

DM Pearson, the Scottish champion, ran for Glasgow over the next furlong, but he made no impression on the Eastern man and WMO Rennie, the noted Glasgow University quarter mile champion, was fully five yards behind HG Giles when he started over the last lap. Rennie now challenged his rival, however, and although Giles tried to match his pace in the straight, Rennie wore him down easily to win by six yards.

The winning time was 3 min 39 1-10th sec.

There were only four invitation events in 1937 including a 4 x 110 women’s relay which was won by Bellahouston Harriers from Edinburgh University in 53 6-10th sec. The Eric Liddell Trophy was won by JC Carson (Springburn Harriers) in 49 8-10th seconds. He was off a mark of 22 yards.

SAAA Ten Miles Track Championship: 1886-1900

Posted on November 28, 2014 by Admin

The SAAA Championships were first held in 1883 and after three years the Ten Miles track race was added. It was never held on the same day, or even on the same weekend, as the championships proper but the winners all received the same medals and status as the rest did. It appeared on the schedule before there was a 220 yards championship – or a three miles or a discus or a javelin come to that. Down through the years until it finally came to a halt in 1974 it was won by top distance men, be they track, road or cross-country specialists.

The first 10 miles championship was won by 26 year old AP Findlay of Clydesdale Harriers on 28th June at Powderhall Grounds in Edinburgh. This was two days after the championship itself, also held at Powderhall. He was the only finisher in the race and his time was 55:16.8. Earlier that year he had won the first ever Scottish Cross-Country Championship at Lanark Race course. George Dallas in his chapter on cross-country development in the ‘Fifty Years of Athletics’ describes the race thus: “The first Cross-Country Championship was held on Lanark Racecourse. It was a challenge match between the CH and the EH. The venue was unsuitable for the CH and out of fourteen nominations, only four contested the race. The EH had seven men forward. AP Findlay (by far the oldest runner in the field) won from DS Duncan , who was at that time considered the best long distance runner in Scotland. Findlay was a stone mason to trade and a very hardy athlete. When the news reached Ayr (his home town) preparations were made to greet him on the arrival of the train at 9:12 pmn. He did not turn up and a still larger crowd met the 11:20 pm train,but again there was no Findlay. At 7:30 on the Sunday morning, he arrived at Ayr, footsore and weary, having walked from Barrhead to Kilmarnock to catch the mail train for Ayr. He had no special preparation for the race, which had been arranged only three weeks before it was run.” The tale is worth repeating because it illustrates the calibre of man that Findlay was – won the track race three years in succession. The times in succeeding years were 55:21.6 in 1887 and 55:33 in 1888. Christened Archibald Peter, he was a bachelor all his days and died in 1905 aged 45.

In 1887, the event was part of a second day’s athletics by the SAAA and with about ‘only 1000’ spectators present, four men contested the race: AP Findlay (noted as Ayr FC although he ran cross-country as Clydesdale Harriers), WM Jack (EH and WCAC), J McWilliam (Kilmarnock Harriers) and W Henderson (Clydesdale Harriers). Findlay went into the lead at the start and won by half a lap from Henderson with the other dropping out. 1888 was the first year that the race took place in April – 7th April – and it was to stay on a weekday in April, well away from the championships. Findlay had won the Scottish cross-country championships again that year with a display of strength and stamina which must have daunted the opposition for some time to come. Held in Ayr, his home territory, Findlay went off the trail at the start and was accused of deliberately leading the field astray. The runners are said to have covered approximately 16 miles that day with some having to have their shoes cut from their feet in the main street in Ayr and others coming back in cabs. A couple of months later he won the ten miles from DS Duncan and P Addison. His hat-trick of wins would be equalled by his club-mate Andrew Hannah over the next three years.

Hannah’s first victory was on 12th April, 1889, at Hampden Park in Glasgow. Hannah would go on to be one of the finest distance runner his country produced, winning 5 cross-country championships, 6 track ten miles titles, 4 four mile titles and 1 one mile as well as setting numerous records. His victory in 1889 was timed at 55:30.4 and clubmate Charles Pennycook (Clydesdale Harriers and Arthurlie FC) was second. Later in the season at the SAAA Championships on 22nd June, Hannah was second to JW McWilliam in the four miles where the winner set a new Scottish record with Hannah taking more than three seconds from his own best. In 1890, Hannah went one better and won the four miles as well as the ten. His time in the latter was 55:39.4 to win from TIS Hunter (EH). A year later, 2nd April, 1891, at Hampden Park, he won in anew Championship Best Performance and Scottish Record time of 54:18.4 from WM Carment. It was his third consecutive victory and unfortunately he missed the event in 1892.

Hannah was back in 1893 however and won again in 55:12.6 from SJ Cornish (Edinburgh Harriers) and J Walker (Clydesdale Harriers) at Hampden Park on 27th March. Five runners started this time but only three finished the race which Hannah won by two laps. His fifth win was in 1894 at Powderhall on 2nd April where again there was a championship best performance and a new Scottish record of 54:02.6. Only three ran: Hunter and Cornish of Edinburgh Harriers being the opposition. Cornish was again second, some 460 yards behind Hannah. Hunter dropped out in the ninth lap. Hannah’s sixth 10 miles title, which completed a second hat-trick, was won in 53:26 – another best championship performance and another Scottish record. This was on 12th April at Hampden Park and he had taken 36.4 seconds from the previous record. W Robertson (Clydesdale Harriers) and A McCallum (Partick Harriers) were second and third and both inside standard time for the distance. He defeated Robertson the following year for a version of the Scottish title in 54:56.8 – ‘a version’ because at this point there was a split between the SAAA and Clydesdale Harriers who formed the Scottish Amateur Athletic Union and the two bodies held competing championships for the next two years before reconciliation. RA Hay had won the SAAA 10 miles track title in 1896 in 55:56.6.

While he was doing so well on the track, Hannah won the Scottish cross-country title – in 1890.1891, 1893, 1894 and 1896. A remarkable athlete who remained in the sport as an official and administrator being one of the time keepers at the London Olympics in 1906.

The title in 1897 went to W Robertson (Clydesdale Harriers) when he was the only runner to complete the event – his time of 56:19 was almost a minute and a half slower than Hannah’s last race at the distance and almost three minutes behind his Scottish record. Robertson won the event again the following year (9th April, 1898, at Powderhall) from DM Cameron and AR Blewes in 55: 10.8.

In 1899 at Hampden Park in Glasgow, the title was won by WM Badenoch – it was another race where no other competitor finished. His time was 58:04.2, which was the slowest time on record. In 1900, it was J Paterson who won from David W Mill and JJ McCaffrey in 57:32.2. It was one of the best and closest races of the series with Gibb (of Watsonians) winning by four yards from Mill (Clydesdale Harriers) and McCafferty. Earlier in the year Paterson had won the national cross-country title for the third time and Mill was to take it from him in 1901 and retain it in 1902.

SAAA 1910 – 1914

Posted on November 19, 2014 by Admin

John McGough wins the 1920 Mile from DF McNicol

The Decade between 1910 and 1919 was as we all know seriously disrupted by the War and many careers were ruined – even those that were not – eg Duncan McPhee and TR Nicolson – were severely affected and left us asking … “What if ….” or “If only …” All we intend doing here is to summarise the championships and leave the questions to the reader. They are really too big to be tackled in such coverage, Let’s start with 1910.

The SAAA Championhips in 1910 were held at Powderhall Grounds, Edinburgh on 25th June, a cloudy day with North-West winds and there was an element of deja-vu about them.. TR Nicolson won both throws for the second time, the hammer by a margin of over 20 feet, RC Duncan went one better than in 1909 when he won both sprints, Burton (880), McPhee (Four Miles), Jack (Ten Miles) and Quinn (Three Miles Walk) repeated their success of the previous year and in the four and ten Jack and McPhee repeated their second places as did Justice in the Walk. Ten men filled the same position as 12 months earlier and to add to the element of familiarity McGough won the Mile again. A few words about some of the winners might be appropriate at this stage.

George Sandilands

Robert Campbell Duncan was born in Glasgow in 1881 and was a former pupil of Glasgow High School and ran for West of Scotland Harriers. He won the SAAA 100 in both 1909 and 1910, and the 220 in 1910 and 1911; he won the 220 at four Scoto-Irish International matches and is still the only Scot to represent GB in both 100 and 220 at two consecutive Olympic Games in 1908 and 1912.

Robert Burton was a member of Berwick and Teviotdale Harriers who won the SAAA half mile in 1908, 1909 and 1910 and won the Irish International in 1910. He set a Scottih half mile record at Celtic Park in August 1910 and went to the Stockholm Olympics in 1912.

There is an excellent article on Nicolson, who was the undoubted star of the day – indeed one of the all-time greats of Scottish athletics in any discipline, at http://kylesathletic.wordpress.com/2013/04/03/thomas-rae-nicolson/

Results:

100 yards: 1. RC Duncan; 2. G Sandilands. Time: 10.2 seconds. 220 yards: 1. RC Duncan; 2. W Tod. Time: 22.8 sec.

440 Yards: 1. GRL Anderson; 2. R Burton. Time: 53 sec; 880 yards: R Burton; 2. JT Soutter. Time: 1:59.6

Mile: 1. J McGough; 2. DF McNicol. 4:32.8; Four Miles: 1. A McPhee; 2. T Jack. 20:35.

Ten Miles*: 1. T Jack; 2. A McPhee. 53:46.4. Three Miles Walk: 1. R Quinn; 2. A Justice. 22:10.4.

120 yards hurdles: 1. GRL Anderson; 2. GS Brock. 16 seconds

Broad Jump: 1. FG Buchanan; 2. G Stephen. Distance: 20′ 11″; High Jump: 1. DG Campbell; 2. J Docherty. Height: 5′ 7.75″

Putting the Weight: 1. TR Nicolson; 2. F Macrae. 42′. Throwing the Hammer: 1. TR Nicolson; 2. RH Lindsay-Watson. 159′ 10.5″

* Decided on 2nd April at Hawkhill Grounds, Edinburgh.

CBP in Three Miles Walk; 220 yards and 120 yards hurdles equals CBP.

James Soutter

Hampden, last used for the championships in 1902, was back in favour for the 1911 championships, held in heavy rain throughout, on 24th June. Nicolson had his third double success but the only other competitor to retain a title was RC Duncan in the 220 yards, otherwise it was all change. The reason was hinted at right at the start of the ‘Glasgow Herald’ report:

“Reluctant as we are to admit the fact, it is nonetheless true that in athletics as in other sports,the Anglo-Scot is playing a very important part in making history. Five out of eleven events were captured at Hampden Park by Scots who have gained all their athletic experience in England, and had GRL Anderson and FC Buchanan, both of Oxford University, come north to defend their titles, the number would more than likely have been increased to eight. This is scarcely flattering to home based Scots. Among the any meritorious performances, DF McNicol’s mile in 4 min 26 2-5th sec stands out conspicuously. Considering the weather and track conditions this is a brilliant effort, and we hope that it is bur a prelude to a still greater effort in the English Championships at Stamford Bridge this week. McNicol had to make his own pace after the first quarter or the time, excellent as it is would have been several seconds faster. He is a worthy successor to John McGough whose record of eight victories in ten years will take some beating. The intermediate times in the Mile were:- Quarter 60 seconds; Half mile: 2 min 7 4-5th sec; three quarter: 3 min 20 sec; and mile 4 min 26 2-5th sec.

GLC Wallach is another Anglo-Scot who had a comparatively easy win although he did not show up the deficiencies of his contemporaries to the same extent as McNicol. He had a clear lead of 24 yards in the Four Miles over J Duffy of Edinburgh Harriers, but the general impression was that he could greatly have increased his lead if he had liked. Wallach has a great cross-country reputation, but this is the first track title that he has won. The holder, A McPhee, jnr, was ill and could not run. Duffy receives a standard medal as his time was 20 min 46 sec.

The Anglo-Scots had much greater difficulty in winning the other events. WA Stewart (London Hospitals AC), for instance, just managed to beat RC Duncan by inches in the 100 yards; there was scarcely daylight between RA Lindsay (Blackheath Harriers) and EA Hunter (Edinburgh University) in the quarter mile, while in the three miles walk the finish in which D Trotter (Ashcombe AC) and R Quinn (Bellahouston Harriers) took part, was extremely close for a competition of the kind. WA Stewart who won the ‘dash’ is a very quick beginner and, paradoxical as it may seem, it is nevertheless a fact that he won the race at the start. RC Duncan, lost it at the starting point, he being slower than usual in getting into his stride. although when he did settle down, if such a term be permissible in this connection, he tore along at a great pace, and with another yard to go might have won. In the 220 yards he ran beautifully and had a clear advantage of three yards over WR Sutherland, the Hawick Rugby player, whose championship debut gave promise of greater things in the near future. …. GRL Anderson’s absence robbed both the quarter and the 120 yards hurdle race of much of their charm. Last year Anderson won the hurdles in 16 sec and the quarter in 53 sec. Lindsay’s win was very popular as he had previously taken part in the 100 and 220 yards without success – he declared he was “bored” in the latter and was on the point of lodging a protest. The half-mile was not the great race that had been expected. It was handsomely won by JT Soutter (Aberdeen University) in 2 min 00 1-5th sec. Burton the holder did not run with the wisdom he sometimes displays or he would never have allowed Soutter to get so far ahead. However he had been taught a salutary lesson from which he will doubtless profit. Even in the quarter mile the ex-champion was a little disappointing.

TR Nicolson added to his long list of honours two more championships, and if the putting was scarcely up to the mark, the hammer throwing was quite good. The jumping was below the standard, although by way of extenuation it should be remarked that in the broad jump the competitors were up against a strong wind, and to make matters worse, the running stretch was soaked with rain. J Cattanach, who covered 20’11″at the Inter Varsity sports, could only spring 19′ 6″ at Hampden and can only attribute the fact that while he had the help of the wind at Anniesland, he had to face it at Hampden. George Stephen, who lost the jump competition last season to FG Buchanan, regained it on Saturday. In 1908 he covered 21′ 11″, and in 1909 21′ 4″, while on Saturday he was credited with 19′ 6″. If there was nothing of a “sensational” nature in any of the events, the sport all round was most interesting and highly creditable when one bears in mind that the conditions were not helpful but rather the opposite.”

So was there such a large number of Anglos there to justify the comments at the start of the piece? Let’s look:

the first four in the 100 yards were from London Hospital AC, West of Scotland Harriers, Edinburgh Harriers, and Blackheath Harriers.

in the mile the winner was from Polytechnic Harriers but the next three fro, domestic clubs,

the quarter was won by Lindsay of Blackheath from three Scots,

the four miles was won by Wallach in Greenock Glenpark colours from three home Scots,

From furth of Scotland there was a South African in the Shot and Hammer, GS Brock winner of the hurdles was listed as Indian Medcal Service but was originally a Clydesdale Harrier from the famous Dumbarton family,

all first four in the 220 yards, 880 yards, high jump, broad Jump, were from Scotland.

Although there were some Anglos in the heats who did not make it through to the finals, the numbers hardly seem excessive. It is maybe the refrain that the good ones come up and win titles but are never seen up here at any other time. The team for the Irish International contained 23 athletes of whom 5 were from English bases and Brock (India) and MN McInnes (Johannesburg Wanderers) were Scots who had been very active athletes before going abroad.

Results:

100 yards: 1. WA Stewart; 2. RC Duncan. Time: 10.4 sec. 220 yards: 1. RC Duncan; 2. WR Sutherland. 23.4 sec

440 yards: 1. RA Lindsay; 2. RA Hunter. 53.4 sec. 880 yards: 1. JT Soutter; 2. R Burton. Time: 2:09.4

Mile: 1. DF McNicol; 2. JT Soutter. Time 4:26.4. Four Miles: 1. GCL Wallach; 2. J Duffy Time: 20:41.4

Ten Miles*: 1. SS Watt; 2. A Kerr. Time: 54:56.4. Three Miles Walk: 1. D Trotter; 2. R Quinn. 22:41.8

120 yards hurdles: 1. GS Brock; 2. EFWMackenzie. 17 seconds

Broad Jump: 1. G Stephen; 2. J Cattanach. Distance: 19′ 9″ High Jump: 1. DG Campbell; 2. JA Conochie. Height: 5′ 6″

Putting the Weight: 1. TR Nicolson; 2. MN McInnes. Distance 41′ 8″. Throwing the Hammer: 1. TR Nicolson; 2. D Rose. Distance: 160′ 8″

* Decided on 7th April, Hampden Park.

Sam S Watt

Glasgow provided drier weather for the 1912 Championships, held this time at Ibrox Park on 15th June where there were four double event winners – Stewart in both short sprints, Soutter in the 440 and 880, Jack in the four and ten miles events and, inevitably, Nicolson in the throws.

“There have been better championship meetings than the one at Ibrox Park on Saturday, and there have been worse, if that is any consolation to the Scottish Amateur Athletic Association. Nothing of a striking character was, in fact, developed in any of the events. There were no records nor anything approaching record making, and the public were in consequence perhaps less appreciative than they generally are at these functions. Allowance must of course made for the atmospheric conditions, which were of a slightly depressing nature, while the cinder path, soaked as it was owing to the overnight rains, was not conducive to speedy racing, and, to make matters worse, there was a troublesome breeze. Taking all things into account therefore the day was the reverse of ideal for championship requirements. The two short distances were captured by WA Stewart, who made his debut at Hampden Park 12 months ago, winning on that occasion the only race in which he had entered. In the interval the London man has cultivated the furlong and it was patent from the comfortable way in which he beat the holder, RC Duncan, that he has made the most of the interval since the last Scottish championships. Considerable interest was taken in HM Macintosh’s sprinting for two reasons – first because he is an old Scotch Public School boy; and second because only a week ago he was unanimously chosen by the AAA to represent Great Britain at the Olympic Games. Macintosh, in a word, confirmed all that has been written about him in English University publications. He was only inches behind Stewart in the final of the 100 yards, the time for which was only a yard worse than “evens” which is excellent travelling. About the same size as JB Sweet of Glasgow University, the old Glenalmond boy is a very neat sprinter and has a vigorous finish.

Another double winner in the flat events was JT Soutter of Aberdeen University AAA. He had the better of R Burton for once in tactics in the half mile, while in the quarter-mile he ran the most “brainy” race that stands to his credit. Burton, it appears, had been off-colour all week, and it is just possible that on that account Soutter had an easier task than he might otherwise have had. All the same the Aberdonian scored two very popular victories. The third double winner was TR Nicolson, West of Scotland Harriers, who won both Hammer and Weight. This, however, is no novel experience for that accomplished athlete. His powers are as virile as ever , and there is no athlete anywhere who can show a record of championship successes like that of the Kyles amateur. T Jack, President of the SAAA, signalised his reign of office by winning the four miles in brilliant fashion. This is the second time he has won this event, the first being in 1908 when his time was 21 min 52 2-5th sec. Jack, it should be mentioned, was reluctant to turn out on Saturday, and it was only on the pressure of his friends that he did so. David Trotter won the Walk for the second time and a similar distinction fell to DF McNicol in the Mile, one of the features of which was the finishing sprint of J McFarlane, of Glasgow University, whose form in this event was a revelation to many. The jumps were not particularly good. JHD Watson fouled his best effort, 22′, and with a sounder “take-off” it is just possible D Campbell would have cleared more than 5′ 8″. The absence of GRL Anderson of Oxford University in the 120 yards hurdles race was a source of keen regret, for it had been fully expected that he would have given historic significance to this meeting by lowering the existing record.

It is obvious from what happened at Ibrox Park on Saturday that the SAAA sooner or later will have to take up the subject of ground management, and it is for them to say whether the conventions of 10 or 20 years ago are suitable for today’s requirements. We say they are not, but this is a subject to which we hope to revert on an early date.”

Results:

100 yards: 1. WA Stewart; 2. HM McIntosh. Time: 10.2 sec. 220 yards: 1. WA Stewart; 2. RC Duncan. Time: 23,2 sec

440 yards: 1. JT Soutter; 2. RA Lindsay. Time: 51.8. 880 yards: 1. JT Soutter; 2. R Burton. 2:01,8.

Mile: 1. DF McNicol; 2. J McFarlane. 4:31.8. Four Miles: 1. T Jack; 2. GCL Wallach. 20:45.

Ten Miles*: 1. T Jack; 2. A Kerr. 55:21.4. Three Miles Walk: 1. D Trotter; 2. CEJ Gunn. 22:19.6

120 yards hurdles: 1. IA Clarke; 2. W Weir. Time: 17 seconds.

Broad Jump: 1. JL Reid; 2= TJ Meikle + DG Campbell. Distance: 20′ 9″; High Jump: 1. DG Campbell; 2. JA Conochie. Height: 5’8″

Putting the Weight: 1. TR Nicolson; 2. K Maclennan. Distance: 42′ 2″; Throwing the Hammer: 1. TR Nicolson; 2. D Rose. Distance: 158′ 3″.

* Decided on 6th April at Hawkhill Grounds, Edinburgh.

Tom Nicolson

The 1913 championships were held in Glasgow for the third successive year – and at the third ground in the time as well. They were hosted by Celtic Park on 28th June with weather at least dry – cloudy with a strong west win read the report. Nicolson was again in action with two doubles, as was GCL Wallach. Nicolson and DG Campbell (high jump) were the only men to retain their titles. There was a new event – the Tug-of-War which was won by St Rollox Surfacemen’s AC when no other team entered. How do you win a tug o’war when you are the only team? The equivalent of a walk-over on the track, I assume. It was on the programme the following year when at least two teams took part.

“As a result of the 31st annual championship meeting of the Scottish Amateur Athletic Association at Celtic Park, Glasgow, nine of the twelve honours changed hands, only the high jump and the two heavy events being retained by the previous holders. WA Stewart, the holder of the 100 and 220 yards championships, elected to remain in London for the London Athletic Club’s meeting, and the other absent champions were T Jack, President of the SAAA, who has retired from the track, holder of the four miles, and JT Soutter of Aberdeen University AA, the quarter and half mile champion. In throwing the hammer and putting the weight TR Nicolson had no difficulty in retaining his titles and it is recalled that his first Scottish championship was won (in the former event) on the last occasion when the championship was held at Celtic Park in 1902. His consistency and superiority are shown by the fact that he has held the hammer championship ever since, and that he won the weight for the eighth time on Saturday. Perhaps the most remarkable incidents of the meeting were the victories over the holders of the mile and the three miles walk by Duncan McPhee and Alex Justice respectively. McPhee is a young runner who has recently come to the front, while Justice has gained his ambition after many years of non-success.

In the absence of the holder it became obvious in the heats of the 100 that it would be won by HM Macintosh of Cambridge University. Although at the time he was less than a yard ahead of JSG Collie of Aberdeen University AA he was so strong and fresh as to justify expectations of his eventual victory; but in the final he was hard pushed by RC Duncan and WR Sutherland. This race proved to be the best of the day , Macintosh, Sutherland and Duncan running together till within six yards of the tape, when the winner’s reserve power told in his favour, bringing him home a foot in front of Duncan with whom Sutherland just failed to tie. Collie who had run brilliantly in the 100 and 220 yards at Aberdeen a week previously, hardly justified expectations, but his failure was due at least partly to a bad start from which he never recovered; and it is possible that he also suffered from nervousness, knowing that much was expected of him. HJ Christie was unfortunate in having to run in Macintosh’s heat, which was won in the fast time of 10 seconds, and he failed to qualify for the final. The 220 yards in which there were only six starters instead of eleven, was also a good race, ending in a win for WR Sutherland. Prominent on the path for several years past, this is Sutherland’s first national honour, although he was runner-up to RC Duncan in the furlong championship two years ago. He was chased home by RA Lindsay of Blackheath Harriers and London Athletic Club who subsequently won the quarter mile in fine style. The hurdle race was somewhat disappointing. Ian A Clarke, the holder, was absent and WL Hunter, Edinburgh University, would probably have won had he not taken the last hurdle too finely when he had a comfortable lead. The finish between Patterson and Weir was very close, but the time, 18 1-5th sec, was slow – the slowest in fact registered in the championships since 1896 , when the race was run against a strong wind whereas on Saturday the breeze was favourable. It should be added however that the times generally were slow on Saturday, the one exception being the 100 yards,w which for the first time in the West of Scotland, was run on cinders.

Though displaced in the mile, DF McNicol exchanged one title for another, by winning the half mile in which he had a margin of about 10 yards at the finish. There were 12 starters out of an entry of 15, and the two heats were combined, the result being that the line was over-crowded at the start. In the mile an early lead was taken by WM Crabbie who kept in front until half-distance when he was supplanted by J Lindsay, Bellahouston Harriers. J McFarlane, who ran second to McNicol last year, was the first to cut out from the field. The holder was in third position and McPhie with a great effort got in front of McFarlane. McNicol dashed after him and for nearly two hundred yards the pair ran with only a foot between them but McNicol was unable to close the gap. GCL Wallach looked like the winner of the four miles all the way, leading at each mile and eventually winning by about 50 yards. His most formidable opponent was A Craig of Bellahouston Harriers who stuck to Wallach for fully half distance but could not maintain the pace set by the ten miles champion. D Trotter, the holder of the walking championship, made all the pace but in the last lap Alex Justice, who had held second place all the way, spurted magnificently and won by 25 yards, WE Brown being a considerable distance in the rear. In the broad jump A McLean, Glasgow University AC, tied with the distance registered in 1910 by FG Buchanan, Oxford University AC, and in the high jump, DG Campbell, Edinburgh University, retained the title by equalling last year’s performance.”

The result of the walk is maybe of some interest. The event was only re-introduced as a championship in 1904 and Robert Quinn made it his own and basically re-wrote the record books for the event. He won the SAAA Championship every year from 1904 to 1910 inclusive with his main rival being Alex Justice of Clydesdale Harriers who was runner-up every year from 1906 to 1910 inclusive – ie five years in succession! In 1912 he was third but in 1913 he finally won for the first time. He was to repeat the feat the following year before the war broke out. A third after the war in the 1919 championships made it two firsts, five silvers and two bronze medals for Alex Justice.

Results:

100 yards: 1. HM Macintosh; 2. RC Duncan. Time: 10.2 seconds. 220 yards: 1. WR Sutherland; 2. RA Lindsay. Time: 24.4 sec

440 yards: RA Lindsay; 2. WR Reith. Time: 53 seconds. 880 yards: 1. DF McNicol; 2. R Erskine. Time: 2:04.8

Mile: 1. D McPhee; 2. DF McNicol. Time: 4:34. Four Miles: 1. GCL Wallach; 2. A Craig. Time: 20:44

Ten Miles*: 1. GCL Wallach; 2. A Craig. Time: 53:01. Three Miles Walk: 1. A Justice; 2. D Trotter. Time: 23:01

120 yards hurdles: 1. RW Patterson; 2. 2. W Weir. Time: 18.6 seconds

Broad Jump: 1. A MacLean; 2. G Hamilton. Distance: 20′ 11″. High Jump: 1. DG Campbell; 2. WL Hunter. Height 5′ 8″

Putting the Weight: 1. TR Nicolson; 2. D Rose. Distance: 40′ 6″. Throwing the Hammer: 1. TR Nicolson; 2. D Rose. Distance: 156′ 8″

Tug-of-War: 1. St Rollox Surfacemen’s AC. (No other team competed.)

* Decided at Celtic Park on 5th April. Also – CBP and Scottish Native Record.

WR Sutherland’s International Cap

In 1914 Powderhall was the venue, 27th June was the date, and the weather on the day was bright with only light winds. The athletes obliged with one Scottish Native Record (broad jump) and four Championship Best Performances. There was a triple winner in WL Hunter who took both jumps and the 120 yards hurdles, Nicolson of course had a double win (what would he have done had there been a discus as well as shot and hammer?) Lindsay won 220 and 440 yards races, McPhee won the half and the mile, and Hunter won both jumps. Five titles went south of the border including all three sprints.

“As a result of the 32nd annual meeting of the Scottish Amateur Athletic Association held at Powderhall Grounds in Edinburgh on Saturday seven of the 13 events on the programme changed hands. Six of the previous holders, however, did not defend their titles, the only champion actually beaten during the afternoon being GCL Wallach who in the four miles was obliged to finish second to James Wilson. This number of events mentioned includes, it is necessary to mention, the tug of war. Last year, when this competition was instituted, the St Rollox Surfacemen had a walk-over, the Leith Police AC and FC team failing to appear. On Saturday the latter club, in the absence of the holders, enjoyed the equivalent of a bye in the first round and later defeated the Edinburgh University Irish team by two pulls to nil, after the Western Amateurs had succumbed to the local men by a similar score.

In the 100 yards, HM Macintosh, Cambridge University AC, who won the event for the first time at Celtic Park last year, had little difficulty in retaining his title. A close race between Macintosh and JSG Collie of Aberdeen University AA was anticipated, but the Anglo-Scot proved the better runner all the way, finishing almost a yard ahead o Collie. For third place there was a hard struggle between RN Gibson, Edinburgh University AC, and AH Goodwin, Maryhill Harriers, and the officials were reluctant to decide between the pair. The race was run against a strong wind which accounts for the slow time of 10 4-5th seconds, and it is possible that under different weather conditions Collie , who at the Inter-University sports the previous Saturday was returned at 10 1-5th sec, might have done better. Collie defeated Macintosh in the second heat of the 220 yards, but by virtue of being the fastest second in the heats, the 100 yards champion qualified for the final, in which however he could only finish in third place, the race being won by RA Lindsay in the excellent time of 22 4-5th sec. Collie who finished second, had the better of the argument for 200 yards when Lindsay’s staying powers prevailed, the Blackheath and London Scottish man gaining the verdict by half a yard. There were 12 competitors in the quarter mile, which was divided into two heats. Times were slow in both heats the first of which was won by FG Black, a runner who made a favourable impression at Craiglockhart; while the second heat provided an easy win for HJ Christie, Bellahouston Harriers. JM Davie, Stewart’s College, who ran second to Black in the heat, made the pace in the final, being followed by RA Lindsay who was third in his heat. As in the furlong Lindsay proved his powers in the straight, getting home two yards in front of Davie with Black third.

Duncan McPhee, West of Scotland Harriers, gained his second Scottish championship in the half mile, in which he was two yards ahead of Ralph Erskine, (Glasgow University AC and Clydesdale Harriers), with another Glasgow runner, G Dallas (Maryhill Harriers) third. DF McNicol, the holder was an absentee and of the 10 programmed runners, only six turned out. At half distance, McPhee , who had led from the start, was displaced by his clubmate W Anderson; but the mile champion stuck close behind and although subsequently challenged by CS Thomas of the the New Zealand AAC and London Athletic Club, he got to the front in the straight, and won as stated. All of the competitors were outside of the standard of 2 min 3 sec, the strong wind accounting for the slow times. The first quarter occupied no less than 65 1-5th sec, the second being done in one minute exactly. McPhee was again seen at his best in the Mile in which he stalled off the challenge of WM Crabbie, Edinburgh Academicals, and retained his title.

Perhaps the most surprising result of the afternoon’s proceedings as that of the four miles race, in which Wallach was unexpectedly beaten by James Wilson. Eleven turned out and the pace was made by Wilson, Wallach following. The champion took the lead at the first mile, and retained the position most of the way. Half a lap from home, Wilson drew level and in a strenuous finish, Wallach found himself unable to hold Wilson, who crossed the tape with a five yard lead. The strong wind told against the pace in the three mile walk, in which Alexander Justice, Clydesdale Harriers, was successful for the second year, and in which he was without a serious rival. At the championship meeting last year, Justice defeated the holder, D Trotter of Ashcombe AC by 25 yards, but on Saturday he had over a lap in hand at the finish.

The broad and high jumps and the hurdles provided a triple victory for WL Hunter, Edinburgh University AC, who has not previously held a Scottish championship, but who is probably the most versatile of present day amateur athletes. TR Nicolson, West of Scotland Harriers had no difficulty in retaining his titles. His victory in the hammer made him champion for the thirteenth consecutive time, while in putting the weight he had won the premier honours on eight previous occasions.”

Reference has been made to Henry Maitland Macintosh in 1912, 1913 and 1914 and he had been called the best Scottish sprinter of the immediate pre-war days. Born in Kelso in 1892, the son of an Episcopal clergyman, he went to Glemalmond and the to Corpus Christi College, Cambridge where his running career began to take off.. He won the Freshman’s 100 with 12.8 in 1912 and a year later was elected President of the Cambridge University Athletic Club. He won the Oxford v Cambridge 100 in 1913 as well as the SAAA 100 that year and in 1914. He had run on the Continent in 1913 doing 10.7 and 22.1 in Vienna on 27th July and a few days later ran 9.8 for 100. His really big moment however had been at the Stockholm Olympics on 1912 in which as a member of the GB 4 x 100m team he won a gold medal. He was one of many who failed to survive the war, dying of wounds received in action in July 1918.

Results :

100 yards: 1. HM Macintosh; 2. JSG Collie. Time: 10.8 sec. 220 yards: 1. RA Lindsay; 2. JSG Collie. Time: 22.8 sec

440 yards: 1. RA Lindsay; 2. JM Davie. Time: 52.2 sec. 880 yards: 1. D McPhee; 2. R Erskine. Time: 2:05.2

Mile: 1. D McPhee; 2. WM Crabbie. Time: 4 min 37.2. Four Miles: 1. J Wilson; 2. GCL Wallach. Time: 20:30

Ten Miles*: 1. GCL Wallach; 2. G Cummings. Time 52:48.6. Three Miles Walk: 1. A Justice; 2. H Melvin. Time: 23:45.2

120 yards hurdles: 1. WL Hunter; 2. JA Stegmann. Time: 15.4 seconds

Broad jump: 1. WL Hunter; 2. LG Allan. Distance: 23′ 2.5″; High jump: 1. WL Hunter; 2. MP Inglis. Height: 5′ 8.5″

Putting the Weight: 1. TR Nicolson; 2. JG McLeod. Distance: 41′ 8″. Throwing the Hammer: 1. TR Nicolson; 2. D Rose. Distance: 161′ 8″

Tug of War: 1. Leith Police AC and FC. 2. Edinburgh University Irish AC

* Decided on 4th April at Hawkhill Grounds, Ednburgh’; CBP and Scottish Native Record.

Broad Jump: CBP and Scottish Native Record and Scottish Native Record

120 yards hurdles: CBP – following wind.

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NO Championship between 1914 and 1919

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Many thanks to Alex Wilson for almost all of the photographs on this page.

120 hurdles CBP