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IMM ‘Doc’ MacPhail

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The ‘Reader’s Digest’ used to have a regular slot for ‘The Most Unforgettable Character I’ve Met’ and all sorts of people were included in the series.   My own subject would have been, without much if any doubt, Doctor IMM Macphail.   He was our history teacher at Clydebank High School but much more than that.   He was also the mainstay of Dumbarton AAC for many, many years to the extent that at one point they were referred to in jest as Macphail’s Navy (a variation of the TV programme McHale’s Navy).    A conscientious objector during the War he volunteered for the bomb disposal squad and that’s how he spent his War.   Before going on to talk about his time with Dumbarton AAC, I’ll quote from the flyleaf of his book ‘The Crofters’ War’.

“With the publication of ‘The Crofters’ War’, Dr IMM MacPhail crowns a long and distinguished career.   An eminent historian, teacher, genealogist, mountaineer and athlete, he has made his mark in many areas of Scottish life.   It is however as a Scottish historian that he is best known: his two-volume History of Scotland for Schools, published in 1954 and 1956, and welcomed as ‘the book that Scottish schools have been waiting for’ is generally regarded as the  history which first brought to the attention of a wider public an adequate treatment of the clearances and to the history of the Highlands and Islands.  Other publications by Dr MacPhail include ‘Modern Times 1880 – 1955’, published in 1961, ‘Modern Scots’ (1965), ‘An Introduction to the British Constitution’ (1967)  and  ‘The Clydebank Blitz’ (1974).   Books and articles on the history of Dumbarton where he lives, and its surrounding countryside, have greatly enhanced the knowledge of that part of Scotland.   He has also been an assiduous contributor to the ‘Transactions of the Gaelic Society of Inverness’ of which he is a past Chief.  

An expert linguist, his knowledge of and love for the Gaelic language came from his Lewis parents, and was strengthened by the links with the island he has cherished all his life.  

Graduating from Glasgow University with Honours in History, he continued his studies in Czechoslovakia where he gained his Doctorate of Philosophy at Prague University.   He ended his teaching career as Principal Teacher of History in Clydebank High School.   His teaching career was interrupted by service in the Second World War, where he volunteered for bomb disposal, spending much of his service in the badly bombed ports of Southern England.”

Add in his sporting interests of running, rowing, hill walking and mountaineering and you have a very full life indeed.

His full name was Iain Murdoch Macleod MacPhail and his father was in the Army and moved around a lot with Dr MacPhail being born in Hamilton but was and is known as a real enthusiast for the Town of Dumbarton about which he wrote many, many books and articles.   As a genealogist he was very interested in his own roots which were in the Outer Hebrides: The MacPhails from either Harris or North Uist and the Macleods from Shawbost in Lewis but the strange thing is that he did not have any historical connection with Dumbarton at all.    Be that as it may, after his death the Lennox Heritage Society had a stained glass window to his memory installed in the Dumbarton Library.

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Iain MacPhail joined Dumbarton AAC in season 1930/31 and paid his first subscription of 2/- on 8th May 1931.   Actually it was a half-subscription, full sub being 4/- because there was less than half the season left.   His address was given as Carman Hill in the Renton and his brother William was also a member.   On 5th December 1931 he competed in the club 5 miles Handicap where, with a handicap time of 2:30 he finished thirteenth of eighteen runners – the handicap was probably a ‘novice mark’ of 30 seconds a mile and it is the first record of him taking part in a race at the club.   A year later, off 3 minutes, he was fourteenth of seventeen but it was a better run – the year before he was tenth fastest scratch time, this time he was fifth quickest over the course.   By 1933 his handicap allowance was 3:30 and he was fifteenth out of twenty with the eleventh time overall.   It is clear that even early on he was not going to be a star athlete but he was persistent and took part in races over the country and on the road   He disappeared from the racing scene for a while but he was back again after the war and competing in club races but he soon became the regular handicapper and time-keeper.    His post-race remarks must have been interesting for instance at the club presentation in March, 1959, the note in the race book said, “The Prize Presentation was held in the gym at the Brock Baths.   Club President was in the chair.   After speaking on current affairs, he asked Baths Superintendent J Donaldson to present the prizes.”    But he will be best remembered as President and Chairman of the club for almost quarter of a century.   He held no official post on the Committee before the War but was part of a small committee of four who were tasked with organising the first post-war races.   His first official position was that of President.

Doctor MacPhail became President of Dumbarton AAC at the AGM of 3rd September 1946 when the minute read, “Mr IMM MacPhail was nominated to the position of President on the motion of Mr Geo Stewart, seconded by H Smyth.”   Further down the list of elected members was a note that he, along with Jack Brown, was nominated as one of the club’s representatives o the NCCU (the National Cross Country Union)   The nominees to the latter post were not always nominated n the minute of the AGM but he was still a rep in the 1960s.   A note:   He might have been Doctor MacPhail to the world at large but he was Mr McPhail to the club and appeared as such all the time he  was on the Committee.    He stayed in the role for 23 years and resigned at the AGM of 28th August 1969.    The minute of the meeting read “Next came the news which we were all sorry to hear.   After 23 years a President of the club he had decided to call it a day, so that he could  devote more time to one of his other interests in life, namely the writing of books and, as he would be away for long periods at times, he had very reluctantly decided to give up the chairmanship of the club which he had held since 1946.   In doing so, he wished DAAC every success in the future.”   He was however prevailed upon to remain as a member of General Committee but his attendances were not as regular as heretofore.   What kind of President was he?

He was one of the most active of Presidents imaginable.    If look at some of the references in the club minutes during the middle years of his presidency we get the following.

16th September 1956:   Mr MacPhail suggested that a special effort should be made when negotiating fences, etc so that no damage would be caused to the wire or to the gates.

1st December 1956: The general feeling of the club was that we didn’t receive the full value of the extra fee imposed by the SAAA last year.   Mr MacPhail then intimated that Mr J Gardiner of the Vale of Leven AAC would bring the matter up at the next meeting.     [The SAAA had imposed a special ‘coaching fee’ on all clubs in membership and then the national coach, Tony Chapman, resigned and moved on but the fee continued to be levied and most clubs were more than a bit disgruntled.]

Messrs MacPhail and McMenamin were asked to revise the constitution.

12/1/57:   Messrs Timmins, MacPhail and Walker were asked to recce a trail for the club 8 miles championships.

23/3/57: Prizes for the club championships: It was agreed by the committee that an additional £3 be spent on prizes, thus bringing the total up to £12.    Once again our very generous donors, Messrs MacPhail and McMenamin, intimated that they would provide the prizes for the hill race.

Doc MacPhail was also asked to write to Dumbarton FC to ask for the same training facilities to be granted as last year.

28/8/57: Mr MacPhail said that he would draw up a list of fixtures for the committee’s approval.

“The chairman then read out the basis for the new constitution which had been drawn up by a club committee.  He said  copy would be pinned on the club notice board for members to see and any alteration they thought fit would be brought in at the next AGM”

30/11/57: Lapel badges to be ordered and he was asked to write to a firm which did “that type of work.”

15/1/58:   There were not enough members to fill a bus to Hamilton and he was asked to contact the Vale of Leven about sharing a bus.

19/2/58: No one had asked the Baths Superintendant or a representative from Vale of Leven to the club presentation and Mr MacPhail said he would attend to this.

28/8/58:   AGM.   There was a complaint about the cost of race entries when some of the runners did not turn up or even know they had been entered.  The chairman’explained’ that this was probably true but in most cases it was unavoidable as there were runners in the forces who always hoped to get home for these events, then there were the members who did not come along on club nights and they were not always available to ask.

Then “the money spent on the track did not justify itself.”    The chairman said that that was maybe right but lots of the club did not take advantage of it and anyhow it was a good medium for recruiting.

4/9/58:   Advertising for open races – Mr MacPhail said that this part of the business could be left to him.

30/11/58: Fund raising cards – Mr MacPhail to get them.

29/8/59: Re-nominated as club rep to the NCCU (with Jack Brown) and to the DAAA.

30/1/60: The chairman had now taken charge of the football cards from Mr J McMenamin who had a change of employment.   Boghead was not available for training, Mr MacPhail agreed to write to the Education Department and to the Vale of Leven FC.

10/9/60: On the subject of equipment the club agreed to buy a discus and ‘Mr MacPhail said he had purchased a 12 lb ball as his own property but he was quite willing for the club to use same.   This was appreciated by these present.’

‘Mr Brown moved a vote of thanks to Mr IMM MacPhail who had more or less run off the track season on his own.   This had proved a big job, especially with the added inter-club fixtures but Mr MacPhail had proved equal to the task.     Members duly responded.’

24/9/60:   Open races: Mr MacPhail let it be known that he had notified local schools and also sent them a poster.

2/3/61: In a discussion about the handicap system used within the club, he offered to investigate how other clubs organised their handicaps.

15/9/62: Officials: Our chairman said that he had had a talk with Mr D McL Wright who was upset at the shortage of officials for various events and he asked Mr McPhail to try to get some of the club interested.   After some discussion it was felt that we could not do too much as most of our lads were still active members.   Mr MacPhail agreed that his name should be nominated.

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I have noted these particular items to indicate the range of things which he was asked to take on, and which he volunteered to take on, for the benefit of the club.    Laying trails for races, attending meetings of governing bodies, providing prizes for races, organising the track season and applying for lets, writing to politicians and officials, investigating the handicap system, posters to schools, drawing up fixture lists and letting his name go forward for training as an official are all noted in the extracts quoted.     Remember that these were in addition to his other interests of hill walking, mountaineering. writing, teaching, etc.   Furthermore they were usually carried out by various other committee members – letters by the secretary, handicaps and trail laying by the captain, etc.  Some of the club work took up considerable amounts of time and in addition to the committee attendances, he represented the club for a time at the SAAA and well as for many years being their man at the DAAA and the NCCU meetings.    His commitment over the period was astonishing: it is normal for a new president/chairman to dive in and work really hard for a few years – but Doc was the same right through to the end of his 23 year stint as President.

Standing left watching the Dumbarton runners in the Springburn Cup race, early 1960’s

He also tackled some big issues for the club – access to track facilities being one.   I note the minute of 28/3/61:

Mc MacPhail then read out a letter he had submitted to the Parks Committee via the Town Clerk asking them what they intended doing about a running track.   He pointed out that he had a letter from a previous Town Clerk pledging his support, and although this had been a number of years ago, we still awaited action on this matter.   He then went on to explain that neighbouring towns were better equipped and how some of the local athletes travelled there regularly to take advantage of the better facilities provided, and in some cases were lost to the club.   He also reminded them that this state of affairs was prevailing all over the country, and was no doubt responsible for Scotland’s poor representation at the recent Olympic Games.

And he followed this up with face-face-meetings with local officials and politicians.   eg “5th March 1964: The Chairman has done a lot of research on this matter – the suggested locations had come down to 1.   The Common; 2.   St James’s Park; 3.   Postie’s Park.”    1st September 1964 “we kept breathing down the neck of the council”    August 1966:  “track unlikely for the next two years.”   21/9/68: “The chairman explained the obstacles which had met the club’s proposals that the track should be sited on the Common.”   Various other sites were suggested.

It would be totally wrong to give him sole credit for the negotiations – such a big item for any athletics club has to be the work of the entire committee but what seems to come through from the Minutes is his efforts in investigating venues, writing and badgering those in positions of power and keeping it high on the agenda.

Although he resigned at President in 1969 (the same year as he retired from teaching at Clydebank High School after 20 years there) he was working for the club for many years after that.   For instace, the minute of 18th April 1974 said “Point to Point: The run went off very successfully, largely due to Dr IMM Mac Phail who had laid a very well marked trail.”    The trail was from the Whangie on the Stockiemuir Road, over the top of the Kilpatricks down into Dumbarton.    Not bad for a man in his seventies.

Doctor MacPhail was an energetic man who walked quickly with a lift in his step.   He always looked at the person he was talking to and fairly often when he was explaining something to any athlete or to the committee he is reported to have asked, “Now, d’you follow me?”   The energy seemed almost boundless and Dumbarton AAC and Scottish athletics possibly got more than its fair share.

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The stained glass window in Dumbarton Public Library

 

QUEEN’S PARK AND ATHLETICS

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Hugh Barrow sent the following report suggesting that it might feature as a tribute to the efforts of our sporting forebears and I agree that it gives an insight into the Scottish athletics heritage that the athletics authorities seem reluctant to acknowledge.   Reasons for this on a postcard – why don’t the annual award ceremonies make an award for sports historian of the year, or just for services to researching/publicising/writing about the beginnings of the sport, after all there are many categories of award that seem to duplicate each other.   Anyway, grouse over, read the following which comes, he says from ‘The History of Queen’s Park, 1866 – 196 by Richard Robinson.   It is an interesting topic to pursue and a time when all sports supported all others – Clydesdale Harriers had cycling sections plus members from football, cricket, rugby, hockey, swimming and they even had a world amateur boxing champion.   The QP badge is below – there is no prize for the translation of the motto (although it would be interesting to see how many young’uns got it) on the assumption that readers are all familiar with and fluent in Latin.    Hugh has asked that we note our thanks to Robert Paterson and Queen’s Park for the following.

 QP CREST

There is much truth in the statement that among the founders of the Queen’s Park Football Club in 1867 were many north-country men, who brought to Glasgow the inherent love of athletics possessed by every Highlander, particularly as regards muscalar events. Mr. J. C. Grant is strong on this point, and his testimony, that the Highland section, who had migrated from Strathbungo to the Recreation Ground at Queen’s Park, where better facilities were available, indulged in hammer-throwing, putting the ball, pole vaulting, and tossing the caber, and first learned the football game from the Y.M.C.A., is correct. The club had only been a very short time in existence when, 29th April, 1869, the advisability of holding athletic sports in connection with the Queen’s Park Football Club was considered, and ” it was finally agreed, after a great deal of reasoning and warm discussion, to defer the matter until a month or two, when it could be entered into with greater confidence to bring about a more successful result.” At this meeting a proposition was made to provide a ball and hammer for the general use of “the members of the Q.P.F.B.C,” but an amendment was carried to the effect that this matter “should be deferred until a future period, as the club at present was not in a fit state to incur any extra expense.” However, on 8th July, 1869, “after considering the state of the funds, it was agreed to purchase 121b. and 161b. hammers, and 16lb. ball, for the general use of the club.” It was announced, at the annual meeting held on 14th April, 1870, that, with a view to present additional attractions and amusement for the members, the club had been provided during the year with balls, hammers, and vaulting poles, which had proved valuable auxiliaries in keeping up the interest in the club. The necessity of procuring another set of flags and goal-posts was brought before this meeting by the secretary, and after a little deliberation—it was a serious expenditure at the time—the treasurer and secretary were commissioned to provide flags and stumps, same as before, with goal-posts eight feet high, and all to be painted white. It was further decided to raise a fund for the purpose of holding amateur athletic “games” in the month of September, 1870. Great undertakings were to be accomplished during the winter months (they played summer football in early days), and ” an endeavour made to turn the football club into one of the best gymnasiums in the kingdom.” A lofty ambition truly, and probably the outcome of the quite recent visit to Hamilton to play the local Gymnasium Club. It has been ascertained that horizontal bars, etc., had been erected at the foot of the vacant piece of ground, used then by this Hamilton club, now built upon, and other forms of athletics practised. The club was an athletic development centre. It was, however, many a long day before this laudable ambition of Queen’s Park was gratified, certainly not until 1889, when the pavilion at second Hampden Park was raised a storey, a gymnasium added, and a competent instructor installed. The month of August is the period in which the great Highland gatherings or “games” are held, and the first Saturday in September was for several years consecrated to the Queen’s Park open sports. It is quite reasonable to suppose that the northern element had a say in fixing this date. There was “a good deal of deliberation on the subject of the date, etc., and whether it could not be possible to hold them—the sports—this year, 1869.” Messrs. Lewis Black and W. Klinger were the authors of this proposal. Mr. Gardner, at the annual general meeting, April,. 1870, said, ” that with a view to present additional attractions and amusement for the members, the club had been provided during the year with balls, hammers, and vaulting poles, which he was glad to see had proved valuable auxiliaries in keeping up the interest in the club.” The contemplated sports, however, did not take place in 1869, nor for that matter until 1872, and only after a letter was read from Mr. II. N. Smith, the president, proposing an athletic competition. Messrs. J. Taylor and A. Rae were appointed a committee, with power to add to their number, ” to manage the whole affair.” On 2nd October, 1872, “Mr. Rae, for the athletic sports committee, reported that the sports had been very successful—Mr. James J. Thomson took the first, and Mr. Joseph Taylor the second prize”—so that the sports would appear to have been a sort of all-round club competition. This was the first sports meeting held by the Queen’s Park Club, and was the precursor of a series of confined meetings held for the encouragement and entertainment of the members. In addition to Messrs. Thomson and Taylor, mentioned above—the former being an athlete in every sense of the word, while the latter shone in the sprints—Messrs. Edmiston and M’Hardy were two strong men, who figured prominently in the ball and hammer throwing. Mr. Charles Campbell too, joining the club as he did in 1870, came in at an opportune time, and was a frequent prize-taker with the hammer, and above the average as a quarter-miler. He, however, did not compete at open sports, devoting his attention to the confined events of the club. Mr. P. M’Hardy, who had only become a member 12th August, 1873, was appointed Second Eleven captain at the annual general meeting in April, 1874. He was one of a sub-committee with Messrs. J. B. Weir and W. M’Kinnon to inquire after suitable “athletic implements” for the general use of the members. They recommended, May, 1874, that a putting ball (161b.), one vaulting pole, and one horizontal bar be got, and they were authorised to procure these at a cost not exceeding £3 sterling. It having been intimated that Mr. M’Hardy intended leaving his set of throwing-hammers in the house for the use of members, a hearty vote of thanks was accorded that gentleman for his kindness. Mr. M’Hardy resigned the captaincy of the Second Eleven, March, 1875, and though asked to give his reasons for doing so, he declined to furnish particulars, and desired the matter should be passed over without further notice. He was re-elected captain of the juniors at the annual general meeting, 1875, which position he did not accept, and also to the match and ground committees. Mr. M’Hardy had a long connection with the Queen’s Park. He resigned 3rd June, 1884. J. D. Finlayson, admitted 17th April, 1873, was an amateur pedestrian who played in the Second Eleven, and obtained distinction on the track until he removed to Inverness. George Philips was also a great rival of Finlayson as a half-mile and mile runner. H. A. Watt, late member of Parliament for the College Division, held the champion-ship of Scotland, being invincible as a hurdle jumper. John Harvie had the honour of being walking champion of Scotland. Many famous athletes competed at open athletic meetings in the colours of the Queen’s Park. No reference is made in the minutes regarding sports, from the first confined meeting until 6th June, 1876, when the club decided to hold its first open athletic meeting. It was agreed at this meeting to have club sports, and the date was fixed, 9th September, 1876, and the secretary was instructed to make it public through the newspapers, and to advertise as thought fit. A scroll list of events was drawn up, and remitted to a strong sub-committee of seven to carry out all the arrangements. Open and confined events were included on the programme, and the list was printed and circulated among the principal clubs in Scotland and England. A number of leading gentlemen in Glasgow and district had been communicated with to secure their patronage, and had already signified their willingness to grant it. In the confined events, on the motions of Messrs. Weir and M’Neil, a 150 yards race was substituted for 200 yards, and the challenge cup half-mile was not to be handicapped. A grant of £30 was given to defray the preliminary expenses. The total sanctioned for prize money amounted to £92. The first grand stand on any football ground in Scotland, costing £237, was erected in time for, and first used at, this athletic meeting. The challenge cup referred to was to become the property of any winner lifting it twice.” The source from which it came is not stated. Messrs. Campbell, M’Neil, M’Kinnon, and Taylor (captain) were to represent Queen’s Park in the four-a-side competition. The other clubs that competed were Eastern, 3rd Lanark, and Dumbarton. There were also a place-kick event, a dribbling race (members), and tug-of-war between football clubs. This is the first reference to this contracted football game, which became popular at sports meetings afterwards. This initial amateur meeting, though the receipts amounted to £213, yet showed a loss of £55—the prizes were handsome, and cost £129. The sports had been ” highly satisfactory as regards the competitions and turn out of spectators, but from a financial point of view had not come up to the anticipations of the committee.” Stock had been acquired to the value of £25, which reduced the loss to this extent. Thus began the series of important athletic meetings held for many years under the auspices of the Queen’s Park Football Club. As the knowledge of athletics spread and developed, the balance was frequently often substantially on the right side; but should the financial result be adverse through bad weather or other causes, the club was in no way deterred from furthering amateur sport of this character. The modus operandi in connection with its first athletic meeting was exactly followed on all subsequent occasions, men of athletic experience being selected as a sub-committee to make and carry out all arrangements.

The Queen’s Park amateur athletic sports stood for years one of the most important in the kingdom, and maintained their position until the introduction by other clubs in the city of the subsidised amateur, who received his expenses, and often the expenses of his trainer, together with a certain sum for appearance money. With this system the Queen’s Park, in its decided abhorrence of everything bordering on professionalism, would have nothing to do. Those great performers who have appeared on the “classic slopes” from time to time had no monetary inducement given them. Members of the club were only too glad to entertain and house them while in Glasgow. It was against all the principles of the club to do more. However, great stars coming from all parts of the kingdom to other local meetings provided attractions which the public, asking no questions, was not able to resist, and the system paid. The strict amateurism of the Queen’s Park was not remunerative, and gradually the club, disheartened, dropped out of the active athletic arena in quite recent years; but now, after the war, more activity is being displayed, and sports were held 6th June, 1920, and, we are glad to relate, proved to be one of the most successful ever held by the club. The prizes set for competition were always of the handsomest description, which the winners could retain with abundant pride to the end of their days, not Brummagem stuff, manufactured for the purpose, so often to be seen now in shop windows. Everything the Queen’s Park undertook was carried out in the best manner possible. The evil of subsidising amateurs became so flagrant that the Scottish Amateur Athletic Association had to intervene and hold an investigation. The efforts to suppress the scandal were only partially successful. When both sports promoter and competitor are in collusion, it is difficult to prove an offence, the consequence being so serious to both parties.

The Queen’s Park committee, having carefully considered the situation, decided, after the athletic meeting in September, 1886 – the sports had been held in September now for ten years–to hold future meetings in June, commencing the following year. The change was made ” because September was considered too far on in the season for sports to be successful, the football season being too close at hand, and the majority of athletes then stale and out of training.” This change of date proved at first very successful, both athletically and financially. In the late ‘eighties and early ‘nineties there was a great influx to the club of athletic and •cycling members, who found the conveniences of the Queen’s Park track met a much-felt want, and these took full advantage of its amenities. The club at first was reluctant to take such men into full membership, as its first and last business was football. Permits were issued for training on the track, with full use of the pavilion and trainer to non-members. It was a great satisfaction to the club to find its efforts in this direction so fully appreciated. The track was constantly being improved, widened, and the banking brought up to the latest speed requirements.

On more than one occasion professional peds. have, under the disguise of amateurs, competed at the sports of the Queen’s Park. In the ‘seventies a famous professional miler ran against George Philips, a noted Queen’s Park amateur miler of the time, to settle some dispute in betting circles as to which was the better man at the distance. The professional won, but did not come forward to claim the prize, having apparently no criminal intent, bar the deception. The case was different at the September sports in 1878 with John Harvie, then Scottish champion walker, as the professional who won walked off with the prize. Mr. Harvie called the attention of the committee to his unfortunate position, but, of course, they had no responsibility in the matter, so he had to content himself with the second prize.

BETTING Betting at athletic meetings caused considerable annoyance to the Queen’s Park, and other sports-holding amateur clubs, in the early ‘nineties. As professional pedestrianism had fallen on evil days, brought about by this same betting, and the chicanery associated with it, the scene of operations was transferred to the amateur grounds. This was a state of affairs which the Queen’s Park could not contemplate with equanimity. It was against all the principles of amateurism, and might eventually lead to the ruin of a then healthy pastime. This club was, therefore, the first to take action in the matter, a position which naturally fell to it.

Mr. William Sellar, writer, who was at this date president of Queen’s Park Football Club, took the matter up strenuously, and communicated, on behalf of his club, with the Town Council, May, 1897, regarding what steps the police authorities proposed to take to put down open betting at athletic meetings in the city. The Council remitted the matter to Mr. John Lindsay, then interim Police Clerk, now Sir John Lindsay, Town Clerk of Glasgow, for an opinion. The whole question rested on what was “a place” within the meaning of the Betting Act, 1853, the force of which was not extended to Scotland until amended in 1874. After quoting various decisions of the English and Scottish Courts, Mr. Lindsay gave the following opinion for the guidance of the Town Council :—

As all the meetings of the various athletic clubs of the city are held within closed grounds which are generally known by a name, and are certainly capable of reasonably accurate description, and to which persons from time to time, or on particular occasions or occasion, resort, it, in my opinion, necessarily follows that the areas of those athletic meetings are places within the meaning of the foregoing statutes, and that therefore the provisions of those statutes, prohibiting the using of such places for betting by professional betting men, can be enforced by the police, and thereafter at the instance of the Procurator Fiscal, or of any person, by process in the Sheriff Court.

Mr. Sellar in his letter referred to the decision by Mr. Justice Hawkins in the Dunn case. The learned judge laid it down that an inclosed racecourse was ” a place.” In 1885 the Court of Session, on appeal in the Henretty case—the defendant having been convicted in the Glasgow Sheriff Court tor betting at Shawfield—quashed this conviction ; but Mr. Lindsay was of opinion, notwithstanding these contrary decisions, that though the Procurator-Fiscal, in face of the final issue of the Henretty case, might refuse to prosecute, if that official, or any private person, prosecuted, and the case taken to the High Court, it is very probable it would be heard and disposed of by a full bench of judges.

In face of this decision in the Court of Session, the evil was allowed to continue. It was not until five years later that the Scottish Amateur Athletic Association concluded to move. On 19th May, 1902, a letter was received by the Queen’s Park committee from the honorary secretary of the Western District (S.A.A.A.), intimating that the Association had been in communication with the Chief Constable of Glasgow with a view to stopping the nuisance of betting at sports, and requesting the attendance of one or two delegates from the Queen’s Park Club to co-operate with the Association in the matter, at a meeting fixed by the Chief Constable. Messrs. Geake and Liddell were appointed. No prosecution followed against any bookmakers frequenting Hampden Park or elsewhere. Action was confined to posting notices prohibiting betting at the various grounds, and increased activity on the part of the police stationed there, to see that bookmaking was not carried on. By perseverance, and the invaluable assistance of the Chief Constable, things were made so uncomfortable for the bookies that they ultimately found the game did not pay, and withdrew from this new sphere, where their presence was not wanted. This satisfactory result must be mainly attributed to the initial action of Queen’s Park. One would have thought the Scottish Amateur Athletic Association would have been the first to move in the matter, but such was not the case.

Coupon betting had by January, 1914, become a curse to the game, and, indeed, is so still. Horse racing having been permitted only to a limited extent by the Government during the war, had driven the bookies to other fields to exercise their talents, and one which proved most lucrative was betting by coupon on football matches—an illegal practice which was carried on under various subterfuges. The Continental bookies were compelled to come home, or be interned, and found their occupation abroad gone. Many efforts were made to suborn players to sell matches, and it is painful to relate that some players, not many, accepted the tempting bait offered them. The evil is more rampant in England than in Scotland. Consequently the Football Association has been more active in its attempts to suppress these insidious attempts to ruin the game, and several English players have been severely punished, when direct proof has been forthcoming that they have been guilty. So far the Scottish Association has not been called upon to prosecute, though it has kept a watchful eye on what is occurring in regard to coupon betting in Scotland. No case of the kind has come before it, which proves that Scottish players are practically immune, and have the interests of football, which are also their own, at heart, and play the game in a clean and honourable way. The Scottish League, however, thought at this period, 1914, probably because the professional player came more directly under its control, that it would be advisable to indicate its position on the subject. A circular was issued to the clubs, copies of which were to be hung in the players’ dressing rooms, the referee’s room, and the committee rooms, at each ground, condemning coupon betting. In this way the warning against the evil would be perpetually before the players and the clubs.

After a conference with the Scottish League, who stated coupon betting had become acute, the Scottish Association also took up the matter, and in January, 1916, passed the following resolution:—

Any director, official, player, or other person connected with football management w<h© participates directly or indirectly in betting upon the results of football matches shall be expelled from the game.

Further, in May, 1916, at an extraordinary general meeting of the Scottish Football Association, this resolution was added to articles of association as a new article, and all clubs were compelled to post in their pavilions a copy of the resolution as a warning to players and officials. Still the practice goes on. Only quite recently an English player was imprisoned (March, 1918) for trying to induce certain players to sell a game at the instance of betting men, who themselves escaped punishment.

The Queen’s Park was one of the first members of the Scottish Amateur Gymnastic Union. When the club was approached by the secretary of the 1st Lanarkshire Rifle Volunteers Athletic Club (Gymnastic Section), the committee appointed Messrs. D. C. Brown and Stewart Lawrie to represent the club at a meeting held on 6th June, 1890, to form this Union. Before August, 1891, the Union was in debt to the extent of £30, and appealed to the club to assist it in its difficulties. The Queen’s Park agreed to pay its just proportion of the indebtedness, on the understanding that its resignation be accepted afterwards. The club formally resigned from the Union in September, 1891. Mr. Stewart Lawrie, Queen’s Park, was the first president of this Union.

In the autumn of 1890 baseball teams were giving exhibitions throughout the country, of the American national pastime. Mr. M. P. Betts, secretary of the National Baseball League, made application for the use of Hampden Park on a week night, in an effort to popularise the game in this country. Baseball did not appeal to Scotland, nor, for the matter of that to England. All the efforts to introduce it into this country were still-born. Another attempt was made to interest football clubs in the game—November, 1906—when a meeting of clubs in and around Glasgow was held in the George Hotel to consider the advisability of starting a Baseball Association, but the the proposal met with small support. The Queen’s Park committee did not entertain the project. In 1918 another exposition of the game was given on Hampden Paris, between teams drawn from the American Navy, and the Canadian soldiers, who had come over to take part in the war. Played in the cause of charity, it proved a variation, no more.

The idea of a gymnasium for the members seems to have originated with Mr. James Lawrence, who was president of the Queen’s Park for three seasons. At the annual general meeting in May, 1889, he drew attention to the want of variety in the system of training, running being really the only form of exercise members could avail themselves of. The chairman, Mr. Stewart Lawrie, said that the erection of a small gymnasium had been thought of, and, as a substantial balance was in bank, the idea would probably take definite shape very shortly. It did take shape when the pavilion was enlarged in 1889, and a spacious gymnasium was built at the back, with Mr. Benson, Glasgow University Gymnasium, as instructor.

 

Glasgow Academicals Sports

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GA Relay

It is well known that Clydesdale Harriers was the first open athletic club in Scotland and their first track race was held in 1885.    They also had annual sports – mainly at Kinning Park and Ibrox but also at other football grounds such as the Meadowside (Partick Thistle), Celtic Park and even at Dunoon.    But even were the club’s annual sports still extant, they would not be the oldest surviving sports meeting in the country.   Prior to the Harriers, athletic sports were either carried on by the professionals or by the fee-paying schools such as Fettes and Loretto.    The first of them all however was in Glasgow and organised by Glasgow Academy.   We are grateful to Hugh Barrow for the information below and for all the pictures on the page.  The Glasgow Academy Sports is maybe not a name that jumps out the athletics calendar at you, but it is an event that provides a timeline for the history of athletics in the west of Scotland and is probably the oldest surviving meeting in the west.   The Academy is in Glasgow’s West End and was founded in 1845.

 The Accies hurdles

120 yards hurdles

It first saw light of day in May 1868 some fifteen years before the SAAA were formed in 1883 and has taken place every year since even throughout two World Wars.   Originally organised as the Glasgow Academical Sports it was first held at the historic ground Burnbank which lay on the south side of Great Western Rd between present Park Rd and flyover on the M8 at St George’s Cross This ground was home at various times to Glasgow Accies Rugby Club, Rangers FC, various cricket clubs and saw the birth of the worlds oldest inter district rugby match when Glasgow first met Edinburgh in 1872 in the Inter City.

It can also lay claim to be the ground that gave William Smith the impetus to found the Boys Brigade as he drilled there with the 1st Lanarkshire Volunteer Rifles. He founded the Brigade just across the Great Western Rd in 1883.   The Boys Brigade is an inter-denominational organisation which combined drill, fun activities and Christian values.   It quickly spread throughout the United Kingdom and now has over half a million boys in 60 countries.   The middle picture above show the BB drilling at Burnbank.   But back to the sports.

Initially the Sports’ programme included a wide range of events for pupils and former pupils and also in clouded “strangers” races which in effect were open events that helped to encourage athletics in the area.   It was common practice at the time for rugby and football clubs to host athletics meetings and this is reflected in the founder clubs of the SAAA.   Over time the event moved to Kelvinside in the 1870s and then on to Old Anniesland in 1883 finally making its current venue New Anniesland in 1903.   At the end of the Victorian era the sports had become a major social gathering with the Royal Scots Greys band stopping of to play en route to the Boer War

As part of the Sports they included a paper chase – also known as hares and hounds – where two runners (hares) set off carrying crescent shaped bags full of paper trimmings under their armpits and laid a trail, made up on the hoof, to be followed by the main pack (the hounds).    The course finished at Burnbank and went as far as Balmore and Bardowie.   Now largely built up, at that time it was clear country most of the way until they came back through Hillhead.   The prime movers of this event were JW Arthur and Tom Chalmers who played rugby and cricket for Scotland almost made it for football as well!    The actual route was as follows: meet at Bishopbriggs station – Cadder – Balmore – Glenorchard – Milngavie Road – Bardowie Loch – Allander Toll – Killermont – Canniesburn – Garscube – Great Western Road – Hyndland Road – Dowanhill – Hillhead – Burnbank.

The Accies ticket

Entry Ticket for the sports of 1879;
The event may not now have the status of yesteryear but it is not alone in this regard but it certainly has stood the test of time.    There have been many top flight athletes taking part in the sports such as:

  • Ginger MacLeod who won the SAAA 100 yards and became the first winner of the Scottish 220 yards championship in 1882 before going on to set a Scottish 120 yards record at the Ibrox Sports the same year.
  • RS Stronach who became a Scotland rugby cap went on to win the British 120 yards hurdles in 1904, 1905 and 1906.    His winning time in 1904 was identical to the winning time in the St Louis Olympics.
  • John McIsaac who was a gold medallist in the European Championships 4 x 400m relay in 1958.    He also broke Halswelle’s long standing record for 440 yards when he ran 48.0 seconds at Ibrox Sports.
  • Hugh Barrow who was one of Scotland’s best ever milers
  • Pat Maclagan who won the SAAA Marathon Championship in 1971.
  • Alan Wilson who had a very good road running career.
  • Alastair Douglas was a very good distance runner on all surfaces.

 

 

Robert Graham

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R Graham 1

Robert Graham, born 4th August 1909, started his career with Motherwell YMCA but spent most of it as a Maryhill Harrier.   Winner of four SAAA Mile titles, setter of four native records at different distances and competitor in the 1934 Commonwealth Games and 1936 Olympics, his career really took off in 1932 at the Glasgow Transport Sports at Helenvale in Glasgow  where he set a Scottish record for the 880 yards of 1:55.8.    The Helenvale meeting was a big one and continued right up to the 1960’s and was noted for being quite a fast track.    The Glasgow Herald of 17th August, 1932, reported the race as follows:

“Scottish Half Mile Record Broken: The sports meeting of the Glasgow Transport Club, held at Helenvale Park last night in dull weather and before a good attendance, saw the Scottish native half-mile record broken by a large margin.   This took place in one of the heats of the half-mile which had been specially handicapped for the occasion.   In this, R Graham of Motherwell had been handicapped to receive three yards from WH Calderwood, the Scottish champion.   The Motherwell youth, however, elected to run from scratch.   Calderwood was always within striking distance and the pair were 15 yards away from the leaders at the bell.   Two hundred yards from home, the pair were out alone and a ding-dong struggle ensued.   Calderwood closed with Graham entering the home straight and looked a winner, but the Motherwell man came again in the last 30 yards to win by the barest of margins in 1 min 55 4-5th secs, two seconds faster than CB Mein’s record established in 1925.   It was a memorable race and the loser has to be commiserated with as he was also well within the record.  

Graham covered the distance a week ago in the same time off five yards, so that last night’s performance was excellent because the conditions were not so good.   Graham has made a remarkable progress during the past season as a year ago at the Rangers meeting he was third in the Mile off the 120 yard mark.   It was easily the best half-mile in Scotland and Graham’s time was only 2-5th sec outside the Scottish all-comer’s record.”

 give the newly crowned Scottish champion Calderwood a shot at the record: he was clearly in form to get it as his run showed.   But to give any man 3 yards in a handicap over 880 yards is a bit of an insult as it just sets him up as a pacemaker.   The race is important not only for the record but also because it shows that Graham was not afraid to go it alone from the front but was not one to give in, finishing with his burst over the last 30 yards.   It brought him to the fore, as they might have said in 1932.   He stayed with the event the following year when he was third – “Graham ran his usual plucky race although over weighed by the winner’s pace at the finish.”

 In 1934 Tom Riddell was unable to attend the Empire Games in London and Graham was called in.   He was fifth in the Final with the first three being Jack Lovelock (4:12.8), Sydney Wooderson, Jerry Cornes.   He liked the cinder track at Helenvale because on 20th August 1935 he set a Scottish record for the Mile of 4:12.   Not only was it a Scottish record, it was also a British one – Wooderson had just improved Reg Thomas’s GB time when he ran 4:12.7 17 days earlier.   It was no real surprise because three weeks earlier he had beaten Riddell’s three quarter mile record with a time of 3:04.6.    These were quite outstanding performances on cinder tracks, at a time when training theory was in its infancy and when the kit available to even the most modest modern athlete was not available.    Two days after the record mile, the Glasgow Herald had a note saying that Graham had been selected to run at the Jubilee International where Scotland & Ireland were up against England & Wales at the White City, as a replacement for Tom Riddell who was unable to attend.    The race was on Saturday, 24th August and the headline in the paper the following Monday read “Maryhill Runner’s Fine Victory” and read “One of the best races was in the mile when in a desperate finish Robert Graham, the 20-year old Maryhill runner who recently equalled Jack Lovelock’s British record, beat AV Reeves by six yards.   Graham was always with the leaders and in spite of a persistent challenge from Reeve he managed to gain first place.”   John Keddie in the official centenary history of the SAAA says that this was his most outstanding victory.

1936 was Olympic year and Graham was obviously well in the frame for selection after his superb season in 1935.    The SAAA Championships were held on 27th June at Hampden Park and he won in a new championship best of 4:12.5.     The race was notable for the duel between Graham and JC Stothard  the half-miler.    The report read:

“SAAA Championships: Graham’s fast time in the Mile.   One of the most memorable and yet the most easily won event of the afternoon’s sport was the mile, which fell to Robert Graham of Maryhill Harriers – a title vacated by the indomitable Tom Riddell.   Interest in this event was intensified by reason of the two star contenders, one of whom was JC Stothard who relinquished his half-mile title in order to have a crack at Graham over the mile.  

Over the first quarter of a mile a clubmate of Graham, R Osborne, set a merry pace clocking 60 sec with Graham almost 8 yards behind and Stothard lying handy behind Graham.   At the close of the half mile stage, Graham took the lead timed at 2 min 6 5-10th sec and here the impression was gained that Stothard was none too happy.   Stothard was still nursing Graham at the three-quarter mile mark in 3 min 11 8-10th sec.   Graham increased his pace, compelling Stothard to extend himself much more than he could stand to retain his natural poise and balance.   Piling on pace, Graham opened up a perceptible gap at the 300 yards mark, and from that point Stothard was hopelessly beaten in a race which was a great tactical victory for Scotland’s greatest miler and now, by common consent, one of Britain’s representatives at the Olympic Games.  

The time of 4 min 12 5-10th sec has only been beaten once in Scotland, and that by himself, and his 4 min 12 sec of last season stood as a British record until only the other day when  SC Wooderson broke it in the Southern Championships.  Note the quarter mile times of this race – 61 sec, 65 5-10th, 64 7-10th, 61 3-10th.   Graham can easily improve on his second lap without impairing the time of the final lap, because Graham took time to take a glance round as he entered the home straight, reserve which may be suitably distributed in a more even schedule of running.”

That was the victory and it won him the Crabbie Cup, awarded annually to the most meritorious performance of the SAAA Championships.   He followed this performance with a third place in the AAA’s championship and was selected for the Berlin Olympics.   Unfortunately, like Sydney Wooderson, he failed to qualify for the Final leaving Cornes as the only British finalist.

R Graham 2

In June 1937 he retained his SAAA title and the  Glasgow Herald said:    “Graham’s Confidence.   Fears that Robert Graham might have trained off slightly were shattered when without the inspiration of company, he retained the mile championship in 4 min 19 1-4th sec.   From the pistol he ran absolutely alone and, making his own pace, beat PJ Allwell (Beith) by 60 yards.   There was no sign of sluggishness in his running and his striding was faultless.”  

He travelled to the AAA’s championship where he was third in the mile, won by Wooderson in 4:15.9.   Later that year he set a Scottish Two Miles record of 9:17.3 and ran his fastest 1500m in Helsinki with 3:56.4 in early September.   He made it three SAAA titles in  in a row in 1938 when the report read   “Until the last lap of the mile, many of the spectators thought that Jack Gifford of Bellahouston would menace Robert Graham’ prospects of retaining his title but it was obvious that Graham in the lead and confident enough to remain there had something in reserve, and when the champion did make his effort he drew clear steadily and won by five yards.   Graham finished comfortably, glancing back over his shoulder repeatedly – a habit of which he has not managed to rid himself.”

This was only the second time in the reports that I have read that the backward glance has been mentioned: it should be noted that there are at least two types of backward glance – there is the anxious look back of the weary athlete who is desperate for the line to come but fears that it may not, and there is the backwards glance of the winning athlete who is quite confident and merely checking the situation out.    I suspect that in this case it would be the latter.

He retained the championship in 1939 but there was no report on his race in the newspaper although the meeting was covered.  He had had an excellent career as a track runner and his championship best for the mile lasted until broken by Alex Breckenridge of Victoria Park in 1953 and his three-quarter mile record lasted even longer, until 1959 when Graham Stark of Edinburgh Southern Harriers took it from 3:04.6 to 3:02.5.

The Origins of Cross Country Running in Scotland

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1889 group

The above picture is of the Clydesdale Harriers Opening Run which opened the Whiteinch Baths in Glasgow in 1989.

“Cross-country running in Scotland, as we know it today, began with a meeting which was held in Glasgow on May 4th, 1885, at which it was decided to form a club to be known as the ‘Clydesdale Harriers’.   Previously some of the Scottish public schools had held occasional ‘paper-chases’ but although there were plenty of athletes competing at sports meetings in the summer months, the winter months were allowed to pass in idleness, except by those who played football.   While waiting for the cross-country, the C.H. ran off several handicaps on the track at Kinning Park, the old ground of the Rangers FC.

The first cross-country run was held in Milngavie in September 1885.   On that occasion the ‘hares’ were very strong and covered a distance of thirteen miles, running for nearly two hours.   On 30th September 1885 the late DS Duncan called a meeting in Edinburgh at which the Edinburgh Harriers club was brought into being and in November 1885, an inter-club run was held at Coltbridge, Edinburgh.   During the winter of 1885, the Lanarkshire Bicycle Club and the Langside Bicycle Club formed harriers sections but they found the sport too strenuous and the sections faded out.   In December of that year the Edinburgh Harriers held the first cross-country handicap ever held in Scotland over a distance of four miles.   DS Duncan and WM Gabriel ran off scratch with a handicap limit of four minutes.  

In February 1886, an inter-club between the Edinburgh Harriers and Clydesdale Harriers was held at Govan when a field of twenty seven runners took part!   At the convivial gathering which followed, DS Duncan made a strong appeal on behalf of the SAAA for further support for that body.

The first Scottish Cross-Country Championship was held on Lanark Racecourse.   It was a challenge match between the CH and the EH.   The venue was unsuitable for the CH, and out of fourteen nominations only four contested the race.   The EH had seven men forward.   AP Findlay (by far the oldest runner in the field) won from DS Duncan, who was at that time considered the best long distance athlete in Scotland.   Findlay was a stone-mason to trade, and a very hardy athlete.   When the news reached Ayr (his home town), preparations were made to greet him on the arrival of his train at 9:12 pm.   He did not turn up and a still larger crowd met the 11:20 pm train, but again there was no Findlay.   At 7:40 on the Sunday morning he arrived footsore and weary having walked from Barrhead to Kilmarnock to catch the mail train for Ayr.   He had no special preparation for the race which had been arranged only three weeks before it was run.   There are only two survivors of those who competed in this first championship – John Clelland of Larkhall and James Campbell of Helensburgh – both of whom ran in CH colours.

   When Findlay won again in 1888 all the runners went off the trail, and Findlay was blamed (probably unjustly) for leading the field astray.   He could keep going indefinitely and the competitors ran about sixteen miles that day – some arriving back in cabs and other conveyances.   One or two had to have their shoes cut off in the main street of Ayr, and finished barefooted in the snow and slush and darkness.

In September 1886 the West of Scotland Harriers Club was formed, the membership of which at the beginning was mostly composed of cyclists and rowing men.  

Outside of the three principal clubs – the CH, EH and WSH – the sport did not make much progress for the first couple of years, and it was only when the CH started to develop branches, or sections, in different parts of the country that it began to take hold.   Sections were formed in different towns in Dumbartonshire, Stirlingshire, Renfrewshire, Lanarkshire and Ayrshire, and these were carefully nursed by the parent body.   When the sections were strong enough to stand alone, they formed themselves into separate clubs and so the movement spread.   The pioneer work was very exacting, but the founders had great faith in the future of the sport, and the result justified their efforts.    It is of interest to mention that in the CH the whipper-in of the main pack carried a hunting horn slung over his shoulder and made appropriate noises with it during the course of the run.

Not till the season of 1887-88 did the real missionary work begin.   With the advent of Andrew Dick as Joint Secretary things began to hum.   When James Erskine took office in 1888 the CH membership had risen to about 200, and in 1900 it went up to 1000 paying members, who had the benefit of a private club-room in Dundas Street, Glasgow, where runners could meet at any time and get all the athletic and other newspapers as well as a manuscript magazine (monthly) run by Clydesdale’s own members.   There was in addition a gymnastic and boxing section, with premises at Garnethill.   Mr Erskine still takes a lively interest in the affairs of the sport.  

The two chief protagonists of cross-country running in the early days were Andrew Dick in the West and DS Duncan in the East.   Another survivor of the first season, 1885-86, is TW Young (CH).   Although a sprinter of much ability on the track, Young seldom missed a run across country.

In season 1890-91 Andrew Hannah (CH) was champion.   He had a stern opponent in Wm Thomson (CH) of Larkhall, a well-known runner on the track.   ‘Big Wull’ was a forester for many years on the Hamilton Ducal Estates.   Popular wherever he went, he is now resident in Paisley.   Hannah is still hale and hearty and located in the city of St Mungo.

Missing a sequence of years we now come to that well known schoolmaster, Tom Jack (ESH) who won in 1907-08 and again in 1912.   Mr Jack is still very much to the fore, and now discharges his duties as Eastern District Handicapper with characteristic thoroughness. 

The years 1922-3-4 brought out that wonderful distance runner, Duncan MacLeod Wright.   In 1922 he ran in the colours of the CH and in 1923 and 1924 in those of Shettleston Harriers.   He is however perhaps better known under the Maryhill colours.   Two of his greatest honours were the victories in the AAA Marathon (Windsor to Stamford Bridge), 1924, and the Empire Marathon Championship (1930), (Hamilton, Ontario).   One cannot overlook the brilliant performances of J Suttie Smith who was five times champion  in the sequence of years 1928 – 1932 inclusive.    Surely this will be a record that will be difficult to equal, let alone excel.

What is one to say of the present champion, only a novice of recent discovery?   JC Flockhart (Shettleston Harriers) has set the whole athletic universe talking.   To win the Midland, Junior and National Championships in one year is indeed something to be proud of.   Veterans predict a brilliant future for this youth, who like many of the veterans of the past, has raised the level of cross-country running in Scotland to an international standard.”

Next: Statistics: SAA Championships

Y50 5 CC Champs

 

Y50 6 CC Champs 2

Colin Shields

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Colin Shields Chain

Colin Shields wearing the chain of office of President of the SCCU

I have known Colin for over 50 years.   We first met when we were running in the inter-club track meetings between our two clubs in the late 1950’s, weserved on the SAAA General and West District Committees together, and sharing an interest in athletics history, there has been almost continuous contact over past few decades years.   His range on interest and abilities is wide: as a runner he has run track, road and cross-country and even raced the Ben Nevis race three times.   As an administrator he has served on the committees of  two athletic clubs (Greenock Glenpark Harriers and Dumbarton AAC), two District Committees (South Western and Western), the Scottish Amateur Athletic Association (where he rose to the position of President) and the Scottish Cross-Country Union (again he rose to the presidency).    As an official he has worked at club, County, District and National Championships as well as at other meetings large and small around the country.    And of course as a historian he has produced one of the great reference works of Scottish athletics, the official centenary history of the SCCU.    This was not without its difficulties when some committee men felt that it should be shorter and tried to do just that by removing a handful of pages without reference to the content but it has proved its worth and is treasured by historians, be they club, national or individual.   The whole speaks of a man who loves the sport and his career is well worth examining in some detail.

Colin Shields Group

A very young Colin, second from the right in the middle row, with a Greenock Glenpark Harriers group in the 1950’s

His athletics career has been summarised at the start of ‘Whatever the Weather’ (his centenary history of the SCCU) as follows.   “Colin was born in Shanghai and educated in Greenock and Strathclyde University.   He is a qualified civil engineer and town planner who was in charge of transportation planning at Glasgow District Council Planning Department.   He has been involved with athletics and cross-country running since joining Greenock Glenpark Harriers in 1952.   He has been involved in all aspects of the sport – he has been a runner, official, administrator, historian, announcer and statistician with interests in events as disparate as the decathlon (for which he was championship convener for ten years) and cross-country running.

He has always been fascinated by statistics and the results of the sport being a member of the National Union of Track Statisticians and a founder member of the Scottish Association of Track Statisticians, assisting in the compiling, collation and publishing of annual ranking lists.   He has been convenor of the SCCU Rules Committee as well as the Records and Statistics Committee.

A past President of the Scottish Amateur Athletic Association he has been a member of the SAAA General Committee from the 1970’s into the twenty first century.   In cross-country, he has filled the offices of Secretary of the South Western and Western District Committees for over 16 years.

A long term fascination with the history and personalities of cross-country since its inception in 1885 has led him to carry out the lengthy and detailed research that led to the publication of his justly celebrated ‘Whatever The Weather’ – the centenary history of the SCCU.

He has also been a freelance contributor to athletics magazines such as ‘Athletics Weekly’ and produced the regular and much valued results service for the now defunct ‘Scotland’s Runner’.”

Colin Shields 3

In some American publications a fellow who could run pretty well, could work as a doctor and also write for a well-known athletics magazine was referred to as a ‘renaissance man’ – I always thought that that was a bit over the top but if it were true, what does that make Colin?

Let’s go back to the beginning: how did Colin get into the sport in the first place?    He was thirteen years old at the time and as a pupil in the second year at Greenock High School he went along to Greenock Glenpark Harriers with George and Jim Spence and Billy Murray.   Their PE teacher was really only interested in football and when George Spence kicked an opponent in a football match he was told he could just run round the football pitch for the rest of the period.   That encouraged the other Harriers in the class to lash out in the course of the match and a good training session became the norm.   They ran in the school summer championships on a grass 220 yard pitch and also in the ‘The Metropolis of Greenock’ championships encompassing the schools in Greenock, Gourock and Port Glasgow as well as in the Scottish Schools relay at Westerlands.   Colin’s best times at this period were

100 yards:   11.7 seconds;   220 yards:   24.6;   440 yards:   55.4;   880 yards:   2:09.6;   Mile:   4:39;   Two Miles:   9:28

Colin ran in club, county and National Championships.   His first run in the National Championships in 1957 when he was 76th in the Youths event.   It was a good team that year with Willie Murray and George Spence as the first two club finishers.   For the following three years he ran in the Junior Championships, finishing 71st, 115th and 68th.   He ran as a Senior in 1962 and 1963 finishing down the field but the notes on the 1963 championship say that among those who failed to finish that year, were Bob Wotherspoon (Shettleston), Charlie Meldrum (St Modan’s), Gordon Eadie(Cambuslang), Jim Alder (Morpeth Harriers), Graham Peters (VPAAC), John Kerr (Airdrie Harriers), Dick Penman and Jim Irvine (both Bellahouston Harriers).   So it wasn’t too bad a run.   On the road he had one run in the Edinburgh to Glasgow relay, and ran in the first ever Tom Scott 10 Road Race where he was timed at 63:06.   Colin was for several years a regular in the Gourock HG 14 miles road race and also took part in such events as Dirrans (13 miles) and Carluke (12 miles) road races.   The hill running scene also attracted his attentions and Colin ran in the Ben Lomond race and successfully tackled the Ben Nevis race three times.

At the age of 17 he was elected to the post of Assistant Secretary of Greenock Glenpark and his duties included writing the minutes of committee meetings and collecting training levies on Tuesdays and Thursdays.    However having gained his first professional qualification he moved to a job in Hoddesdon, Hertfordshire.   This meant resigning as Assistant Secretary after just eight months in the job.   However you can’t keep a good man down and on his return he joined Dumbarton AAC where he was Treasurer for four years.    He kept his membership of Greenock Glenpark Harriers alive however and future service to athletics was done under their banner.

In 1958, Colin with some other Greenock Glenpark harriers went to Cardiff for the British Empire Games and after they were over stayed with relatives for another week’s holiday.   While there he went into the AAA’s offices and saw his first copy of ‘Athletics Weekly’.   he asked if he could keep it and was told he could take ‘that whole box’ if he wanted.   The box was filled with back numbers of AW’s that were to be thrown out.   Needless to say he took it and that was when he started collecting details of performances.   This led to membership of SATS – the Scottish Association of Track Statisticians – and he became one of the  key figures behind the now sadly defunct Scottish Athletics Yearbook which was a ‘must have’ for all genuinely involved in the sport north of the border.   It had ranking lists for each and every event at every recognised age group for both men and women with short notes on the state of the event at the top of each event’s rankings.   There were many other features – articles on various aspects by most of the great and good in the sport, pen portraits of selected athletes, historical records lists, results from championships and internationals and much more besides.   A closer look at this publication is taken below.

While on the subject of records, he was convener of the Rules and Records Committee for many years and at the Commonwealth Games in Edinburgh he was Chief Press Liaison Officer.   This led him into a story that was to be printed in all the national papers.   It concerned the decathlete Daley Thomson who won the event in typical style.   Clearly to my mind the best all-round athlete the country has ever produced, the word ‘mercurial’ has been used to describe Thomson’s style in public and there were many occasions when he was genuinely kind and prepared to sign autographs and pose for pictures.  He had another side and  was described by the Times as being  “Objectional, charmless and rude“ and “This is not a man destined to be a sports diplomat.”   The Sun said that he showed “over-powering arrogance and rudeness.”.    As for the incident itself, the Los Angeles Times described it as follows.   “”Thompson gives cold shoulder to officials: he wins third straight decathlon title then throws away sponsor’s bib.    For the second straight day, Thomson delighted the spectators but angered the officials with his behaviour.   When games press liaison officer Colin Shields requested him to attend a press conference, the decathlete replied ‘I bloody won’t‘”     The St Petersburg Times (in Russia) reported, “Thompson wins again: continues to defy officials.   When Press Officer Colin Shields requested him to attend a news conference for the medalists, Thompson said, ‘I bloody won’t.’   Shields said that he later complained to England’s Track and Field manager Gordon Wright about Thompson’s behaviour.”   A final comment was added by the Philadelphia Inquirer when it said “We know but can’t control him,” Shields quoted Wright as saying.”   

Colin’s view of the matter was covered in an article by Stewart McIntosh in ‘Scotland’s Runner of September 1986 and reads as follows.   “What is the truth about the fracas between Daley Thomson and SAAA official Colin Shields?   For a gleeful Press the story of Thomson telling an official to ‘piss off’ added an extra head of froth to the previous day’s antics about the Guinness logo.   Thomson defended himself by suggesting that Shields was out of order in approaching him immediately after the medal ceremony requesting him to attend a press conference.   But Shields insists that he approached Thomson much earlier and that the three-times Commonwealth gold medal winner breached an agreement about press procedures.  

To prevent athletes from being besieged by the press, the procedure had been agreed in advance.   Immediately after finishing their events, winning athletes would give the BBC a ‘flash’ interview before descending into the tunnel out of the centre of the arena.   If the written press wanted an interview, then it was Shields’s job to pass the request on to the athlete and request him or her to go to the press room immediately after the medal ceremony.   This arrangement gave competitors about half an hour to compose themselves and give some thought to what they were going to say.   Although every nation attending the games had agreed that their athletes would be available previous experience with the decathlete had made journalists sceptical about the prospects of Thomson meeting this obligation.  

Shields approached him immediately after his ‘flash’ interview where Thomson was obviously relaxed and in good humour as he joked with the TV journalist.   ‘I congratulated Daley on his third Commonwealth gold – and told him that I hoped he would break the world record in Stuttgart.   I then asked him if he would come to the press conference in about half an hour’s time after the medal ceremony’, says Shields.   Thomson’s answer was firm and to the point.   I’m not bloody well going to any press conference,’ he told the press liaison officer.   ‘I repeated the request saying that it was just 20 yards along the corridor and he would have about half an hour until after the ceremony to prepare for the press,’ says Shields.  

‘No, I don’t go to any bloody press conferences.   Don’t you understand the bloody English language?   Now piss off, said Thomson.    ‘I was shocked because no one else had refused,; says Shields, ‘Even some athletes like Fatima Whitbread who were a bit distraught agreed to come.   But it was the manner of his refusal which really took me aback.   I have no axe to grind for the press – if Thomson doesn’t want to give interviews that’s up to him, but there is no need for that kind of behaviour to someone whose job it is to pass on the message.’

Shields received an apology from the English team manager and an explanation that Thomson was difficult to control, but he was particularly wounded by Thomson’s allegations next day that he had not been approached until after the medal ceremony.   ‘Every athlete was approached at the same time – down in the tunnel right after their event and with half an hour’s notice of the press conference.   I have spent enough years watching and officiating at athletics matches to know that you have to be sensitive in your approach and that there are times when any athlete needs to be left alone.   But Thomson had plenty of time and had been joking and smiling with the TV reporter immediately before I went up to him, Shields explained.   Shields stresses that he remains a great admirer of Thomson’s athletic abilities – ‘I still hope that he gets that world record in Stuttgart, but I have lost some respect for him as a human being.’

And that’s that story of how Colin came to appear in the pages of the press all over the world from Los Angeles to St Petersburgh as well as throughout the Commonwealth.

***

He was also a member of the club group that travelled with Shettleston Harriers to the Rome Olympics in 1960 and in 1970 one of his Dumbarton clubmates, Alistair Lawson had a relative with a flat in Edinburgh.   Colin and some others went through for the duration and watched every single day’s athletics.   His list of Games attended is impressive and includes 1958  –   Empire Games in Cardiff;   1960   –   Olympic Games in Rome;   1970   –   Commonwealth Games in Edinburgh;   1972  –   Olympic Games in Munich;   1974   –   Europeans Championships in Rome;   1986   –   Commonwealth Games in Edinburgh;   1987   –   World Championships in Rome;   1987  –  Euro Juniors in Birmingham.    He also officiated at the inaugural Commonwealth Youth Games in Edinburgh and was responsible for records at the European Games in Glasgow in 1991.

When I asked him to say what was the high point from all the athletics that he had seen, he unhesitatingly said watching Herb Elliott win the Olympic 1500m in a new world record in Rome in 1960.   It was a really memorable trip and that particular event was the best of the best.   At home his top moment wasn’t as might be expected to do with middle distance running, or indeed any track event.   It was Ken McKay in 1985 doing a tremendous long jump on a nasty night at Edinburgh.   As soon as he landed he was leaping around and celebrating excitedly.   When Colin asked him about it Ken said that when a long jumper hits the board right, gets the jump right and lands going forward and not falling back, it’s a dream jump and he knows immediately.   It was a career best for the Pitreavie athlete.

Following the 1970 Commonwealth Games, he attended a course for track officials organised by Jim Morton at Bellahouston in Glasgow.   Jim pointed out right at the start that to be a track official, you needed concentration, good eyesight, keenness and ‘a strong bladder’ because you were out there for the duration of the meeting.   This led eventually to Colin being a Grade 1 track judge, a wind gauge operator, a marksman and the track referee qualification.

As a journalist, Colin had been a regular contributor to Athletics Weekly and Athletics in Scotland in the 1970s and Scotland’s Runner in the 1980s.    One little known fact about Colin is his radio reporting.   He did the first ever report on athletics on Radio Clyde in early 1975.   He had a total of three minutes to cover the Springburn Cup.   he also broadcast on other events such as the Scottish Schools.   These were of course in the days before mobile phones and the like.   On occasion there were no phones available and on more than one occasion he had to run up the road ‘chapping on doors’ asking if he could use their telephone.   When Dumbarton AAC started to do their relay from Glasgow (leaving George Square at 6:30 am) to Fort William in the 1960’s Colin was one of the two timekeepers, the other being Raymond Hutcheson.   His equally important task however was to phone in the team’s progress to Radio Clyde and to give them the final time.
Yearbook Lemon
Colin was Convenor of the SAAA Records Sub-Committee and on the Selection Committee for track and field international teams. Also on these committees in the late 1980s was Arnold Black and in 1991 they resurrected the Scottish Association of Track Statisticians (SATS) which had been dormant since the publication of the Scottish Athletics Yearbook 1983.
A membership was formed to assist with the publication of the Yearbook, with Colin as President and Arnold as Secretary/Treasurer, with assistance with results and compiling from Dudley Brotchie, Richard Bunker, Robert Carrie, Fraser Clyne, Norrie Griffiths, Derek McGinley, Margaret McInally, David Morrison and George Young. In 1993, the Yearbook was again published, a 104 page list of records and rankings, printed by a small co-operative in Govan, Govan Litho, and sold for £2.
The success and reception for the yearbook’s return saw it expanded the following year to 188 pages, incorporating advertisements to make the production affordable and viable. Colin would phone, write to and pester advertisers and achieved a success in raising funds that the compilers of the British equivalent had never even tried. He sourced articles for the yearbook and over the years wrote some of his own.
He added the observant event comments to the ranking lists which made the yearbooks all the more informative and readable, a great accompaniment to the statistics. Not everyone was enamoured by the comments though and even legal action was threatened on more than one occasion, although never forthcoming. Arnold edited the yearbook and Colin was less than impressed on occasion when some of his comments did not make the final publication for space reasons.
The yearbook continued until the 2009 yearbook was published. By then, the compiling team was down to just a few and, with the advent of internet rankings with their immediacy sometimes replacing accuracy, the demand for the yearbook fell away rapidly in the latter years until publication was no longer viable.
Colin and Arnold are continuing to work together on a long-standing (and long-running) project on the history of Scottish Athletics, through profiles of the great names in the sport. Colin’s deep knowledge of the sport and of the eccentricities of the times make him a great contributor to such a volume, and they hope to be able to publish the volume early in 2014.
Travelling frequently to England taking athletes to races and attending BMC and British squad gatherings, I know that it was a publication envied by the athletes and coaches south of the border who did not have a similar publication solely for England although all their results of note were included in the BAAB Annual which was not exclusive to England and which did not go as deep as the SATS annual.
Whatever the Weather
Colin is perhaps best known to the present generation as an administrator and official of some ability.   On his return from Hertfordshire, he lived in Dumbarton and joined the local club and ran for them in the District Relay Championships at King’s Park in Stirling.   he was still a Greenock man at heart though and represented the club on the Renfrewshire AAA Committee.   In 1967 George Pickering retired as secretary of the South West District and Bob McSwein moved up from being County secretary to inherit the role.   Colin was proposed and elected as secretary of the Renfrewshire AAA and this is a post that he has held for almost 50 years, being the current incumbent of the role with no signs of slowing down!     Colin, during this time, has also been secretary of the South-Western District and, its successor when the Districts were re-organised, the West District for a total of 15 years.    In these posts he organised the District Relays and the District Championships for 13 years, and as a member of the SCCU was responsible for organising the National Cross-Country Championship twice.
As a member of the SAAA, he has been President and vice president, Chairman of the Rules and Records Committee, organised the West District Track & Field Championships four or five times, was decathlon convener for 10 years taking the event to Aberdeen in the North to Annan in the south and several points in between and has been team manager for several Scottish teams.    His credo on these occasions was “Athletics is for the athletes, officials will work to serve the athletes.”
Probably the best ever reference book on any aspect of Scottish athletics is Colin’s centenary history “Whatever the Weather”, properly called “Runs Will Take Place, Whatever the Weather”.    It is clearly the result of a lot of work and scrupulous attention to detail.   When I asked him how long it took him, he replied that it was somewhere between three and a half and four years.   But that was full time research and writing.   He had been given early retirement because he required of serious difficulties with his feet and took the opportunity to get the history done.   His wife, Linda, would drop him at the Mitchell Library at 8:00 am and collect him no earlier than 8:00 pm.    The result was a longer volume than that which was finally produced.   Once it went to the printer and the chapters were sent to him for proof reading, many corrections had to be made and there were also decisions to be taken about cost, etc.   The book was finally sold at £5 a copy and made a profit!    However he incurred the wrath of the SCCU Committee and a disciplinary meeting was held in the North British Hotel in Glasgow, beside Queen Street Station.   He was accused of various illegalities, asked to leave the room while discussion was held behind closed doors, and summoned to be told that he was suspended sine die and asked to resign from all posts held within the organisation.   At his own expense, Colin hired a lawyer to examine the situation and the outcome was that the Union was asked to a meeting with a QC in Edinburgh to put their case, as was Colin with the QC’s decision to be taken as final.   The decision was that the SCCU had acted outwith their competence and ordered his immediate re-instatement to all posts.   The Union delayed implementation of this finding until the very last minute.   Almost three years later, in its final meeting which wound up the Union and transferred all its powers to the new Scottish Athletics Federation, he was re-instated to all the posts.   Regardless of all that, the book itself is an essential reference work for anyone involved in Scottish athletics.   The amount of detail as far as the running and racing is concerned is incredible, a separate section on the Edinburgh to Glasgow relay race for instance is worth the £5 price on its own, but he also gives an insight into the workings of the various committees and there are fine rounded portraits of the key people in the development of the sport.   I have three copies, I have given away a dozen and sold more than that.
He is still involved in the sport – he has been organising the DunRen meetings at Linwood with Stuart Irvine since the mid-90’s, they also started up the Run/Jump/Throw meetings at the same venue and, still with Stuart, organises the Tour of Clydeside – four races, at four venues, over different terrain and at different distances.    He is still secretary of the Renfrewshire association after 47 years in the post and as such is responsible with his committee for the organisation of the County Cross-Country Relays and County Cross-Country  Championships as well as the Road and Track & Field Championships.   But what I am waiting for is the next Colin Shields/Arnold Black production – a book entitled “The Past Is a Foreign Country” which will contain 100 profiles.   35 of these profiles will be for the period up to 1939 with the remaining 65 covering the period from 1946.    It has been years in the making and should be well worth the wait.
Little wonder that in 2006 he was given a Lifetime Achievement Award by Scottish Athletics
Officials like Colin don’t come along very often   ….   unfortunately for Scottish athletics.

Eddie Taylor

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Eddie in 1949

Eddie Pictured in 1949

Eddie Taylor was one of a generation of great club men, one-club men, that spanned the war years.   He was the first to enunciate for me what many others of that generation lived by and that was the belief that “You do what your club needs you to do.”   In Shettleston there were David Morrison,  Wilie Laing and the Scally family for a start, in my own club of Clydesdale Harriers there were  David Bowman, George White, James P Shields.   Bill Elder at Glenpark was another.

Starting as an endurance runner, Eddie had some good runs for the club in the 1930’s.   In season 1935/36 he ran for the club in the Midland District Championships where the team finished fifth.   The following winter he ran in the National Novice Championship where he was a non counter in the wining Shettleston team.   He was also in the four man B team in the Midland Relays that finished a creditable seventh.   In 1937/38 he was a member of the winning team in the McAndrew Relay at Scotstoun along with Jim Flockhart, Willie Sutherland and Willie Donaldson.   In 1938/39 he ran in his only Edinburgh to Glasgow relay on the fifth stage where he pulled the team up from ninth to seventh before handing over to Jim Flockhart who picked up one more on the star studded sixth stage of seven miles.   He also ran in the National that season.

Eddie was running well in the years immediately before the War and won several club championships: in 1936/37 he won the club novice championship and also won the Shaw Cup which was held over eight handicap events varying in distance from 75 yards to two miles.

When the War intervened, the club members who were not, for several different reasons, in the Forces, kept the club going and Eddie was one of those men.    He had been secretary in the 1938/39 season, and then acted as treasurer from 1940/41 to 1942/43 before taking the President’s chair in 1944/45 and 1945/46.   There were further stints as club president in 1953/54, 1965/66 and 1966/67.

As can be seen, he was a good committee man in the club, filling many more posts than those mentioned above.   This was not a situation that changed over the years either.   In 1960, the club sent two buses to the Rome Olympics and Eddie had been one of the organisers of that expedition.   It goes on to add that one of the highlights for Eddie and his wife Meta had nothing to do with the athletics.   “Strolling through the Olympic Village they came across a group of bambini in a very agitated cluster.   Closer examination revealed that they were being entertained by a handsome young black American, the new Olympic light heavyweight boxing champion, Cassius Clay, later Muhammed Ali.   Not content with bagging one international personality, they turned a corner and almost bumped into Bing Crosby.”

As a coach he coached high jumps, long jump, triple jump and javelin to Senior Coach level as well as sprints, middle distance, shot and discus at club coach level.   This is an incredible list – nowadays they would be level four for the first four and level three for the second four!   Little wonder he was one of the first to be recognised as a Master Coach when the award was first instituted.   He was also Scottish coach for various disciplines as well as for what was at that time called multi-events.   He was very far sighted as a coach: in a letter to the ‘Athletics Weekly’ a number of years ago, one coach was complaining about his sessions being stolen by other coaches.

Eddie was the very reverse of that.   Two examples.   First from the official Shettleston Harriers history quoting the  minutes of a club meeting.   “Going into the track and field season the club had amassed a greater number of coaches than ever before ‘for all events’ and was now offering specialist coaching on an individual basis and not only to club members.   Coaching convener Eddie Taylor urged the Committee to encourage others outside the club “to place themselves in the hands of the many coaches”, an approach that was to become a feature of the club’s policy during the 60’s”   Eddie was never narrow of outlook.   Second, when we at Clydesdale Harriers were holding throws coaching sessions for local schools, we invited several coaches from outside the club to help.   Eddie was the national coach for javelin at the time and he came along willingly  nd when another coach from another local club refused saying that “Clydesdale only wanted to recruit for themselves,” he rebuked him saying it was good for the sport.   The Shettleston AGM in 1964 was magnanimous in its praise of the coaching of young athletes done by Eddie and by Alex Naylor – another who coached “the body of the Kirk”.   Both believed in the “all who will may enter” school of coaches.   He was a very good and popular National Coach for the Multi-events, now known as Combined Events.   We were both on the West District of the SAAA Coaching Committee in 1979 and 1980 and he passed on a lot of very useful information informally at these events.

Even though by then he was known as a very good coach indeed, he never failed to take any opportunity to add to his store of knowledge and was a regular attender at coaching courses wherever they were being held.

As an administrator he served on club, county, district and national committees rising to senior positions in them all.   The highest position in Scottish athletics, President of the SAAA, was held by Eddie in 1974, after he  had worked his way through all the committees and subcommittees over the years.   He was also accorded the honour of life membership of the SAAA.

Shettleston Harriers history reported that the club had 4 possibles and one certainty for the team going to the 1974 Commonwealth Games.   The one certainty was Eddie Taylor who had already been selected as team manager.   When it came to the Games, Lachie Stewart had this to say about him: “Eddie is the best team manager we ever had, because he had such an easy-going attitude but was still effective.”

Having been admin officer, coach and team manager for Scottish international teams and representative squads literally for decades, Eddie was certainly effective.   For example when I was admin officer for the men’s team in the Bell’s Junior International in 1980, Eddie was team manager and he gave the appearance of being ‘easy-going’ but he was very sharp indeed.   He knew all of the athletes in the team and knew how they all had to be dealt with and which ones to watch late at night as well!

As far as awards were concerned, he was rightly recognised by the authorities.   In 1990 he won the Betty Claperton Trophy which is awarded annually to the person considered by the Coaching Committee to have given outstanding service to coaching and in the same year was awarded the Tom Stillie Memorial Trophy which is awarded annually to the person considered by Council to have contributed most to Scottish Athletics.   To be awarded either is an honour but to be awarded both in the same year is unique.

Athlete, coach, committee man nationally and locally, and administrator, Eddie was also a reporter for the ‘Scots Athlete’ magazine which was the Bible of the sport in the 1940’s and 1950’s.

Eddie was never unprepared – he was always up-to-date with his knowledge of coaching of Scottish athletics generally.   He was genuinely ‘easy-going’ as Lachie said, but behind that was a thorough going professional attitude to everything that he did.

 

 

Alex Naylor

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Alex was for most of my time as a coach the Big Daddy of Scottish endurance coaching.    We first crossed swords as runners in the late 50’s in the Clydebank to Helensburgh 16 mile road race  for which I was not well prepared.   A pal of mine said why not do the Balloch to Clydebank this year and then the Helensburgh?     I agreed, we both ran the Balloch and then when I turned up for the Helensburgh, he was nowhere to be seen.  I ran anyway.    On the run in to Helensburgh from Cardross everyone I passed dropped out and eventually within finishing distance I dropped out as well.   When I looked back at the results a few years later, who had been last in the race?   A gent called Alex Naylor.    Our paths crossed a lot – and I mean A LOT – over the next thirty or forty years.   He was i/c Scottish squad sessions when I took runners along, we met at BMC weekends, when I organised training days at Huntershill he was an ever present and then in 1986 he invited me to become Scottish Staff Coach for 5000/10000 metres and the friendship has continued in various other guises right up to date.   This is not a biography, it is not even in chronological order, it is quite simply (as Alex often says) about a man who has done a lot for his club and for the sport.   The best overview of his career was the tribute paid after he died by Graham Smith of Victoria Park which is reproduced here in full.

Born in the East End in   Bridgeton he qualified to be an optician, initially as   a manager of Lizars and finally as a shop owner in   Tollcross Road, Glasgow & Church Walk in Denny ,   Naylor’s Opticians.

Alex Naylor was a revered name   in coaching circles throughout the UK, being held in   great esteem by all his peers. His first involvement   with athletics began in 1953 when he joined Glasgow   YMCA as an athlete, before joining Shettleston   Harriers in 1957. Never likely to be an athlete of   International standing, Alex’s love and dedication for   the sport over a period of 58 years was never   diminished. He strived to be the best at whatever he   did, and on a coaching aspect, he certainly achieved   that receiving an MBE in the 2007 New Year’s Honours   list for services to athletics.

Alex’s accolades were many,   being awarded the Honorary title Master Coach for   Middle distance, from UK Athletics, and from Scottish   athletics just some of his awards and titles are   listed below:   Scottish Amateur Athletics   Association Coaching administrator for 20 years   Coaching lecturer receiving an award for 30 years of   service Chairman of Scottish Joint Coaching   Committee Interim National Coach Honorary Life   Member of SAAA Senior coach for Scottish Schools   residential camps for 10 years.  Invited Coach to   Irish Schools Summer camps for 2 years Team coach   to many British and Scottish Teams Won Betty   Clapperton Trophy for services to coaching on two   occasions Was given a Life Time award by Scottish   Athletics in 2002 Secretary of West District   Committee for 4 years Won Tom Stillie Trophy for   services to athletics in 1985 Founder member of   first Scottish Young Athletes League in the 1960s   Scottish Secretary of British Milers Club for 3   years. 

Alex was one the few early   coaches who were inclusive and he coached various   athletes outwith Shettleston Harriers in his training   groups, including several international athletes and   club athletes from Victoria Park City of Glasgow.   Including one of our Life Members Los Angeles   Olympian, Lynne MacDougall who ran (4.05.96)1500m &   (2:01.1) 800m in 1984 at the age of 19,  Dave   McMeekin (1:46.8) and Susan Scott, for a short period   as a youngster when she moved to Glasgow from Ayr   Seaforth.  She went on to become an Olympian in   Beijing and Scottish record holder (1:59.02) 800m.

Possibly his major individual   coaching success. amongst his many achievements, was   coaching Nat Muir who set a Scottish record at 5000m   13:17.9 in Oslo in 1980, which still stands today. Nat   also won 8 Scottish Senior Cross Country Titles under   Alex’s guidance, he could only manage 3rd place in   1982 after being hit by a trolley bus during a New   Year’s Eve race in Madrid and had hardly any training   prior to the National XC. In 2003 Alex also coached   Allan Stuart to a World Record at 400m for athletes   with learning difficulties and Olympic silver medal at   the Sydney 2000, LD Paralympic Games.

In his capacity as a coaching   lecturer he must have influenced the lives of   thousands of athletes and coaches both directly and   indirectly, through Schools residential camps, and the   coaching weekends at Largs. He once told me that “If   you want to become a good coach, you have to remember   it’s a commitment for life”, it certainly was for him.      On a personal note, I had known Alex for more   than 30 years initially as a member of one of his   coaching groups, and then as a coach tutor when I came   into coaching in the mid 80’s. He became my mentor and   friend travelling with him to many B.M.C. conferences,   seminars and training camps, introducing me to his   peer group of Peter Coe, Harry Wilson, Frank Horwill    et al. some of the greatest endurance coaches of   Britain’s “Golden Era”, they all thought of Alex as a   friend, such was his standing in the coaching   community.

Everyone will remember his    “Naylorisms”, there are hundreds of examples that   everyone here can recall like “I have seen milk turn   faster” “Don`t lie there on the track, my athletes   will get blood on their spikes” and “I don’t know what   you are whinging about, I can’t feel any pain”, but   they were delivered with comedic timing, so the   acerbic wit was never deemed offensive.  In   later years, Alex’s health declined, but he still   managed down to coach at Crownpoint Track on a Tuesday   and Thursday night. I used to pick him up from his   flat in Cumbernauld, and woe betide me if I was more   than 5 minutes late arriving, though he could stroll   down 15 minutes late and ask if I had been waiting   long. I remember one journey, I had just collected my   car from the garage after a service, and as we were   driving I heard this “loud ticking “noise in the car,   I proceeded switching off the radio, the heaters, air   con etc. to no avail. I started off by saying to Alex,   what I was going to tell that garage the next morning,   that they hadn’t checked the car thoroughly and hadn’t   completed the job. When we arrived at the track, I   lifted the bonnet, checked all around the car, but   every time I went inside I still heard the ticking   even with the car stopped. I helped Alex out of the   car, and then he produced an old clockwork stopwatch   from his pocket, and said “Is this the ticking sound   you mean” both of us burst out laughing, he had me   going for the full journey from Cumbernauld to   Crownpoint track.

When my wife and I used to   visit him in the care home he could still have us   laughing and reflective on our journey home after his   tales and one liners, “There you are you see”.   Everyone who knew, or met Alex could tell a story, he   was a true legend in his life time, a great man, a   great coach and a good friend.  He will be sadly   missed by all who had the privilege of knowing him.    

From Alex’s Order of Service – a philosophy he   lived by. If you think you are beaten –   you are , If you think you dare not – you don’t If   you like to win but you think you can’t, It’s   almost certainly you won’t. If you think you’ll   lose – you’ve lost; For out of the world we find – Success begins with a fellows will,  It’s all in the   state of mind. If you think you’re outclassed – you   are; You’ve got to think high to rise; You’ve   got to be sure of yourself Before you can win a   prize. Life’s battles don’t always go To the   strongest or fastest man; But soon or late the man   who wins Is the man who thinks he can.

And that’s where Graham’s tribute ends – a wonderful tribute written with affection and respect which also summarises Alex’s career beautifully.    My own involvement with him follows.

He started serious coaching before I did – I became a coach in 1961 and combined it with running on the track, over the country and on the road while Alex concentrated on the coaching side of athletics.   It wasn’t too long before the results of his athletes and his interest in furthering his knowledge had him  one of the Scottish Staff Coaches and he went on to become Group for Endurance events and to hold various posts in British athletics – the one where I learned a bit from him was when he was GB Coach to Junior Steeplechase.    The number of top internationals that he had was legion with Nat Muir and Alistair Currie probably the top two.   Everyone in Scottish Athletics has an Alex story or two in their locker.   For example, watching a slow middle distance race, it was “I could stand faster!”   (Sayings of Chairman Alex, Number One) On one occasion I went in to a sports meeting at Crown Point on the way to visit some relatives in Barrhead and was wearing a natty navy blue sports jacket.   “Where are you going, senilis?” He asked, “To a funeral for someone you don’t like?”   One of the big laughs was at the BMC Conference in Liverpool when Frank Horwill had given a talk on testing – Balke test, Kosmin tests, etc – and the meeting was then thrown open for fifteen minute lecturettes.   Alex got up and using the Kosmin test formula and inserting the appropriate figures proved that according to Mr Kosmin a man with no legs could run two minutes for the 800.   Nobody laughed more than Frank Horwill.

At times I was sonny and at others senilis.   Before anyone else was working with athletes from outside his own club, Alex was famous for coaching “the body of the kirk”.   In other words, all who will may enter.    The patter was good and the training was effective.   One of his sayings was that what people get for nothing, they value at nothing and one of his examples was the circuit training he used to do at Bellahouston Sports Centre.   It was on a Wednesday night and he had the whole big Hall.   Athletes paid a fee of about 5/- and there were literally dozens of athletes being put through their paces with hard but good circuits.   They came from all over the Central Belt to do them.   They were so effective that the SAAA decided to subsidise them and the athletes didn’t have to pay.   Attendances dropped like a stone!

He can also tell a good story against himself.   There was the one where he had Alistair Currie training I think at the Marinecraft in Dumbarton weights room.   He kept telling Alistair that he wasn’t doing a particular exercise properly and demonstrating to the guy how to do it.   After about four or five demos with Alistair still not getting it, the wee guy training away in the corner said to Alex “I don’t know what you are wanting him to do but he is copying what you are doing exactly!”

Although perhaps best known as a coach, he was a very capable administrator and was President of the SAAA in 1978 having previously been Secretary of the West District.   He has also been a member of the British Amateur Athletic Board and he once said that although you were elected for three years you really only had one year where you could do anything.   The first year you were playing yourself in, the second year you had to get the work done because in the third year you were on the way out.   There are coaches whose athletes always look thoroughly miserable but Alex was never one of those.  I remember at the big BMC Conference we had at Jordanhill, we all stayed in on the Saturday night and for a big chunk of it there was a big group of young runners sitting round his table from which gales of laughter were coming at regular intervals.   Speaking of the BMC – he was a regular attender at meetings of the Club and when the meeting was held in Liverpool he gave Frank McGowan a lift down from Glasgow and Frank talks of Alex with a row of cigars on the dashboard before him and lighting one from the stub of the old one all the way down.   After the BMC had agreed to have their final Grand Prix at Scotstoun I had a committee of six or seven to take care of various aspects of the organisation and Alex was one of the key members of such a group.   He was also a Grade 1 Track and Field official and has refereed many important fixtures and was one of the first men that I approached when I was convener of the Decathlon in the 70’s.

He was some guy and I’ll finish for now – more to come – with the time in 1986 when I had been appointed Staff Coach for 5000/10000 and Willie Sharp had the same job for steeplechase.    I had done a paper on the development of the events and Alex invited us up to his flat in Cumbernauld to discuss it.   Once we had done that he turned to Willie who was at that time unmarried and asked him how he washed his shirts!   Alex apparently washed one a day and hung it up over the bath.   There was a row of shirts there and the wet one went at the back and next day he wore the one from the front!   When the bedsheets came into the discussion I switched off!

When I did the second weekend of the Senior Coach course in 1978. the Friday night session was an introduction and issuing of timetables, etc for the weekend.  The first session on Saturday was just covering all the bases and setting up what was to come.   At the morning break, one of the attendees (a throws coach) went round the other coaches asking if they had learned anything new yet getting the obvious reply of “No, not yet.”   Returning after coffee we were all gobsmacked when this chap stood up, interrupted Gordon Cain who was about to speak with a complaint from everyone there that they were learning nothing.   Word got out to Alex who was in the building and at the end of Gordon’s very good presentation, in came Alex in his Great Britain track suit.  He went straight to the rostrum and said straight out in a kind of aggressive manner that there had been some complaints.   Was anyone there wanting to make the complaint and he, in his capacity as President of the SAAA would return his money and he could go home immediately.   Silence.   Alex repeated the question and after more silence, he turned to the chap responsible and asked him if he wanted his money back.   He could go there and then.  Of course he didn’t.    There was no further question of a rebellion that or any other weekend.   Alex had dealt with it immediately and appropriately.

Sayings of Chairman Alex, Number two:    “To cut a short story longer ……………………” Alex tells the story of one of his athletes, who often had to leave the track during sessions for a pit stop,  turning to him when the athletes were lining up for the first rep, “Alex do I need the toilet?” Sayings of Chairman Alex, Number Three:   “Sonny, you breathe through every orifice in your body”

Then there is the one about one of his younger runners who used to get up, take the dog for a walk, have breakfast and go to school.   One day he was halfway round the walk when he discovered he had forgotten the dog!

Sayings of Chairman Alex, Number Four:   “Percolate your way over to the start.”

One of the biggest jobs that he undertook was coach to the Scottish cross country team and governing body.   He held this post for over twenty years and gave it pretty well all he had.    His scheme of Progressively Phased Incentives for the development of athletes from young boys right through to the senior ranks never seemed to me to be properly implemented as it should have been.  It was a first class piece of work which could still be followed almost to the letter and lead to a better standard all round for Scottish cross country running.

Sayings of Chairman Alex, Number Five:  “That was a kind of hand knitted effort!” Sayings of Chairman Alex, Number Six: About a guy who attended every meeting but never spoke a word: “He’s like an apology for somebody who couldn’t come.” Sayings of Chairman Alex, Number Seven: “Digitus Extractus!” Sayings of Chairman Alex, Number Eight: “Stop lying on the track, I don’t want people to get blood on their spikes.” Sayings of Chairman Alex, Number Nine: “You’re running like you have starch in your pants!” Sayings of Chairman Alex, Number Ten: “Many are cauld but few are frozen.”

Sayings of Chairman Alex, Number Eleven: I was on my way to visit some friends and dropped in to Crown Point to see a bit of an Open Graded on the way.   Alex looked at my neat jacket and pressed trousers and sai “You look like you’re going to a funeral for somebody you don’t like!”

… and of course he invented, I think, the word diabasterous …..

Numbers Seven and Eight above came from postings on the unofficial Scottish Athletics website.   Coach, administrator, official, runner – he was all of those and one of the good guys.   When I attended my first meeting of the West District General Committee, I was making my list of those present when Colin Shields sitting beside me asked what the crosses and ticks were.   He claims I said “I’m sorting out the goodies and the baddies!”   It’s more likely that I was sorting out the runners’ men from the committee men – and Alex was always a runner’s man!

There was a very good article in the very first edition of PB (Scottishathletics quarterly magazine) by John Anderson about Alex and it is reproduced below along with some thoughts from Frank Dick.

“Alex Naylor and I first became friends when, as a teacher in Dennistoun and Shettleston, I sent some of my pupils to join him at Shettleston Harriers.   His work with them and others under his tutelage there reinforced his excellence both as a coach and as a human being.   His enthusiasm and larger than life personality produced many successful endurance runners.   On my appointment as Scottish National Athletics Coach, having been National Coach in England for a couple of years one of my first moves was to contact Alex, and his sidekick Eddie Taylor, to bring me up to date with what was happening in the Scottish coaching scene.   It followed that whenever I ran a course for coaches or athletes, Alex would be there expressing his views strongly but with his ever-present sense of humour.   In particular the highlight of the coaching courses were the annual Scottish Schoolboys and Schoolgirls courses held at Easter at Largs.   Alex was always first to volunteer his services and was a great success with his athletes both on and off the track.   Alex Naylor was a very special kind of individual who was passionate about Shettleston Harriers and about his own role in coaching athletes.   He was a one-off and though willing to express his views strongly did so with a light touch that was respected and valued by his peers.   His impact on athletes he coached and indeed athletes he simply came in contact with left an impression they would carry with them for many years.   Alex Naylor was a very special kind of person who you felt enriched for having known.   His contribution to Scottish Athletics was immense.   Thank you, Alex!”

 

“Alex Naylor personified the harrier culture that is the soul of endurance athletics in Scotland – on track and off track.   He lived and breathed this large sector of our sport.   Truly he was a man for all seasons and weathers.   His characteristic generosity in selflessly affording time, energy and resource to his athletes and coaches making their way through the art and science of running enriched the cultures of coaching and of athletics.    My personal debt to him was his special way of questioning conventional wisdom and of creating a tension between challenge and support – often cloaked in a bit of mischief.”