1883 Scottish Athletics Championships Explained
The 1883 Scottish Athletics Championships were the first national athletics championships to be held in Scotland. They were held under the auspices of the Scottish Amateur Athletic Association at Powderhall Grounds, Edinburgh, on Saturday 23 June 1883, in front of 3000 spectators. In addition to the twelve individual athletic events there was a 1-mile bicycle race won by G. B. Batten of Edinburgh University Bicycle Club. Lord Moncreiff presented the prizes.
Some sources describe Thomas Moffat, the winner of the half-mile, as a Canadian, but it was an absolute condition of entry that you be Scottish, either from birth, parentage, or residence. Moffat was born in Sheffield, but his father John Moffat was a Glasgow doctor. Thomas Moffat had emigrated to Canada, hence the Montreal AA affiliation, but had returned home for a family occasion when the championships came along. Earlier that year there had been a rival championship, hosted by the short-lived West of Scotland Amateur Athletic Association, and Moffat is the only man to win events at both championships.[1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6] [7]
Results summary
440 yards| Pos | Athlete | Time |
|---|
| 1. | William A. Peterkin (Edinburgh Un.) | 51 3/4 |
| 2. | Thomas Moffat (Montreal AA) | 5 yards |
| 3. | J. Glegg (Edinburgh Un.) | 4 yards | |
880 yards| Pos | Athlete | Time |
|---|
| 1. | Thomas Moffat (Montreal AA) | 2:00 3/4 |
| 2. | Thomas Ireland (Edinburgh Un.) | 20 yards |
| 3. | W. J. Laing (Watson's Coll. AC) | | |
1 mile| Pos | Athlete | Time |
|---|
| 1. | David S. Duncan (Royal High School FP) | 4:35 |
| 2. | William M. Gabriel (Edinburgh Un.) | 5 yards |
| 3. | John Johnstone (Helensburgh AC) | 25 yards | |
3 miles walk| Pos | Athlete | Time |
|---|
| 1. | John Harvie (Queen's Park FC) | 24:10 |
| 2. | James H. Vibart (Watson's Coll. AC) | 24:29 | |
High jump| Pos | Athlete | Dist |
|---|
| 1. | William F. Methuen (Fettes-Loretto) | 5 ft 6in (1.67m) |
| 2. | James N. Macleod (Glasgow Un.) | 5 ft 5in (1.65m) | |
Long jump| Pos | Athlete | Dist |
|---|
| 1. | Daniel A. Bethune (Established Church TC) | 19 ft 5 1/2in (5.93m) |
| 2. | Arthur E. Bullock (Edinburgh Un.) | 19 ft 3in (5.86m) | |
Shot put| Pos | Athlete | Dist |
|---|
| 1. | Kenneth Whitton (Ross County FC) | 38 ft 11in (11.86m) |
| 2. | William A. Peterkin (Edinburgh Un.) | 38 ft 9in (11.81m) |
| 3. | Charles Reid (Edinburgh Academicals) | 38 ft 8 1/2in (11.80m) | |
Hammer| Pos | Athlete | Dist |
|---|
| 1. | Robert Smith (Mauchline FC) | 94 ft 7in (28.84m) |
| 2. | Kenneth Whitton (Ross County FC) | 93 ft 2in (28.40m) | |
Throwing the cricket ball| Pos | Athlete | Dist |
|---|
| 1. | Robert F. H. Bruce (Glasgow Un.) | 322 ft 5in (98.26m) |
| 2. | A. R. Don Wauchope (Fettes-Loretto) | 316 ft 6in (96.45m) | |
See also
Notes and References
- Scottish Athletics 1883-1983, John W. Keddie (1982)
- https://app.box.com/s/u16zxc5a0os7edqw6dguny19ias3ptum Scottish Championship Results - Track
- https://app.box.com/s/q1walf45yqdg4mg18k27qsnfne9sfxpn Scottish Championship Results - Field
- https://www.scotstats.net/archive-2/track-and-field/ Scottish Athletics Track Statisticians - Archive
- "Illustrated Sporting and Dramatic News", Sat 30 Jun 1883 p. 11
- "Penny Illustrated Paper", Sat 30 Jun 1883 p. 10
- "Sporting Gazette", Sat 30 Jun 1883 p. 27
