Before we go on to the memorabilia, I will draw your attention to an article from Racing Past which deals with miling and in particular the career of John Joe Barry who ran in Scotland as a member of the St Machan’s club in Lennoxtown for several years.   The article, a very good read, is at  https://www.racingpast.ca/bob-phillips.php?id=34       Picture below is of John Joe leading in the AAA’s championships of 1949.   He set a world record for the one and a half miles which was not recognised as such because the distance was not recognised by the IAAF for world record purposes.   Read it but first have a look at this collection of memorabilia.

    

    

Hugh really does have some really good stuff in his collection and also has an eye for the outstanding items on Facebook and internet pages.   The first one here is a real gem – I’ve never seen anything like it.   Sent by Ian Binnie’s daughter Shelley Pedersen it is a badge from the Empire Games in Vancouver in 1954.   Ian’s profile is on the website at  this link.  

Of course Hugh’s interest in the history of the sport is well known and among the items on this page we have this letter inviting a club to take part in the Five-a-side tournament at the Rangers Sports in 1954.   

There is I think almost universal regret that the short relays in October have pretty well all gone – there was the McAndrew Relay at Scotstoun on the first Saturday of the month, followed by the County Relays, followed by the District Relays and then the National relays.   Before the National relays there was the Dundee Kingsway Relay – like all the rest it was a 4 man, just short of 3 miles, relay and like the McAndrew it was on the roads.   Hugh of course was in a winning team and shows us his plaque.   

 

There are not many with his knowledge of the early days of the sport and the overlap between football and athletics and here we have an article from the Scottish Athletics Journal.   You will note that Tom Vallance was a top class all round sportsman and the first man ever to hold the national record for the long jump.

Many of us remember the statue on the canopy outside Bishopbriggs Leisure Centre.   It was one of three casts of a statue made by John  Longden and was simply called the Runner.    It was removed after the Centre was refurbished and ended up for a short while inside in Hugh’s office.   both runners are pictured with the metal one wearing what looks like a rugby or football top.

More to come!