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Ralph Erskine

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Ralph Erskine

Ralph Erskine

Ralph Erskine is not a name well-known to athletics supporters whether the casual observer or to the aficionado.   The few who do know have only a scanty knowledge of the man and his career.   He was a member of Clydesdale Harriers and won medals in Scottish championships as well as running in the Triangular International against Ireland and England.   He was also part of a family which hadmore than its share of tragedy linked to the 1914-18 war.    He is just one of the hundreds of young sportsmen who died during the First Great War, just one of dozens of Clydesdale Harriers who were sacrificed.    The club had two joint secretaries when the war started, his brother Tom and Harold Servant,  neither survived the conflict, nor did most of the club committee of the time.   This is Ralph’s story.

Ralph Erskine was born on 10th March 1893 in Camlachie, Glasgow, the younger son of Captain James Erskine, Gordon Highlanders, and Janet (Jenny) Penman Barrie. His brother (Thomas Barrie Erskine) was three years older, his two sisters (Margaret and Agnes, known as Nancy) were respectively two and four years younger than Ralph.  Margaret died of tubercular meningitis at eighteen months, when Ralph was three. When Ralph was just eight years old, in 1901, his mother Jenny died of consumption.  That year the census return shows James and his two sons (11 and 8) living at Tollcross, Glasgow.  The little sister was being looked after by an aunt, and she spent most of her childhood with an aunt and uncle in Wales.   His father had been a founder member of Clydesdale Harriers when it was formed in 1885 and both boys would become very active members of the club in their turn.   This was however only part of his sporting achievements and possibly not the greatest.

Ralph was educated at Allan Glen’s school, Glasgow, as was his brother.  He was a gifted athlete and boxer, featherweight boxing champion of the world at age 17.  Sporting success reported at the time included the Public Schools’ Boxing Championship of England in 1911, and the Feather-weight Amateur Championship of Scotland in 1912.  Anent the former, the ‘Glasgow Herald’ of 5th June 1911 contained the following paragraph in its ‘Sports Miscellany’ column: “Professor G Ramsey, on hearing of Ralph Erskine’s success in the Public Schools’ boxing championships, sent the following congratulatory letter to Dr Kerr:- ‘I cannot tell you how pleased I am to see the old school in an important contest taking first place among the great public schools of England.   I congratulate you with all my heart, knowing how you have cared for the physical as well as the intellectual side.”

He also won the European championship at Paris.  In May 1911 Ralph sailed to New York for a fight for the (unofficial) Amateur World Featherweight Title.  He fought at the famous National Sporting Club on 27th May 1911 and the following day the New York Times reported: “The star of the lot was Ralph Erskine, the 17 year old boy who fights in the 125 pound class.  He fought Alfred Roffe, the Canadian champion, and simply toyed with his opponent all through the three rounds.  He had all the actions of an experienced performer and the speed of a Jem Driscoll”.  He easily outpointed Roffe.” * (A famous featherweight champion from Cardiff who fought his way from poverty to the British Championship before dying of consumption at the age of 44.)    The Harriers yearbook for 1911-12 reported “One of our youngest members, Ralph Erskine, has achieved great success in the Boxing World during the past season.   Amongst his numerous victories may be mentioned those in the English Public Schools Championship, the Scottish Championship, the World’s Amateur Featherweight Championship at New York and the defeat of the French Champion in Paris.”     Ralph returned from New York to Liverpool in 1911 on the SS Lusitania.

Once back home he gave several exhibition bouts – one being at the Rangers FC Sports on 5th August 1911 against his cousin, George Barrie.   “It was much appreciated  and proved an interesting variation to the proceedings.”

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British boxers including R Erskine (2nd from right) with E T Calver, Secretary of the Amateur Boxing Association (ca.1910)

Back at home, he was a committee member in season 1911-12 but while brother Tom became joint secretary and member of the finance committee, Ralph left after only one season.   While his brother won several prizes at club level and took part in open meetings, Ralph seemed to race less frequently but with more success.   Slighter of build than his brother, he had been a more ‘natural’ athlete and distance runner at Allan Glen’s.

 If we look at his preparations for the championships where he won his first SAAA medal, 1913, he does not seem to have raced much. In the Clydesdale Harriers Sports on 31st May at Ibrox, he ran in the second heat of the 880 yards and, although beaten by George Dallas of Maryhill, qualified for the final where he was unplaced.   On 21st June 1913 the Inter University Sports were held at Aberdeen and Erskine was out in the  quarter- and half-mile races.   He finished second in both – in the 440 yards to N Gibson who won in 53.4 secs and in the 880 yards to R Thorp whose time was 2:04.5.   Then it was the championship where he was second to DF McNicol at Celtic Park on 28th June.   There were two heats for the championship and twelve men taking part with McNicol only taking the lead off the last bend and winning by about 10 yards in 2:04.8.   The international was held in Ireland on 19th July and Erskine was unplaced..

His lead in to the Scottish championships in 1914 was an interesting progression – and featured more races and a different pattern from the previous year.   Not noted as a long distance runner, nevertheless he turned out in a two miles team race at the Greenock Morton Sports on 23rd May at Cappielow.  Then as he neared the championship he came down via the mile to his favoured distance of 880 yards.   At the start of June he ran 2:12.2 in Glasgow University colours at Anniesland.   Then the University Championships were held the week before the SAAA event – on 20th June 1914 – and Erskine was out in the half mile and mile.   The preview of the event reported that he had run inside 2 minutes 12 1-5th.   The report read: “Both the mile and half-mile were won by R Thorp (Edinburgh University).   In the longer race, Ralph Erskine of Glasgow led for half distance, when JA Young, Edinburgh, went forward.   At the bell Erskine was overtaken by the winner, who ran neck-and-neck with Young for 50 yards when the holder shot out and won by ten yards, the Glasgow man being a bad third.   Erskine was seen to greater advantage in the half-mile, in which he was hardly a couple of yards behind Thorp at the tape.”           

In the national championships, Erskine was second again, this time to clubmate Duncan McPhee in 1914 at Powderhall.    He was only two yards behind the winner at the finish who won in 2:05.2 with George Dallas of Maryhill Harriers third.   This of course earned him selection for the triangular international to be held at Hampden Park on 11th July.   Erskine led this one early on but was soon overtaken and, the pace was clearly too much for him with the winning time being 2:00.2 and he was again out of the first three.

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When war broke out in 1914 Erskine, a medical student at Glasgow University, was an athletics blue and had served as sports secretary and secretary of the athletics section.   On a hiking holiday in Arran with his friend Charles Higgins when war broke out and they immediately headed back to Glasgow to join up.   Ralph was given a Commission in the Royal Scots Fusiliers, and, having landed at Boulogne on 9th July 1915, he was promoted to Captain and after some heavy fighting in France, fought in the Battle of Loos (25 September – 18 October 1915).

In July 1915, not long after Ralph had landed on the continent,  his brother, Captain T Barrie Erskine MC, Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders, was killed in Flanders.   Serving in the 1st Gordon Highlanders he was killed at Hooge.

In December 1915 Ralph relinquished the temporary rank of Captain, and joined the Royal Flying Corps, forerunner of the RAF (first spending some time with the Australian Forces Royal Flying Corps, probably for training). Given the nature of warfare on the Western Front, it is not difficult to imagine why men would seek to transfer into the Flying Corps.  Many had experienced the misery and squalor of the trenches.  Those who knew they would face danger as long as they were on the ground, preferred to face it in a corps which offered the promise of independence and glamour, as well as a degree of comfort unknown to the men in the trenches.  Men who had already served in the ground forces reasoned that if they survived the day’s flying they would at least have the chance to sleep in a comfortable bed.  Posters like the one below would have proved attractive to the young men.

Many of those who joined the squadrons on the Western Front had prior service.  Many were recommended for admission by their commanding officers on no other ground than their good record as soldiers in the line. Many pilots were killed in accidents long before they could join a line squadron.  Pilots who survived training were posted to operational squadrons where the thought of meeting the enemy in the sky was enough to give even the bravest men pause for thought. There was eight-months’ training before being sent to the front.  The days when enemy airmen waved to each other on reconnaissance flights were long gone.  Aircraft now carried machine-guns as standard equipment, and interrupter gears, developed in 1915, enabled pilots in single-seat fighters to fire straight ahead through their propellers.

By 1918 aircraft were being used in a variety of roles: some as fighters, others for reconnaissance or artillery spotting, and others for bombing operations inside enemy territory. The famous Sopwith Camel could reach 12,000 feet in 12 minutes, fully loaded with weapons and ammunition.  Pilots and observers sat exposed to the elements in noisy open cockpits. Ralph Erskine served for a considerable time as an observer in France, where he was wounded, and mentioned in despatches.

On 9th March 1917, Captain Ralph Erskine RFC was married at St Columba’s Church of Scotland, Pont Street, by the Rev. J. C. Higgins, B.D., minister of Tarbolton, uncle of the bride, to Jane Lennox, only daughter of Mr and Mrs William Higgins, Glenafton, Church Road, Wimbledon.

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Ralph and Lennie on their wedding day, March 1917
with James Erskine (left)

After getting his “wings” Ralph returned to France with 66 Squadron of the Royal Flying Corps from 22nd September 1917 as a pilot.  He was flying a Sopwith Camel, B6414.

Ralph was killed at the age of 25 when his aircraft was shot down in Northern Italy – the first British airman to fall there.  “Force-landed in front line trenches near Flers.  Aircraft destroyed by artillery fire.”  According to information in a later family letter, he didn’t have a parachute.  He was wounded in the leg, but died in captivity on 1 January 1918 and was buried at the British military cemetery in Tezze, near Venice. His former headmaster at Allan Glen’s spoke of Ralph as “a modest, kindly, courteous gentleman as finest quality as student, athlete and soldier, and probably the brightest spirit the school had ever known”.

Just two weeks after he was killed, on 16th January 1918, Ralph and Lennie’s son was born.  He was baptised Ralph Barrie Erskine on 4th May at Trinity Presbyterian Church, Wimbledon by the minister, Dr Macgregor.  Ralph junior was also killed at the age of 25 during WW2 at the battle of Longstop Hill, Tunisia.

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 Sopwith Camel

An obituary was printed Presbyterian Messenger (Local Supplement April 1918) as follows

Missing since the 1st January, 1918, now unofficially reported killed in air battle on that date, Ralph Erskine, captain, R.F.C., younger son of Captain James Erskine, Gordon Highlanders, and beloved husband of Lennie Higgins, Glenafton, Wimbledon. Captain Erskine, who was married to Miss Higgins little more than a year ago, had been for some weeks on the Italian front, and had highly distinguished himself on several occasions.  After an engagement on New Year’s Day he was reported missing, and some weeks later news was received, through a neutral country, of his death.  Captain Erskine was a man of splendid physique, one of the finest athletes perhaps in the whole Army, a complete master of aircraft, extraordinarily cool, resourceful, and courageous.  His Major – himself killed since – bore the strongest testimony to his brilliant services.  We can but think of him as true and faithful to duty to the last.  The deepest sympathy is felt with his young widow and her little boy, with Mr and Mrs Higgins, and with Captain James Erskine, Gordon Highlanders, the fallen officer’s father, who has now lost both his sons and his son-in-law in the war.

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Tezze British Cemetery, Italy (Ack. CWGC) Plot 6. Row C. Grave 16

Back in Glasgow, the Clydesdale Harriers had suspended their activities for the duration of the War and held their first post war meeting on 31st January, 1919, and present at the meeting and among the Honorary Presidents elected was Captain James Erskine.

That seems an appropriate place to stop.   The information for the above came from

The Clydesdale Harriers Archive,

The Glasgow Herald’,

The University of Glasgow Story ( http://www.universitystory.gla.ac.uk/ww1-browse/?start=20&max=20&o=&l=e )

the ‘Trinity Remembers’ website ( https://trinityremembers.wordpress.com/2014/06/23/ralph-erskine-1893-1918/  ),

Allan Glen’s Club Newsletter ( http://www.allanglens.com/images/newsletters/Mar2011.pdf )

the Erskine family/Lee family history ( https://leefamilyhistoryarchive.wordpress.com/category/erskine-family/

Clydesdale Harriers novice championships 1913 (1)

 Clydesdale Harriers October 1913 – how many fought/died in the War?

Jimmy Duffy. Marathon Runner

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JAMES DUFFY (2)

Scots such as Mike Ryan (New Zealand) and Paul Bannon (Canada) have run wonderfully well in colours other than the blue of Scotland, they were not the first to do so and the photograph above is of another earlier Scot who built on domestic success to go on to success at a higher level.   

On April 23 1915 Scotland lost one of its greatest distance running exports with the death of Private James Duffy.   Jimmy Duffy, as he was known, was born James McNiff in Liscoghil in County Leitrim, Ireland, on 1 May 1890 and came to Scotland with his family in 1897 and settled in Edinburgh.   They lived in the Cowgate district, an area known as Little Ireland and home to some 14,000 Irish people living in mostly overcrowded slum tenements.  Later, for reasons unknown, the McNiffs changed their name to Duffy.   A stonecutter by trade, Jimmy Duffy made his first public appearance in the 16 Miles Edinburgh Exhibition Marathon Race from Linlithgow to Edinburgh on 24 October 1908.    He was then only a youth of 18, and, although not on the prize list, succeeded in gaining a standard medal.   Duffy was spotted by a local talent scout and asked to join Edinburgh Harriers, where under the auspices of the club’s trainers he rose through the ranks with meteoric speed.

Within a few months of taking up serious training he finished tenth in the 1909 Scottish Cross Country Championship held on 13th March at Scotstoun Showgrounds over a distance of ten miles.  There he won the special medal awarded to the first junior.   He was also the only runner from outwith Glasgow to finish in the first ten.   Selected to run for Scotland in the International Cross Country Championship at Derby one week later, he acquitted himself well to finish seventeenth, third counter in the bronze medal-winning Scottish team.   During that first season with Edinburgh Harriers Duffy won the club’s challenge cup for 10 miles cross country, a trophy which he held for three years in succession.

The following year (1910), he was runner-up to Alex McPhee, of Clydesdale Harriers, in the National at Scotstoun and the ‘Glasgow Herald’ reported it as a good race with about 50 yards between the two and “Duffy is to be complimented on his very excellent appearance.”   Selected for the international – held that year in Belfast, he was fifteenth and second Scot to finish after GCL Wallach had failed to finish: looking every inch a winner, Wallach tore his shorts on a barbed wire fence, was tackled and taken out of the race by a policeman because he was offending public decency!  During the summer season, his most notable success on the track was gained at Powderhall on 4th June , when, in a five mile team race, he set a Scottish native record of 25.52.0.    A man of light build, he stood 5’ 1/2” and ran with a “free swinging stride”. Also in 1910 , Duffy gained his first and only S.A.A.A. track medal when he finished a close third behind Alex McPhee and Tom Jack in the SAAA 4 miles championship in 20.40.0.   With seven runners in the race, Duffy actually led until the penultimate lap when “McPhee went to the front.   Duffy made a dash and led for 100 yards only, however to be dropped by McPhee and Jack, both of whom were running for position and it was just at the crucial point that the Paisley man shot to the front, warmly pursued by Jack.   Reaching the finishing straight both nerved themselves for a great effort, and some idea of the intensity of the contest will be gained when it is stated that McPhee only won by a yard.   Jack in the last five yards, when he saw that the task was impossible, slackening pace somewhat.   The first mile was done in 4 min 57 2-5th sec, the second in 10 min 06 sec, the third in 15 min 26 2-5th sec and the full distance in 20 min 35 sec.   Duffy finished third in 20 min 40 sec, the others being outside standard time.”   The standard time for the distance was 21 minutes.

The 1910/11 cross country season again saw him finish runner-up in the National at Pollokshaws.   100 runners from eight clubs made up the field for the race at Sheep Farm Park and it was won by Sam S Watt of Clydesdale Harriers by 50 yards from Duffy – second year in second place for him but he did lead the Edinburgh Harriers club to victory  in the team race.   Selected again for the Five Nations International at Newport, Wales, he could finish no higher than thirty fifth and was not a scoring runner for the Scottish team.

Duffy’s promising running career in the colours of the thistle ended in the summer of 1911 when he emigrated to Canada, settling in Toronto, Ontario. Here, he found work as a tinsmith and continued his running career by joining the Central Y.M.C.A. Athletic Club.   Emigration at that time was not at all unusual.  Canada was a favoured destination, and those leaving included a fair number of athletes.   Just two examples of this:

“Local athletes will be sorry in one sense and pleased in another to hear that A Stephen of the West of Scotland Harriers sailed for Canada a few days ago – sorry because a genial and high minded sportsman has left the city … “

“William Hamilton of Maryhill Harriers leaves shortly for Canada.   One of the most promising of the younger school of runner, Hamilton’s departure is a distinct loss to Scottish athletics.”

 These appeared within a fortnight in March 1910 and there were many more in  the years leading to the First Great War but Duffy was to have one of the best athletics careers in his new home.   When he left Scotland, his departure was also noted in the Press but at slightly greater length than most and the following extract is relevant here:

“During his first season with Edinburgh Harriers Club he won the Edinburgh Harriers Challenge Cup (10 miles cross-country), a trophy which he has held for three years in succession, viz: 1909, 1910 and 1911.   His most notable success however was gained at Powderhall on 4th June last year when, in the five miles team race, he established the Scottish native record for the distance of 25 minutes 52 seconds.   On 13th June, 1910, Duffy was first in the one mile open handicap held in connection with Falkirk Victoria Harriers Sports, and followed up this success the following week in the invitation team race at Queen’s Park FC Sports.   With youth on his side, Duffy should gain further honours in the new country.”

In October 1911, not long after his arrival in Canada, he made a name for himself by finishing second  in the “J.J. Ward Marathon” of 19 ¼ miles in Toronto.   The following month he finished third in the prestigious Around the Bay Race at Burlington, completing the 19 mile 168 yard course in a fast time of 1h 51m 16s

1912 Around the Bay Race Hamilton James Duffy

Duffy in the 1912 Round the Bay race

Duffy switched allegiances to the Eaton Athletic Club in the spring of 1912 and came under the expert guidance of star Canadian coach Billy Cumming. In that year’s Olympic try-out over the Hamilton Bay course in the Spectator Bay Marathon he finished second to Harry Jensen of New York in a race with 25 starters but only eight finishers.   This fine run earned a place in the Canadian team for the 1912 Olympic Marathon in Stockholm. The fierce Swedish midsummer heat claimed a string of victims, including the life of Portuguese runner Lazaro, but Duffy was unfazed and ran a beautifully judged race to finish fifth in 2h 42m 18.8s What a shame he wasn’t wearing a British vest because the best Briton, Harry Green, finished well down the order in fourteenth.

1912 OM _358 J. DUFFY

1912 Olympic Marathon: Duffy is 358

Later that season Duffy won the J.J. Ward Marathon and was a run-away winner of the Around the Bay Race in a fantastic time of 1h 46m 15s – a course record destined to remain unbeaten until 1936, when the course was shortened.  1913 saw Duffy lead home a quality field in the Yonkers Marathon, completing the 25 mile course in 2h 39m 29s, while also making a successful defence of his Around the Bay title in 1h 48m 38s.   The Yonkers Marathon, held in October each year,  is the second oldest marathon in the USA after the Boston race and is known for being a tough and hilly course.

After the Hamilton Bay race, Duffy joined the Hamilton Ramblers Bicycle Club where he received full-time coaching from Tommy Thomson.  Subsequently Duffy won no fewer than seven consecutive marathons including Yonkers.   Boston was probably to be his greatest triumph when he defeated French-Canadian runner Ed Fabre by 15 seconds to win the 1914 race in 2h 25m 1sec.    He was so well known before the event that he was not only the favourite to win, but Boston bookmakers would not take bets on him.   Fabre matched his pace all the way to the final mile when Duffy edged ahead to win by the slight margin.

Duffy was not your clean living type; he was an inveterate cigarette smoker and loved his pint of Bass.    After the Boston race his first request was for a cigarette and after his post-race medical he asked for a bottle of beer!   His amateur career ended only month after his Boston triumph when he was suspended by the Canadian AAU on allegations of professionalism.   He kept running and in his first race as a pro he was beaten by Fabre.

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Duffy winning the 1914 Boston Marathon

When the WW1 broke out, Duffy ditched his plans to meet the big pro runners and joined the Canadian contingent with the 16th (Canadian Scottish) Battalion. Three months after joining the war effort news came that he had died of wounds received in the Canadian offensive at Ypres and Langemarck on April 15th, 1915.   At the time of his death Duffy was the fifth Scottish athletics international to be killed in active service. An obituary in the Toronto Daily Star described him as a “hard man to train and handle”, concluding: “If Jimmy Duffy fought the Germans as he fought out his many bitter road races then more than one Hun preceded him to the happy hunting grounds.”

His death was noted in Scotland under the heading  “Scoto-Canadian Athlete Dead” and read  “The death is reported to his mother in Edinburgh of Private James Duffy, 16th Battalion Canadians, who has died of wounds.   Private Duffy, who went to Canada three or four years ago, joined the first Canadian contingent on the outbreak of war, and went to the front in January.   He is the fifth Scottish athletic international to die in active service.   He never had the good fortune to win a Scottish championship but was runner-up in the Scottish Cross-Country Championship to A McPhee in 1910, and SS Watt in 1911.   There was no denying his pluck and stamina but his lack of speed in finishing barred him from gaining the highest honours in this country and it was only when he essayed the marathon distance in America that he showed what was really in him.”

Wikipedia points out that his death came eight days before his twenty fifth birthday and four days after Edouard Fabre had won the 1915 Boston Marathon.

There is a short clip of the 1912 Olympic Marathon at http://player.bfi.org.uk/film/watch-stockholm-the-olympic-games-1912-1912/ in which Jimmy can be seen: he’s the Canadian in the Tam O’Shanter.

All photographs are from Alex Wilson.

Monday Supplementaries – Ibrox 1905 – 1909

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 Mel SheppardMel Sheppard

The 1905 Rangers Sports were held on Saturday 5th August before a crowd of 8000 which, according to the Press, was evidence of public apathy.    There were athletes of genuine class taking part including a small party from Pennsylvania including hurdler EA Amsler, English athletes like George Butterfield and some outstanding Scots like Stronach the hurdler and TR Nicolson the hammer and shot star.   Came the Monday session and there was a crowd of 5000 present.   The report in the ‘Glasgow Herald’ read:

“The Rangers Football Club continued their sports last night on Ibrox Park before 5000 spectators.   The running throughout was good, the feature of the meeting being the 100 yards handicap which was won by JC Howie of St Mirren FC off 10 yards, Amsler of Pennsylvania University being only a few inches behind, with Stark, the Scottish champion, third.   In the third heat of the 440 yards handicap, JR Taylor of Pennsylvania University gained a popular victory, but in the Final could make nothing of Charles McLachlan of Blackheath Harriers who was beaten for first place by RW Hepburn of West of Scotland Harriers, off 14 yards, by half a foot.”

The meeting included a 120 yards flat handicap for 15-17’s with six heats, 100 yards open handicap with 18 heats in which all sprinters of whatever standard took part with the best American and English men competing with all standards of Scottish runners and a 440 yards handicap with multiple heats.   There was of course also a 5-a-side tournament which was won by Rangers from Queens Park.

A year later the star attraction was Wyndham Halswell who won the 440 yards in 50.2 (headwind up the finishing straight)  with Stark winning the 100 yards in 10 seconds and McGough the half-mile in 1:58.8.   A very good meeting was the verdict and on the Monday, the ‘feature of the meeting’ was the running of George Butterfield in the 1000 yards.  A word about Butterfield is maybe appropriate at this point.   He was an Englishman (born in Stockton-On-Tees in 1879) who won the AAA’s mile title in 1905, 1906 and 1907, he also ran the world’s fastest mile in 1906 and ran in the London Olympics in 1908 in both 800m and 1500m.   There was a considerable body of knowledgeable opinion that favoured him for at least a medal in the Olympic 1500 but the London organisers had decided that only heat winners would go into the final.   The Americans, among others, protested about this but it stood, and the draw for heats was made in secret.   Butterfield was drawn in the same heat as America’s  Mel Sheppard who won the heat in a new Olympic record time of 4:05.0.   It was a bit of a travesty with several athletes mush slower than Butterfield making the final simply because they had been drawn in a slower heat.   He died in the First World War serving with the Royal Garrison Artillery.  Local papers were fond of the story that he once raced a greyhound – and the dog was second!   Butterfield was a favourite at Ibrox where he raced several times over the years and his London conqueror Sheppard was also highly thought of by the Ibrox crowds.

The Monday meeting in 1907 was a purely domestic affair but none the worse for that.   The report simply said that ‘The Rangers Football Club continued their sports last night at Ibrox Park.   The weather was excellent and there was a capital attendance.’    And that was it.   The results were listed showing that there was a 100 yards handicap with 12 heats, a 1000 yards handicap, a 220 yards handicap with 6 heats, a one and a half mile handicap plus the 5-a-sides in which Celtic won over Third Lanark by 2 goals to 1.

Reggie Walker

Reginald Walker

 In 1908 quite a few Olympic athletes (the Games were held in London) stayed over and competed around the country for several months afterwards.   The Rangers Sports had some real top notch athletes competing – Reggie Walker and Mel Sheppard being those who created most interest.   The report on the Monday night meeting on 3rd August 1908 read:

“The Rangers FRC continued their sports last night on Ibrox Park and were again favoured with splendid weather.   The crowd, which numbered close to 10000, witnessed some splendid racing, the features of the meeting being the magnificent running of RE Walker, of South Africa, in the final of the 100 yards flat handicap, and the splendid performance of MW Sheppard of the USA Olympic team, and the 800m and 1500 metres champion, in the half mile scratch race where he created a new Scottish all-comers record for the distance.   In his heat of the 100 yards handicap Walker equalled his record of Saturday – 9.4 seconds.   In the final J Spittal, of West of Scotland Harriers, off eight and a half yards, looked the winner, but in the last 20 yards Walker put in one of the finest efforts seen in Scotland for some time and won at the tape amidst the greatest enthusiasm.   Sheppard’s effort in the half mile was also a notable achievement, his long stride and easy movement creating a most favourable impression amongst runners and spectators alike.   The American’s time was 1 min 56 sec , the previous best in Scotland being 1 min 57 1-5th sec by LF Fairbairn-Crawford at the same ground last year.”

“Half Mile Scratch Race: This event was arranged to give MW Sheppard of the USA Olympic team, and winner of the 800m and 1500 metres at the OIlympic the opportunity of lowering the Scottish all-comers record.   He had as pace makers George Butterfield, Darlington, and John McGough,  Bellahouston, the latter going the first quarter in fine style.   Sheppard covered the first quarter in 56 1-th sec.   In the last lap McGough dropped out and Sheppard went on at great ace and finished in 1 min 56 sec, and beat the previous record by IF Fairbairn-Crawford made last year in the Irish International, also at Ibrox Park.   Sheppard had a great reception at the finish.”

There was also a 1000 yards flat handicap won by HT Jamieson (Watson’s College – 20 yards) in 2:16 from Sam Stevenson of Clydesdale Harriers (off 26 yards): McGough and Butterfield were both entered but neither started.   There were twelve heats of the 100 yards, result above, nine heats of the 220 yards, a mile and a half handicap in which Sam Stevenson (55 yards) was third behind Templeman of Bellahouston (110 yards) and Young of Paisley Harriers (170 yards) and an invitation quarter mile handicap in which Halswell (off scratch) finished third in 49.8 behind  Young (Bellahuston – 18 yards) and Hepburn (West of Scotland – 27 yards).   The obligatory 5-a-side had the six Glasgow clubs in it (Rangers, Celtic Queens Park, Third Lanark, Clyde and Partick Thistle) and, just to show that the draw was random, Rangers met Celtic in the first round and won 3 – 1.   The final was won by Clyde who beat Third Lanark by 2 goals and 1 point to 1 point.

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Arthur Robertson

The last sports of the decade held the Monday meeting on 9th August.   It was a great success although the crowd was ‘only’ 6000.   Seven record set on the night and top class runners including Olympic medallists Walker and Robertson to entertain the crowd.

“The Rangers FC brought their annual sports to a close last night on Ibrox Park.   The weather was again fine and the attendance numbered 6000.   During the evening no fewer than seven new records were created and the racing throughout was of the highest class.   Chief honours lay with the Olympic champions RE Walker of South Africa who is in magnificent form and set new records in the 120 yards and 150 yards distances – performances which were enthusiastically cheered by the crowd.   In the three miles walk no fewer than three new records were created.   In the 1000 yards flat race, Adam Turnbull of the Clydesdale Harriers beat McGough’s native record, while  in the mile and a half flat handicap Arthur J Robertson of Broughton Harriers broke Alfred Shrubb’s record for the distance made at the same track in 1904.”

Robertson actually finished third in the race running from scratch behind club mate William Scott of Broughton Harriers (75 yards) and Tom Jack from Edinburgh off 80 yards.   There was a local runner  from a club that I had never heard of called ‘Glasgow Hairdressers AC’ competing in the 100 yards and although he won his heat of the 100 yards, was unplaced in the semi final.   Still, a very good meeting to end a decade of top class athletics.

Monday Supplementaries – Ibrox

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Reggie Walker

The photograph above is of Reginald Walker, the South African who won the Olympic 100m in 1908 and equalled the world record of 10.8 seconds.    He was only 19 at the time and later in the same year he equalled the world record of 11.4 seconds for the 120 metres.   He wrote the first ever textbook on sprinting in 1910.

Now, in the twenty first century, if a sports meeting gets over 1000 spectators, it is doing well but it was not such a big deal a hundred years ago.  This page looks at the Monday sessions at Ibrox between 1910 and 1915.    Many sports meeting not only held their competitions on a Saturday but held a supplementary event on the Monday evening to which people would come after their day’s work in the shipyards, the factories or wherever.   The biggest was usually the Rangers Sports and their meeting on 8th August 1910 had a crowd of about 9000.   The report in the Glasgow Herald read as follows:

“The Rangers FC concluded their sports at Ibrox Park, Glasgow, last night before a crowd that fell little short of that of Saturday, there being 9000 spectators.    The main attraction was a five-a-side football tournament in which eight teams took part, victory ultimately resting with the representatives of the ground club.   There were also two sprints on the card – 100 yards and 220 yards.   In the former both RE Walker (South Africa) and FL Ramsdell (Pensylvania University) ran, but neither of the distinguished strangers gave a very impressive exhibition.   Of the two Walker made the better appearance, Ramsdell being beaten in his heat which was won in 10 1-5th sec.   The winner turned up in AJ Coyle (St Aloysius AC) who,  off the eleven and a half yard mark had a foot advantage in a tight finish over WS Stewart, Glasgow HS, off nine and a half yards.   The 220 heats developed some fine running, the outstanding winner being the Scottish champion, RC Duncan, West of Scotland Harrier, and LJ de E Reed, South London Harriers, the latter of whom was strongly fancied for the Final.    However a surprise came with some strong running by JC Cockburn, Gala Harriers, who won in a time of 22 2-5th sec from WS Stewart.   Duncan was half a yard behind the winner while Reedfound the task too much for him.”            

Harry_Gissing_1911

Henry Gissing wearing the ‘winged fist’ singlet of the Irish American AC

The report on the meeting of 7th August, 1911, read as follows:

“Rangers FC continued their sports last night at Ibrox Park in fine weather and in front of 5000 spectators.   The feature of the meeting was the splendid running of HE Gissing, New York and D McNicol of 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 by about a yard 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-comers’ record, beating George Butterfield’s time of August 1906, by one fifth of a second.   McNicol who finished third deserves all praise for the pace he set, had the satisfaction of setting a new native record  his time being 2 min 17.0 sec, which is four fifths of a second better than A Turnbull’s record set in August 1909.    Another fine finish was witnessed in the 120 yards flat handicap in which HJ Christie, West of Scotland Harriers, off three and a half yards, beat RF Duncan, from scratch, on the post.”

Gissing and McNicol had both run on the Saturday where Gissing had beaten J Soutter in the invitation half mile in 1:56.2 and McNicol had been second in that race before winning heat and final of the open half-mile.   Another Monday night supplementary meeting, two more Scottish records.

Hannes-Kolehmainen-1989

Hannes Kolehmainen

There were foreign stars present at the 1912 sports – H Braun of Germany was out in the half-mile and Hannes Kolehmainen in the Two Miles – as well as the by-now-normal presence of several of the best of English runners as a challenge to the Scots.   Braun had won silver (relay) and bronze (880 yards) at the 1908 Olympics and silver in the quarter-mile at the 1912 Olympic Games, so he was a class act to have in Glasgow.   Class he may have had but he was unable to catch Sam S Watt of Clydesdale Harriers (45 yards) or E Owen of Broughton Harriers who was second from a mark of 20 yards.   Kolehmainen had won three gold and a silver at the 1912 Olympics (5000m, 10000m, individual cross-country + silver for the team cross-country) and would win the marathon in 1920.   Another outstanding talent.   He could only finish fourth in the Two Miles invitation handicap which was won by A Craig off a mark of 160 yards.  Owen,who finished third, had fallen with two laps to go, got up again, and ran on to defeat the Finnish runner who was times at 9:51 against the record of 9:03.6 set by Shrubb in 1904    It was nevertheless a very good meeting on a cold and wet Monday evening before a crowd of 6000 paying customers.

H Baker

On August 3rd, 1914, there were even more top drawer athletes on the programme including Homer Baker, the American Olympian, AG Hill the Olympic middle distance runner and WR Applegarth, the superb English sprinter, but they failed to draw the crowds as only 200 spectators graced the terraces of Ibrox on a night of ‘unfavourable’ weather.   Results:

100 yards handicap:   1.   J Cattanach (EUAC – 10y);   2.   JM Harper (Shettleston – 10y)   9.9 sec.   [Applegarth beaten in the first heat].

220 yards handicap:   1.   Applegarth (Polytechnic – scr);   2.   J Rooney (Polytechnic – 4y)   22.8

1000 yards invitation:   1.   H Baker (NYAC – scr);   2.   SS Watt (Clydesdale – 30y);    2 min 16 2-5th sec, new Scottish all-comers’ record.

One Mile handicap:   1.   AG Hill (Polytechnic – 10y);   2.   D McPhee (West of Scotland)  4:23 3-5th.

5-a-side:   Clyde beat Rangers by 2 goals and 1 corner, to 2 goals.

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Charlie Forbes

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Charlie F

I first met Charlie in 1986 or 1987 when there was a TSB Schools of Sport week at Inverness.   I had invited Gerry Barnes up from Blackburn since he was the North of England staff coach for 5000/10000m and Charlie came along to give us a hand.   He knew all the athletes, filled us in on their backgrounds and helped with the coaching and administration.   Our respect for him grew over the week and has continued to grow over the years since then.   I have known several of the athletes and coaches that he has worked with and they all speak highly of him.    He has worked at local, district, Scottish and British national levels as administrator and coach, he has been a very good club man representing the club in many events on the track as well as on the roads, he has worked with all age groups – indeed his current Power of Ten profile has him coaching athletes from Under 15 to veteran, male and female.   I asked him how he got involved in the sport and his response is below.

“I suppose sport always figured in our family as my twin brother Gordon and I used to be encouraged to race each other at every opportunity.   Also our older sister Sandra was no slouch and was North Schools 220yards winner to her credit.   Egging us on was my late father who was a top sprinter up here in the North and clocked 10 1/5secs for the 100yards on grass tracks with no specific training.   His claim to fame was he competed against Iain Young who was Scottish Champion and Olympian at the time and held him off in the old North District 100yds Championships at Forres over a 1 yard handicap.   He also had other trophies and medals that that we goggled at as young boys for swimming and football where he had a spell with Inverness Clachnacuddin.

As Gordon and I went through school, sports days became a place to shine for me rather than the classroom, although Gordon was slightly faster than me in primary I emerged as the better sportsman in secondary school and competed in many school events under the guidance of my PE teacher – the well known North District and Scottish Athletics  official Colin Baillie.   Colin who later team managed Inverness Harriers in the Scottish Leagues was very passionate about pupils in schools taking part in sport especially rugby and athletics and I did my first formal athletics training under Colin at Millburn Secondary School in Inverness.   In first year I remember coming second in an Inverness Area Schools cross country event which I think I could and should have won had Colin not told me to sprint through the finish a lap too early.   When I think back to the sessions we did especially the 300 and 400 reps and the recovery we got between each might be an indicator why my 800 time only hit about 2.11.   Colin who is a good friend still and we talk quite a lot about school days.   Although I did quite a bit of athletics in school my first love was football and as a 14 year old I must have shown a bit of promise and was totally elated to receive a letter from Desmond White who was then secretary of Celtic Football Club to say they were watching me.   At sixteen I had Hearts knocking on the door and keeping tabs and at 17 had a two week trial with Aberdeen FC. It was about then I started to understand about more about speed (or maybe the lack of it in my case) as I played a couple of bounce games for Aberdeen reserves of which one was against the first team.   I was centre half and given the job of marking Scotlands top scorer and Internationalist over the last 2 years Joe Harper.   When I watched him on the telly he always looked a bit squat and dumpy and during the game I was totally mesmerised how a wee guy like this could move so fast. He was a great guy though and was very encouraging to myself and another couple of lads on trial. I played Highland League with Nairn County for a while but I suppose I was an amateur at heart as the treasurer was always chasing me for my national insurance number so they could pay me which incidentally was £3 appearance, £3.50 draw and £4 for a win.   I was not really interested in getting payed as playing for the team was more important and when players that took me through to training in their cars would try fiddle expenses claiming false passengers I moved on to play in another league and saw my football out there.   I always did running through these times and always kept myself fairly fit during close season at football.

In 1977 I married Liz and we now have 3 children (who all have 2 children each so 6 grandchildren keeps us both on our toes).   During the period they were growing up I got the running bug during the boom of the early 80s and when Neil our oldest was about 10 I took him down to Inverness Harriers and in 1985 I joined the coaching staff.   It was quite a baptism of fire and I was thrust into things that were taking me out of my comfort zone and had to learn quickly about thinking ahead especially with about 40 kids in your charge.   I also quickly realised that all these years playing football that it did not teach you much about how your body works and adapts to specific things, why we warm up etc. etc.   I can honestly say that my first 6 months athletic coaching taught me more than all the years I was involved with football.

CF Inverness Group

Charlie (fourth from the left, front) with some clubmates including Charles Bannerman in the dark blue on his right

I still managed to run the odd race and 10ks and ½ marathons were family days out. My modest bests for these were about 37.30 and 83mins although the half was about 400/500m short I believe. I also competed in Highland Games then and enjoyed the spirit in which they were run and competed in. My last couple of races were in 2004/5 and could still keep the youngsters at bay in the 100yds handicap. One of these was at the Newtonmore Games and as we were lining up on the start Andy Young  (Victoria Park and now coach to Laura Muir) who was recently crowned Scottish Senior Champion at 800m that year happened to be up in the area that weekend and entered the games. When he saw me lining up in the 100yds he thought going scratch would be still not pose a problem. He thought wrong as another oldie Trevor Madigan from Aberdeen and myself saw him off. I ran 11.4 secs off 12yds handicap.”

One of these was at the Newtonmore Games and as we were lining up on the start Andy Young  (Victoria Park and now coach to Laura Muir) who was recently crowned Scottish Senior Champion at 800m that year happened to be up in the area that weekend and entered the games. When he saw me lining up in the 100yds he thought going scratch would be still not pose a problem. He thought wrong as another oldie Trevor Madigan from Aberdeen and I saw him off. I ran 11.4secs off 12yds handicap.”

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 Charlie at the Games

Another athlete I was managing to hold off at the games was up and coming star 14 year old Jamie Bowie whom I had under my wing for a few years in his early running career. Jamie went on to become Inverness Harriers most successful ever athlete competing in the 400mtrs picking up medals at World and European Championships as a Junior and Senior member of the Great Britain 4 x 400mtr squads.

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     Jamie Bowie

He mentions Andy Young who  was one of the first athletes in a Scottish Team that he worked with when he was asked to be a Team Manager with the then Scottish Athletics Junior Commission in 1994.   Other coaches and officials he was involved with over the years included Walter Bisset, Rodger Harkins, Hugh Murray and Anne Scott.    Athletes such as Lee McConnell and Darren Ritchie were also part of the Squad then and under the guidance of Isabel Robertson who did such a fantastic job for Scottish Athletics for so long.   Charlie adds that

Getting invited to be a National Team Manager of this commission in 1994 was a great honour and the start of a 15 year journey of managing and coaching with Scottish Teams. From the humble beginnings of Celtic Games Teams where your character is fully tested looking after the young stars to the Senior Teams where I witnessed and worked with some great athletes, managers and coaches along the way. (Too many to mention) In 2000 I was selected along with Pat Rollo to be the Team Managers for the first Commonwealth Youth Games which were held in Edinburgh.   Following on from this I was selected to be male Senior Team Manager for Great Britain in the GB v USA v Russia International in Glasgow.    This was great experience for me especially the GB Match as there were all the International Stars on show including Paula Radcliffe, Jonathan Edwards and Bob Weir who is an absolute gentleman.

However the greatest honour for me will always be getting to manage or coach with Scotland`s Teams. Throughout that period of involvement I travelled far and wide and trips to Cyprus, Greece, Belgium, France and all over Ireland and numerous trips to the Loughborough International each May.   The only place I never got a trip to was Wales funnily enough. In Scotland after finishing team management I was asked to be one of the Regional Coaches and did that for 2 years while the project lasted and covered the Outer Hebrides which offers a great place to train for any athlete but especially endurance with some great dunes on the West coast.   I also covered Shetland and Orkney it was here I got to know Piotric Haczek who had just taken up the role of National Sprints and Hurdles Manager for Scottish Athletics.   Piotric was a Polish athlete who mainly competed in the 400 metres.   An outdoor and indoor world champion in the 4 x 400 metres relay, his success came mainly in relay, his best individual performance being a gold medal at the 1999 European Under 23 Championships.   I learnt a good bit from him as I still had Jamie Bowie under my wing and when Jamie went to University in Edinburgh I managed to get him fixed up with Piotric and the rest shall we say is history.

Going away with teams was a great learning experience and sitting chatting in the bar in the evenings was better that any coaching conference where discussions went on well over time.   Hugh Murray, Mike Johnstone and Brian Whittle always were good for getting things going.

I always managed to take something that I had learnt back home to my groups and hopefully (at least I like to think I did) make them better athletes because of it. I think back to the first athletes I coached Grant McDowall and Stephen Hendry  in 1986 and wonder what if they were about now with all that I have learned since these early days. But I am sure we all as coaches say “If I knew then what I know now”…… Both Grant and Stephen were very good U17 800mtr runners and they would knock lumps out of each other in training. Stephen did 1.55.60 (club record for that time) and Grant 1.56.20. It was not until 2012 before that record was broken by Sean Chalmers who I picked up from a schools competition a couple of years before and he took it down to 1.54.79 when he finished 4th in the Under 17 AAAs Final at Bedford. Sean has since gained a scholarship in Lamar University, Texas and I am pleased to see his running is going from strength to strength. Around that time Mhairi MacLennan was breaking through on the cross country scenes picking up National vests and still is under the expert supervision of John Lees another coach I met on National duties.

Of the group from that period and currently the one that is making a big breakthrough in such a short space of time is Stephen Mackay and now can claim to be a hot prospect for the future. He has now lowered his 800m time to 1.50.39 and in all my time coaching I have never met a more committed athlete. All he has achieved has been done locally without any financial support as he has travelled long distances to get the right competition out of his own pocket. He will deserve any success he gets.

Stephen

 Stephen Mackay (no 14)

Sandwiched in between are many junior and seniors I have coached with many making National Junior teams as sadly for me we have not had the luxury of a University in Inverness (until 2015) and all athletes have I have had to move on to other coaches as I believe you cannot coach at a distance, some may disagree but I feel it`s not fair on the athlete that needs on hand support. Seniors are different.

The most successful XC Inverness Harriers had was in Dundee in 1993? when we had an individual winner with Under 15 boys race with Stuart MacKay who also led the team to gold which was followed up with bronze medals for the under 17 men and under 20 men`s teams that year.

Others to mention would be Simon McIntyre who as an Under 20 finished the year top Scot for 1500m and 9th in the UK rankings with 3.51.86. He picked up track and field Internationals as well as Cross-Country vests and proudly boasts to be the only Inverness Harrier to beat a young Mo Farrah in a Cross-Country meeting.

I have also coached an Olympian although she was part of the GB 2012 Modern Pentathlon Team, Mhairi Spence was also selected for a Celtic Games Cross-Country in Ireland when we had a good going group in that period and others then making national teams were Jennifer Main and DJ McAuley.

Disability Athletes have also been under my wing lately as part of my work is to identify and find coaches for them. Jason MacLean was part of the 2014 Scottish Commonwealth Games Team and finished 5th in the final of the T37 100mtrs. Paul Davidson a T20 400 runner is now making his breakthrough and has just been selected for the British Athletics Futures Squad 2015/16 and has his target set for Rio 2016 Paralympics. With both these athletes again travelling to other countries has been part of the journey with Jason competing in Dubai and Paul in Italy.

I still see quite a lot of former athletes and its special when they keep in touch when they have been away for some time.”

Charlie is now doing a lot of work in Disability Sport and holds the title of Highlands & Islands Regional Manager – Disability Sport at High Life Highland.   In recognition of the work he has been doing this year, at the Inverness Harriers club social night this year (2015) he received an award.   I quote:

“Scottish Disability Sport is delighted to congratulate Highlands & Islands Regional Manager Charlie Forbes on deservedly receiving sportscotland’s Regional Coach Award. Inverness Harriers volunteer coach Charlie Forbes was surprised on Saturday night when at the Harriers Christmas night out he received the Highland Disability Coach of the Year award. Charlie was nominated for the award in recognition of his service to Disability Sport Coaching. Charlie has worked with many athletes throughout his coaching career which spans an incredible 30 years of coaching.  This award recognises Charlie’s commitment and time dedicated to his athletes outwith his full time employment in disability sport with High Life Highland. This award is a partnership approach with High Life Highland and sportscotland, recognising the outstanding contribution and significant impact of local coaches in enabling quality sport and physical activity opportunities to happen in communities across the Highlands. After a very impressive speech by Inverness sports legend Colin Bailey, Charlie was presented with his award by Commonwealth Games para athlete Jason Maclean and para athlete Paul Davidson.”

Chas Award

Receiving the Award

Recently he picked up another 2 awards one for The Highlands and Islands Regional Disability Coach and was honoured to receive the Inverness Area Sports Council award for Coach of the Year.

This does not mean of course that he has given up working with other athletes.   Charlie is currently the club coaching convener and is a UKA Level 3 Performance Coach for sprints/800m/1500m/long distance and steeplechase, although as a capable and experienced field events athlete himself he does some work in that area as well.   A look at Power of 10 – which is not a comprehensive survey – indicates that he has nine athletes under his supervision ranging form an Under 17 high jumper to a V35 half marathon runner.   In addition as a good club man as well as a talented sportsman, Charlie has competed in several events for the club in the track league although his recent events have included mixed terrain races and parkruns.    Speaking of which he is also a time keeper at these events and his contribution has been noted – “This week’s fabulous volunteers were Billy Skinner (course set-up), Charlie Forbes (timekeeper), Willie Ross (back-up timekeeper) …”  

As an administrator Charlie has worked at club, district and national level.   A former club president at Inverness, when the Scottish Athletic Federation came into being in 1995, Charlie was the North Area Representative on the council and sat as Chairman for the North District Cross-Country Committee as well as secretary over a period of years between 1995 to 2014. He officiated at the 2003 European Cross-Country Championships and 2008 World XC Championships when they were held in Edinburgh and last year was a Technical Official at the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.

 In this connection he has been involved in lobbying and supporting local politicians on behalf of the sport: when Inverness was selected by sport Scotland as a possible site of sporting excellence, he stepped up in support and was quoted as follows: “Support for the hub came from Inverness Harriers coach Charlie Forbes, also Regional Manager for Highlands & Islands Disability Sport.   He believes that in indoor centre with a running track is much needed and would lead to more athletes competing at a higher level.   Inverness Harriers have four athletes of Commonwealth Games standard and there could have been more if we had a big indoor centre,” he said.   “It can be pretty difficult at times for our athletes.   They often scrape the snow off the track which is not ideal for health and safety reasons and in winter there is often no training facilities available , unlike in the central belt.” 

Coaches, officials and administrators often have to fight their corner and in a place as remote from the levers of power as Inverness this is even more the case.   Athletes in the north are lucky to have men like Charlie Forbes to go into bat for them.

Tommy Callaghan

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TBP 64 The start of the Edinburgh to Glasgow in 1964: Tom is second from right in the back row – behind Alex Brown of Motherwell.

This profile was written by Tom’s clubmate, Joe Small.   Tom is the personification of the really good athletic club member – the man who always did what his club needed him to do, and then went a bit further.   He was a runner, a club official, an administrator, a coach to several Scottish and British international athletes.  Tom also ran a sports shop along with one of his protégés, Ron McDonald for a time.  He was also the man on the wrong end of a very poor decision by the governing body of cross-country in Scotland which Joe refers to in the following narrative.   

Tom Callaghan came from Airdrie, but was involved with Coatbridge’s Monkland Harriers and latterly Clyde Valley A.A.C. for over 30 years as a runner, official, coach & organiser.

He joined Monkland in 1958, competing in cross-country & road running as a boy & youth. Among his club contemporaries at the time were top class runners like Jim Finn, who won the Youths National in 1960 and 1961, Jim. Grant, 2nd in the Boys National in 1959, Jimmy Johnstone, 2nd in the Youths National also in 1959. 1959 seemed to be a good year for Monkland, with Tom picking up a silver medal as the Boys team finished second in the National, only 3 points behind George Heriot’s School. In the 1961 Midland District race he was in the bronze medal winning Youths team along with race winner Jim Finn & J. Grant. Teams involving Finn, Grant, Tom & Tommy Gallagher won many other relay & team prizes around this time.

Moving up to the Junior/Senior ranks, the likes of Finn & Grant fell away, as is so often the case with talented boys champions. Tom, now training with Jimmy Johnstone ran on road, in cross-country & highland games events, winning the handicap mile at Kirkintilloch with a time of 4.08 in 1964. He competed in the Edinburgh – Glasgow on eight occasions, for both Monkland & Clyde Valley. In 1980 he picked up a team bronze medal when Clyde Valley finished 3rd. in the West District cross-country championships that year.

It was early in his senior career that he became involved in the organisational side of things. In the mid-sixties, Monkland were stuck in a rut. Tom, along with a few others including Jimmy Johnstone, Willie Drysdale & Willie McBrinn replaced the long running club secretary & proceeded to introduce a number of initiatives to reinvigorate the club. The launch of a series of cross country races involving local schools resulted in a good number of new young runners joining the club. The best known of these would be Ronnie MacDonald. Others included Frank Gribben, Peter Preston, Danny Nee, Jim Burns, Kenny Ashwood, etc. quite a conveyor belt of talent.

It was with the emergence of Ronnie MacDonald that Tom first became involved with coaching. He guided Ronnie to the level of performance and results that can be seen in his profile elsewhere on this site. When Jim Brown joined the club in 1970, he also advised him for a number of years, again the results can be seen on Jim’s profile. The other big name to join Monkland in the early ‘70s was Ian Gilmour. This came about after Ian finished 3rd. in the National Junior cross country championship (behind MacDonald & Brown). Tom approached Ian after the race & asked if he’d be interested in the joining the same club as the two guys who had just beaten him. Ian agreed & competed very successfully for Monkland & Clyde Valley for a number of years.

Back to the organisational side of things. Tom, through his contacts in Coatbridge Town Council, was instrumental in turning Coatbridge into the focal point of cross country, road running, later track & field for a good number years.

The National Cross Country championships first came to Drumpellier Park in 1973 (Jim Brown winning the Junior race & the Junior team also finishing first for good measure!) and returned to the same venue for a further three years. Other events held were the District & County cross country championships & relays, Schools cross country championships, Women’s international cross country race, Schools Home Countries international & Boys Brigade National championships, all sponsored by the council. On the road, the first running of the Coatbridge 5 mile race, initially as part of a town festival, saw the introduction of lucrative prizes, the winner receiving a portable tv, quite a step up from the usual cutlery sets etc. being handed out. Top class athletes from south of the border were enticed to compete. The first race in 1973 was won by Ian Stewart, his first race back since taking a year out of the sport following the 1972 Olympics. Again, Tom was the driving force behind most of these events, although he would always say that he had a lot of help from club members & other local organizations.

Through the success of these events & the local club, the council was persuaded to proceed with the building a new athletics stadium, opened in 1975, complete with an international standard 8 lane all-weather track & accommodating 8000 spectators, costing £410,000 (£3m in today’s money). The first meeting held on the track was organized by Monkland Harriers, after which they were not involved, the Council taking over running of events. Later, international meetings, national, district & local championships all came to the town.

One of the goals of the council (and Tom), was to attract the World Cross Country Championships to the town. Scotland was due to host this prestigious event in 1978. Following a special General Meeting of the Scottish Cross Country Union in 1976, the race was awarded to Glasgow. This decision saw the end of the local council’s involvement. The story behind this decision deserves an article of its own, one which Tom is working on at present. It will make interesting reading when complete!

The International Cross Country decision previously mentioned also saw the end of Tom’s direct involvement in the sport.

Tom was also one of the instigators in the formation of Clyde Valley AAC, this being an amalgamation of five Lanarkshire clubs, to try & form a `super club’ to compete on the same level as the large Edinburgh & Glasgow clubs of the time. A look through the results of the period will show how successful they were for a number of years. Probably the most high profile athlete to be produced was Tom McKean.

For a number of years the club secretary was none other than Tom Callaghan.

Just to give a quick idea of how busy Tom was, he was involved in all of the above, together with training & competing, bringing up a family, holding down a full-time job and then opening a number of sports shops in partnership with Ronnie MacDonald. Some of you no-doubt purchased shoes, track suits or vests from the aforementioned Monkland Sports! As the saying goes, “If you want something done, ask a busy man”

Nowadays, he’s retired, still out walking everyday, but still taking a keen interest in most sports, particularly Aberdeen F.C and the Tour De France, both formed in the same year, 1903, coincidentally!