George Watson’s College Crest : Watson’s Won the first Inter-Scholastic Championship

The first Scottish Inter Scholastics Sports, known now as the Scottish Schools Championships, under SAAA auspices were held on 19th April, 1900 in Edinburgh.   Advertised in the Scotsman at the start of the month the notice below tells us date, time, venue and prices for spectators.

In the passing it is interesting to note that Lumley’s were selling admission tickets – up until at least the 1970’s Lumley’s were selling tickets and suppliers of individual entry forms for athletics meetings across Scotland.   The Scotsman report on the meeting on 1st of the month read as follows.

The actual results, and selection of events come to that, of the first SAAA supported Inter-Scholastic Sports are well worth looking at.   There were three age groups – Open Events were for the pupils of 16 years and above, and there were fewer events for Under 16 and Under 13.   The first table is for the Open Events.

Event	Winner	School	Time	Comment
100 yards	CD McIver	Watson’s College	11.75 seconds
440 yards	CD McIver	Watson’s College	56 seconds
One Mile	J McCallum	Watson’s College	5:03.4
120 yards hurdles	W Milne	Glasgow Academy	17.8 seconds
High Jump	R Briggs	Dollar Inst.	5′ 01 3/4″
Broad Jump	C McIver	Watson’s College	18′ 9 1/2 “
Cricket Ball Throw	C McIver	Watson’s College	91 yards 02 inches	Four Events Won
Putting the Weight	A Young	Watson’s College	29′ 6″

The winner of both jumps is recorded as C McIver as opposed to the winner of both sprints being CD McIver.   It is possible that they were two separate individuals (twins?) but more likely that they are one and the same.   If that is the case, he was a very good all-round athlete altogether.   

Under 16

Event	Winner	School	Time	Comment
100 yards	A Barr	Edinburgh Inst.	11.8 seconds
880 yards	WB Montgomerie	Glasgow Academy	2:22.8
120 yards hurdles	A Barr	Edinburgh Inst.	19.4 seconds
High Jump	JA Stewart	Larchfield Academy	4′ 9 1/2″
Broad Jump	A Barr	Edinburgh Inst.	19′ 0 1/2″	Three Events Won

Under 13

Event	Winner	School	Time
100 yards	H Martin	Watson’s College	13.4 seconds
300 yards	G McLaren	Royal High School	45 seconds
High Jump	W Whitson	Glasgow Academy	3′ 11 1/2″
Broad Jump	AA Morison	Watson’s College	13′ 4 1/2″

The Glasgow Herald in its ‘Notes and Comments’ column had a more detailed comment on the conduct of the meeting  and were optimistic for its future:

The most complete report on the event however can be found in the ‘Scottish Referee’ of the 21st which can be read by clicking on the link.