Category: Track and Field

Greenock Glenpark Harriers Sports: 1920 – 29

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GGH Hare

The Greenock Glenpark Harriers Sports was one of Scottish athletics most respected, best supported and longest running meetings in the country.   It attracted not only club runners from all over Scotland but also international athletes, including Olympians and world record holders, from many countries outside Scotland.   Although a variety of clubs held sports meetings on the same day, none of them lasted for any length of time; the only meeting that lasted for any length of time on the same date as the Greenock meeting was the professional meeting organised by Clyde  FC at Shawfield which began in 1913.   This web page deals with the GGH sports for the years between 1920 and 1929.

Held on 31st July, 1920, the ‘Glasgow Herald’ reported on the sports as follows.  “The annual English invasion began at Greenock on Saturday when the names of no fewer than nine distinguished athletes from south of the Border appeared on the programme of the Glenpark Harriers Sports.    They were not all present and those of them who did compete were by no means impressive.   The most successful of the visitors was CE Blewitt, the Four Miles champion, who with a start of 20 yards finished second in the one mile handicap.   RA Lindsay qualified for the final of the one lap race but the winner turned up in a local man, W Wallace, who also won the 220 yards, in which the Blackheath Harrier was unplaced in his heat.   Another double winner was JG McIntyre who secured the mile and the half-mile.   As at Saltcoats the previous Saturday, the most interesting personality on the track was James Wilson, the Scottish distance champion, who seems to improve with each successive appearance.   In the Three Miles he started from scratch with Blewitt in attendance, the Englishman following him closely for about a mile, when Wilson’s superior speed told on his companion.   Wilson had another strong opponent in W Kerr, West of Scotland Harriers, but he too was eventually shaken off and the champion literally won as he liked.   On May 29th, Wilson was unable to do 15 min 52.2 sec, and three weeks later he was beaten in 15 min 7.4 sec, while on Saturday he won in 14 min 49 sec with no necessity for a fast finish.   These figures illustrate how Wilson has come on since the beginning of the season, and they encourage the hope that he will give a good account of himself in the Olympic Games.   At Antwerp he will compete in the 6000 metres and 10000 metres races, as well as in the cross-country championships.   He should be equally suited at both distances, and in the cross-country also he has a good chance of being in among the prize winners.”

The meeting was held at Cappielow Park and there were about 10000 spectators in attendance in fine weather and the times were generally good.   In the almost obligatory five-a-side football tournament, Morton won 2 – 0 against Ayr United.

James Wilson

James Wilson

If 1920 was a good meeting, 1921 was virtually a disaster.   The report on the meeting makes depressing reading about the sports held in the rain, with a ‘breeze’ and before a crowd o only 2000.

Glenpark’s Misfortune

Few places in Scotland escaped the rain on Saturday, and it is hardly necessary to say that Greenock was not one of them.   The Glenpark Harriers, who have hitherto almost invariably enjoyed good weather for their sports, were badly hit financially, the attendance being less than half what it would have been had the elements permitted.   They had an attractive programme and an entry list comprising all the eligible Scottish champions – that is to say, all for whom opportunities to compete were provided – and had the weather been fine it is safe to say that the capacity of the ground would have been taxed to its utmost.   As it was there were only a few hundreds on the open terracing, but the stand was filled.   The ground was sodden, and the combination of heavy rain, an east wind, and a holding track, seriously affected some of the competitors and accounted for the slow times returned.   Duncan McPhee, for example, found the conditions so unfavourable thatin the 1000 yards invitation handicap, the only event in which he competed, he could get no nearer the tape than 20 yards in 2 min 31 sec, while JG McIntyre, the four miles champion, was actually in arrears in the two miles  though he had a start of 35 yards.

Times in the sprint, which was run against the breeze, were slow, the best recorded being 10 4-5th sec, which was also the time of the final.   Another feature of the meeting was the non-success of the champions.   GT Stevenson, the quarter-miler, was second in the furlong.   EH Liddell, the sprint champion, had nothing to show for a strenuous afternoon’s work: he was third in the 100 yards invitation handicap, but trhere were only two prizes.   WA Hill won his heat in the open 100 yards handicap, but did not reach the final.   Kenneth Smith, the high jump champion, was unable to concede the starts asked, and did not compete in the pole vault, at which also he won the championship in June last.   RA Lindsay, the ex-Scottish champion, ran in the 300 yards invitation handicap without success.   There was an entry of six teams for the relay race but in view of the depressing circumstances, the event was abandoned.    As the afternoon advanced, some of the competitors became disinclined to turn out.   The 300 yards invitation handicap, for example, had an entry of 16 and was intended to be run as two heats and a final.   When the heats were called, only seven responded and no final was needed.   Again, in the 220 yards a single runner turned out for the third heat, and in the pole vault a total of two competed for the two prizes.   It would be unfair to censure those who called off, for competition in such circumstances was more heroic than pleasurable.   The drawings will not cover the expenses of the meeting, and with a view to making up the deficiency the club propose to hold an evening meeting next week.”

In the five-a-side final, Morton beat Rangers by one corner to nil.   There was no report in the papers the following week of a supplementary meeting the next week.   That doesn’t mean that none took place – it was probably that only local athletes would take part.   Such athletes as Eric Liddell, Lindsay and the rest would have found midweek travel difficult at that time.   It says a lot for the Committee however that they had managed to put together such an attractive programme in the first place.

1923 International Cross, James McIntyre #28

JG McIntyre

1922 was a bit better though.  The weather in the morning was threatening, but it cleared up and there were just over 5000 spectators at Cappielow to see the meeting.  “Greenock Glenpark Harriers scored another success with their sports meeting at Cappielow Park on Saturday.   No records were made, but competition reached a high level, particularly in the 100 yards handicap, in which even time was returned in both semi-finals and then again in the final.   The runners had the advantage of he wind but even so, the performances of Liddell and Gardner were very meritorious, as the breeze was, though favourable, not materially helpful.   The outstanding feature of the meeting was the two miles walk in which Colin McLellan, the Scottish champion, was matched against Robert Bridge, ex-champion of England.   It was understood that the latter had designs on the Scottish record.   He did not come near the long-standing figures of EJ Webb, who at Ibrox Park in 1909 completed the distance in 13 min 57 1-5th sec, but he gave a fine exposition of the walking art and left the Scottish champion far behind.   The absence of Duncan McPhee from the half-mile was a disappointment to many of the spectators.   The champion reserved himself for the 1000 yards in which he was unable to get a place, retiring 40 yards from the tape when he realised that further effort was hopeless.   EH Liddell also disappointed, standing down from the 300 yards invitation and the open furlong.   He won his heat and semi-final in the 100 yards but was beaten in the final by PR Gardner  who had the further distinction of winning the 220 yards.”   

The relay went ahead with Glenpark finishing third behind Maryhill Harriers and West of Scotland Harriere and Morton upheld local pride with a 5-3 victory over Alloa in the five-a-sides.

*

28 July, 1923 was the date of the next meeting when a ‘satisfactory’ crowd of 4000+ witnessed a meeting with Liddell, McPhee, McIntyre, Smith, McLellan and Jamieson all took part.   Liddell was a great favourite and competed all over Scotland every summer, always giving his best despite being probably the best sprinter in the country at the time; McPhee, on the other hand, often disappointed the crowd by entering two or three events and then only running one, on at least one occasion leaving the arena without telling anyone and even leaving the ground altogether.   He was a very good athlete indeed, the top man in the country for many years, but did not always leave the spectators happy with his performance.

“The recollection of EH Liddell’s achievements on the same field a year ago, and the glamour of his running at Stoke, must have been the cause of the satisfactory crowd which patronised the Glenpark Harriers meeting at Cappielow on Saturdayfor under no other conditions could the atmospheric conditions be said to be enticing.    The champion, who has been taking things easily since the International, was also probably affected by the depression, and his running ;acked much of its usual fire.   He won his heat in the open hundred in 10 3-5th sec, but a bad start in the semi-final saw him a good yard behind the winner who returned a fifth faster.   In the invitation 100, the winner of which, DE Duncan of Maryhill Harriers, was given as doing 10 2-5th off the four yards mark, Liddell was unplaced, although close up.   No doubt however he will be properly tuned up before the arrival of our visitors next week-end.   The open 100 was won by JG Scott, with nine yards, and this runner also won the furlong with greatest ease, as with a concession of 18 yards, he finished with at least five yards in hand.

The other champions present, with the exception of R Jamieson, met with as little success as Liddell.   Duncan McPhee, who ran in both the open half-mile and the mile invitation, never got on terms with his men, while JG McIntyre, at scratch in the three miles event, has also been seen to better advantage.   The distance events, despite the failure of the back-markers, were all interesting.   ME Anderson, of Shettleston Harriers won both the half-mile and mile, and the feature of his running in each race was the reserve whch he possessed when it came to the finishing straight.   It was his extra bit of pace there that secured him the verdict in each case.   J McFarlane of Maryhill, now approaching the veteran stage, ran the mile in something nearer his old form than he has displayed this season, and was unfortunate to be against such a strong finisher as Anderson.   The three miles race attracted a good field, and D Wright, the cross-country champion, and W Neilson, the West of Scotland Harrier, who has done so little since his breakdown in Paris, was much too hot for the rest, and the race lay between this pair.   Wright, who has had the tantalising record of finishing second so frequently, got home by a yard after an exceptionally interesting race.   C Freshwater, the youthful Clydesdale Harrier, took part in this event, and ran well, but it did not seem good management on the part of his mentors to allow him to compete over this distance in such company.   It must have been an extremely punishing experience for such a young runner.”   

There were many other sports meetings held that Saturday – apart from 10,000 spectators at the professional Clyde FC Sports, these were held at West Calder, at Strathallan (the Cadet sports), Lochmaben, Shotts and Newtongrange – but Glenpark had the best of them.

CB Mein winning a handicap

CB Mein

Glasgow Herald, July 28th, 1924:   “Chief interest in athletics in Scotland on Saturday centred in the international contest at Greenock, where the Candians beat the Scottish representatives by five events to four.   A new Scottish all-comers record was established in the pole vault by VW Pickard.   EH Liddell ran in the 100 yards, the quarter-mile and the relay race, and had an easy win in the quarter.” 

Yes, the greatest coup of the summer programme in Scotland was Greenock Glenpark Harriers getting an international match against the ever-popular Canadians incorporated into their meeting.    The team was returning to Canada from the 1924 Paris Olympic Games and, although other sports meetings attracted individual athletes from the Games, Glenpark was the only one to have a team contest an international fixture where the home crowd could get behind their athletes.

“In bringing the Canadian Olympic team to Scotland the Greenock Glenpark Harriers Club showed commendable spirit of enterprise, and it is satisfactory to be able to state that the public so far appreciated it that they turned out in sufficient numbers to make the international meeting a financial success.   The team chosen to represent Scotland was the best at the Scottish Association’s call, and if the range of events was somewhat limited, the test was productive of some keen racing.   Of the nine events on the programme, Canada won five – the 100 yards, furlong, high jump, pole vault and two laps relay-  while the home successes were gained in the quarter-mile, half-mile, mile and mile relay.   Two of the victories secured by the visitors went to CR Coaffee who won the 100 yards in even time, and the 220 in 23 2-5th sec.   The Canadian champion, who has been credited with equalling world’s record over the shorter distance at home, is no stylist.   He runs the first half of the distance with a peculiar crouching gait that is very deceptive, for at this point he had gained an advantage that he held to the tape.   In this case, the challenge came not from Liddell as expected but from Scotland’s second string, Crawford, who developed a  great finishing burst to finish a yard behind the winner.   Liddell’s specialising over the quarter has evidently robbed him of his pace in the sprint, as though he hung a little on his mark to beging with, he was fairly and squarely beaten by both Coaffee and Crawford.

Liddell did not oppose Coaffee in the furlong, and here the Canadian ran a much better race than the time gives him credit for.   He had the heels of Hester and McLean and on a good track can do much better.   In the quarter however we had a glimpse of the real Liddell and this, judging by the interest round the ropes, was the event in which the crowd most wanted to see the Olympic champion do his best.   His chief opponent here was AT Christie, the Canadian, who impressed as being a good man over the distance; but when it came to the finish, Liddell passed his man as if he were standing, and had nearly 15 yards in hand at the tape.   He has done better in Scotland than the 51 1-5th sec returned, but the experience which he has gained during the past month or two was manifest in the manner in which he ran his race.   He moved with confidence in his power to win that left a profound impression on the crowd.    Good as was his race in the quarter, his effort in the one mile relay race was better.   Here bad changing over on the part of the home men left him with a leeway of 10 yards to make up, but he made light of this handicap, and wiped it off, enabling Scotland to win this event by four yards.   In the relay, Liddell was clocked to have run 445 yards in 50 1-5th secand his appearance on the Ibrox track next Saturday should be a memorable one.

In the half-mile, the two Scottish representatives finished in front of the Canadian Harris.   There was however a surprise here, as CB Mein defeated McRae for first place, thus reversing the championship placings.   McRae however does not take kindly to running on grass, if we can judge by his appearances since the holiday meetings began.   WR Seagrove, as expected,  finished first in the mile although the time, 4 min 48 3-5th sec, represents an amble, but the Cantab was always running well within himself.   A new all-comers Scottish record was created in the pole vault, the two Canadians, VW Pickard and JE Francis, easily outstripping the home men in this event.   The first named cleared 12 feet 4 1/2 inches which is over a foot better than EL Stones’ championship effort made as long ago as 1889.

In the open events, J Crawford, running from three yards scored his second sprint success within six days and it is clear that the Board of Control made a mistake in interfering with the handicapper’s method of dealing with the Queen’s Park runner.   His time on Saturday was a yard worse than evens, and as he clocked even time when running at the Police and Partick Thistle meetings, it would require something like a world record beater over the distance to to give him a concession like this.   Certainly Liddell on present form cannot do it.”

The last named, Crawford of QPFC, won the open hundred by half a yard from a mark of 3 yards from Bernstein of West of Scotland who had a mark of 8 yards.   The Canadian sprinter Coaffee was an interesting character – born in Edmonton in London, his family emigrated when he was eight years old to Canada.   He ran in the 1920 and 1924 Olympics and in  between times tied the world record of 9.6 seconds.

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On 31st July 1926, there was a considerably good counter-attraction for the athletics aficionado in the form of a match between the brand new Atalanta Club, which was a team selected from the four Scottish Universities, competing against a full strength Achilles club.   There were 4000 spectators at Cappielow but 5000 at Hampden for the Universities meeting.    The report read:

“The annual sports meeting of Greenock Glenpark Harriers at Cappielow Park on Saturday in brilliant sunshine and before an attendance of fully 4000 spectators.   The backmarkers met with little success, but in the half-mile there was a keen struggle between NJ McEachern, Clonliffe Harriers, the Irish champion, and TM Riddell, Shettleston Harriers, the Scottish mile champion for second place.   Neither of them could match McHattie ,of Mauchline Harriers, who had a handicap of 30 yards, but the Irishman managed to secure second place three yards ahead of Riddell.   In the quarter-mile invitation race for the Eric H Liddell Trophy, JD Hope, West of Scotland Harriers (the holder) only managed to secure third place after a splendid race.”

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Glasgow Herald, 1 August, 1927:

“The heavy rain caused the sports meeting of the Greenock Glenpark Harriers to be postponed.”

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If the rain in 1921 was bad, and the weather in 1927 was serious enough to have the meeting postponed, there was no such problem in 1928.   There was however another problem!

“Glenpark Harriers meeting at Greenock provided capital sport, but there was perhaps too much of it, as it was close to seven o’clock before the programme was completed.    Chief interest was attached to the race for the Liddell Trophy over 440 yards, and this produced a rare contest.   Fraser, who won last year, was forward to defend his title, and JM Miller, the Scottish quarter mile champion, was also a starter but the winner was found in Calder of Beith Harriers, who at the meeting promoted by his own club a week ago won the quarter and half-mile championships of Ayrshire.   He was off six yards and at the crucial part of the race it did not seem likely that he would win.   Calder however had something in reserve and with a final effort he won by a narrow margin.   Miller did not finish when he saw he had no chance of winning.

Donald McLaren also found his handicap too much for him and retired from the two races – the open half-mile and the two miles – in which he started.   The first named race was won by WH Calderwood of Maryhill Harriers, who, like Calder, showed fine judgment in making his effort and won cleverly.   It was a thrilling finish.   R Hamilton, winner of the 100 yards; F Green in the Youths half-mile; and DF McKechnie in the two miles, were others who distinguished themselves.   The Renfrewshire team race justified its inclusion for the first time, but the cycle races took up too much time, and with the football helped to prolong the meeting.”

So you can have too much of a good thing.   Despite reading so much about athletics history, I still find it difficult to come to terms with the notion that, if you’re not going to win, you just drop out.   It was a habit with some runners of talent and was usually noted.   In the five-a-side competition, Rangers defeated Morton B by one goal to nil, and still had a team out at the Clyde FC professional meeting where they also won, defeating Celtic by three goals to nil.

*

The headline after the Greenock meeting in 1929 told a different story.

SPORTS AT PORT GLASGOW

The athletics season in Scotland has almost run its course.   Next Saturday, when Rangers FC present their usual varied programme with many of the Scottish and English cracks competing will mark the close as far as the amateurs are concerned.   Saturday was a quiet day for them, the only meeting of importance being that run at Port-Glasgow under the auspices of the Renfrewshire Cross-Country Association, including Auchmountain, Greenock Glenpark and Wellpark Harriers Clubs.   At this meeting all  the events, with the exception of the Eric Liddell Trophy quarter-mile handicap races, were County championships, or scratch contests open to members of county clubs.  

Six events constituted  the list of flat championships.   Roy Hamilton, the Scottish furlong champion, was a competitor as a Glasgow Harrier in the 100 yards which he won without difficulty in a slow time, due largely to the condition of the track.   Hamilton did not take part in the 220 yards championship, a race which fell to his clubmate, JM Bryans, in the slow time of 26 seconds.   

Glasgow Harriers won the one mile relay race in 4 min 7 sec, but this success was due to the great running of Roy Hamilton in the second furlong.   He wiped out a deficit of six yards and converted it into a lead of ten yards.

The Eric Liddell Trophy race failed to attract more than three competitors.   The back-marker was TJ McAllister, Beith, off six yards.   The winner was W McLaughlin, Springburn Harriers, who returned 53 1-5th sec from 14 yards – comparatively the best performance of the meeting.”

And there you have it.   From hosting the international against Canada in 1924 to a purely local meeting in 1926.   There was no report of a meeting at Greenock in 1930.  On 25th July 1931 however the Renfrewshire Cross-Country Association held their track and field events championships at the St Mirren FC ground in Paisley and it seemed to go well.   In 1932, 30th July, the 77th (Highland) Field Brigade, Royal Artillery held their annual regimental sports at Cappielow Park and among the athletes taking part were several members of Glenpark Harriers.  There were no reports of athletics meetings in Greenock on the last Saturday in July after that – at least none on a regular basis which was a real loss to Scottish athletics.

 

1883: June

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1883-Peterkin

WA Peterkin: Winner of the first ever SAAA 100 yards and 440 yards championships

There were four meetings on 2nd June, 1883, two in Edinburgh, one in Glasgow and one in Kilmarnock.   The Glasgow one was at the Shawfield grounds amd was a professional meeting.    It occurs to me that in the early 1950’s the Clyde Football Club Sports, held at Shawfield, were professional in nature and the amateur meeting there was the Lanarkshire Police Sports.    Were the Clyde Sports a continuation of these nineteenth century pedestrian events?   Whatever the situation, there were 1000 spectators on this first Saturday in June to see the 130 yards sprint and the half-mile handicap.  There were fifteen heats of the sprint.  I quote from the report: “The contests in the sprint were somewhat disappointing , and in several of the heats the non tryers were conspicuous, but the half-mile eas really a capital race, upwards of 32 pedestrians facing the starter.   …   Half-mile handicap prizes were £10, £1:10:00 and 10 shillings.   1st  T Stott, Newton, 70 yards;  2nd A Bird, Glasgow, 80 yards;  3rd G Wilson, Glasgow, 70 yards; 4th A Young, Falkirk, 30 yards.”

“ATHLETIC GATHERING IN EDINBURGH:   About 60 persons assembled at Edinburgh Royal Gymnasium on Saturday to witness the contests for a number of events which were announced to take place under the auspices of the “Scottish Athletic Society”.   Being the first championship meeting of the Society, most of the visitors anticipated that the ‘best records’ in the various arrangements would have been beaten.   The meeting was very tame, and was prolonged to a wearying extent – the performance lasting from four o’clock until half past seven.  ”    There were about sixteen events, most being field events, track consisting of 100 yards, quarter-mile, Mile and Two Miles.

“EDINBURGH INSTITUTION SPORTS: The annual sports in connection with the Edinburgh Institution came off on Saturday at the Institution’s grounds at Warriston, Edinburgh, and the weather being fine were witnessed by a large concourse of ladies and gentlemen.  ”     There were thirteen events, all but one confined to either pupils or former pupils.   The exception was a half mile, open to amateurs which was won by a Canadian from Montreal AAC.

“KILMARNOCK:   Sports under the auspices of the Kilmarnock Bicycle Club were held at the Rugby Park on Saturday.   In the bicycling competition, Barton of the ESBC carried off no fewer than three first place honours.   Fortunately the weather was very favourable and the track everything that could be desired.   About 2000 spectators were present.”   The programme was entirely made up of cycle races except for a tug of war, 100 yards and quarter mile.

Four meetings. one professional, two amateur and one mainly a cycle meeting.

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There were four meetings on on the following Saturday, June 9th, too but the only one at the same venue as the first week in June was at the  Shawfield Grounds where the events were the  130 yards and the One Mile handicap where the prizes were £10, £1:10:0 and 10/-.

Ayr was always a good athletics venue and the Ayr Academical Club’s Annual Sports were held on this Saturday.   It was a very big meeting and popular with competitors and spectators alike.   “These sports took place at Springvale Park on Saturday and were highly successful.   The arrangements were of an elaborate description, and the programme was an excellent one.   The weather was very fine and there was a large crowd of spectators – a greater number than had turned out for anything of the kind for a number of years and every seat in the grand stand was occupied.   The programme comprised twenty two events, of which four were bicycle races, and the bicycle races were probably the most exciting on the card. ”   The lengthy report went on to detail many of the events completed on the day when there were many competitors from all the University Athletic clubs, former pupils clubs, plus several football clubs such as Queen’s Park FC, Vale of Leven FC, West of Scotland FC, and other clubs like 1st LRVAC and so on.   The winning competitor in the Two Miles Flat Race handicap was A Findlay of Ayr FC who would go on to win the first ever Scottish Cross-Country championship in the colours of Clydesdale Harriers.

The Hawick Borders Games always drew a good number of athletes but these were mainly local from the other Borders towns with some few athletes coming from further afield.   Most events were running events and there was not only a mile race, there were two races over the mile and a half distance.   No times were given although distances were noted for the throws and jumps.

There were several meetings held over the summer that called themselves ‘National Games’.   This particular weekend, it was the Greenock National Games.   “Favoured by splendid weather the seventeenth annual tournament of national games at Greenock came off with great success at Academy Park on Saturday afternoon.  The arrangements made by the committee were most complete and everything worked smopothly.   It was estimated that 5000 people were in the park at one time.   There were in all 27 “events” on the programme including exhibitions of tasks with sword, bayonet, Indian clubs and quarter-staff. ”    It continued with comments on several events with the two miles race with 16 runners  written up as the race of the afternoon.   No teams, clubs orother organisations were listed – only the competitor’s town after the fashion of the professionals.

It can be seen from the meetings so far that there were plenty of openings for amateur athletes to get good competition before decent sized crowds.   With no affiliation essential before competing, any grouping, be it a football club, a military regiment, a cycling or cricket club, could enter its members for these sports and games.   It was not a situation that would last for much longer – the first ever SAAA championships would take place on 23rd June 1883.

DS Duncan

DS Duncan: Winner of the Mile in the first ever SAAA Championships

On 23rd June, 1883 there was the usual weekly meeting at Shawfield Grounds plus two meetings organised by Pollok FC and Kilbirnie FC  but the real story was the first ever National Championships organised by the Scottish Amateur Athletic Association.   The report read:

“The first championship meeting under the auspices of the Association was held on Saturday afternoon at Powderhall Grounds, Edinburgh, and proved a very successful meeting.   The weather being all that could be desired, about  ? ladies and gentlemen witnessed the proceedings, which were greatly enhanced by the band of the Gordon Highlanders dispensing a splendid programme of music.   Most of the events passed off without a hitch excepting the pole jump in which Mr Hodgson while attempting to jump 9′ 9″ came to grief, the pole he was using snapping when he was almost over.   He fell heavily on his shoulder but soon recovered.   The final of the 100 yards was a splendid sight.   A capital start was effected, and Smith about half-distance was leading by a yard.   Here Peterkin crept up and gradually reducing the space passed him just at the tape and won by 5 inches.  ….   ” 

 The complete results with a note on the events contested can be found at www.anentscottishrunning.com/track-championships.   The amateur era had pretty well arrived although it would be another two years before amateur clubs were to take part.

Nevertheless on this day ‘an unusually large crowd of spectators’ attended the professional event at Shawfield where there were only two events on the programme – the sprint whose first round was held a week earlier (prizes £15, £2:15:0, £1:10:0 and 10/-) and a one mile handicap (£20, £5, £1 and £1) race.   Given that the amateur movement was driven in part by the abuses of the pro system which included professionals impersonating amateurs, non-trying in races, betting while the races were in progress, it was clearly far from dead.

At the Pollok FC fixture where there were 700 spectators, the prize winners all came from football clubs – Queen’s Park FC members were the biggest winners, but others were Dumbarton FC, Abercorn FC, Johnstone Athletic FC, Govanhill FC and, of course, Pollok FC.    And at Kilbirnie, no club affiliation was quoted, simply where the athlete came from which seems to indicate a professional meeting.

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The month ended with a Saturday fixture at Shawfield but this time there was a difference.   “The West of Scotland National Games and Athletic Sports took place at Shawfield Grounds on Saturday.   The weather was splendid and between five and six thousand spectators were present.   A very varied programme was provided, which in addition to the national games of quoiting, wrestling, hammer throwing, pole-vaulting, dancing, etc, also included a more than usually seen number of athletic events.”   So far, so good but then it spoils things by saying that the prizes for the 120 yards hurdles were £3, £2 and £1.    It would have fourteen heats with the final to be run the following Saturday.   Read on through the report and the meeting, which was indeed varied and interesting, and you will see prize money listed for several of the races with the going rate seeming to be £2, 15/- and 5/-.

The only other meeting on the last Saturday in June was the Arthurlie Cricket and Football Club Amateur Athletic Sports.   Unlike sports quoted earlier which featured the drop-kick for distance with a football, this sports had a place-kick which was won by D Cunningham of rthurlie with a distance of 154′ 9″.   There were also several names on the programme who would feature as club members in another couple of years – eg W McAuslan from Dumbartion who would be a member of the Clydesdale Harriers Dumbarton section.   Many football teams were represented and the furthest travelled prze winner came from Granton.

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Was there a demand for athletics from the public in 1883?   Certainly, we only have to look at the thousands who turned out to watch some of the meetings, whether they were amateur or professional.   Was there a demand from the competitors for such meetings?   With over a dozen heats in some meetings, een over two dozen in others, there was a clear demand for them.    Now in 1883 there was a national amateur championship run by the SAAA.  The competitors came from Universities and fee-paying schools, from football, cricket, cycling, rowing and other sports clubs.    It was only a matter of time before purely athletic clubs would appear on the scene.

1883: May

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WHB Drop Kick

Trophy for the Drop Kick (football) for distance at the Glasgow Academicals Sports of 1886

The first Saturday in May, 1883, was the fifth of the month and sports/athletic meetings were held at Shawfield Running Grounds, at Kelvingrove where the Glasgow Police Sports took place, at Kelvinside where the Glasgow Academical Club held their meeting and at the Dollar Institution.   Despite the heading being ‘Athletics’ the Shawfield programme contained two events:  the final of the peds 300 yards, the preliminaries of which had been held the week before, and a One Mile Handicap.   The Police Sports included, in addition to a selection of athletic events, Highland Dancing (won by John McCallum from Lanarkshire), wrestling, a ‘catch the thief’ race for policemen dressed in day uniform, three legged race and tug of war. The Police Sports were one of the very last to adopt the amateur code, being professional right up to the late 1940’s.

The ones most like current meetings were the two school sports meetings –  all amateurs completing a programme of purely athletics events.   The Glasgow meeting had many open races in which some university and cricket club members took part.  The report on the Glasgow Academy Sports read: “The annual sports of the Glasgow Academical Club came off on Saturday at the ground of the club at Kelvinside.   In consequence of the heavy rain in the forepart of the day the ground was in a soft condition – unfavourable for the work in hand.   A large and fashionable gathering graced the field the whole of the afternoon and the various events were watched with evident interest.   The band and pipers of the 51st Highlanders were present and dispensed selections of music between the various items on the card.   At the conclusion of the meeting the prizes were presented to the winners by Mike Cross.”

There were over 20 events including several open events with competitors coming from as far afield as the Ulster Cricket Club and including such as 1st Lanark Rifle Volunteer Club AC and University and Old Boys clubs.   The Academy Sports are one of the longest running in the country, having been started in 1866, only Edinburgh Academy (1858) and Royal High School (1864) with Merchiston also starting up in 1866.

In Dollar, other than a half-mile for FP’s, the events were all for school pupils.   It should be noted that the programmes for the latter meetings were the longest while, true to form, the Shawfield meeting only had a couple of events but a crowd of approx 2000.

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The Academicals Sports are one of the oldest in the country.

Several of the Academicals took part in the Glasgow University Sports at Gilmorehill on 19th May – they even had one of the four teams in the tug of war with the University, the Junior Clyde Yacht Club and the Southern FC, an event which the host team won.   Events included a drop kick (football) for distance with the winner clearing 130′ 10″, putting the cannon ball, pole vault, two mile bicycle race, high jump, throwing the hammer, 100 yards flat, quarter mile flat, half mile flat, one mile flat, 120 yards hurdles and tug of war.   All of the running events as well as the two miles cycle race had open races and confiend races.   It looks like a very interesting meeting indeed.

At Shawfield, the professional meeting, there was the final of the 120 yards from the previous week, a half mile and a quarter mile race for a first prize of £18.   The crowds at Shawfield are always given – this meeting had 3000 in attendance – but no figures are given for University or Schools meetings.   Three events at Shawfield but around two dozen at Gilmorehill.

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The last weekend in May had the Helensburgh Larchfield Sports and the Annan FC Sports.   Organised by the Helensburgh Academical Club at Ardencaple, these were attended by a large and fashionable crowd.   21 events, all athletic events that we would recognise, were contested and the Bonhill Band played in the intervals between events.   The annual Annan FC Sports were being contested for the second time and one might have expected the drop kick to be on the programme, but no,  there were only running events plus a running high jump.

1883: April

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Before Clydesdale Harriers and Edinburgh Harriers were founded in 1885, the only amateur clubs were approximately a dozen Former Pupils and University clubs.   But the arrival on the scene of the open athletics clubs was not the start of amateur athletics in the country.   Not by a long way.   Little is known of the sport pre-1885 and it might be instructive to look at athletics in Scotland before that.   We can start with a look at athletics in 1883, before the clubs were gleams in the eye of anyone in either Glasgow or Edinburgh.   Given that meetings were held on most weekdays as well as Saturdays, we can look at coverage in the ‘Glasgow Herald’ of Tuesday and Saturday events for that summer beginning with the month of April.

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On April 7th there were three athletics meetings reported including the Inter-Scholastic Games, under the auspices of the ‘Edinburgh University Athletic Club’, took place at Corstorphine in the presence of ‘ a large and impressive assemblage.’   In addition to the Edinburgh schools, there was representation from Blair Lodge, Polmont, Trinity College, Glenalmond, Morrison’s Academy, Crieff and the Dollar Institution.  It was reported that ‘as in former years, a large proportion of the prizes went to Loretto .   There were 25 events contested including pole vault, hurdles and a bicycle race.   There was a mile handicap race at Manchester in which many Scots were involved including W Cummings of Paisley (scratch) and it was won by the limit man (off 150 yards), J Morgan of Manchester.    Cummings was absent for the simple reason that he was racing in a meeting at the Shawfield Grounds and making an attempt on the Mile record.   Approximately 5000 were present to see ‘the great match against Time’ by Cummings who held every British title from one to ten miles.   He was attempting to break Lang’s and Richards’s record of 4 min 17 2/5th sec and bets of £20 to £40 were taken against him.   Four timekeepers were appointed – one for each quarter and one for the final time.    At half distance, odds of 3 to 1 were laid that he would break the record.   His third quarter was a bit slower than required, and despite being loudly cheered in the finishing straight, he had paced himself too much in the first half (I quote) and returned a time of 4 min 21 sec.   There was also a 130 yards handicap with five heats and a final – the odds against each runner were quoted for readers.

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 The following week – 14th April – the biggest meeting was the West of Scotland Amateur Sports.   Not to be confused with the West of Scotland Harriers which appeared later in the 1880’s, this meeting was

“The promenade and amateur athletic sports held annually under the auspices of the West of Scotland Amateur Cricket Club came off on Saturday afternoon on Hamilton Crescent Cricket Ground, Partick.   The weather, the all important matter in out-of-door proceedings, was dull but not unfavourable, and the turnout of spectators was numerous.   The car was, as usual, a very attractive one and embraced a great variety of athletic work.   The events included throwing cricket ball, broad, pole and high jumps, one mile and two mile bicycle races, hundred yards, quarter, half and mile races, wheelbarrow race, hundred and twenty yards hurdle, tug of war over water, and a steeplechase with four water jumps.   

The sports were on the whole quite up to the standard of former years.   Nearly all the crack amateurs were present, and some excellent athletic work was accomplished.   The various races were timed, as usual, by a cronograph kindly supplied by Messrs George Edward & sone, Buchanan Street. “

The other meeting that aftrernoon was the Royal High School Sports in Edinburgh, held on the  School Ground at Holyrood.

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On April 21st, there were no meetings reported under the ‘Athletics heading’ but there was a single entry under the ‘Pedestrianism’ heading.   This was a meetimng at the Shawfield Ground that had only one race.   This was a 600 yards handicap with four prizes – £12, £2, 15 shillings and five shillings.   These were to be competed for by some well known English peds as well as the local ‘cracks’.   There were to be nine heats but a wee problem developed.

“Everything promised to pass off pleasantly until the final heat came up for decision.   It was then apparent that something was amiss, and several of the bookmakers asserted that Hodgson of Hatton was running under an assumed name.   This was positively denied and the race went on, but just when the competitors were nearing the goal the cry came that “the Englishman wins”.   The crowd then swarmed onto the track, the tape was broken and the race declared void.   The large prizes given by the proprietor have hitherto induced pedestrians from all parts of the country to enter the lists, and the running has been proportionately improved.   It would therefor be cause for regret if these contests should cease owing to unfairness on the part of spectators towards strangers.

As far as the final heat was concerned, Hodgson was running and we read:

“Pye of Morpeth had brought Hodgson from England for the purpose of lifting the handicap and when heats were run off it was clear that the latter had the race at his mercy.   When betting on the Final was opened, the Englishman was made a hot favourite at  2 – 1 on.   But even this price was only taken for a short time and the bookmakers stopped further business.   Latterly however a few bets at 3 – 1 were taken, when a rumour was circulated that Hodgson was not the pedestrian’s name.   Mr Hanratty cautioned him that if he was not properly entered and passed the post first, he would be disqualified.   Hodgson replied that he had just returned from America and that he was running under his own name.   In these circumstances the men went to their marks and were sent on their journey with a capital start, Wilson leading the field for half the distance.   At this stage it looked as if the Englishman had a poor chance of winning.   On entering the straigh for home however, Hodgson gained considerably on his opponents and 60 yards from the post was almost certain of victory.   But the crowd then broke in and considerably interfered with him; and the referee, Mr D Speirs, considering the state of matters, at once broke the tape and declared it no race.   The proprietors took the same view and ordered the final heat to be run over on Saturday first.”

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The following week, the last in April, at the same venue, there were preliminary heats of a 300 yards handicap and a three-quarter mile invitation sweepstake for which the prizes were £25, £3, £1:10:00 and £1.   These were then augmented by 10/- for each acceptee.   Cummings was entered for this race.   The final heat of the 600 yards carried over from the previous Saturday, A Baird of Glasgow won with Hodgson not in the first three.   Despite the big money, Cummings was again an absentee but there were eleven runners in the handicap.  The report contained many details of betting odds throughout the afternoon and of the prize monery for the various events.

The preliminary heats of a 220 yards race were run off at the Royal Gymnasium in Edinburgh.

Sports Miscellany: 26th August 1912

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Ian A Clarke, the Scottish hurdles champion, who gained such a surprising victory against Ireland at Powderhall on July 20th, is going into residence at Oxford University in October, probably for two years, and should stand an excellent chance of securing a “double blue” in athletics and rugby football.   He is studying forestry, and will with that object in view spend his vacations in Germany.

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The “Olympic Games ” in aid of the Hamilton Brasss Band Fund have resulted in a profit of £200, which is much in excess of what was expected.   Provost Smellie was at the head of the movement, and the result must be gratifying to all who lent their services, chief among them was Mr Thomas Moore of Hamilton Academicals.   There has been quite revival in athletics in the ducal town this season, and, no doubt, other industrial centres will keep mind of this fact when another summer comes around.

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WR Applegarth (Polytechnic Harriers), perhaps the fastest sprinter in Britain, was second in a 300 yards handicap at Windsor last week, 33 1-5th sec being the winner’s time.   The track was a grass one with bad corners and these facts should be kept in mind when estimating the worth of Applegarth’s performance.

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Poloc Cricket Club have set aside September 21st for their annual fete – a form of entertainment which they  have made their own.   Mr William Dunsmore is again convener, and hopes to introduce one or two recreative novelties which will tax the stamina of the competitors, and produce no end or merriment for the guests of the club.   Poloc excel in this class of thing.

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Salford Harriers Sports on 14th September will be patronised by one or two Scottish runners.   The programme will include two first class and two second class handicaps over half-mile and mile.   Imitation, we are told, is the sincerest form of flattery and Rangers and Celtic should therefore feel proud that a club of the influence of Salford Harriers are not above taking a leaf from their books.   These special handicaps bring to the surface qualities that are often lost in races where the fields are large and composed for the most part of inexperienced runners.   And what is more to the point, they develop a higher standard of speed.

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Harry Hughes will not be able to run for the West of Scotland Harriers in the team race at the Edinburgh Southern Harriers Sports on Saturday,   He is the only distance runner of note that the ‘West’ have, and the team without Hughes will not be very formidable.   It is strange that while the West of Scotland Harriers have always been more or less well replenished with sprint and middle distance runners, Clydesdale Harriers, on the other hand have always been rich in distance talent and poor in sprinters.   The ‘West’ will be represented by A McPhee, R Hutcheson, D Peat and G Mason.

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The Germans are making sound progress in the science of athletics.   Their championships were held at Duisburg a few days ago,  and the performances generally are astonishing when it is borne in mind that it is only recently that the Germans organised a national test.   Hanns Braun, who was here recently, won the 400 metres in 51 3-5th sec, but does not seem to have taken part in the 800 metres, the winner of which was Lehman in 2 min 0 9-10th sec.   R Rau, a very fine sprinter, won the 100 and 200 metres, the former in 11 -5th sec and the latter in 23 1-5th sec, but to the surprise of all, himself included, he was beaten in the 110 metres hurdles by one Martin in 15 4-5th sec which is German record.   R Passoman, an ex-AAA champion, won the long jump with 21ft 0 3/4in but was beaten in the pole vault by Olaf after tieing at 11 feet 5 in.   In the high jump the winner cleared 6 ft 1 3/4 in, and the winning put was 35 feet 5 3/4 in.   Germans are nothing if not efficient, and these performances represent a development in applied athletics, which if maintained will them serious rivals to Britons and Americans alike.

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South London Harriers who will always have a warm place in the affections of Glasgow athletes owing to the helping hand they extended to the West of Scotland Harriers some seasons ago in connection with the Connell Cup competition, are including a three miles invitation handicap in their programme on the 14th of next month with the object of breaking record, so we are told.   But in the meantime there is not a runner in England capable of lowering Shrubb’s three mile record, and the little embellishment about record breaking therefore displays an ignorance of the resources of English distance runners that is surprising in a club like South London Harriers.   Unless it be R Hales, whose splendid performances at Celtic Sports a few days ago have produced a modified sensation in athletic circles across the Border, there is no one in Britain capable of coming within reasonable distance of Shrubb’s monumental time  –  14 min 27 1-5th sec.   And even Hales has yet to demonstrate that he is of the same fibre as Shrubb.   GM Hutson may in another year accomplish something big but, like the Irish crack, he is some way off the magical zone of record breaking.

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Sports Miscellany: 19th August, 1912

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There is a spirit of unrest in local athletic circles, and as a result there is some talk of forming a “progressive” party to look after the interests of athletes generally.   At the head of the movement are one or two well known runners, and it will be interesting to watch developments.

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Edinburgh Southern Harriers are having an invitation sprint in their programme on Saturday.   RC Duncan and HJ Christie will represent  West of Scotland Harriers, and George Sandilands of Edinburgh Harriers may make this his farewell appearance.   Sandilands has had a long career on the track, and in his time has won many notable victories.   He will be a loss to athletics in the Capital.

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Amateur sports will be held at Inverness on the 31st, which is the Trades Holiday in Glasgow, and several athletes, availing themselves of the cheap railway facilities, intend going north for this meeting.   The late JD Findlayson, an old Queens Park runner, was instrumental in sowing the amateur seed in the Capital of the North, and the meeting will always be regarded as a monument to his keen interest in amateur athletics.

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The Amateur Rowing Association has resolved “that in view of the efforts that are being made in other branches of athletics to raise funds by public subscription for the expenses and training of competitors at the next Olympiad, this committee deprecates such action as tending to professionalism in sport and calls the attention of its affiliated members to the fact that under ARA rules oarsmen are no longer amateurs if their expenses are paid by funds raised outwith their own rowing clubs.”

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AW Applegarth, the accomplished London sprinter has been holidaying at Copenhagen, and that, no doubt, accounts for his non-appearance at the Rangers  and Celtic meetings.   He established a Danish record for the 100 metres – 10 3-5th seconds – and on one occasion he covered the 200 metres in 22 seconds.    Altogether he captured eleven first prizes in handicaps and scratch races, and on the foregoing form would have proved a greater attraction at Ibrox and Parkhead than D Lippincott, of American distinction.

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Of the Olympic quartet who figured in the Glasgow fortnight, Melvin Sheppard was the only one who showed any running.   In the Rangers special half-mile he did 1 min 58 1-5th, and later in the afternoon equalled his last Scottish time, 1 min 56 2-5th sec.   At the Celtic Sports he won the scratch half-mile in 1 min 58 sec, and the quarter in 51 4-5th sec, while in the 1000 yards handicap, his time was 2 min 24 sec.   Thee are very creditable performances but not be compared with the sequence of brilliant runs made by HE Gissing last season.

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The AAA tug-o-war championships are to be decided at Stamford Bridge on September 21st in connection with the autumn meeting of the London AC.   We should like to see Scotland represented in this event.   The London Police have a great reputation as ‘pullers’ , but we have the impression that the HLI team which took part in the Territorial Championships at Edinburgh a few weeks ago could more than hold their own.   Colonel Cochran takes a great pride in his tug-o-war team and if he wants to win for it an international reputation he should send it to Stamford Bridge next month,

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Melvin Sheppard, JE Meredith and D Lippincott are on their way home.   All were delighted with their visit to Glasgow and speak in glowing terms of the welcome that they received at Ibrox and Parkhead – all the more appreciated by them seeing they did so little to deserve it, as they themselves declare.   Sheppard may not be seen on the track in this country again, as he is now nearing the veteran stage, but Lippincott and Meredith, should they prosecute an athletic career, will make a return visit to this country.   Hans Braun too has made associations in Glasgow which he has promised to renew next summer when he hopes to be less susceptible to the eccentric weather conditions.

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    The announcement, exclusively made in the ‘Herald’ that R Hales, the Irish champion, has decided to go to America in the course of a few months, has opened up a vista of splendid possibilities.   Properly trained Hales will accomplish great things in another season.   His two-mile performance at Parkhead on Tuesday took everyone by surprise, although in this column last Monday we prepared our readers for a performance that would make people speak.   Hales did more than anyone to invest the Celtic Sports with significance, and it is generally felt that but for his two performances, the meeting would not have had anything by which to perpetuate it in the annals of city athletics.

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Sports Miscellany, 12th August, 1912

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West of Scotland Harriers will be represented in the relay race at Leith on Saturday, and the team will probably be JH Douglas, WS Stewart, jnr, AB Kerr and WB Unkles.   Maryhill Harriers will hold a confined meeting at Ibrox Park on Wednesday evening, and as the membership is particularly rich in pedestrian talent, ranging from George Hamilton in the sprints to J McFarlane in the mile, the sport should be highly interesting.   There will be either three or four flat races, and a high jump.   All handicaps.

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After breaking quarter mile record at New Brighton on Bank Holiday, Van Johnston whose riding on Saturday was one of the glowing features of the Celtic FC Sports returned to his home in Birmingham, and there won three Midland championships – quarter, Mile and Five Mile – on Tuesday.   He had practically no opposition, the other cracks being engaged elsewhere.   Johnston has had an extraordinary run of success this season, and the fact that he has been in the forefront of British riders for so long is proof of the assiduity with which he train sand the care with which he nourishes his form.

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With regard to the Olympic Games in Berlin in 1916, it has been decided that there shall be a congress in Paris of all the Olympic committees in 1914to consider such questions as the desirability of a common programme and Standard regulations including the limitation of entries.   Questions regarding the organisation and management of the Games will be discussed,   and a proposal in favour of a considerable reduction in the number of entries will come from Britain.   The question of judging will also ne dealt with at the Paris congress, and it will be decided whether an international panel of judges will be drawn up, from whom alone the country in which the sports are held will be entitled to select the judges for the various events.

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That of the Ardrossan Athletic Club is the only “seaside” meeting in the West of Scotland.   With the passion for amusement that is now everywhere a characteristic of coast life, we are surprised that there are not more athletic meetings at watering resorts on the Clyde.   The Ardrossan meeting is gaining in popularity every year, and there is no reason why it should not in time become a rival to the great Glasgow Fair functions at Ayr.   The present committee have that ideal before them, and that they are fast realising it is the opinion of all who have followed the stages of progress which have marked the Ardrossan meeting.   For Saturday first, the entries are large and as this is practically the last meeting of the season the runners may be expected to display all their powers.

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One of the features of the Rangers supplementary sports, was the brilliant running of HJ Christie, West of Scotland Harriers, in the 300 yards handicap.   He won his heat in 32 2-5th sec and the final in 32 1-5th sec – both excellent performances, considering that he was not pushed in either race.   As a matter of fact he palpably slowed in the last 30 yards of the final, and even at that beat his club companion Stewart by a yard.   Christie, owing to a slight accident, opened the season inauspiciously, but since the beginning of July he has figured weekly in the prize-list, except at Kilbirnie, where he only finished fourth in the final of the 100 yards.   In all he has won four firsts, three seconds and two fourths, which is a splendid return for his exertions.

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Irish runners have been playing “skittles” with a number of handicaps lately.   Little more than a trot enabled J Wickham (Donore Harriers) to win the Rangers FC 100 yards handicap, but in this case there was something so obviously wrong with the “form” that the SAAA decided to make some enquiries.   At the Royton Sports on Bank Holiday, J Baird, East Antrim Harriers  (7 yards),  and I McCormich Queen’s University AC (8 1/2 yards) were first and second in 10 sec; and at Stoke on Tuesday, S McComb, Queens University AC (3 yards) and J Baird with a handicap reduced from 7 yards to 4, were first and third in the 100 yards in 10 1-5th sec, while at the same meeting WR McComish Cliftonville AC (10 1/4 yards) captured the 120 yards handicap in 11 4-5th sec.   In 1900 McComish was  Booth Hall Plate winner  and in the light of that fact, 10 1/4 yards is a very generous concession.    Irish handicapping is undergoing a very severe test at the moment not only in Scotland but in England as well, and unless the International Board takes the matter in hand we shall be treated one of these days to a repeat of the Ibrox incident.

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Those who won prizes at Hampden Park on Thursday night are the possessors of plate which from an artistic and value point of view is far ahead of anything that has been put up for competition this season, and possibly those who attempted to boycott the meeting are now sorry they lent themselves to such unsportsmanlike conduct.   The Queen’s have always given prizes that are worth running for and this characteristic was more than maintained on Thursday night.    JM Taylor, West of Scotland Harriers, 9 1/2 yards, won the 100 yards by inches from R Raeburn, winner of the Kilbirnie sprint; while RC Duncan was third.   WA Stewart, the Scottish champion won his heat, which was composed wholly of novices; but in the semi-final he was caught napping, for which it is just possible the easy win in the first heat was to blame.   Anyhow, the final lost something of its interest by his defeat, while at the same time it deprived many of an opportunity of balancing the respective merits of the past and present holders of the sprint championship.   The half-mile racing was the finest we have seen anywhere this season.   There were three heats, all of which produced remarkable finishes, while the final was as close a race as the 100 yards.   George Dallas, Maryhill Harriers 15 yards, was the winner and his time was 2 min 1 sec.   He just beat F Thomson, Paisley Junior Harriers 60 yards, by inches and JS Matthews, West of Scotland Harriers 50 yards, who was leading 20 yards from home was third.   In other words, the virtual scratch man just beat the limit man, and it is not often this is witnessed in a distance handicap.   R Hales, the Irish champion was a spectator and he expressed himself greatly delighted with the racing.

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The Celtic FC are holding a supplementary meeting tomorrow night.   It is with a view to providing a treat to those who participate in the shop-keepers half-holiday that Celtic are extending their sports over tomorrow, and no doubt many will find their way to Parkhead, and will be amply repaid for doing so, Mr Maley has persuaded the American runners to wait over for this meeting.   Meredith and Sheppard will will run in the 1000 yards handicap.   The former may not feel at home over this distance but Sheppard, to whom any distance from a quarter to a mile seems to come quite freely, will perhaps do a big performance.   The all-comers time is well within his powers, and if there is to be any record smashing it should be over this distance.   Those in the handicap, anyhow,  will pull him out and records can only be made with the help of others.   A two miles handicap will figure in the programme with R Hales, the Irish champion, scratch.   Hales, it appears has been specially training over two miles.   He requested the Rangers to put up a  race at this distance which they did but he did not appear at Ibrox.   Over 20 runners have been invited by the Celtic to take part in this handicap.   Then Meredith, Sheppard, and perhaps Braun, are to have a quarter mile for their special delectation.   All are great runners over the 440, and it is said they are going to make an attempt to lower Lieutenant Halswell’s  record of 48 2-5th sec.   That will take some shifting, as the saying goes.   Lippencott will appear in the 100 yards and possibly he may give us a glimpse of the pace he disclosed in Stockholm.   His two appearances over 100 yards have been a little disappointing, but there is always hope where there is life, so there is always a chance of a sprinter so talented as Lippencott doing something big.

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Sports Miscellany: 4th August, 1912

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The Celtic FC are holding supplementary sports on Tuesday evening next week.   They are appealing thereby to those in the city who participate in the weekly half holiday, and the response is certain to be generous.   Shopkeepers have few opportunities of seeing first class sport, and the fact that Celtic are catering specially for this section of the public is further proof of the business instinct of the Parkhead directorate.   The semi-final and final ties of the five-a-side football competition are one of the attractions, and there will be others in the form of flat handicaps, which may possibly betaken part in by the American athletes now on a visit to our city.

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The Queens Park FC are holding a modest meeting at Hampden Park on Thursday evening.   Besides a number of confined races, there are two open handicaps – 100 yards and 880 yards.   Capital entries have been received, and though these lack the Olympic glamour the racing will be none the less interesting  on that account.   Hampden has been the scene of much bustle lately, and there is evidently a desire on the part of all to take a higher position in league football than has been the lot of the premier club for some years.   They have the best wishes of a loyal public in their endeavour to make amends for past failures, and that is always an inspiring and refreshing asset for any team to have.

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No one can keep HJ Christie from winning the aggregate prize in conjunction with the evening meetings of the West of Scotland Harriers.   He is far ahead of all in the matter of points, and it would seem to be almost impossible to handicap him out of the races in which he takes part, b they sprints or middle distances.   On Wednesday of last week he won the 100 yards with an allowance of half a yard from RC Duncan.   In open handicaps he and Duncan are on the same mark, so there would seem to be little difference between the two from whatever point of view one estimates their worth.   WS Unkles, the Obstacle champion, won the 600 yards after a punishing finish with WS Stewart, junior,  Eric R MacDougall being third.   Four teams took part in the relay race, made up of four 220’s, and the winning quartet were JS Ritchie, AB Kerr, FM Stoddart and J Bird.   In some respects last Wednesday’s meeting was one of the most interesting of the series, and the good these series is accomplishing is to be seen in the frequency with which the magic letters W.S.H appear in the list of prize-winners.

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 Mr William Maley is well advanced with his arrangements for the great meeting on Saturday first.   His programme contains several novelties that were not in the Rangers’… For the first here is the cycling which always appeals to ones imagination.    It is a thrilling sport, and rivets the attention even to a greater extent than flat racing, not matter how interesting.   This sport has been allowed to go into decline in Scotland for various causes, and what was at one time the ‘peoples sport’ is now almost a thing of the past.    Thanks, however, to the Celtic we are to have several cycle races at Parkhead on Saturday.   These will be taken part in by several of England’s foremost riders, among others Victor Johnson and Ernest Payne, both of whom have frequently appeared at Scottish meetings.   Johnson is riding as vigorously as ever, and although Payne has gone back a little, which is only natural in view of growing years, he is still a first class rider.   Ireland will be represented by WP Murray and R Kerr, both of whom are little short in power, speed and and track intelligence to Johnson and Payne.   We expect refreshing sport in the cycle races.    Then Harry Martin will give speed displays on his motor.   These scarcely come under the category of sport, but are nevertheless an interesting departure from the orthodox sports entertainment.   Another novelty is the steeplechase with water jumps.   S Frost, the English champion, will figure in this event.   He is R Noakes’s successor and a most accomplished one too.   There is humour in the steeplechase, and it would be well if there was more of this element in modern athletics.   There will be several invitation handicaps for our American visitors, and in the meantime, everything points to a meeting superior to anything yet held by Celtic FC, and to those who can recall past functions of this club a remark of this kind implies immense possibilities in the way of recreative enjoyment.

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If tradition goes for anything – and it means a lot in the athletic realm – the running at the Rangers continuation meeting this evening should be an advance in some respects on what was witnessed at Ibrox on Saturday.   For evening sport in the western district has the reputation of being better than is usually witnessed on a Saturday afternoon.   It comes natural to our men to run then, coinciding as it does with their practice hours, and there is an abandon and a sprightliness which are sometimes wanting at other times.   The Rangers are putting up an interesting programme this evening.   The distances are a departure from orthodox lines, being 120 yards, 300 yards, 1000 yards and a mile and a half, all handicaps, in addition to which there will be two special handicaps for those who lent such a charm to Saturday’s proceedings.   The entries for the open handicaps  are considerably in advance of last year, there being 72 for the 120 yards, 61 for the 300 yards, 52 for the 1000 yards and 39 for the mile and a half, for which E Owens and R Hales adorn scratch mark.   McNicol has 15 yards, A Kerr 90, J McFarlane 60, D McPhee 85, SS Watt 80 and T McTurk is the limit with 200 yards.   There are familiar names in the sprints, WA Stewart the SAAA champion being scratch in both.   HJ Christie in the 300 yards has 6 yards, J Sandilands has 7, JB Sweet 10, RC McFarlane 13, JH Rodger 13, W Law 11 and TC Wright 11, while the limit is 28 yards.   We look for good racing in this event.   Douglas McNicol is scratch in the 1000 yards.   A few days ago at Ayr he ran a fine race over this distance finishing second in 2 min 17 1-5th sec or a shade worse than the Scottish record.   He will have to do as well tonight to win judging by the starts which are on a tolerably liberal scale.   For example, JH Rodger has 18 yards, WF Taylor 30, D McPhee 40, John Giffen 38, ER MacDougall 29, A McPhee 38, and Frank Stoddart 35.   The five-a-side competition will be completed tonight.

Sports Miscellany: 22nd July 1912

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[Published the day after the Olympics closing sessions]

Melvin Sheppard, JE Meredith and H Braun were running at Berlin yesterday.   Their next appearance is at Buda Pest, after which they journey to Scotland where they hope to spend a couple of weeks.   Then they go to England, and after running at Manchester, return home for the American championships in September.

*

The Rangers FC are holding a two-day meeting after all – a decision which will be greatly appreciated by all our athletes, who on the whole have not been over-employed all season.   Monday will, as usual, be given over largely to football of the five-a-side order, and six of the leading teams will be invited to take part in the competition.   Besides the usual handicaps there will be several invitation races, the distance of which will be settled when it is known who will be coming to Glasgow for this meeting.

*

Kilbirnie Ladeside Football Club are running a sports meeting on Saturday.   The programme will consist of the orthodox handicaps, with the addition of a three miles event, in which all the better known distance runners will take part.   Duncan McPhee, the discovery of the season, will run, and it will be interesting to see how he fares with the shorter marks he is sure to get in view of his recent successes at Beith and Ayr.   At neither of these meetings was he stretched, and it just about time his resources were subjected to a severer test than he has yet been asked to face.   His win in the mile at Ayr involved little more than a canter.   At some stages, in fact, he had to put the drag on, so as not to win by too much.   No runner has ripened so rapidly as Duncan McPhee of Clydesdale Harriers.

*

JHD Watson, who has come into prominence  as a long jumper this season (he scored a brilliant win in the international at Powderhall on Saturday) will captain Edinburgh Academicals in the rugby field next season in place of  JMB Scott who is said to have retired from the game definitely, which of course remains to be seen.   Watson is a fine all-round sportsman, being good at almost everything he takes up, and he has a variegated career as while representing Scotland as he did against Ireland on Saturday, he is said to have declined a Rugby decoration from the Scottish Football Union owing to his English associations.   Watson will make an excellent successor to Scott, and the fine rugby traditions of the Academicals will certainly not suffer in his hands.

*

 The announcement that Hannes Kolehmainen is to run at Rangers FC Sports has given great satisfaction in athletic circles, and the ‘light blues’ are to be congratulated on their enterprise.   Of the many imposing figures at Stockholm, Kolehmainen was by no means the least; as a matter of fact he has been exalted to the highest position among Olympic winners through having secured three firsts.  The Finn is great over distances ranging from two to ten miles, and is in this respect another Shrubb, whose records at Ibrox Park in 1904 still hold the field.   Kolehmainen still has designs on Shrubb’s figures and it is just possible that Rangers will include a distance race in their programme    with a view to affording this great runner an opportunity of dispossessing Shrubb’s times of the pre-eminence they have so long enjoyed.

*

The Celtic directors met on Friday afternoon and reviewed the arrangements made by Mr William Maley for the sports next month.    These, it is scarcely necessary to say,  are on a very enterprising scale – as enterprising as in 1908 when several American Olympic champions ran at Parkhead.   It is understood that Messrs Lippincott, Meredith and Sheppard are certain starters, and it is just possible that there may be others.   These are all record smashers.   Lippincott and Meredith will be strangers but Sheppard has been both at Ibrox and Parkhead and few will forget his performances at these grounds.   Sheppard is as great as ever over distances ranging from 440 yards to a mile; indeed, we should say that he has no equal anywhere over these distances.   It is rare to see a man who is first-class over 440 yards also first-class at a mile.   Sheppard embodies this threefold distinction and, though he does not come to Glasgow as Olympic champion, as in 1908 he comes as one who figured with great distinction in all three events at Stockholm.

*

The suggestion thrown out by the racing reporter of “The Herald” that the executive of the Ayr Racecourse should include Fair Saturday in their July programme has caused something like consternation in the ranks of the Ayr United Football Club who have had that day for the last twenty years for their sports.   No other day in the summer calendar will suit them and the Race Committee know what will inevitably flow from any attempt on their part to appropriate Fair Saturday.   As it is, the races during the Glasgow holiday week have taken largely from the interest hitherto shown in the sports, and it is believed that an enlargement of the programme on the lines suggested by the racing reporter of “The Herald” simply means death to the sports.   Up to the present Mr Shaw has worked cordially with the Ayr United FC Sports Committee and in more ways than one has shown an interest in the sports.   But, however tempting an increase from two to three days racing may seem, there is reason to believe that in the meantime at least the executive have no intention of falling in with the suggestion to annex Fair Saturday.

*

There are over 100 entries – to be precise the number is 1033 – for the Army Championships at Aldershot on Wednesday and Thursday of this week.   It is only natural such a portentous list should include many whose names are well known in athletic and other sporting circles.   Lieut RJ Simson, the rugby three-quarter back for instance, will run in the 100 yards,over which he had a good reputation  at Edinburgh Academy, and there are others who have also distinguished themselves in the football field.   Lieut Alan Patterson, one of Great Britain’s Olympic team, will figure in the quarter-mile and half-mile, both of which he should win.    Lieutenant Halswell has held these championships, but Army form, as of today, is not of the superlative excellence to which Halswell brought it.   Corporal Hutson, the AAA Four Miles champion, and Sergeant O’Neil of Irish international note, are the leading lights in the distance races.   Hutson, of course, is a great runner, and if he does not win the one mile, the three miles looks a good thing for him.   The Army Championships are a great sporting and social function and Aldershot ill in consequence be a scene of much gaiety and joyous mirth this week.

*

The racing at the supplementary meeting of the Ayr United FC was quite up to expectations.   Evening sport, strange to say, is always of a higher standard than afternoon sport, and the Ayr meeting was no exception in this respect.   Douglas McNicol of Polytechnic Harriers, did not win the 1000 yards but he got second, being only half a dozen yards behind the winner in the fast time of 2 min 17 1-5th sec.   It was a North of England runner who beat McNicol.     The sprints were extra good, the final of the 100 yards resulting in a perfect finish; the proverbial lady’s handkerchief would have covered the lot at the post.

D Macintosh of Bellahouston Harriers (six yards) was the winner.   His maiden win was at the Queen’s Park sports three years ago, and he has broken the tape several times since, though somehow he always hovers on the same mark or thereabouts.   The walk was very diverting, and many would like to see this item more widely recognised by sports clubs.   Everyday athletics are far too serious and austere, and it is events like walking and jumping and obstacles that impart the necessary hilarity.   The cycle races were both interesting and exciting, although Vic Johnston was not in as good form as we have sometimes seen him at Somerset Park.   F Boor, who is coming to the Celtic Sports, beat him in the scratch five miles invitation race after a display of fine racing judgment.   The home riders did well in the open handicaps claiming five out of six prizes.

—

Some Summit Results: Summer 2016

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Jim McL

Jim McLatchie with some of the girls who did so well: 

Next to him is Sarah Reeves – won the 800m and anchored the 4 x 400m, in front row right is Kelsey (7th 800m), Taylor (4th 800), Hannah (in black, 2nd 1500, 2nd 3000), Emma (beside Hannah, 3rd 800, lead-off 4 x 400), Olivia (1st 1500 & 3000).

1st  3rd &7th – 800

1st, 2nd & 4th – 1500

1st and 2nd 3000

 

800 Meters  5A – Finals x
1. 12 Caleb Hoffmann 1:53.64a Bend
2. 12 Nolan Bylenga 1:56.78a Pendleton
3. 10 Jerik Embleton 1:57.06a Marist
4. 11 Isaac Wilson 1:57.55a Crescent Valley
5. 12 Hayden Earl 1:58.40a Hermiston
6. 10 Ian Rinefort 1:59.11a Ashland
7. 11 Ryan Hugie 1:59.77a Lebanon
8. 11 Scott Kinkade 2:00.45a Summit
9. 10 Derek Tripp 2:01.13a Crater
10. 11 Griff Hokanson 2:02.31a Crater
11. 12 Raleigh Slyman 2:04.11a La Salle Prep
12. 12 Cameron Quenzer 2:10.22a Wilsonville
1500 Meters  5A – Finals x
1. 10 Andy Monroe 3:57.86a Crater
2. 12 Walter Vail 3:58.05a Crater
3. 10 Jerik Embleton 4:00.32a Marist
4. 12 Alex Martin 4:01.57a Summit
5. 10 Derek Tripp 4:02.68a Crater
6. 11 Michael Callaway 4:04.96a Sandy
7. 12 Justin Crosswhite 4:06.06a Hood River Valley
8. 12 Merle Nye 4:09.10a Bend
9. 12 Sam Roth 4:09.36a Silverton
10. 10 Nicholas Whitaker 4:10.66a Wilsonville
11. 10 Isaac Sanchez 4:18.49a Hermiston
12. 11 Doug Burris 4:19.70a Corvallis
3000 Meters  5A – Finals x
1. 10 Andy Monroe 8:55.05a Crater
2. 12 Walter Vail 8:55.34a Crater
3. 12 Alex Martin 8:56.68a Summit
4. 12 Justin Crosswhite 9:01.79a Hood River Valley
5. 9 Jantz Tostenson 9:03.13a Crater
6. 11 Michael Callaway 9:03.84a Sandy
7. 10 Albert Hesse 9:08.13a Ridgeview
8. 10 Nicholas Whitaker 9:11.11a Wilsonville
9. 12 Quinn Fetkenhour 9:17.64a Hood River Valley
10. 12 Ryan Helbling 9:22.83a Marist
11. 10 Ian Vickstrom 9:23.27a Corvallis
12. 9 Trevor Cross 9:37.70a Dallas

Meters  5A – Finals x
1. 11 Sarah Reeves 2:14.90a Summit
2. 12 Talya Holenstein 2:14.98a La Salle Prep
3. 11 Emma Stevenson 2:15.21a Summit
4. 12 Maddie Fuhrman 2:16.98a Silverton
5. 12 Emily Bechen 2:17.00a Churchill
6. 11 Josie Hanna 2:18.85a St Helens
7. 10 Kelsey Washenberger 2:20.99a Summit
8. 9 Jori Paradis 2:21.28a Silverton
9. 12 Macey Foley 2:21.93a Hermiston
10. 11 Grace Perkins 2:22.16a Bend
11. 10 Ariana Marks 2:22.16a Eagle Point
12. 12 Taryn Sokoloski 2:22.40a Pendleton
1500 Meters  5A – Finals x
1. 11 Olivia Brooks 4:38.23a Summit
2. 10 Hannah Tobiason 4:38.24a Summit
3. 12 Jordan Monroe 4:39.25a Crater
4. 10 Taylor Vandenborn 4:39.67a Summit
5. 12 Rachel Khaw 4:41.87a Liberty
6. 12 Maddie Fuhrman 4:41.94a Silverton
7. 10 McKenna Henke 4:51.55a Crescent Valley
8. 10 Ariana Marks 4:52.30a Eagle Point
9. 9 Geneva Wolfe 4:59.02a Corvallis
10. 12 Delaney Clem 4:59.19a Pendleton
11. 10 Brooklyn Stenstrom 5:09.43a Wilsonville
12. 10 Melany Solorio 5:12.86a Hermiston
3000 Meters  5A – Finals x
1. 11 Olivia Brooks 10:10.17a Summit
2. 10 Hannah Tobiason 10:12.96a Summit
3. 12 Jordan Monroe 10:15.57a Crater
4. 12 Rachel Khaw 10:29.89a Liberty
5. 9 Kelsey Swenson 10:31.60a Mountain View (OR)
6. 11 Grace Perkins 10:33.61a Bend
7. 12 Delaney Clem 10:35.57a Pendleton
8. 10 Brooklyn Stenstrom 10:39.93a Wilsonville
9. 10 McKenna Henke 10:44.62a Crescent Valley
10. 10 Hannah Mason 10:45.29a Lebanon
11. 9 Hazel Richards 11:12.13a Ashland
12. 12 Lauren Robinson 11:15.46a Hood River Valley
13. 10 Melany Solorio

 

The results are as usual very interesting – clearly some very talented young men and women but it is also very clear that they have been well organised and trained leading in to the events in which they all do well.   Coach McLatchie has been good enough to send on some of the sessions that they did before the State championships and we have then below.

MO 4X400 REST-3/2/1 MIN/ JOG 5M/ 4X200 – REST 3/2/1 MIN
MP 1600/ 8MR/1200/1MR/ 400
M6 2X(4X200 3MR) 10 MIN SETS

 

5/14/2016 MO ALEX M 65 66 66 66/ 30 30 30 30
5/14/2016 MO SCOTTY 65 66 66 66/ 30 30 30 30
5/14/2016 MO OLIVIA 71 70 71 71/ 33 32 32 32
5/14/2016 MO SARAH 72 75 77 83/ 34 32 34 34
5/14/2016 MO EMMA 72 70 71 71/ 33 32 32 32
5/14/2016 MO HANNAH 72 72 74 71/ 34 32 34 34
5/14/2016 MO KELSEY 73 72 74 71/ 34 32 32 34
5/14/2016 MO TAYLOR 73 72 74 71/ 34 32 32 34
5/16/2016 MP ALEX M 4.46 2.26(DNF) 62
5/16/2016 MP OLIVIA 5.19 3.57 71
5/16/2016 MP HANNAH 5.24 4.04 76
5/16/2016 M6 SCOTTY 26 28 28 29/ 28 28 28 27
5/16/2016 M6 SARAH 31 30 30 29/ 29 29 29 29
5/16/2016 M6 EMMA 31 30 30 29/ 29 29 29 29
5/16/2016 M6 KELSEY 31 32 32 32/ 30 31 31 30
5/16/2016 M6 TAYLOR 31 32 32 32/ 30 31 31 30