Category: Track and Field

William Wilton, the Rangers manager and secretary

Photo supplied by  Iain Duff

To those of us who knew the Rangers Sports from the 1950’s to their sad demise in the 1960’s it is maybe surprising that the attraction of the event to the best in the world goes back to the very beginning of the twentieth century – and maybe further.   The joint Clydesdale Harriers and Rangers Sports go back to 1888.   It is only right then that we look at what was on offer to the people of Glasgow in the way of athletic entertainment at the turn of an earlier century and compare it with the start of the twenty first.   It might well be to the detriment of the latter.   Sports were on offer to the public from almost all of the major football clubs at the time, the oldest being the Queen’s Park FC meeting, including Partick Thistle and Clyde (a professional meeting for a long time) with the ‘big two’ of Rangers and Celtic always ending the season with their regular dates of the first and second Saturdays in August.   It was also fairly common for sports meetings to be held over two days – Cowal Highland Games being the biggest recent example north of the border – and both Rangers and Celtic had Tuesday ‘supplements’ to the bigger Saturday occasions.    Glasgow people then had big meetings on the two consecutive weekends with two more meetings with invitation races on the Tuesday following giving the people four good meetings in ten days.   This page will deal almost exclusively with the Saturday meetings to give a picture of what was on offer by the big clubs, although the ‘supplementary’ meetings will probably be added at some date not too far into the future.

The first Rangers Sports of the twentieth century were held at Ibrox Park on 4th August, 1900.   The ‘Athletics’ column started with coverage of the Strathallan Highland Games before going on to the Rangers FC Sports.   There were eight lines of reportage plus results of the events held, before going on to the Clyde FC Sports, which were compared to those held by Third Lanark a week previously.    The report on the event, which had an estimated 10,000 attendance, read: “The Rangers FC were favoured with the finest weather conditions for the initial portion of their annual sports meeting on Saturday afternoon, with the result that a large and fashionable gathering assembled.    Both for the flat and the cycle events the competitors turned out in good numbers and splendid sport ruled throughout.    J Watson, Hamilton, who won the 100 yards off six and a half yards, ran cleverly in Heats and Final, and the same may be said of DL Turner, Greenhead Harriers who had first place in the 300 yards off a short mark.   Though both  the half and one mile handicaps filled well, the contests were not in any way noteworthy, the majority of the starters being well beaten long ere the finishing straight was reached.   …  “

In 1901 the event took place on 3rd August.   “The racing, both foot and cycle, at the Exhibition on Saturday was exceptionally interesting and the Rangers are to be congratulated not only on the way the meeting was arranged but on the large amount of support they received from the public.    The most popular win of the day was McLean’s in the 220 yards handicap.   He ran even better than he did in the International   between Scotland and Ireland on the same track a few months ago.   The Scottish champion is one of the best men n the country over the distance and it will be interesting to see how he fares with Long and Wadsley at the Celtic sports this week.   Of course he will be getting a start from these men but it will be a small one in view of his form at the Exhibition on Saturday.   ….  

It was almost entirely a domestic field but entries were more than healthy – eg 105 for the 100 yards – but in terms of quality the club had to give best to Celtic at this point.   The difference was called Willie Maley who would go looking for talent to the AAA’s championships and entice athletics to the Celtic Sports.   There was a note in the Glasgow Herald that contained the report on Rangers Sports which commented on the ‘elaborate arrangements made by Mr Maley’ which had resulted in several Americans being the trump cards at their meeting the following week.    The position would be at least emulated, and probably exceeded, when Bill Struth took over at Ibrox and of course the Rangers version lasted much longer than their rivals.

The following year, on 1st August, 1903, had a tale of excellent sport however with two Scottish records set – one at 100 yards and one in the hammer event.    The report read “This was the most important meeting in Scotland , for which the Rangers executive made faultless arrangements.   The programme was rich in talent and nearly all of the champions in their own department of athletics were present from England, Ireland and Scotland – also Arthur F Duffey of Georgetown University, USA, who holds the world’s record in the 100 yards flat race.   The meeting was held on Saturday afternoon at Ibrox Park, and while the weather was not all that could be desired, the attendance was satisfactory.”

Duffey was considered the fastest man in the world at the time.   He had run  as favourite in the 1900 Olympics but despite a very 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 four times between 1900 and 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 brought the accusation.   There seems to be little if any evidence that he did actually do a bad thing!   However, when he came to Ibrox in 1903, he was still a world class athlete.

How did Rangers manage this coup?   The ‘Glasgow Herald’ again.   “Recognising that athletics in the city is not in as healthy a condition as they might be, the Rangers this season resolved to do something to improve matters.   Mr Wilton, in the first place was given a free hand, and that gentleman, with the cordial support from his directors, entered into negotiations with several athletes who had distinguished themselves within their respective spheres, with a view to quickening public interest, and at the same time enriching their exchequer,  and how he succeeded may be guessed when we mention that the attendance on Saturday, despite the fact that the weather was by no means inviting, was little short of 13,000.   The cash drawings in fact totalled £390 which from every point of view must be considered highly satisfactory.   From first to last the sport was brilliant.  

Even the most captious in matters athletic were constrained to deal in superlatives, and no higher testimony than this could be offered to the character of the sport.   That matchless sprinter, A Duffy, won the 100 yards invitation handicap in a way that will never be forgotten by those who can appraise such performances at their top value.   JP Stark, of the Glasgow High School,  with a concession of five yards, pushed the American to the last foot – indeed it was only in the last few yards that he caught Stark and won in 9 4-5th seconds. …. Duffy had a great reception at the end of the race and equally cordial was the reception of Stark’s plucky effort.   …

Marvellous improvement was demonstrated in the mile handicap by AM Watson of Edinburgh Harriers.   Quite recently he beat McGough off 95 yards, and at the Shamrock CC Sports a few days ago, the Scottish champion gave Watson 80 yards and a handsome drubbing, but on Saturday the latter, with the same mark, won as he liked in 4 min 27 2-5th sec which is fast running when we allow for the weather and track conditions that prevailed.   All things considered, McGough ran up to his best form , although he only did 4 min 30 sec, and the natural inference is, therefore, that Watson must have improved greatly since the Shamrock Sports.   JJ Daly preferred the half-mile to the mile, and it must be confessed right away that he made an excellent appearance.   He won his Heat all-out in 1 min 59 4-5th sec, and in the final finished third, Roxburghe, the winner doing the same time.   …

TR Nicolson threw the hammer 151′ 6.5″, which is a new record, the previous best being 149′ 4″ at the international between Scotland and Ireland last month.   … “

So a good meeting financially, with a good crowd and top class athletics.

JP Stark, West of Scotland Harriers, Four Times Scottish Champion

 August 4th, 1904 was the date to visit Ibrox if you wanted athletics that year.   The preview in the ‘Glasgow Herald’ of Monday 1st August read as follows.   “Enterprising as the Rangers always are, they have excelled themselves in the arrangements they have made for their annual amateur sports, which fall to be celebrated this week-end.   “Half-heartedness”, if the language of fiscal discussion be not out of place, the Rangers have never been, and it will certainly be no fault of Mr Wilton and his directors is Saturday’s meeting does not  take a very high place in athletic records – if, in fact, it does not eclipse anything and everything that the Rangers have attempted in the way of presenting sports.   The programme is large – perhaps too large – and it will tax the resources of the management to dispose of all the items within a reasonable space of time.   There are two invitation handicaps – the 100 yards and 300 yards – which should excite considerable interest.   Both will have a pronounced international colouring.    We all remember the brilliant performance of AF Dudley at Ibrox last year when he did the 100 yards in 9 4-5th seconds, and if the American is scarcely so speedy now as he was then, he is possessed of a turn of speed which few can equal.   The 300 has been included in the programme with the view of seeing Jupp over the distance which he likes best.   Hyman and Westney will also run in this race and the interests of Scotland will be confined to  RL Watson and WH Welsh, who from the fact that they are both good quarter men, should find the 300 yards to their  liking.   It is still doubtful if A Shrubb will be among the competitors, he has engagements to keep which have been entered into early in the season, but pressure from an influential quarter may make him alter his arrangements, in which case we shall have a fine exhibition of distance running from him, John McGough of Bellahouston Harriers, and Butterfield of Darlington.   In addition to others of lesser note, Tom Nicholson will meet Shevlin of Yale in the hammer under stirrup-handle conditions, and O’Connor will take part in the jumps along with RG Murray, J Milne, D McRae and a host of others.”

These were all fine competitors with Scottish champions and record holders meeting top men from other nations.   The report the following week was fulsome.

“Seldom if ever have so many noted athletes, foreign and native talent, been gathered together as were seen  on Saturday afternoon within the Rangers model and commodious enclosure.   It was the work of many weeks in compiling a programme so rich in talent , and Mr W Wilton, the Rangers manager and secretary, is to be congratulated on his successful efforts and for his successful handling of the reins on Saturday when everything went off without a hitch.   The handicapping of Mr R Livingstone was perfect, all the finishes being close.   In all there were 21 items and the entry was a record one for the Rangers.   The 100 yards flat race alone brought out a field of 200, divided into 30 preliminary Heats, all associated with fast times, and 5 semi-finals ere the final was reached.

In the great international 100 yards invitation race, amongst others there competed such well-known flyers as JS Westney, New York AC, who had two and a half yards from AF Duffy, Georgetown University, and JW Morton, South London Harriers, who were at scratch;   HA Hyman, Pennsylvania University, 2 yards, JP Stark WSH, two and a half yards, WH Welsh, Edinburgh University, 4 yards, RL Watson, WSH, three and a half yards, AG Rutherford, Kennedy College, and E Green, Sefton Harriers, each with eight and a half yards.   The first prize fell to Stark after a notable effort. RS Stronach  and T Nicholson each created records in the hurdles and hammer throwing respectively. …As expected, Shrubb did not appear and the mile was won by Butterfield (15 yards) from Craig of Bellahouston (120 yards), with McGough third (scratch).

The 100 yards had to be the best race of the day with four Americans, two Englishmen and three Scots with the winner a home Scot in 10  seconds dead.

*Hyman was a high hurdler with a high reputation and

*Westney was a genuinely fast sprinter, almost Olympic class with victories at distances as short as 70 yards up to 220 yards back home in the States;

* Duffey had of course held the world record with a time of 9.6 seconds.   * JW Morton of SLH made the headlines in 1904 when he defeated Duffey at the AAA’s  Championships and the US headlines all told the same story  “Arthur Duffey Meets Defeat” rather than “Morton Wins”!

*WH Welsh had done the triple of 100, 220 and 440 at the SAAA’s in 1900,    *   JP Stark had won the SAAA 100 yards in June 1904  and been second in both 100 and 220 in the Irish International in July of that year.

No further comment on the quality required.

Although we are dealing here with the Rangers Sports, there was another wonderful evening of athletics at Ibrox in November 1904 when Alfred Shrubb set a world record for the one hour run plus a host of other records for shorter distances en route.   Read a contemporary account  here

Most of the domestic sprinters above would be competing at the 1905 version of the sports but the American contingent would be altered since there was an American party of athletes in Britain at the time.   Again hopes were raised that Shrubb would be present, in which case there would be three scratch runners in the mile raising the prospect of a ‘rare dust-up’.   The top American hurdler Amsler was said to be running raising the prospect of a meeting with the Glasgow Academical and WSH Harrier  RS Stronach.   Mr Wilton had received many entries just a week before the meeting and more were expected in the run-up.  EA Amsler was a student from Princeton who was a record-breaking 120 yard hurdler on tour in Britain at the time.The report on the actual meeting read:

“BRILLIANT SPORT AT IBROX

From an athletic point of view, the Rangers FC scored a brilliant success with their sports on Saturday, but in other aspects the evidence of public apathy were again very apparent.   The attendance, including the holders of paper admission, did not reach 8000, and this is scarcely a creditable response on the part of the citizens in view of the alluring attractions which were provided, mainly through the instrumentality of Mr William Wilton, secretary of the club.   One record was broken and the honour fell to T Nicholson,  who threw the hammer 153′ 3″, or one and a half inches better than the previous record established at the championships of 1904.   Then in the hurdles, RS Stronach, in addition to defeating the American for the third time equalled his Connell Cup record, 15 4-5th sec.   The Glasgow Academical is perhaps the most consistent performer there ever was in connection with hurdling, which from its very nature, does not lend itself to uniformity of motion and that fact makes his running all the more noteworthy.   At the championships at Ibrox, at Ayr during the Fair Holidays and at the international match with Ireland, he did 16 sec, while at the Connell Cup contest and at Ibrox on Saturday he did 15 4-5th sec.  

McGough for the second time in six days, got the better of Geo Butterfeld, who, in the mile on Saturday as in the mile and a half on Monday last, lost first place by inches only.   It was a strenuous effort on the part of both, and the one was as cordially applauded as the other on retiring to the dressing room.   The time in the special handicap was 4 min 27 sec and in the open handicap 4 min 26 2-5th, which shows that the latter was not any more difficult a task for the scratch men than the former.    The 300 yards invitation handicap was all that was anticipated, except that the record did not go,  and in such conditions this was scarcely to be looked for.    Hyman just managed to beat C McLachlan of Blackheath Harriers at the post in 31 4-5th while Taylor, the coloured American, was third, just a foot behind.   It was a fine race and will remain for some time to come one of the cherished recollections of Saturday’s meeting.   The open and invitation specials were replete with interesting finishes, the finals in each case being as close as it was possible to make them.   JP Stark captured the invitation.   C McLachlan did  wonderful day’s work  winning heats in the first and second rounds of the open 100 and getting third in the final, second in the 300, second in the invitation sprint, in other words he covered 800 yards in all.

RS Stronach

The big attraction in 1906 was not American, English nor even Irish, although all three countries were represented – it was a Scotsman.   Lt Wyndham Halswell was the man in question.   Halswell had ‘done the treble’ of 100, 220 and 440 yards in the SAAA Championhips at Powderhall in June and won the 220 and 440 in the Irish International in July.   Stark had won the 100m in the International after being second to Halswell in the championships.   They were both in action at Ibrox in August.   There was disappointment that Halswell did not break the record in the quarter mile but his time of 50 1-5th with a headwind up the finishing straight.   Stark won the 100 yards invitation race in what was said to be his best ever performance and ‘gives him a position little short of that which AR Downer holds in the annals of Scottish athletics’.   He was timed at 10 seconds from one yard with a yard covering seven runners at the post.   McGough won the half-mile: he was in great form having won three races in a week – a mile and a half at Parkhead in 7 minutes on the Monday, won the mile at Larkhall in 4:27 and at Ibrox won the half mile in 1:58.8.

From the ‘Glasgow Herald’ of 27 July, 1907:    “The Rangers are making very elaborate arrangements for their meeting on Saturday and Monday next, and it will not be their fault if the season does not end in a blaze of athletic fireworks.   Being believers in the ‘star’ system, which has done so much for the popularising of athletics in the past, they have issued invitations to several leading pedestrians in England, and have received acceptances from some of the foremost amateurs.   It so happens that the bulk of the acceptances are old favourites; but one or two have enhanced their reputations since last they were in Glasgow.   Of these the most noted are JP George and EH Montague both of South London Harriers.   The former achieved a brilliant win in the 220 yards championship at Fallowfield, Manchester, quite recently, while the latter, in the absence of Lieutenant Halswell, won the 440 yards championship.   ….   ”   Other English star turns were noted but no Americans were mentioned in the preview.   On the day in question, 12000 spectators turned up to see the action, and saw two fine invitation handicaps – over 100 yards and over 440 yards.   There were eight starters in the 100 yards including the two favourites JW Morton and JP George but neither of them won.   The race went to D Johnston of Bellahouston (‘who always manages to run well at Rangers Sports’) in 10.1 seconds.   In the quarter-mile,“JP George would have won had he not been pocketed at the pavilion.   As it was many thought that he was first, but the judge could scarcely be blamed for giving a tie, as the finish was exceedingly close, and the pace fast as the time shows.   Vallance ran a plucky race, as indeed he always does, and his success was no less cordially received than was George’s.”     The race was a dead-heat between George (6 yards) and J Vallance (Bellahouston, 12 yards )with a winning time of 49.8.

In the open races, Somerville of Motherwell won the four miles from SAAA Champion A Duncan and the mile was won by A McPhee of Paisley.   The quality was undoubtedly in the sprints.

*

In the Rangers Sports of 1908, held on 1st August, the sprints were her highlight with Olympic champion of that year Reginald (Reggie) Walker from South Africa running.   Walker was born in March 1889 and was the 1908 Olympic champion.   He was the South African 100 yards champion but could not afford to go to London for the Games.  A Natal sports writer raised a fund to pay for him to come to London, and once there he was coached by Sam Mussabini.   He won his 100m  first round in 11.0 seconds, his semi-final in 10.8 and the final also in 10.8, which tied the Olympic record.   He was still in 2012 the youngest ever winner of the Olympic 100 metres.   To have him at Ibrox in the Rangers Sports in 1908 was indeed an attraction.

“There was a considerable amount of character in the Rangers Sports at Ibrox on Saturday.   This to some extent was anticipated with so many eminent athletes competing, but in several of the events, expectation was more than fulfilled, and that meeting, taken as a whole, will rank as one of the best that Rangers have provided in their long career as sports promoters.   Again the sensitiveness of sprinting form was admirably illustrated in the 100 yards invitation handicap, which was won by JP Stark, the Scottish champion, in time which if correct makes him quite as smart as Reginald Walker, the Olympic winner.   At all events he beat the South African handsomely at Ibrox on Saturday with a concession of three yards, and whatever may be said of the time, 9 3-5th seconds, it will be admitted that the Scotsman ran as he perhaps never did in his whole experience.   Even in the open 100 yards, he disclosed rare pace winning the first round in 9 4-5th seconds, the second in 10 seconds, while in the final he had the misfortune to break down and failed to finish.   It will be seen from these “times” that in each succeeding spin, the Scotsman was a couple of yards slower, and in the face of that, few will accept without some hesitation the 9 3-5th in the invitation race.

Walker was seen to better advantage in the open than in the invitation as, after winning the first round in 9 4-5th seconds, he was defeated on the post in the second round by the ultimate winner, H Gracie of YMCA Harriers, who had the distinction of winning both sprints.   We have seen better 220 running but the running in the 100 has not been excelled at any meeting this season.    Lieutenant Halswell was not at his best, as in the 300 yards special handicap he did not even equal his Hampden Park record, 31 1-5th seconds.   Later in the programme Halswell was defeated in his 220 yards heat in 23 1-5th seconds, which lends some colour to the impression that he was not quite in record-breaking form. 

ER Voigt of Manchester AC ran with superb judgment in the four miles finishing with a dazzling sprint of 300 yards amid a perfect hurricane of applause.   It was a brilliant piece of running and has not been surpassed in the city since A Shrubb charmed supporters of amateurism.   Voigt did the four miles in 19 minutes 40 1-5th seconds and as conveying some idea of his speed resource we may note that in the last quarter  was done in 64 1-5th seconds.   Only one in the first flight of runners could do that.   JA Robertson, Birchfield Harriers, was a good second 25 yards behind , his time being 19 min 45 sec.   The Scottish runners made a poor display in this race, and even Murphey, who ran so famously in the International between Ireland and  Scotland was a pale reflection of what he was on that occasion and did not even finish.     Having travelled overnight from England, HA Wilson, the mile champion, was not in form for the mile, his time being 4 min 29 4-5th against 4 20 3-5th by the winner, R Sinclair of Greenock Glenpark Harriers, who had the limit.   John McGough, Bellahouston Harriers, to the delight of all, showed some of his old form and finished several yards ahead of Wilson.   …”  

On Saturday 7th August 1909, Walker returned to Ibrox, McGough showed more of his old form (he had won the last of his six SAAA mile titles in 1907 but over his career is reckoned to have won more prizes at open meetings than any other Scot), Edward Owens from England ran a brilliant mile, there was a very good two miles walk with Scots an Englishman and a New Zealander competing, plus other quality athletes from South Africa and south of the Border.

“Where there were so many outstanding performances as was the case at the Rangers Sports at Ibrox on Saturday, it is not an easy matter to select the best.   Some award the palm to RE Walker’s 9 4-5th sec in the invitation 100 yards handicap, others assert that Edward Owen’s 4 min 20 1-5th sec in the mile was the most brilliant incident in the proceedings, while those who regard record breaking as the stamp of athletics genius at once single out Ernest Webb’s 13 min 57 1-5th in the two miles walk.   To our thinking all are alike impressive, and will give Saturday’s function an honourable place in athletic history.   Walker had the help of a slight breeze, and possibly that may have aided him in breaking “evens”.   All the same it is an effort that will not soon  be forgotten by those who were privileged to witness it.   The South African would like to get the Scottish record for the 100 yards, which stands at 10 seconds.   No one has had a more earnest try as he has equalled Saturday’s effort three or four times at Ibrox.   The SAAA however are very punctilious in these matters, and it is well that they are, as a record should be beyond cavil.  

N Cartmell was a little disappointing in the invitation 100 yards, as he only finished third in the second heat, in 10 1-5th, or four yards slower than Walker in the final.   RC Duncan, the SAAA champion, put up a plucky fight against Walker, and taking time as the infallible test of speed, the West of Scotland Harrier never ran a finer race.   Owen was wreathed in smiles when he was told he had covered the mile in 4 min 20 1-5th sec.   This is his best public performance, though it is stated he has come very close to it in practise more than once.   The race was strenuous from start to finish.   A McPhee Clydesdale Harriers, like the winner excelled himself, while John McGough has not run better for a couple of seasons than he did over the mile on Saturday, his time being 4 min 24 sec.   McPhee is now a spirited finisher, and his half-mile running has done him a lot of good in this respect.   He has designs on the mile championship next season and a slight improvement on the form displayed at Ibrox on Saturday will enable him to hold his own with Jameson and McGough.   

As to the two mile walk, Webb was given too much to do though, if our information is correct, he has several times walked faster than he did at Ibrox.   There was fully 40 yards between him and the winner – Bernard West – while Rowland of New Zealand, seemed to be covering the ground as fast as the English champion.    West’s time was 13 min 33 sec and Webb’s 13min 57 1-5th sec, which is a new all-comer’s record.   Quinn finished second, but had the misfortune to be disqualified for unfair walking.   The pace of the walk may have incited him to “break”.   The dividing line between scientific walking and running  is so faint that it is extremely difficult to say which is which.   Rowland will attempt to break the three miles record tonight, and will have the assistance of Quinn, Justice and West.   …..

Frank Stoddart of West of Scotland Harriers Harriers won the first heat of the half-mile in 1 min 58 2-5th, and the final in 1 min 56 2-5th off 54 yards – very consistent running indeed although of course the time was an impossible proposition for the scratch man.   Stoddart has been doing remarkably well since the Ayr Sports.   Now that he has disclosed the capacity of his resources, he will doubtless have a far stiffer task the next time he takes part in a half-mile.   There was however no more popular win during the afternoon among athletes than that of Frank Stoddart. ….

A Healey, the AAA hurdles champion could not give the starts he was asked to give, and this was confirmed by the times of the different heats.   He was second to Hallegan, the SAAA champion in 19 sec, while V Duncker of South Africa won his heat and also the final in 18 1-5th sec.   Duncker it may be mentioned had 3 yards from Healey.   The two obstacle races imparted no little amusement, and appeared to be greatly appreciated.   All round, the Rangers have great reason to be satisfied with the conspicuous success of their sports from an athletic point of view.!

The Monday night supplementary meeting referred to above brought a crowd of 6000 and several new records.   Walker broke the 120 and 150 yards records, there were three records in the three miles walk,  in the 1000 yards Adam Turnbull of Clydesdale Harriers broke McGough’s native record and in the mile and a half, AJ Robertson of Belgrave Harriers broke Shrubb’s record set at Ibrox in 1904 with new figures of 6 min 45 3-5th sec.

*

There is no doubt that the first decade of the twentieth century saw a transformation in the Rangers Sports from one which was very good to one with an international dimension.   After the coronation in 1902 put a temporary halt to the event, thanks to William Wilton and his committee the meeting burgeoned into one which by the end of the decade had Scots, English, Irish, American, South African and New Zealand athletes appearing before the Glasgow public; the standard was incredibly high with Olympic British, American and South African champions, World, British, American and Scottish record holders all competed at the Rangers Sports.   This was a trend that would continue and develop until the magnificent flowering of the event under the direction of Bill Struth in the 1950’s and early 60’s.

 There were also Monday night meetings to ‘complete’ the Rangers Sports and they were usually of high quality.   Short reports on the Monday Sports from 1905 – 1909 are   here

Reginald Walker from South Africa,

a great favourite of the Glasgow athletics public in 1910.

The Rangers Sports at the start of 1910 were on a high after the efforts of William Wilton and his committee which had brought an international dimension to an event which in 1900 had been almost entirely a Scottish affair (with some English guests).   It had also been slightly in the shade of the Celtic Sports, held a week later, organised by William Maley who always went out of his way to attract top athletes and introduce novelty attractions meant to draw in the crowds.   By 1910, the two events were to some extent complementary with athletes often staying over from the Rangers meeting to compete at Parkhead, or some of those enticed to Celtic Park coming a week early and competing at the Rangers Monday meeting.   This ten year period in the development of the sports saw them become really international over the first four years of the period before the War brought them back to a purely local event with the five-a-side competitions being developed to fill out the programme and bring in the crowds.   The club – like most others – donated money to the War Effort throughout the period and the sports often held events confined to serving soldiers and sailors.

The first Rangers Sports of the decade was reported in the ‘Glasgow Herald’ on 8th August.   There were two heats of the 100 yards invitation handicap and the runners included Reginald Walker from South Africa on scratch.   He duly won the first heat from RC Duncan (West of Scotland Harriers – 3 yards) and A Law (Bellahouston Harriers off 7 yards) and the race was reported as “The Colonial just caught Duncan in the last stride and won by a breast.”   The second heat was won by R Kitson (West of Scotland – 6 yards) from FL Ramsdell (Pennsylvania – scratch) and LJ deB Reed (South London Harriers – 2.5 yards).    The final was won by Duncan from Walker and Ramsdell the report reading “All were despatched in a perfectly orderly start, Duncan passed those in front at 75 yards and though Walker and Ramsdell put in a punishing finish they could not get on even terms with the Scottish champion.   It was a very fine thing however, a couple of feet covering the first four while  Reed and Law were both in the picture at the post.   Winning time:- 10 seconds.”   For a Scot off 3 yards to defeat an Olympic champion and a an American over 100 yards must have been a source of great pride to the organisers and is a mark of the quality of Scottish running at the time.  The reporter also commented that in conditions such as those prevailing at Ibrox on that Saturday, Walker was incomparable.    Reed went on to win the special invitation 440 yards in 50.6 – “his methods were those of a runner who has given intelligent thought and study to the requirements (brain and pace) for such a distance” – from Hepburn (West of Scotland – 17 yards) and George Dallas (Maryhill – 13 yards).   Emphasising the international nature of the meeting, H Inglis of Pretoria was the scratch man in the hurdles race where he finished third having conceded 10 yards to the winner and and four yards to the Welshman who was second. A South African and an American in the 100 yards, an Englishman in the 440 yards and a Welshman and another South African in the hurdles.

 In the half-mile, E Owens from Broughton Harriers in England (scratch) was the favourite but could only finish second to McDougall of West of Scotland (40 yards) who won in 1:59.6 with  A McPhee of Clydesdale Harriers (15 yards) third.   In the mile, McGoughoff 60 yards was second to Stoddart of the West of Scotland who was off 105 yards and won in 4:19.2.

The supplementary meeting that was held on the following Monday was previewed with the comment that “Football will be the supreme attraction.   Eight teams will take part in the five a side competition.   This is an increase of two compared with earlier years but while the football fare is on a richer scale, that of the athletics has been reduced by at least two sources: in other words there are only two handicaps as against four, and sometimes five, in past seasons.”  

For the record, the 9000 crowd who turned up to see the meeting saw Falkirk, St Mirren, Clyde, Partick Thistle, Rangers, Celtic, Queen’s Park and Third Lanark compete with Rangers winning the final against Third Lanark  3–1.   The 100 yards was won by JA Coyle St Andrew,s despite the presence of Walker and Ramsdell, and the 220 was won by JC Cockburn of Gala Harriers.

HE Gissing wearing the winged foot of the New York Track Club

In 1911, the ‘Glasgow Herald’ previewed the Sports: “F Ramsdell is one of several ‘stars’ who will illumine the proceedings at Ibrox Park on Saturday.   He is no stranger to Glasgow as he ran at the Rangers Sports last August and finished third in a great race which RC Duncan won off three yards in 10 seconds, RE Walker the South African being second.   Ramsdell may not be so fast over 100 yards as he was last season – at least that is the impression in expert circles – but his furlong running on the other hand is even better, and it is over that distance that  the American will appeal most to athletic imagination.   Three weeks ago, in conditions not conducive to high speed, he won the fuirlong handicap at Ayr.    The task was regarded by many as impossible, yet  he triumphed over every form of opposition: bad corners, rough surfaces and smart runners.  In fact it was an effort that will not readily be forgotten by those who witnessed it.   There is a 220 yards handicap at Ibrox on Saturday, and Ramsdell, who cultivates this distance rather than the shorter one, will no doubt present us with an effort  that will prove as memorable as that which lent distinction to the recent sports at Ayr.   Others who will add to the gaiety of the proceedings are DF McNicol, JT Soutter, E Owen, T Nicolson and H Gissing.   Instead of an invitation handicap the 100 yards will be divided into two classes, the one confined to runners with not more than 5 yards from the Scottish champion, and the other to those with that mark and upwards.   This is an interesting departure and we expect very educative results from it.   From information in our possession, the Rangers Sports this week will be, as indeed they always are, high class, disclosing not only variety but a standard of athletic efficiency in keeping with the character of the meeting and the eminence of the principal competitors.”

There were some disappointing performances at the Sports on the Saturday but the international dimension was further developed.   One of the stars barely mentioned in the preview was HE Gissing from New York – he ran for the New York TC whose emblem was a winged foot which seems appropriate for an athletic club, but he also ran for the Irish American Athletic Club team that set the first IAAF- recognised world 4 x 440 yards record of 3:18.8, and their emblem was a winged fist.   Running for the NYTC relay teams he often ‘turned defeat into victory’.   More relevant to the Ibrox meeting, in 1908 he had won the AAU half-mile championship in 1:56.8 and went on to win the AAU 1000 yards championship three years running (1908, ’09, ’10) and in 1909 was second in the National AAU Championships.   Incidentally, another member of the Irish American AC which set the 4 x 440 record was Mel Sheppard who is mentioned below.

The report on the meeting read: “No fewer than 10,000 witnessed the sports at Ibrox Park on Saturday afternoon.   Fortunately the rain held off during the proceedings though before and after there were smart showers.   The programme was more varied than usual, there being boxing and five-a-side football, in addition to the orthodox pedestrian handicaps.   The racing was keen throughout and and the finishes in many cases could not have been any closer.   FL Ramsdell, the AAA sprint champion, just beat AE Hunter (Edinburgh University AC) by inches in the invitation 100 yards handicap, while in the final of the furlong handicap G Sandilands (Edinburgh Harriers) was not more than a foot in front of TC Wright, another prominent East of Scotland runner.    

But perhaps the finest performance of the proceedings was HE Gissing’s 1 min 56 1-5th in the invitation half-mile.   This is only a fifth of a second worse than Melvin Sheppard’s all-comers record at the Rangers Sports in 1908.   Had Gissing not eased up in the last ten yards he might have created a new record.   As it was, he ran a memorable race and those who saw it are not likely soon to forget the easy way in which he travelled.   JT Soutter of Aberdeen University AC was scratch with the American but the SAAA half-mile champion was obviously not at his best by any means.   He was the last to finish which is a novel experience for him.   Soutter has given up running for a season.   He has achieved several fine performances although we understand that he is a little disappointed at his failure at Ibrox on Saturday, which is not to be wondered at, as he had set his heart on accomplishing something in keeping with his reputation as a half-miler.   DF McNicol again demonstrated his marvellous consistence as a runner.   He was second in the invitation half-mile in 1 min 58 1-5th sec off 10 yards; in the open half-mile he won the first heat in 1 min 58 3-5th sec and the final in 1 min 58 sec.  

The mile fell short of expectation.   E Owen, an ex-AAA champion, was scratch, and the fact that he did not finish in 4 min 26 3-5th sec clearly shows that he was not in running humour.   Owen may have taken too much out of himself in the invitation half-mile, but even that can scarcely account for his indifferent display, especially in the light of the great work accomplished by McNicol  during the afternoon.   The winner was J McFarlane, Glasgow University AC, whose success was well received.   If we mistake not, McFarlane was the winner of the Celtic mile last year.   He ran with judgement and finished strongly, though the time was well within the reach of the scratch man.  

The 100 yards confined to those with 5 yards and upwards of the Scottish champion was quite interesting, and it is noteworthy to mention that the final was won in the same time that Ramsdell accomplished in the special handicap, thus showing that the concessions in the one as in the other were in favour of the American crack.  ….

Ralph Erskine, the world’s featherweight champion, gave an exhibition of boxing with his cousin George Barrie.   It was much appreciated and proved an interesting variation to the proceedings as did also the hammer throwing in which TR Nicholson displayed all his old skill   He was asked to give tolerably big concessions yet he won with something in hand. …   Third Lanark won the five-a-side tournament.”

The by now normal Monday supplementary meeting took place in front of 5000 spectators and the feature race contained both of Saturday’s heroes, Gissing and McNicol over 1000 yards.   “The feature of the evening was the fine running of HE Gissing, New York, and DF McNicol , Polytechnic Harriers, in the thousand yards flat handicap.   Thirty three started but interest centred on the scratch men.   Entering the last lap McNicol led Gissing b y about a foot and this lead he maintained until entering the straight.   The American then made his effort, and going in magnificent  style caught McNicol about 25 yards from the finish and then caught WF Taylor, Bellahouston Harriers, off 60 yards a few inches from the tape.   Gissing’s time was 2 min 16 3-5th sec, thus creating a new Scottish all-comer’s record, beating George Butterfield’s time of August 1906 by one fifth of a second.   McNicol who finished third and deserves all praise for the pace he set, had the satisfaction of creating a new native record , his time being 2 min 17 sec, which is four-fifths of a second better than A Turnbull’s record made in August 1909..   “

The meeting also had a 120 yards, a 300 yards and a mile-and-a-half with good competition but the 1000 yards was the only real stand-out race, with Clyde FC winning the football tournament.

Hannes Kohlemainen

There were several outstanding athletes competing at the Rangers Sports of 1912.    It was of course an Olympic year (Stockholm) and athletes had been in Europe for the Games and several were available for local meetings.   One was Don Lippincott from Philadelphia who had competed for the USA in the 100 yards where he finished third in the 100 metres and second in the 200 metres.   A high quality athlete, he was also the first 100m record holder recognised by the IAAF with a time of 10.6 and he also held the 100 yards record with 9.6 seconds.   But big a name as he might have been, the star man had to be Hannes Kohlemainen of Finland.   He had won three gold and one silver medal at the Olympic Games that year – gold in the 5000m, 10000m and individual cross-country with the silver being for the team cross-country.   Two men, five Olympic medals!   He also lived in the USA for a number of years and wore the Winged Fist of the Irish American AC.    Among the other Olympians there were Mel Sheppard of America, H Braun of Germany and JE Meredith, also America and world class at all distances between 440 yards and the Mile. as well as English and Irish athletes.

Mel Sheppard

Then in 1913 no foreigners were invited and it was an Englishman who was the big name – the ‘must have’ for sports promoters was Willie Applegarth the great sprinter and Olympic gold and silver medallist from the1912 Olympics.   He was at Ibrox.   The report read:

“In fine weather the Rangers FC held their annual amateur athletic sports at Ibrox on Saturday before an attendance estimated at 25,000.   In previous years the club have brought competitors from the Continent and the United States but on this occasion only home talent was invited, and amongst the entrants was a very strong team from Polytechnic Harriers.   WR Applegarth, the English champion, who has this season been showing some very fine form, was the most prominent competitor, winning the two invitation sprints, and creating a new Scottish record for the 100 yards.        In the open 100 his time was returned as 9 4-5th seconds in the preliminary heat, while in the final he was beaten by only half a yard in a fifth less; but during the running of the race there was a fairly stiff breeze following or helping the competitors.   When the invitation sprint  was run, however, the wind had dropped and Applegarth ran the full distance in 9 4-5th seconds which beats by one fifth the record established by JM Cowie at the championship meeting in 1894.   Applegarth’s time was equalled on a previous occasion by RE Walker, but as he was assisted by a strong wind, the record was not passed.   Several officials of the SAAA were present at Ibrox on Saturday, and there is little doubt that the record will be accepted.     ….   “

There were 14 heats of the open 100 yards and Duncan McPhee of Clydesdale Harriers won the half-mile  which his brother Alex had taken a year earlier.    A year later McPhee would be racing in the West of Scotland colours.

Applegarth was back on 1st August, 1914, and the international element was supplied by Homer Baker who was the American half-mile champion in 1913 and 1914 and took the AAA’s title from AV Hill in 1914 when touring Europe.   The Saturday meeting was reported as follows.   “Fully 15,000 persons attended the annual sports of the Rangers Football Club which were held at Ibrox Park, Glasgow, in beautiful weather.   As on previous occasions the club were favoured with the entries of several prominent English and Irish athletes, and a feature of the meeting was the performance of TJ Carroll of the Royal Irish Constabulary who in the high jump handicap made a successful attempt on the Scottish all-comers record.   TRhe previous best jump was that of SR Jones at Ayr in 1908, the height being 6′ 1.25”.   Carroll on Saturday  improved on these figures, clearing 6′ 2.5″ for which he was loudly cheered by the spectators.  

In the sprints the outstanding figure was WR Applegarth, the English and International champion at 100 and 220 yards.   Applegarth was beaten in the heat of the 100 yards special handicap by his clubmate WC Bluck, to whom he was conceding 6 yards, and in the final of the 220 yards special handicap he had to be content with second place, another Polytechnic man, J Rooney, being a yard in front at the tape.   Rooney’s time, 21 2-5th sec, equals the Scottish all-comers record, established by Applegarth at a recent international meeting.   The champion however, was seen at his best in the relay race, West of Scotland Harriers  v  Polytechnic Harriers.   The Scottish team were allowed 10 sec start, and it may be said that Polytechnic’s victory was due to Applegarth’s brilliant running in one of the furlongs.  

GW Hutson,the English four miles champion was at scratch in the four miles handicap, in which the limit was 400 yards.   He ran strongly all the way, taking the lead fully a mile from the finish and with a fast last lap broke the tape 220 yards ahead of T McTurk , Garscube Harriers, who was in receipt of 330 yards. “

1914: Note the Polytechnic  v  The World Relay on a Saturday afternoon in Glasgow

Homer Baker of New York was unplaced in the half-mile which was won by Lindsay of Edinburgh off 51 yards.   He put this right though on the very poorly attended supplementary meeting on Monday, 3rd..

“Last night the Rangers football club had the gratification of seeing another record added to the long list established at Ibrox Park.   Unfortunately the second instalment of their annual sports meting was marred by unfavourable weather and the attendance hardly reached 200.   All the prominent athletes who graced Saturday’s meeting were again present, and the sport was thoroughly enjoyable.   An invitation handicap has long been a special item of the Rangers programme, and it was in this event that Homer Baker, New York Athletic Club, the English half-mile champion, lowered by a fifth of a second the previous best time which was made by HE Gissing at the Rangers Sports three years ago.”

Baker’s time (which had to be found by working through the list of results) was 2 min 16 2-5th sec for the 1000 yards distance.   For all the weather was criticised,   the standard of competition and the calibre of athlete on display were high.   The 100 yards was won by J Cattanach of Edinburgh University (10 yards) who beat Applegarth in the first heat and won the final; the 220 yards was won by Applegarth (scr) from Rooney (4) and Bluck (11) in 22 4-5th sec; the One Mile Handicap was won by AV Hill (10 yards) from Duncan McPhee (20 yards) in 4: 25 3-5th; and the 1000 yards was won by Baker from Sam S Watt (Clydesdale Harriers – 39 yards) in 2 min16 2-5th sec.   In the five-a-sides, Celtic (2 goals, 1 corner) beat Rangers (2 goals).

Saturday RFC Sports, 1914

Later in 1914 hostilities broke out and the first world war started but the sports went on.   The 1915 sports were held on 7th August and the athletics (two races a 220 and a half-mile) was subordinated to the 5-a-sides (8 clubs) and a flat race for the military.   There was also a ‘military ambulance competition’, each competitor to run 120 yards, pick up a comrade, carry him back 80 yards.   There were three heats with Sgt Instructor Fyfe.   The club handed £50 of the income from the sports to the Lord Provost’s Fund for the relief of soldier’s and sailor’s families.   Rangers scored 2 goals, 3 points in the final of the football tournament against Celtic who scored nil.     There was no Monday meeting,   From the short report on the event “Favoured by the weather the annual sports meeting of the Rangers FC attracted an attendance of over 12,000 to Ibrox Park on Saturday.   In former years flat events have formed the principal feature of the programme, many of the most prominent British anf foreign athletes being among the competitors, but this year the athletic element was subordinated to the five-a-side football, there being only two flat open races on the programme and one for military competitors.”  

The 1916 meeting was on 5th August and there was five events, two of which were confined to the military and Applegarth ran in them.   The actual report was brief in the extreme – “The Rangers FC held their annual sports at Ibrox Park on Saturday afternoon.   Fine weather prevailed and there were about 15,000 spectators.”   This was followed by the results.   There was one really stand-out result when Applegarth won the military 200 yards handicap from scratch in 20 1-5th seconds.  Other than that the meeting was a shadow of the normal Rangers Sports but their sports columnist had this to say.   “The Rangers executive have set a standard in sports programmes which in present circumstances they could not hope to maintain.   Yet the attendance at Ibrox on Saturday was 20,000.   The prime cause of this was clearly the possibility of seeing some football.   At no period of the proceedings was there such enthusiasm as during some of the most intense five-a-side ties.   In fact feeling at times was rather strong, and it was difficult for a neutral observer to believe, except for a brilliantly warm sun, that it was not a day in January.     Celtic were given in a variety of ways a very stiff journey to the final, and after playing Morton seemed disinclined for any more.   Evidently the players wanted to settle matters by tossing, but the objurgations of the crowd made them continue on the field for two and a half minutes.   During these Morton scored a fortuitous corner, and thus apparently won first prize – a result which we understand, the ordeal of the coin confirmed.   In the athletic events, there was some good running.   The best item of the day was a 200 yards military handicap which Applegarth won in 20 1-5th sec.   We know of no recognised Scottish record for the distance, but once in a day Downer ran it in 19 4-5th sec in England, so Applegarth’s performance was distinctly creditable in view of the strong adverse wind for half the distance and the fact that he had to run the whole way on the outside.   To our eye he seemed to have suffered little from Army training: there was still about him the suggestion of flexibility and muscular development which nine years ago set experts at loggerheads about massage in training.   As often happens at Ibrox or Celtic Park, a double winner emerged from the sprints in the person of A Gordon who finished very strongly in the furlong.   The mile fell to JH Motion of Eglinton Harriers who won with comparative ease in good time.”  

*

If football was the big draw in 1916, it seemed to pall a bit the following year.   The report from the ‘Glasgow Herald’ of 6th August read:   “Without equivocation it is safe to describe Rangers latest sports venture as the most successful to this stage of a comparatively crowded season.   The general setting was perfect, the weather conditions were ideal, and the crowd was numerous and enthusiastic.   The programme was a discriminating blend of novel contest and serious competition, and not even the least important event on it failed to arouse interest.  Such criticism as could be urged against it must be limited to the suggestion that football occupied more than a just proportion of time, and the rather lengthy tournament tended to lose attractiveness in its later stages, when the spectators appeared satiated with the endlessness of the ties.   On the other hand, the flat events were sources of ever-recurring excitement, and from this it will at once become apparent that the fields were never attenuated and that the finishes were invariably thrilling.   No doubt the prestige of the promoting club accounted for the first feature, and the handicapping of Mr Livingstone and the obvious keenness of the competitors were responsible for the second.

From the sprint to the Mile, every race was determined by a measurement calculated in inches and nothing finer has been seen than the dash by Weir which caught Ross in the half-mile, the subtle judgment which gave McFadden a victory in the furlong, and the magnificent effort which enabled Ross to register a double win and shake off Wilson’s challenge in the Mile.   In the last mentioned event it is noteworthy that the placings corresponded exactly with the numbers of the competitors in the programme.   

It is not possible to be so laudatory of the football players, and the plain fact is that the modern player is too stereotyped to adapt himself to the limited game.   The ultimate triumph of The Military Five was particularly pleasing because they alone showed any true conception of the requirements of the changed conditions, and because all season they have been equally clever yet constantly unlucky.”

The teams in the football tournament were Rangers, Celtic, Partick Thistle, Clyde, St Mirren, Queen’s Park, Third Lanark and The Military Five, the last named won the competition (with a team of Breville, Waddell, Duncan, Walker and Fletcher), over Rangers (Blair, Bowie, Dunn, Brown and Lawson), the score being one goal to one corner.

On the same day, the National Projectile Factory held a sports at Celtic Park (before a crowd of 10,000) with the proceeds going to the Princess Louise Hospital for Limbless Sailors and Soldiers,the Ypres Projectile Factory held a sports at Moorroft Park, Renfrew in aid of Limbless Sailors and Soldiers Fund,   and a meeting at Cappielow Park, Greenock before 5000 spectators in aid of the Red Cross Fund.   Lots of choice for the athletes, entertainment for the spectators without too much travelling involved.

‘The Glasgow Herald’ August 5th, 1918:   The loyalty of the Rangers following has frequently been the subject of comment and whatever direction the activities of the club may take support is assured.   On Saturday a magnificent crowd of the faithful was present at Ibrox on the occasion of the annual sports meeting.   The programme contained not a few novelties and if, on the purely athletic side, it did not and could not be expected to reach the pre-war standard it sufficed to attract and give pleasure to the large concourse.   To those interested in the more scientific aspects of athletic competition, the handicapping was perhaps the chief feature, for Mr Livingston, in adapting the the appropriate champion as the basis for allocation, departed from the practice which Mr Copland has made familiar in the current season.   In all mathematical problems – and handicapping is largely a matter of mathematics – consistency and uniformity can only be attained by reference to a fixed standard, and theoretically Mr Livingston’s method would appear to be the sounder.   For most people, however, the result and not the means of reaching it is the prime test of efficiency, and it would not be unfair to say that Mr Copland’s calculations have generally culminated in keen sport and thrilling finishes.

Saturday’s meeting was rather lacking in intensity and distinction largely because of the obliteration of the back markers.   The hundred and the furlong were the most interesting events and in the final of the latter Bollini ran with greater verve than on his recent appearances.   Ross seemed likely to be placed in the half mile, but the task of wending his tortuous way through a large field deprived him of the dash necessary for a successful finish, and to the chagrin of the crowd was unable to obtrude himself into the prize list.   Malcolm ran well in this item and also in the mile but succeeded in obtaining recognition only in the shorter race.

The spectators seem to be fascinated by football in any guise – at least such an inference  may be safely drawn from the obvious enthusiasm at the poor exhibitions given in the five-a-side tournament.   Celtic in one tie played in the proper fashion and for this alone deserved their ultimate victory.”

The 20,000 spectators saw only five events (plus heats) with the five-a-side being won by Celtic 2 – 0 over Rangers.

The Rangers Sports of 1919 were back in the business of top runners from outside Scotland being invited to compete and an extended programme being offered to the Glaswegian sporting public.   20,000 was the estimated attendance.   The highest quality events were the middle distance races where AB Hill, the English 880 and Mile champion was opposed not only by the well handicapped Scots but also by New Zealand’s Sergeant Mason.   Hill, giving Mason eight yards beat him from scratch in 1:57.8, while neither of the best Scots (G Dallas and S Small) made the final.   Neither Hill nor Mason ran in the mile handicap which was won by WB Ross in 4:23.4 and the sprints were both won by Eglinton Harrier AH Graham.

The war was over, the sports were starting to build up again into the international event that they had been before 1914.

There were also supplementary meetings to the Rangers Sports which were held on the Monday following the main event on the Saturday.   A review of the Monday night gatherings can be seen at  Monday supplementaries

Eric Liddell at Stamford Bridge in a relay British Empire v USA 1924

The ‘Glasgow Herald’ report on the sports held on 7th August 1920 was exceedingly brief but did have all the results down to third place.   It read:

“The annual sports of the Rangers Football Club were held at Ibrox Park, Glasgow on Saturday afternoon in fine weather and before nearly 40,000 spectators.   All the events were well contested, and in the 1000 yards invitation handicap two records were created – the all-comers’ by AG Hill, Polytechnic Harriers, who reduced E Baker’s time by a second, and the native record by D McPhee who reduced the previous time by a similar margin.  

The winners of the invitation events were: 100 yards: RJ Christie (West of Scotland) 5 yards 10 3-5th seconds;   220 yards: HFV Edwards (Polytechnic Harriers) scratch   22 3-5th seconds;   1000 yards:   1.   D McPhee (West of Scotland) 14 yards  3.   AG Hill (Polytechnic Harriers)   The winner completed the full distance in 2 min 16 sec, a new Scottish native record (previous best 2 min 17 sec), while Hill’s time was 2 min 15 sec, a new Scottish all-comers’ record (Previous best 2 min 16 sec).

If that report was brief, the one for the 1921 meeting was even shorter:   “The annual sports meeting of the Rangers Football club was held at Ibrox Park, Glasgow, on Saturday afternoon when there were about 16,000 spectators.”    And that was it!    Sport was not reported in great detail in any event at that point in newspaper history but equal space was given to the above meeting, Craigmillar Games, Corstorphine Sports, Inverkeithing Games, Strathallan Games, Highland Games at Glenluce, Powderhall half mile handicap and a AAA Committee Meeting.   The quality at Ibrox was high.   Results of the invitation events:

100 yards:   1.   EH Liddell (Edinburgh University) 1 1/2 yards;   2.   HJ Christie (West of Scotland) 8 1/2;   3.   AH Goodwin (Maryhill Harriers)   Won by inches.   10 sec

300 yards:   1.   HJ Christie (West of Scotland) 10 yards;   2.   R Colbery (Maryhill Harriers) 12 yards;   3.  EH Liddell (Edinburgh University) 4   Won on the tape.   31 3-5th sec.

Half-Mile:   1.   D McPhee (West of Scotland) scratch;   2.   WB Mein (Edinburgh University) 20 yards;   3.   JC Ponsford (Glasgow University) 8.   Won by six yards.   1 min 59 4-5th sec.

Three quarter mile:   1.   D McPhee (West of Scotland) 20 yards   2.   GH Davidson (West of Scotland) 30 yards;   3.   AG Hill (Polytechnic Harriers) scatch.   Won by six yards.   3 min 9 sec.

Eric Liddell and AG Hill at the meeting plus Duncan McPhee and there was no single race report.   Well, well, well.

One item above all others  in the report on the Rangers Sports of 5th August 1922 caught my attention – the field in the Mile was ’embarrassingly large’ at 142!   There was the usual amount of quality Scottish and English runners taking part and the report was a bit larger than in the two previous years although it had to share the available space under the headline ‘Cricket and Athletics.’   I can quote it almost in full.

“Everything favoured the Rangers Football Club on Saturday – the finest of weather, a 30,000 crowd, and keen competition.   The surprise of the meeting was the double win of B McGrath of Manchester Athletic Club who carried off both sprints rather easily.   If memory serves, this was his first appearance in Glasgow which may account to some extent for his remarkable performance.   D McPhee’s fine running in the mile which he won comfortably in spite of an embarrasingly large field – the entries numbered 142 –  was much appreciated, though interest in the race would have been intensified had ED Mountain started.   McPhee absented  himself from the open half-mile, in which he would probably have had to cover the distance twice, but he competed in the invitation event in which he was unplaced, finishing fifth, with Mountain immediately ahead.   The defeat of HFV Edward in the first Heat of the furlong meant that the anticipated meeting between him and EH Liddell in the Final did not take place.   The Edinburgh man ran a fine race winning in 22 sec from the 22 yard mark.   This was his only reward during the afternoon, as he did not run in either of the open sprints.   In the invitation quarter-mile, GT Stevenson showed a welcome return to form, getting home easily from LS Barden   with Edward, who of course ran from scratch, third.  

After three lots of extra time, Celtic beat Rangers in the final of the 5-a-side.

The  meeting on 4th August 1923 came under the headline of “Cricket and Athletics: Quiet Day’s Cricket”   and sub-headlines of “Keen Contests”  and “Uddingston Still Lead”, the Sports were below a headline of “Notable Absentees”.   So, well down the page and starting with telling the readers of the athletes who weren’t there, the excitement was mounting.    The report itself was actually quite long compared with previous years and split into three sections headed as noted above, then “McPhee Gives Up” and finally “A Fatal Penalty” before going on to “Regattas On Loch Lomond”.    It is fair to say that despite the crowds being attracted, the Rangers Sports were not the major occasions they would become in later years.   The report reads:

“Although the unavoidable absence of A Mourion, L Duquesne and P Lewden, the French athletes, and the non-appearance of HFV Edward, the English ex-champion, created keen disappointment at Ibrox, the Rangers Sports suffered little in distinction.   Without such strong challengers to oppose them, however, it was expected that E Liddell, D McPhee and CE Blewett would would accept the offer to further distinguish themselves, and it came as a surprise that the trio failed to run themselves into the prize list.   The Edinburgh University man did not enter himself into his heat of the open 100 yards and in the invitation 120 yards he was beaten by a yard by J McAlpine to whom he was conceding 7 1-2 yards.   He ran unplaced in the invitation 300 yards, although his time in that event was returned as 31 4-5th seconds, three fifths of a second outside the record time of the late Wyndham Halswell made at Hampden Part in June 1908.   Liddell also failed to make his appearance in the open furlong which was won by H Seath, a Maryhill Harrier whose handicap will come under the axe before another Ibrox programme is arranged.

D McPhee’s running at no time made its usual appeal.   In the one and a half mile invitation handicap, he decided to forego his start of 15 yards, and along with CE Blewitt got off from the scratch mark.   Neither the West of Scotland man nor the Birchfield Harriers had a say in the finish.   McPhee dropping out of the race with little more than a quarter to go.   T Riddell of Glasgow High School almost provided a rich surprise here, but the reserve power behind the Maryhill man, WH Calderwood, was too much for this youthful runner.   In the mile handicap, McPhee introduced much more spirit into his effort, but at no time did he look like challenging the placed men, although he was well ahead of Blewitt when G Wason passed the judges box.  

By inches only, and after H Seath had suffered a yard penalty for a false start, did B McGrath, the Mancunian, win the open sprint for the second year in succession.   That the penalty was a vital one for the Maryhill man was obvious from the start.   Only from the favourable position of the judges box was it possible to give a verdict when McGrath, Weeks and Seath reached the line in a bunch.   JS Ward, the Reid Bowl winner at Partick Thistle’s meeting last season, which trophy he lost last month by being defeated by a clubmate in R McLean, turned the tables on his Firhill conqueror in the invitation 120 yards.   This was a brilliant race in which T Mathewman, the Huddersfield youth, maintained his fine reputation by securing second and beating even time.   Although Ward had the advantage of six yards over Mathewman, he was only one yard ahead at the tape.   As is usual at this meeting, the organisation was excellent and the programme was completed to scheduled time.”

An interesting report which marks the arrival of Tom Riddell at the meeting, the continued appeal that Rangers Sports held for Liddell and McPhee and the English contingent is also noted.   In addition the absence of three Frenchmen is a note that they were invited and had agreed to compete despite having had to withdraw for unavoidable reasons.   Was this the start of the continental involvement in the Sports which was a feature in the 30’s and 40’s?

1924 was Olympic year and the plug for the Rangers Sports in the ‘Glasgow Herald’ read, “Scottish Records Broken At Ibrox.     Rangers Football Club’s annual sports at Ibrox were very successful.   The weather was fine, and excellent sport was provided by the best of Scottish talent reinforced by a number of American, French and South African Olympic competitors.   New Scottish All-Comers records were created in the high jump and hurdles race.   EH Liddell put up a fine performance in winning the invitation quarter-mile from scratch, and C Griffiths won the half-mile invitation match in style, while JW Scholz, the Olympic 200m Olympic champion placed the 120 yards invitation to his credit by a narrow margin from J McLean to whom he conceded four and a half yards.”   

The actual report came a page later and was shorter than the reader might have been led to expect from the extract above.   It said simply

“The annual sports of the Rangers Football cub were held on Saturday at Ibrox Park, Glasgow, in brilliant weather and before a great attendance which was estimated at not less than than 40,000.   The meeting was noteworthy on account of the large number of champions drawn from the United States, France and South Africa who competed with the cream of home talent.   During the afternoon, two Scottish all-comers’ records were broken.   P Lewden, France, and HM Osborn, both beating A Baker’s previous record in the high jump of six feet two and a half inches, the French champion six feet four inches and the American six feet three inches.   In the 120 yards hurdles, SJ Atkinson, the South African, covered the distance in 13 1-5th seconds, which was 3-5th faster than the previous best, but he was assisted by a following wind.”

Results of the invitation events:

120 yards:   1.   JV Scholz (USA) scr   11 44-5th seconds;   2.   R McLean (Glasgow High School);   3.   FB Wardlaw (Heriots College.

120 yards hurdles:   1.   JM Atkinson (South Africa) 13 1-5th seconds; 2.   D Kinsey (USA): 3.  EG Sutherland (SA)

440 yards:   1.   EH Liddell (Edinburgh)   scr   49 3-5th seconds; 2.   CW Oldfield (South Africa);   3.   JG McCall (West of Scotland)

Half-mile:   1.   C Griffiths (Surrey AC) scr  1min 56 2-5th sec;   2.   T Riddell (Glasgow High School) 30 yards;   3.   R Dodge (USA) scr

Note Tom Riddell splitting the two American scratch runners in the half mile as well as Liddell’s 440 yards win.

The “Edinburgh News” had a n article on FB Wardlaw, third in the 120 yards and twice bronze medallist in the SAAA 220 yards, which read

IN THE PUBLIC EYE 

TWO SCOTTISH ATHLETES AT DUBLIN 

Among those who have gained the international honour this week for the first time, F.B. Wardlaw, the Heriot C.C.C. sprinter, occupies a place.  Like several other runners of merit, for the last few seasons he has been compelled to take a back seat to Eric Liddell. But the champion’s departure has given Wardlaw the much-coveted opportunity of representing his country in the athletic arena.  Incidentally, he is the first Herioter to achieve this distinction.

A wonderfully fine runner for his comparative lack of stature, Wardlaw seems to possess the happy knack of producing his best on a big occasion.  The furlong is his strong suit, and two years running he has occupied third place to Liddell and McLean in the S.A.A.A. championship over that distance.  He also gave Liddell a good run for it in the Eastern District Championship decided at Powderhall in June.  Wardlaw was also  member of the Edinburgh relay team which set up new Scottish figures at Hampden early in the season.  Well known in the Meadows inter-club contests, Wardlaw has on three occasions carried off the double by winning the 100 and 220.  This year, although defeated in the 100, he again lifted the 220.  Representing Heriot’s against the Edinburgh Harriers last month, he further added to his list of successes by again achieving the double, and this was his portion at Galashiels this week also.

His handicap performances have been equally meritorious, a notable performance earlier in the season being the winning of the open sprint at Melrose sports for the third year in succession.  Wardlaw has shown splendidly consistent running in these events, but probably his best handicap performance was in the Rangers’ invitation 120 yards last autumn, when, after winning his heat off 5 ½ yards in 11 4.5 sec., he was placed third to J.O. Scholz, the Olympic 200 meters champion, in the final.

The international flavour continued the following year when there was a team from Illinois competing and four records – two Scottish and two British – were set.   The meeting was held on 1st August with the report sandwiched between the Uddingston v Drumpellier cricket match and a report on otter hunting by the Dumfries-shire hounds.   The report read as follows:

“In past years the Rangers Club has contrived to give the Glasgow public something exceptional in the way of athletic entertainment.   They can be said to have excelled themselves on Saturday for it is questionable if any of their previous meetings  have reached the same all-round standard of merit.   This was chiefly by reason of the display given by the members of the Illinois team, who during the course of the meeting displaced four records, two British and two Scottish, but the success was not wholly due to this.   There was a keen-ness among the home element which always provided the stirring finishes which go so far to secure enjoyment for the man on the terracing.   If RM Osborne disappointed last year he has made up for it on this visit.   At Greenock a week ago he cleared six feet five and a half inches and thus established new British figures for the jump.   On Saturday he did better, clearing six feet six and a half inches and just failing to top his own world record.  It was a magnificent effort and worthy of the first place in the afternoon’s sport.  

Next in merit to Osborne’s jumping, came the running of Ray Dodge in the 1000 yards.   Dodge, who  ran third to Cecil Griffiths at Stamford Bridge, refused the allowance of 4 yards which the handicapper and ran from scratch.   The race was a repetition of that in the championship as the pair kept together until 100 yards from the tape, when Dodge went ahead with a fine burst of speed.   This time the Welshman could not respond and was beaten by fully 10 yards.   RG Clark (Clydesdale Harriers) the winner ran a very plucky race throughout and, although tiring fast, just managed to hold out.   The winner’s time was 2 mins 13 3-5th sec.   The previous best Scottish time was the 2 mins 15 sec of AG Hill, while the British figure of 2 min 14 4-5th sec stands to the credit of WT Lutyens.   It was the best running Dodge has done in this country, and if there is some criticism of the manner in which he cut between Griffiths and McIntyre during the course of the race, there was nothing but admiration for  his finishing burst of speed.   Existing figures were also excelled in the hurdles and pole vault.   IH Riley who clocked 15 3-5th sec in the first had however the benefit of the breeze; while Jones’s effort of 12 feet 5 inches in the pole vault was only an exhibition one, the AAA Champion having taken four tries one surmounting thirteen feet one and a half inches.

The success of runners attached to the Universities has been one of the features of the present season and they continued their triumphs at this meeting.    JN Miller, a Glasgow student won the half mile in a fine time; AF Clark was placed first in the open sprint, with A Caponis occupying second place; while RA Robb not only captured the special 120 yards event but ran away with the 440 yards Western District Championship.   Ronn who had two and a half yards from ‘Bud’ Evans, the double winner at Greenock last week, defeated the American in decisive fashion in his heat.   His final 10 yards here was gameness personified and it was also his finish in the final which gained him his prize as 10 yards from the tape he looked out of it.   In the quarter mile he led from start to finish and although the time seems slow he was easing up from practically 40 yards out.   AF Clark won the open sprint off one and a half yards in what was unofficially stated to be half a yard better than evens and, like Robb, the old Allan Glen’s boy, is finishing the season in excellent style.   He did not hurdle as well as expected but his strenuous exertions in  the sprint had no doubt an effect.   One of the most popular victories of the meeting was that of GT Stevenson in the open 300 yards.   The manner in which he worked his way through the field was quite in his best style.”

A page further on we read that the meeting was held in brilliant weather and the crowd was estimated to be 30,000.

Six years after the war and the meeting featured Scots, English, Irish, Welsh and American competitors and there were four invitation events (120 yards, 120 yards hurdles, 1000 yards, and the 440 yards West District Championship), seven open events (100 yards, 300 yards, half-mile, mile, 100 yards youths, High Jump, Putting the Weight, and an obstacle race) and an exhibition pole vault.   And Rangers beat St Mirren 3-0 in the 5-a-side.      The first two sentences of the report were accurate.

The following year was less glamorous and the report was much shorter.   30,000 spectators though and a fairly full programme with the best of the Scots, some very good Englishmen who took lots of prizes south of the border and a Frenchman in the high jump.   “Competition during the afternoon was of an interesting nature, and performances were generally good.   The English representatives were generally successful and deservedly so.   The provided most of the thrills and made all events in which they participated interesting.   Outstanding because of his ‘double’ in winning both mile and half mile handicaps was W Rae, an 18 year old Scot attached to the Broughton Harriers, a very cool and judicious timing runner.   W Rangely (Salford), P Gaby (Polytechnic) and C Ellis provided particularly good finishing.   Gaby’s time may rank in certain eventualities as a Scottish all-comers’ record.   Best of the home talent was the Gala contingent through securing first in the open 100, second in the 220 and third place in the mile invitation.   TM Riddell failed in his attempt at record.   Frenchman A Caerrier (Stade Francaise) made no special showing in the high jump and just equalled EG Sutherland, each did 5’10”, not sufficient to serve the visitors for prize placing.   The winner was NF Bulloch (with a handicap of 7″) who  had an actual jump of 5’6″ before retiring with a sprained ankle.   Naturally the home club’s winning of the football tournament gave much satisfaction.”

Not a well written report – note the phrasing and lack of information about Riddell’s run for instance – and the following item referred to the Celtic FC Sports the following evening (Tuesday).   Their Sports had normally been earlier in the year and there are several references in the reports to the performances of athletes at Ibrox over the years compared to the times/heights/distances achieved at the Celtic event.

If 1926 had been lacking in glamour, 1927 pretty well made up for it.   An Achilles team containing such as Lord Burghley and DG Lowe (the reigning Olympic half-mile champion) were the big attraction.   There was an estimated 35,000 spectators. The report in the ‘Glasgow Herald’ on 8th August was much longer than for any so far and took up a whole column of tightly squeezed print.   Extracts are below.

“There was a large attendance at the sports of the Rangers Football Club at Ibrox Park, Glasgow, at which the competitors included several members of the Achilles Club and the Polytechnic Harriers.   The meeting at Ibrox on Saturday brought to a close a memorable week for Scottish athletics and if the results of our contests with the distinguished visitors from the Achilles Club are scarcely flattering to our national pride, the association of our athletes with men the calibre of JWJ Renkel, Lord Burghley, DG Lowe, GC Weightman Smith and others cannot but have an educational effect which will bear fruit in the future.   Progress can only come from the participation in the scratch event rather than in the much more common handicap and the two matches in mid week give point to this contention.  

In both quarter-miles in which RB Hoole ran against DG Lowe, the Edinburgh student showed by his proximity to the Olympic champion at the tape that he had touched a standard hitherto missing from his public appearances.   Similarly Ian Sutherland in his two bouts on level terms with JWJ Rinkel in Edinburgh, indicated a distinct advance on his running in the championships, and the fact that the Englishman in these two races over 100 yards and 220 yards returned 10 sec and 21 4-5th sec respectively showed that the bigger the occasion the better does the Borderer perform.   Donald McLean, the only Scot to score a success in either match also displayed excellent running in the two miles race with VB Morgan the Oxonian and, what was much more satisfactory, a degree of judgment which was so sadly lacking in the race over the same distance which he ran at the Celtic meeting last month.  

For once in a while the limelight was not monopolised by DG Lowe and Lord Burghley, this pair being thrown rather in the shade by the performances of GC Weightman Smith and JWJ Rinkel.   The South African established a new record in the javelin with a throw of 182 feet 11 inches and broke the existing all-comers’ record in the 120 yards hurdles twice on successive evenings doing 15 seconds at Hampden and 14 4-5th seconds at Craiglockhart .    This reveals consistent form which is distinctly promising for the next Olympiad.   JWJ Rinkel took part during the week including the match against Ireland on Monday in no fewer than eight races, six of them scratch events, and won them all, a really wonderful feat and the improvement which the former AAA champions is showing in the shorter distances now that he has definitely abandoned running over the quarter-mile is very marked.

Probably we expect too much from DG Lowe and this may account for the slight feeling of disappointment which was occasioned by his failure at Ibrox.   He was not seen in the half-mile, the distance associated with all his great exploits, but confined himself to the quarter-mile in both matches.   We trust that this does not indicate that he has finished with mid distance running.   Undoubtedly the brilliance of Weightman Smith made the hurdling of Lord Burghley appear common-place, but apart from this the form of the Cambridge president was below his best.    He was hitting the timber too often – on Saturday his progress to the tape was marked by a trail of prostrate hurdles – and this not the sort of thing one expects from a really great hurdler.  

The feature of Rangers meeting was the measure of success achieved by the men occupying the scratch mark.   During the afternoon five handicaps were won by back-markers, two falling to JWJ Rinkel in the 120 yards and the 220 yards, the remaining three to C Ellis, the AAA mile champion, in the first class mile, to J Webster in the steeplechase and to JE London in the high jump.   All five successes were to the liking of the crowd, and what is better, all, with the exception of the steeplechase where Webster had a runaway victory, were productive of keen competition.   Rinkel’s running was distinguished by his strong finishing, it was this quality which brought him victory in the open furlong as, entering the straight, it looked long odds against him catching the leaders.   He was returned as doing 21 4-5th sec in his heat, but this was obviously a mistake, as he was knocked clean out of his stride on the bend and must have run four yards or more over distance in consequence.  

Ellis had only a limited number of competitors in what was really a first-class mile.   The AAA champion is not a stylist, he has a shoulder action which gives him a distinct roll but he gets along, and at half distance he had over hauled our champion.   From there he gradually wore down the others and, taking the lead 200 yards from the tape, ran home the winner in the excellent time of  4 min 18 4-5th sec.   McLean, though beaten into third place by his team mate Calderwood ran out the full mile and was timed as doing 4 min 23 sec his best public performance over the distance so far.   The Birchfield man was a lone figure in Saturday’s race where the limit man was in receipt of 240 yards yet he made so light of his task that he finished a good 70 yards ahead of VB Morgan, the nearest man.

FR Gaby is easily the most consistent of our hurdlers in that respect, on his two visits to Glasgow last season he clocked 15 1-5th sec, on Saturday he was returned as doing 15 secs, and this gave him a decisive victory over his conqueror in the international at Manchester.   In passing it is permissible to note that Lord Burghley was awarded second place in this race, notwithstanding that he knocked over three hurdles.   JE London was again the facile performer who impressed at the Edinburgh Universities meeting.   He failed narrowly to reach the final of the 120 yards, but jumping under difficulties that were not of his own creation, he cleared five feet eleven and a half inches, this was sufficient to earn him winning brackets.

The contest between Lord Burghley and TC Livingstone Learmonth in the 440 yards hurdles  was an exceedingly close one, the pair running neck and neck down the finishing straight and although the time (56 secs) was short of Burghley’s best, the keen-ness of the contest justified its inclusion in the programme.   DG Lowe’s attempt to create a record in the 600 yards narrowly failed, the Olympic champion only finishing fourth nine yards behind the winner and his time was given as 1 min 13 1-5th sec.    The handicap was so well framed that had he won he would have been successful in his object, as RB Hoole who broke the tape after a well-judged finish was clocked at 1 min 11 3-5th sec, one fifth inside Lieutenant Halswell’s figures. “

There are several references in the report to other meetings in which the visitors competed and it had indeed been a hectic week for them.    On Wednesday the Achilles Club met the Atalanta Club at Hampden, on Thursday that had competed at Craiglockhart against a Scottish team selected by the SAAA and on Saturday, of course it was at Ibrox.   The previous Saturday they had competed in an international against France at Stamford Bridge where Lowe had won the 800m in 1 min 54 1-5th, Rinkel the 400m in 50 sec and NC Nokes had won the Hammer and Discus.   You can see why Lowe disappointed by not running anther 800m and why Burghley knocked over three hurdles.

The report interestingly enough points out the necessity of scratch competition but such did not become common in Scotland until the end of the 1930’s – note the fact that Lovelock, Nurmi and company were all running in handicap races at the Rangers Sports in the 1930’s.

The 1928 meeting was seriously affected by the fact that the Olympic Games were taking place at the same time and that there was an upcoming international between USA and GB in London.    Nevertheless, the headline in the ‘Glasgow Herald’ of 6th August read “New British Records.   Another Ibrox Success.” and wont on as follows.

“The Rangers Football Club added another to their long series of triumphs as sports promoters on Saturday afternoon at Ibrox Park, Glasgow, for not only was the athletics fare excellent but the organisation was so excellent that a long and varied programme was run through without a loss of time or interest.   The weather conditions were perfect for fast performances, being warm without a breath of wind and the times were, on the whole, an advance on anything returned at other Scottish meetings this season.  

The outstanding individual performances were accomplished by Ray Watson, the American mid-distance champion in the quarter-mile; by James Crawford the Scottish furlong champion who won both the open 100 yards and the invitation 120 yards; by WH Calderwood in the three-quarter mile and by AD Turner in the Youths race.   From the spectacular point of view the three-quarter mile was the most exciting.   Watson who was on the scratch mark and conceding starts up to 77 yards, ran so well in the early stages that he was on terms with the field in the final lap and was apparently under the impression that lying behind the leaders he need only make his effort entering the finishing straight to win easily.   He however was unaware that WH Calderwood had been specialising in sprinting in the company of Cyril Ellis, the AAA champion, and although the American was out on his own heading for the tape, he was unable to resist the overwhelming challenge delivered by the Maryhill man in the last 80 yards and was beaten at the tape by a clear two yards.  

Calderwood’s winning time was 3 min 4 2-5th sec from 22 yards and so well was he moving that it is just a pity that he did not run out to the full distance as D McPhee’s Scottish figures of 3 min 12 1-5th sec seemed well within his grasp.   Although defeated, Watson had the satisfaction of returning the excellent time of 3 min 4 4-5th sec which is one second faster than the previous British record created by AG Hill the double Olympic winner, at Salford in 1921.   Calderwood’s judgment in the race was perfect and it is questionable if he has ever run a better race in his career.   It was refreshing after some of the performances he has given this season.

The sparkle which characterised the running of James Crawford in the Scottish championships was maintained at Ibrox and that extra bit of driving power which he has infused into his finishing enabled him to record his double success.   Running from the two and a half yards mark in the open event, he clocked evens in his heat, semi-final and final which showed consistency, while in the heat and final of the special event he was returned as running 12 sec.   Not since 1924 has the Queen’s Park player shown such good form and it will always be a matter of speculation as to how far he might have gone had he devoted himself solely to running and left football alone.   J Barrientos, the Cuban, who ran at Amsterdam was on the scratch mark in the special handicap but neither in this nor in the open furlong did he survive in the heats and it is evident that the handicapper had over-estimated his abilities when framing his starts.  

Of the other American visitors, HM Osborne the high jumper did best.    He cleared 6 feet 4 inches to win the handicap, although failing his attempt at the record.   Lee Barnes, the pole vault expert, was not at his best.   His 12 feet was much too low to challenge JF Muir our own champion who cleared 10 feet 6 inches to win with his handicap of 3 feet.   Onell Griffiths who ran in the half-mile was not moving with anything like his old freedom and it was evident that he had not fully recovered from the accident he met with at the AAA championships last month.   Nor was Donald McLean at his best.   In any case it is doubtful if either could have troubled the men in front as 1 min 56 4-5th and 4 min 17 sec were clocked by the winners of the half-mile and mile respectively. “

An almost entirely domestic field with a few Americans, some Englishmen and a Cuban put on a very show for the spectators.     We see the same Scottish names appearing regularly – particularly at Ibrox WH Calderwood – who seem to be lost to the sport and have to wonder why such talented athletes are not better remembered.   The photograph above is of Lord Burghley

After the build-up and development of the event, 1929 was a bit of a disappointment.  The weather was unsettled but 20,000 spectators did turn out and the report was full of remarks like –  “Saturday’s meeting at Ibrox will not rank as one of the best but it will be notable in respect of the almost total eclipse of athletes from South of the Border.”   “Much was expected of the relay with Polytechnic Harriers, Birchfield Harriers and a Scottish select team all competing but the race proved almost a fiasco through London dropping the baton at the first handover.   The exchanging generally was about the worst seen this season in Scotland, and there was not even the excuse of an overcrowded track.”   “The bottom was knocked out of the hurdles events by Lord Burghley calling off due to a strain and by the non-appearance of Alister Clark who has apparently not recovered from his breakdown.”   “Accident to JE Webster.   The accident to JE Webster in the steeplechase was regrettable and it is fortunate that it is not as serious as at first thought.   A broken leg would have meant the closing of one of the most brilliant careers in long distance running in post-war sport.   It is questionable however if he would have won had he completed the course as both J Suttie the winner and M Stobbs the second man both proved adepts at the game and in addition carried plenty of reserves at the finish.” 

There were some good races but the whole tone of the report was depressing and what had been the best meeting of the season and would become the best by far in the 30’s and 40’s was no better than the others in 1929.   The following year would see Tom Riddell set a record and in 1931 the great Paavo Nurmi would turn out at the Rangers Sports.

Poster for the 1934 Sports

The Rangers Sports as covered so far dealt almost entirely with the post-war period from 1945.   They were going for many years before that and the Rangers connection with athletics went right back to their inception.  For example, before Clydesdale Harriers was founded, Tom Vallance set a Scottish long jump record and he was one of the first to join the new club when it appeared on the scene in May 1885.   Then there were Clydesdale Harriers Sports held at Ibrox for many, many years before Rangers set up the Rangers Sports.  When you read that a meeting was the 46th or 47th Rangers Sports, the number includes all the Clydesdale Harriers sports run there in the 19th and early 20th century.    This page will look at the event during the 1930’s starting with the meeting on 2nd August 1930.

The ‘Glasgow Herald’ the following Monday had a long report on the meeting which was held in winds and rain showers and yet the headline read

“BRILLIANT PERFORMANCES AT IBROX PARK.  

TOM RIDDELL’S NEW RECORD.”

The large crowd ‘enjoyed the fare provided’ and the two heroes of the afternoon were JE London of the AAA’s (three times AAA’s 100 yards champion) who on his fourth visit to Ibrox at last showed his real form and only just lost the 120 yards handicap race  where many thought he had won it on the line.   The report continues:

“But if London did well, our own champion did better, for he succeeded in establishing a new Scottish native record for the mile.   The race was run in heavy rain and a gusty wind, yet Riddell clocked 4:21 for the whole distance, or three-fifths of a second faster than the figures set up by J McGough at Celtic Park in 1906.   His first quarter mile was covered in 59 seconds, the half mile in 2 minutes 6 2-5th seconds and three quarters mile in 3 minutes 13 seconds.   Riddell ran from the 20 yards mark to win the handicap in time, which was announced as 4 minutes 19 2-5th seconds, obviously a mistake on the part of someone.   There was, however, no doubt about his being within McGough’s time for of the six watches which times his full journey, four recorded 4:21 dead, one was a shade over while the sixth showed him a fifth faster.

It was a magnificent performance under poor conditions and the manner in which he made it hacks of a good class field stamps him as the best miler Scotland has produced for over 20 years.   Only once has he run a better race, and that was when he finished a good third to Baraton, the Frenchman, in the AAA’s Championships at the Stamford Bridge several years ago.   Baraton’s winning time on that, a much more favourable afternoon, was 4:17 and Riddell just under 4:20.    It is something of a coincidence that it was last August when on a flying visit home that the Glasgow High School boy established fresh figures for the three quarters mile.”

Other than the two stars mentioned above, the feature of the event was apparently the excellent showing put up by the athletes from Edinburgh and the Borders – one of whom beat London in the close finish above.   Both the mile and half mile were won in fast times – the half mile, by J McWilliam of St Peter’s,  in 1:54 off 46 yards.

Nurmi (centre) and his manager being met at Ibrox by Bill Struth (right)

A year later, the headline read “Nurmi’s Success At Ibrox.   Brilliant Running By Scotsmen.   Riddell, Wood and Turner Excel”    The story of Nurmi’s race has been written by Alex Wilson in Germany and you can read it   here    The ‘Glasgow Herald version was as follows:

“The meeting at Ibrox Park on Saturday will hold its place among the long series held under the auspices of the Rangers Football Club for two reasons.    It was the medium by which Paavo Nurmi was introduced to the Scottish track for the first time, and during its course one new British and three new Scottish records were created.    Even for a Rangers meeting this is exceptional, though the conditions were favourable to fast times and outstanding performances.   The day was warm, without wind, and  the track, one of the best in Britain, in excellent condition.   It is not hard to suppose that our home standard would show a wonderful improvement if our climatic conditions were more stable and more kindly disposed towards athletics.   The running of TM Riddell, JF Wood and AD Turner demonstrated this.

The famous Finn took part in two races over two miles and over four miles.   In both cases the handicaps had been framed to ensure that if he won he would come within sight or in world record figures.   But this procedure on the part of the handicapper, while it may have been of good intent, robbed the races of much of their interest to the casual follower of athletics on the terracing.   There was a certain fascination in watching Nurmi with his long  loping stride reel off the laps with machine-like precision, but he was a lone figure running with his watch and separated from his followers by a large gap.   Only once during his two races did he come within touch of his field, and that was when he had a duel with W Reavers, the old AAA Champion in the finishing straight of the Two Miles.   That 80 yards dash to the tape must have caused more pulse beats than all that had gone before.

Nurmi’s best appearance was in the longer distance race in which he succeeded in reducing Shrubb’s British record of 19 minutes 25 2-5th seconds by three seconds.   He ran as he did in both races with amazing evenness.   The first mile was covered in 4 minutes 45 4-5th seconds, the second in 4 minutes 55 1-5th seconds, the third in 4 minutes 55 seconds and the last in 4 minutes 44 2-5th seconds.   There was the same evenness in the Two Miles, but here at the finish he was 24 seconds outside Shrubb’s 9 minutes 9 3-5th seconds, made on the same track in 1904.  

JF Wood who was off 200 yards in the Four Miles, maintained the interest in the first two miles of the race by keeping his advantage from the back marker intact.   Wood actually ran the first mile faster than Nurmi, his time at this point being 4 minutes 38 seconds.   At the end of the second mile he clocked the same time, 9 minutes 41 seconds, as the Finn.   Thereafter the Heriot’s man tapered off a bit, but a sprint in the twelfth lap enabled him to clip two-fifths of a second off J McGough’s native record of 14 minutes 44 1-5th seconds.   Although Wood had a bad time during the succeeding laps, he completed the full distance in the excellent time of 20 minutes 50 2-5th seconds.

The other two records were established during the course of the one mile invitation race, and the magnificent running here of  Cyril Ellis and TM Riddell raised the enthusiasm of the 45,000 crowd to fever pitch.   Ellis who was making his first appearance of the season here was at his best.   Conceding Riddell 20 yards, he was that much behind in the back straight of the final lap.   But he made a tremendous amount of running in the final 300 yards and was only beaten by the Scottish champion six yards at the tape.   The Englishman’s time was 4 minutes 16 1-5th seconds,  3-5ths of a second faster than AG Hill’s record made at Celtic Park in 1919.   Any suggestion that Riddell is not the Riddell of a year ago, was completely destroyed by his running on Saturday.   Not only did he win the handicap in 4 minutes 15 1-5th seconds,  but he ran the full distance in 4 minutes 18 seconds, and chopped no fewer than three seconds off the native record which he made at this meeting a year ago.    Only once before had the Shettleston Harrier given promise of a performance such as this and that was in the championships at Stamford Bridge in 1928, when he was timed as doing 4 minutes 19 seconds when running third to Baraton the Frenchman.   But for the fact that for two seasons he was stationed where  opportunities for running were few, it would have come before this.”

The report ran to 13 paragraphs and ten of them are repeated above.   The rest of the meeting was covered in three short paragraphs where the other distance events were also reported to have been quite fast – 880 yards inside 1:54 the mile having the first two men finishing together and a little attention being paid to the 120 yards sprint and the high jump.    It must have been quite a meeting – no mention of five-a-sides and a  crowd of 45,000!

In 1932, the Rangers Sports meeting was held on 6th August and the opening report tells it all: “The twenty three odd thousand spectators who journeyed to Ibrox Park on Saturday afternoon in search of sensations must have been sadly disappointed, for not a single record was created during the course of the meeting.   When account is taken of the unfavourable conditions, a high and blustering wind which impeded the runners, the heavy rain which fell during most of the afternoon, the sodden track, the performances on the whole the performances at this, the 46th meeting of the Rangers club, touched quite a good standard.”

The performances were of a good standard with the running of Robin Murdoch in the 120 yards special event getting most of the notice although WH Calderwood in the 1000 yards and the jumping of JF Michie were also noted.   The reports on the 1000 yards, the three miles and the finish of the 17 mile road race are noted here.   “It is questionable whether WH Calderwood has ever shown better track sense than he did in the 1000 yards.   He was given the mark of 15 yards, a surprisingly large concession in view of his running over the same distance early last month, but even without it he would have proved the winner, for his finish , excellently timed, was so powerful that he left the others standing.   His tome of 2 minutes 15 2-5th seconds was, under the conditions, splendid and it would have been interesting if he had run the full distance.   The two scratch men in the race, Tom Riddell and Cyril Ellis disappointed.   Ellis never at any time during the race appeared to be happy and the Scottish champion, although at the elbow of the leader at the bell, did not display much judgment.   He covered the first quarter in 55 2-5th seconds, the half mile in 1:58 and seemed like getting there but weakened visibly a furlong from home and faded out.  

Not at any time did Walter Beavers appear likely to disturb Alfred Shrubb’s  figures for three miles but although he was just beaten out of third place after a thrilling duel with Sam Tombe of Plebeian Harriers, he nevertheless ran quite a good race.   His last half mile, although not timed, must have been very fast judging by the ground he made up, and one old ped, a world champion, was visibly impressed.   The AAA champion’s time for the full distance was 14 minutes 43 4-5th seconds, and he covered the first mile in 4 minutes 51 3-5th seconds, and the second in 9 minutes 52 4-5th seconds.

The AAA’s marathon champion, Donald Robertson,  treated the crowd to a wonderful sprint at the close of his 17 miles road race.   He and Ernest Harper, the old AAA’s champion, entered the ground together and ran neck-and-neck for the remainder of the distance until 100 yards from home, when Robertson shot out to win by 20 yards.   The Maryhill man’s time was 4 minutes 24 2-5th seconds slower than when he won the Maryhill Harriers race over the same course in May, but when account is made of the fact that the first half of the race was run into the teeth of a gale, it represents sound running.”

The names of the English regulars, London in the sprints, Ellis and Beavers in the distances, are becoming well known and it is a tribute to the organisers that they were able to entice AAA’s champions north of the border.   They didn’t stop there – as the appearance of Nurmi shows, and in 1933 there was a team of Frenchmen competing.   They were represented as a team in the medley relay and Calderwood ran the half mile stretch in race which Maryhill won.   Calderwood was  held by his opposite number but since one of the sprinters was absent, the visitors had to substitute a miler on the first of the 220 yard stages and that was their undoing.   The same runner, R Lecuron, ran in the open mile handicap and, running wide all the way finished sixth, not far behind the winner.   Another successful meeting despite the weather with many good performances and English and French athletes to spice up the competition for the spectators.

Ladies Athletics in Scotland really started about 1930 and The Rangers Sports were not slow to include any event that would create interest and possibly increase the gate money.   The photograph above was sent by Gordon Bell and is of the Ladies 100 yards in 1932.

On 5th August, 1933, another Olympian graced the Rangers Sports – Jack Lovelock came to town!    The headlines read

RECORD BREAKING ACHIEVEMENTS 

FASTEST MILE EVER RUN IN SCOTLAND  

JE LOVELOCK A GREAT RUNNER.

And, as with Nurmi, the weather played its part.   The opening paragraph commented on it while the second noted the highlights of the meeting as being TH Scrimshaw breaking the record in the half mile heat and equalling it in the final, Lovelock, Thomas and Riddell all inside the Scottish record, while GT Saunders, the AAA champion equalled the record in the 120 yards hurdles.   It even said “Rangers have always prided themselves upon the introduction of athletics ‘stars’ .   Few of their constellations have scintillated with such brilliance or consistency as did those of Saturday.”

The actual report on the events started with what it called ‘an historic mile race’.  “The mile race will go down in history, not only because of its record breaking incidents, but also because of the fact that four runners – Lovelock, Thomas, Riddell and Cyril Ellis – all started from the scratch mark.   This was a unique occurrence at a Scottish meeting.   It was also a sop to our national pride to find a Scottish champion moving in such fine company and by no means disgracing himself.   Hugh Welsh has always been regarded as the finest miler that Scotland has produced, but after Riddell’s performance on Saturday the old Glasgow High School champion will have a sound claim to the honour.   After ten years of track work, Riddell is undoubtedly running as well as ever and his rumoured retirement has now been indefinitely postponed.  

Lovelock is a real champion, and what is more, won this particular race without being fully extended.   He moves with delightful freedom, and one can well believe after seeing him in action that sooner or later he will cover the mile in 4 minutes 5 seconds or even less.   In Saturday’s race Thomas cut out the pace for the backmarkers for the first quarter, and then gave way to Riddell who led from the half mile until the finishing straight was reached.   Then Thomas took command, but Lovelock, when he opened out, easily caught the champion, and passing him halfway down the straight ran out an easy winner by five yards in 4 minutes 13 3-5th seconds, the fastest mile ever seen in Scotland, being 3 2-5th seconds faster than the figures set up by Cyril Ellis in 1931.   Thomas was timed as doing 4 minutes 14 1-5th seconds, and Riddell, three yards behind the Welshman, at 4 minutes 15 seconds, and with Lovelock out of the day, both would have been record smashers.   As it is Riddell has made a new Scottish record, his time being three seconds faster than that set by himself two years ago.  It is significant that in three attempts on the same track in the past four years, the Scottish champion has created new figures – first 4 minutes 21 seconds, then 4 minutes 18 seconds, and now 4 minutes 15 seconds, and this latest addition to the Scottish record book should prove a rare incentive to future runners.

The Scottish records are slowly but surely coming into line with those of other countries, an indication that we are moving with the times.  The lap times in Saturday’s race were: – 61 seconds, 62 4-5th seconds, 66 4-5th seconds and 63 seconds.   Had Lovelock been pushed to win, we might have seen a new British record as well.   He impressed as having a lot in reserve. 

Riddell leads with Lovelock in fourth, 1933

Possibly because it was less expected than that of Lovelock, the running of TH Scrimshaw in the half mile pleased the fans equally well.   In a manner it was even more meritorious, as it was accomplished in an open handicap and not in a small select field.   In the rough and tumble of an open handicap there are none of the nicer courtesies of the limited field.   The scratch man has to hoe his own row without any sentiment being shown, and when he does win a handicap such as that at Rangers Sports it is a sterling performance.   So much so that  we have to  go back to 1912, when G Gissing, the American, was successful to find a scratch man winning an Ibrox open half-mile.    Scrimshaw proved himself a real workman.   He set about his task without any flourish, and he landed the prize by his tactics as much as by his own good running.   In his heat he covered his first lap in 53 2-5th seconds, was with his men at the bell, and went into the lead 300 yards from home, winning easily in 1 minute 54 2-5th seconds, a full second inside DL Mason’s record set at the Celtic meeting in 1919.   He pursued the same tactics in the final, and with the same success.   His first lap was a fifth slower than in his heat but the final time was the same.  This is the best running he has shown so far.   It also afforded him some satisfaction  for his defeat by Clifford Whitehead in the AAA’s championship as the Achilles man was soundly beaten by him in this race.   Whitehead qualified by winning his heat in 1 minute 55 3-5th seconds, only 1-5th outside Mason’s record, but he could not live with Scrimshaw in the final, and dropped out in the finishing straight.   In running two such fine races within the hour, the winner displayed remarkable consistency.”

These were by no means the only top men  on display that afternoon – GT Saunders won the 120 yards special race and Ernest Harper won the road race from Dunky Wright and JF ‘Ginger’ Wood.   It was Wood’s first run further than 10 miles and a notable performance.   Donald Robertson also ran but, unusually for him, dropped out after 12 miles – not so surprising however when you realise it was his fourth big race in six weeks.   Don Findlay, the British International hurdler, won the hurdles  from Glasgow University student in a fast time.   Fast times were a characteristic of the meeting in 1933 in all events from the sprints right through the card.   The 100 was won in 9 3-5th seconds, the 220 in 21 4-5th seconds, the and the two mile races in 4 minutes 16  seconds and 4 minutes 12 4-5th seconds.   In the steeplechase J Suttie of Edinburgh defeated T Evenson, the International cross-country winner from England.

Another year, another international event at the Rangers Sports.   On 4th August, Lavri Lehtinen from Finland was the top-line act when, despite ‘an unfortunate breakdown in the weather’, 25,000 spectators turned out.   But there were many other attractions that year – a special quarter mile with Strandvall from Finland. Hucker from the USA and Boisset from France plus a whole host of Americans across the events.    Lehtinen however was the man who took the head lines (Excellent Sport at Ibrox.   New Scottish record by Finn.   Lehtinen only beaten by Handicap.)

“The first visit of Lavri Lehtinen, the famous long-distance runner from Finland, to Scotland had been eagerly looked forward to.   Running over his favourite distance of three miles, Lehtinen created a new Scottish all-comers record his time of 14 minutes 15 2-5th seconds being 11 4-5th seconds inside the figures set up by Alfred Shrubb on the same track 30 years ago.   It is three years since Lehtinen’s great predecessor, Paavo Nurmi, visited Ibrox and there is a coincidence in that the experiences of the pair have been similar, each having broken a record, yet each being beaten on the handicap by a home runner.   In Nurmi’s race it was JL Wood who put up a fine performance to win, and on Saturday another Edinburgh winner, W Hinde, ran a very plucky race to defeat the visitor.  

Lehtinen, a much more inspiring runner to watch than Nurmi, covered his first mile in 4 minutes 38 4-5th seconds, and after that point began to overhaul his field.   At two miles where his time was returned as 9 minutes 27 4-5th seconds, only three runners were in front of him – W Hinde, A Dow and DB Brooke.   When two and a half miles had been covered, only Hinde remained to fight the issue with the Finn.   At this point Hinde held a lead of 30 yards, and it was the manner in which the Edinburgh man hung gamely to his advantage that made the last three laps extremely interesting.   Even after Lehtinen spurted entering the final straight when 15 yards behind, Hinde still had something in reserve and stalling off the challenge, won by five yards.   It was easily the best run the old novice champion has run.”

I remember when I started running in the 1950’s, and at the Commonwealth Games in 1970, Davie Brooke was a well known timekeeper and official.  We all knew he had been a runner but didn’t realise how well he had run in such as the Edinburgh to Glasgow relay or that he had raced on the same track as Lehtinen.   It is a lesson, if one were needed, that many of the officials at meetings were once better runners we were!    I hadn’t heard the comment before either that Lehtinen was a more inspiring athlete to watch than Nurmi.

WOODERSON AGAIN BEATS LOVELOCK

MILE RACE DUEL AT IBROX

NEW ALL-COMERS RECORD SET UP

RANGERS SPORTS FEATURES

We are used to three headlines for the Rangers Sports but on 5th August 1935 there were four!   And no wonder when you see that both Wooderson and Lovelock were racing each other.   This plus good weather produced a 50,000 crowd for the occasion.  The effect of the crowd in motivating athletes was commented on – “The atmosphere created by a crowd of this size has an inspiring effect on the runners, and one famous athlete competing at this event for the first time, stated that the only parallel in his experience was the Olympiad itself.”

There was also a 5-a-side football match in which the Rangers team of Meiklejohn, Brown, Venters, Smith and Gillick defeated the Celtic quintet of McDonald, McGonagle, Morrison, Buchan and Delaney 2 – 1.   This may also have added to the size of the ‘gate’.

Back to the star studded mile race.

“Quite a large proportion of the crowd were no doubt attracted to Ibrox by the presence of Jack Lovelock, who more than any other runner at the moment, has completely captured the public fancy, a state of affairs due as much to his mastery of the Americans as to anything else.   The mile race in which he took part dominated the  meeting for another reason.   He was meeting again on level terms SE Wooderson who defeated him in the AAA Championships last month, and a number of enthusiasts travelled up from the South for the purpose of witnessing the return duel.   Wooderson defeated Lovelock again – and much more easily than at the White City – after a short sharp duel that lasted less than 100 yards.  

The pair ran together, with Lovelock leading, until the last 200 yards, when Wooderson came with a sprint and went in front.    Entering the straight the Blackheath man led by about three yards, and although Lovelock got on terms, he was unable to hold the effort and eased up in face of Wooderson’s strong finish.   Wooderson crossed the line in 4 minutes 12 7-10th seconds, 7-10th seconds faster than the Scottish all-comers record created by Lovelock two years ago.   The New Zealander ran his first lap in 61 7-10th , the half mile in 2 minutes 7 1-10th and the three quarters in 3 minutes 11 8-10th seconds, his full time being 4 minutes 15 3-5th seconds.

The Lovelock we saw on Saturday was not the Lovelock who created the Scottish record two years ago.   He looked drawn and it appears that the tremendous mental strain of the big race in America has robbed him of his sparkle.   He is not, however, going into retirement for the rest of the season for he intends to run in Budapest at the Universities championships.   The struggle between Wooderson and Lovelock detracted somewhat from the really fine race run by AL Reeve from the 25 yard mark.   The Polytechnic man finished 15 yards ahead of Wooderson in 4 minutes 10 5-10th seconds, which makes him out as running well within 4 minutes 14 seconds for the full distance.   In view of this it is unfortunate that he did not run from the scratch mark also.      His running was all the more remarkable because of the fact that he has been concentrating over the three mile distance since he defeated Iso-Hollo    Tom Riddell who was second to Reeve was timed as doing about 4 minutes 18 for the full distance.”

Although the races were of good quality with the usual quota of English champions such as Don Finlay in the hurdles, there was really no space after the coverage of the mile to do them justice at all.

A Reeve (Polytechnic Harriers)

On 1st August 1936, athletics coverage was dominated by the opening of the Olympic Games which was probably the main reason for the lack of stars on show at the Rangers Sports.   The Strathallan Meeting was always on the same day as the Ibrox meeting and it also had its usual full column but the coverage was not good.   There were 20,000 spectators at the meeting where, as one of the headlines informed us, Rangers won the 5-a-side competition in which teams from Celtic, Hearts, Third Lanark, Clyde, Partick Thistle and Clyde took part.   The Invitation Three Quarter Mile was won by the  Alex Haire of the Royal Ulster Constabulary and Harry Haughie of Springburn won the Obstacle Race.

But it was back to the usual standard in 1937 with some of the former crowd-pleasers in action again.

WIND THWARTS WOODERSON OF FIRST WORLD RECORD

IBROX CROWD THRILLED BY CHAMPION’S AMAZING RUNNING

ROBIN MURDOCH’S TRIUMPH

Overcoming the formidable handicap of boisterous conditions in a way that evoked general astonishment, Sydney Wooderson, the AAA’s one mile champion, established new British and Scottish all-comers three-quarter-mile records, and came within an ace of securing his first world record, before 40,000 people at Ibrox Park, Glasgow, on Saturday.   Wooderson, who is 23 years old, is only 5 feet 6 1/2 inches in height and weighs less than 9 stone, but he made light of the handicap set him and beat RH Thomas by 36 yards in 3 minutes 9-10th seconds, which is only 3-10th slower than Jules Ladoumegue’s 1931 world record and surpassed the existing British record of 3 minutes 2 2-10th seconds set up in 1932 by JE Lovelock (New Zealand), the Olympic 1500 metre champion and record holder.   Wooderson’s performance also eliminated the nine-year-old all-comers record made on the same track by R Watson the Olympic athlete whose time was 3 minutes 3 3-10th seconds.

Authorities compute Wooderson’s performance as equal to a 4 minutes 5 seconds mile – a feat which has never been accomplished, and only in the light of recent progress has come to be considered possible.   The story of the race, in which JC Stothard, who preferred to travel with the British team to Antwerp, was the only absentee, proved Wooderson to be under-handicapped.   Quite apart from the wind which blew into the runners’ faces in the finishing straight, had there been someone in front of him to pull Wooderson out in the last lap, he assuredly would have whittled down those absurd ‘three-tenths’ that separated him from the world record.  

The Story of the Race: Staggering Pace.   Wooderson, followed closely by R Graham, the Scottish record-holder, returned 58 2-10th sec for the first lap, but drew away from Graham and gradually opened out to take the lead at the end of the second circuit which he completed in 1 min 59 sec.   Round the last lap Wooderson revealed a pace which staggered the most thrill-hardened onlooker, increasing his lead over such distinguished company with consummate ease.   Passing his mentor and ex-Olympic champion Albert Hill who was stationed 250 yards from the tape, Wooderson was inside the schedule that had been set for him beating Ladoumegue’s time.   Officials waved him on frantically, but the elements were merciless, and although he sprinted spiritedly, the Blackheath runner just failed in his major ambition.   The cheer which greeted him, and increased in volume as he approached the tape, was renewed with greater vigour when his time was announced.”

Other records were set that day in Glasgow – Margaret McDowell from Ardeer set a new record in the 100 yards in a time faster than that which won the WAAA championship held on the same day at White City, Robin Murdoch won the special 120 yards from AAA Champion AW Sweeney were the others.   JW Alford, the Welsh champion won the invitation half-mile, the steeplechase was contested by the Scottish champion, RR Sutherland, and the English champion WC Wylie with Wylie the winner.   Celtic won the 5-a-sides with Rangers suffering ‘the unusual fate of being beaten by Queen’s Park in the first round of the ‘fives’ at their own sports.’

Other news on the same day was that JC Stothard won the 800m in the international in Paris – it might have made a difference had he been available for Wooderson’s race.

If you want to see how successful the 1938 Sports were, you really need to read the reports, such as the one in the ‘Glasgow Herald’ of August 8th.   The crowd was 70,000 (seventy thousand spectators!)   – described by the Herald as probably a record for an athletics meeting in Britain.   The weather was very good for record breaking and there were top-class athletes across the board and the marathon from Gourock to Ibrox was the full 26 miles 385 yards and won by a South African from a Scotsman with Englishmen third and fourth and a Welshman fifth.   Four Scottish all-comers records were broken – in the quarter mile, half mile, hurdles and pole vault.   Indeed the pole vault record of 14′ 3″, set by American Cornelius Warmerdam was a British record as well.   There was a big American contingent which gave what was termed an exhibition and reached distances in the shot and discus which would have been records had they been achieved in ‘proper competitive conditions’.

Wooderson was attempting to break Lovelock’s 1500m record.   “The crowd saw SC Wooderson, the world’s one mile record holder, fail by only 1.2 seconds in a gallant attempt to to lower the world’s figures for the 1500 metres set up by JE Lovelock in winning the Olympic title in Berlin two years ago.   Incidentally it was the third fastest 1500 metres race that has been run.   Run to sustained cheering, the race finished in a tumult of applause after  Wooderson, last at the bell, overhauled all but one of a select field to finish 15 yards behind DB Pell, with AV Reeve, the only other Englishman, a close third.   Pell’s time was 3 minutes 46.9 seconds and Wooderson was timed at 3 minutes 49 seconds – 1.2 seconds outside Lovelock’s record.   Thus, although Wooderson had run relatively half a second faster than his world’s mile record, he failed in his attempt on what is, candidly, the most outstanding record in athletics history.  

The track was a little loose, yet the reason for Wooderson’s failure cannot be ascribed to that factor.   Nor were conditions bad, for the day was windless.   Wooderson made a mistake in running too fast over the first lap, a mistake which has never been discounted in the past by any of the world’s leading milers.   At 320 yards, Wooderson’s time was 47.2 seconds, two seconds faster than Lovelock’s time at the corresponding stage of the Berlin race, but over the next quarter mile that pace was reflected in a slowing of the Blackheath man’s time which was nearly 67 seconds.   At 800 metres however, Wooderson was still inside Lovelock’s corresponding time and. although he had not passed any of his opponents, to whom he was conceding liberal handicaps, at the bell he was running at that stage only slightly outside Lovelock’s equivalent time.   Over the last lap Wooderson finished at a terrific speed overtaking all but Pell in an electric finish.   That Wooderson, considered by many to be the equal of Lovelock, and by many to be his superior, was so much slower in the finish – although his pace was tremendous as the crowd testified by their cheering – seems remarkable.    The first lap explains something of Wooderson’s failure, but in plain fact, the Blackheath runner was bordering on impertinence by hoping to beat Lovelock’s 1500 metres record when his main objective this season is a world’s half-mile record, and his training has been done with that in view.   Lovelock at Berlin was probably unbeatable and his time was the result of years of preparation and rigorous training.”

The quarter mile was contested in the main by  W Fritz who had been second in the Empire Games event and his conqueror W Roberts of Salford but this time Fritz won in a time of 48 seconds – an all-comers’ record.    The hurdles had Glasgow born Don Finlay beating the American A Tolmich in the 120 yards special hurdles event in another all-comers’ record  taking one tenth from the 11 year old record.    AJ Collyer, the AAA champion took eight tenths from JC Stothart’s half mile time with 1 minute 52.8 seconds.   Warmerdam’s pole vaulting was outstanding and his 14′ 3″ added one inch to the existing British record.   TF Lalande, the South African who had joined  Herne Hill Harriers, was almost lost in a maze of mile runners when he entered the stadium but after weaving his way through them, he won by almost a mile from T Strachan of Glasgow YMCA in 2:46:38.

It had been another wonderful meeting with a vast and enthusiastic crowd.

In 1939, the report was that the athletics held the crowd enthralled for over four hours; the print on the online ‘Glasgow Herald’ report is a bit smudged and it is not clear whether the crowd was 80,000 or merely 60,000!   Properly presented athletics has a great attraction for Glasgow people and were a meeting such as the Rangers Sports, or the Glasgow Police Sports to be presented in 2014, the crowds would be there.   The evidence?   The yet to take place, 2014 Commonwealth Games!   However, 1939 was another really good Rangers Sports meeting.    Held on 5th August, the headlines were:

BRILLIANT GATHERING OF ATHLETES

THRILLING CLIMAX TO IBROX MEET

TWO RECORDS BROKEN

The names of those attending were easy to recognise – TF Lalande the South African in the road race, Iso-Hollo the Finn in the steeplechase, Charles Beetham the American 880 yards record holder, Taisto Maki the European 5000m champion, Les Steers the American high jumper, Clyde Jeffrey the US 100 yards champion and of course all the top Scots and most of the best Englishmen.   This cast list plus good weather and past experience of the athletics on display at Ibrox, brought out the crowds.  You will note that by now it was more common to give times in decimal points rather than in tenths or fifths of a second.  The two records broken were in the 1000 yards and the three miles.   We could look at the three miles race first where Tasto Maki set out with a specific task, which was not to win the race where he finished second, but

“Maki, who set out to run three 4:40 miles, recorded 4:37 in the first mile, 4:48.8 in the second and 4:37.2 in the third to set up new figures of 14 min 3.4 sec – 4.6 seconds inside CAJ Emery’s month old British record and 12 seconds faster than the all-comers’ record set by his countryman LA Lehtinen, then world’s record holder, at Ibrox in 1934.   Emery actually ran the last half mile faster than Maki yet was 4.6 seconds slower over the full distance.   The big handicap field was of little assistance to the Finn.   Schwartkopf, the American distance runner, dropped out in the seventh lap.   At two miles Maki was 200 yards behind and at the bell he was almost 100 yards in the rear of the leader, M Bingham of Finchley Harriers (290 yards).  Opening out over the last lap, Maki passed all but the Englishman who ran on strongly to finish 50 yards in front in 13:56.4.

Although the three scratch runners in the 1000 yards, CJ Beetham (USA),  B Rideout (USA) and AJ Collyer (England), were running together for 600 yards,  the easy, graceful style of Beetham marked him out from the beginning as the possible winner.  Collyer set off in the lead and passed the quarter mile post in 57.4.   Both Americans passed the ex-AAA 880 yards champion in the next lap however.   With 350 yards to go Beetham drew away from Rideout who did not appear to have any enthusiasm for his task.   At half-a-mile where Beetham was a fraction inside 1:57, he was 15 yards behind EA Sears, Essex Beagles (15), and eight yards behind J Gifford, Bellahouston ( 20).   The Scot was passed entering the finishing straight, and then Beetham quickened into a superb finish, quite the most thrilling of the season closing the gap with every stride.   It seemed impossible that the American could do it with 30 yards left to run, but the distance between the runners closed rapidly, and it was by scarcely half a yard that Sears won in 2 min 10.9 sec.   Beetham, 1-10th slower, eclipsed Cyril Ellis’s 10 year old British figures by 2-10th second, and JC Stothard’s three year old all-comers’ record by 2 3-10th seconds.   AJ Collyer who recovered to pass the slowing Rideout finished fifth in 2 min 13.1 which was also 2-10th inside Stothard’s time.   Of the 10 American visitors, Beetham was, indeed, the only one who lived up to his reputation.”

Wherever one looked on the field, there were excellent performances with the class athletes from abroad pulling the Scots behind them to some top class performances.  The jumping of Steers and his countryman Batiste was the best in the high jump by far (6′ 4″ and 6′ 2″) although the pole vaulter George Varoff could only clear 12’6” when his usual performance was over 13″.   The shot putter W Watson gave an exhibition in which he achieved 51’7 1/2″ – the best seen in Scotland that year. The biggest cheer of the meeting was for Donald Robertson who won the marathon from Gourock Pier in 2:40:02, beating the previous year’s winner and taking over 6 minutes from his time.

The meeting was held in August and war broke out in September, 1939.

There was a successful meeting held in 1940 where Wooderson broke the Scottish all-comer’s record for the mile but it was to be the last until the war was over.  It was nevertheless a good meeting with the headlines saying

WOODERSON’S RECORD MILE AT IBROX

World Champion Knocks 1 Second Off Scottish All-Comers’ Record

The field that was forward for the race included GM Carstairs  and Andy Coogan of Maryhill Harriers (second off 120 yards) as well as a whole squad of Englishmen brought up for the occasion.   Bearing in mind that they could not be expected to bring athletes from abroad as had been their practice, the Rangers Sports organisers did well to put on any meeting at all at this point in the course of the war.   Coogan of course was to become a prisoner of the Japanese during the war and his story is told brilliantly in his biography ‘Tomorrow You Die’.   A must-read for all Scottish athletics supporters.)

There is of course a bias on this website in favour of endurance events while Rangers Sports embraced all events equally.   The reports however dwelt on the longer races because the stars who were brought in almost every year included Olympians, European and Empire champions and record breakers were predominantly distance runners.   Nor were the officials forgotten: their importance was indicated in many ways – note the officials badge above from the sports of 1939 which was worn by Alan McDonald’s uncle George Carmichael.   The  badges below were posted on the Rangers Memorabilia website by Gordon Bell.   Attractive and permanent mementoes of a celebrated meeting, they were in sharp contrast to the cardboard and safety pin usually supplied.   We have no record of any of similar quality for any similar meeting.  It was an excellent meeting produced throughout the thirties and reintroduced in the forties and fifties.

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

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.

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.

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