Scottish Sporting History

[Richard]

10th May 1934.
Swimming.
Helen Orr Gordon.
Elenor, as she was later to be known, was born on this day.
In 1950, aged just 16, she became the first ever Scottish woman to win Gold at the Empire Games.
She also became Scotland's youngest ever Gold Medalist.
With several medals and other achievements to her name, Elenor is one of Scotland's most
successful female swimmers.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elenor_Gordon
http://www.scottishswimminghalloffame.c ... ordon.html
http://www.bbc.co.uk/scotland/sportscot ... icle/0070/

Grace Morton was a female Scottish swimmer who's family have strong links to Ayrshire and
Scottish football, via Celtic & Rangers, amongst others.
Her story is part of the Elenor Gordon story.
It is for that reason that I include this link about Grace.
http://kilmarnockasc.org.uk/html/grace_morton.html

[Richard]

12th May 2011.
Glasgow Celtic F.C. join Scottish Catholics in a call for a crackdown on sectarian attacks.
The recent rise in these type of attacks, and anti-catholic sentiment, has come to be known,
among the Scottish public, as Scotland's shame. The sectarianism has always been there but
recent events have seen the seriousness of the crimes take a new and sinister twist.
This is a man being attacked at his work, (by the Hearts fan, wearing white):
http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2011 ... an-attacks
This is the sentence & court statement, given to the Hearts fan:
http://www.scotland-judiciary.org.uk/8/ ... ARK-WILSON
It should also be said that a charge of assault, on the Celtic manager, was found "not proven",
despite several million people around the world witnessing it on the televised game and pictures,
in all of the various press outlets, and Police & Security witness statements.
Another trial, of 2 men from Ayrshire, later sentenced them for sending bomb threats to the Celtic
manager, a labour politician and a high profile QC (who was to die suddenly before the trial concluded):
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-g ... t-17869217

12th May 1977.
Snooker.
Graeme Dott.
Dott, born on this day, became world champion in 2006 and won the China Open in 2007.
He won the UK Under 19 Championship in 1992 & the Scottish Amateur Championship in 1993.
After turning professional in 1994, he worked his way up the Snooker rankings.
Dott also had to battle with depression but once you read his story, you realise & understand why.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Graeme_Dott
http://snookerdatabase.co.uk/PlayerDeta ... ayerKey=19

[Richard]

13th May 2011.
KARATE.
The Scottish Karate Association' Dan Grades awarded on this day.
http://www.scottishkarateassociation.co.uk/

[Richard]

14th May 1754.
GOLF.
The St.Andrews Society of Golfers was constituted on this day.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Royal_ ... St_Andrews
http://www.livestrong.com/article/34496 ... onal-golf/

14th May 1940.
YACHTING.
Charles Blyth.
Blyth was born, on this day, in the Scottish Borders town of Hawick.
He has many achievements to his name, but he will be most remembered for being the first person
to sail non-stop around the world, (Westwards), in 1971. He also achieved this in record time.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chay_Blyth
http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/date ... 527863.stm

[Richard]

15th May 2010.
FOOTBALL.
Scottish Cup Final.
Ayrshireman, Craig Conway, grabbed 2 of Dundee United's goals to help sink Ross County and win the
Scottish Cup, at a sun-soaked Hampden Park, on this day.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2010_Scottish_Cup_Final
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ascrG9KZZoI

15th May 2008.
FOOTBALL.
Celtic & Kilmarnock legend, Tommy Burns, died on this day.
http://www.thecelticwiki.com/page/Burns,+Tommy
http://www.killiefc.com/DoYouRemember/TommyBurns.htm

15th May 1987.
TENNIS.
Scottish Tennis Ace, Andy Murray, was born on this day.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andy_Murray

[Richard]

16th May 2007.
FOOTBALL.
A record transfer fee, between 2 Scottish football clubs, was agreed on this day.
Hibernian F.C. sold a young midfield player to league rivals Celtic F.C., for a reported £4.4 Million.
The name of that young midfielder was Scott Brown.
Brown quickly established himself in the Celtic squad and became the club captain.
He is fast gaining legendary status amongst the Celtic supporters and gaining a reputation as the
midfield General, due to his combative and fearless style of play.
At the time of compiling this post, Brown has just led Celtic to their first Scottish Premier League
title in 4 years.
Not bad for a lad who grew up supporting Rangers, (Celtic's big city rivals).

TIP: For first link (below), click on link then click on: Did you mean Scott Brown (Scottish Footballer).
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scott_Brow ... footballer)
http://www.thecelticwiki.com/page/Brown,+Scott
http://www.pieandbovril.com/forum/index ... ish-clubs/

[Richard]

17th May 1859.
AUSTRALIAN RULES FOOTBALL.
Scots played a huge part in the formation of the game and were involved in the creation of the games
first official set of laws, on this day. One of the big contributors in those early days was the McCracken
family from Ayrshire. They founded the famous Essendon club.
http://www.collegesportsscholarships.co ... otball.htm

17th May 1886.
FOOTBALL.
Motherwell Football Club was formed on this day.
http://www.motherwellfc.co.uk/the-club/ ... b-history/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of ... %80%931945)

17th May 1921.
COACHING.
Jim Bradley, sports coach, was born on this day.
Best known for his 'speedball' training techniques for athletes, but if we fast-forward Bradley's life to 1972,
when he emigrated to Australia, we find that he became a fitness coach with the famous Essendon Football
Club of Australian Rules Football,(mentioned above). He was later to receive a broken jaw in the infamous
battle of Windy Hill when a fight broke-out, at half time, between the players of the Essendon & Richmond
clubs. Bradley's training techniques have been taught to many athlete's, including Scotland's best ever
sprinter, Allan Wells. Bradley has to be one of our most Interesting & successful sports exports ?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jim_Bradle ... tics_coach)
For appropriate information, click on link(above) and then click on: Did you mean; Jim Bradley(athletics coach).

[Richard]

18th May 1857.
FOOTBALL.
Andrew Watson, born on this day, was the worlds first black association footballer to play at International
level. Watson was capped 3 times for Scotland. His first call-up came in 1881, when he captained
Scotland to a 6.1 victory over England, on English soil. Why this man only got 3 caps for Scotland is anybodies
guess ? A truly outstanding player with a very Interesting life-story.
He later emigrated to Australia, where he died and is buried.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andrew_Watson_(footballer)
http://www.universitystory.gla.ac.uk/bi ... 046&type=P
http://www.black-history-month.co.uk/si ... atson.html
http://www.englandfootballonline.com/Se ... o1881.html

18th May 1960.
FOOTBALL.
The European Cup final took place at Hampden Park in Glasgow, on this day.
It was the 5th European Cup final to have taken place since the tournament began.
Real Madrid had won the previous 4 finals and were hot favourites to win this one.
Eintracht Frankfurt scored first, but still lost the game 7.3.
This game is widely regarded, in some footballing circles, to be THE best ever game.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1960_European_Cup_Final
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1H_89ue5s20[/youtube]

18th May 1975.
SNOOKER.
John Higgins, top Scottish Snooker player, was born on this day.
The only Scottish Snooker player, better than this man, is a certain Stephen Hendry.
But then again, at the time of compiling this post, Hendry has just retired from the game,
so Higgins still has time to better Hendry's world records. Maybe ? Just Maybe ?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Higgi ... ker_player)
http://www.premierleaguesnooker.com/pro ... iggins.htm

[Hughie]

That Real Madrid and Eintracht match was unforgettable. I wasn't there but I watched on B/W TV - pretty sure it was live. So many claimed to have been there on the day.

I was at Hampden to watch Eintracht play Rangers in a friendly for turning on of the Hampden lights probably around 1959. From memory, and remember it was all standing back then there were around 134,000 spectators. I think it might have been the first time Rangers wore a different strip - looked shiny and silk like with vertical stripes.

[Richard]

Hughie:
It must have been a great game to watch, either by being there or on television.
Any game or team that can boast of having 2 greats, such as Puskas & Di Stefano, would be worth the watching.
I think, from the footage, that's about THE softest penalty award that I've EVER witnessed ?????
When I was looking into this 'date in history', I read on another article that a certain young(18), amateur
footballer, by the name of Alex Ferguson, attended & watched this game.
Another thing that I've noticed, since doing this thread is, when looking at old football footage, is the lack of
'banners & flags', (a good thing if you ask me). I wonder when all that nonsense first crept into the game ?
Especially these days, when most of the banners & flags are more "political" than football. Shame really.
I also think that, although more dangerous, standing brings a better atmosphere than sitting.
Mind you, It also brings more money when health & safety is ignored and people crammed-in like sardines.

[morag]

If I watchan exciting game on telly I usually end up standing…and am usually hoarse!

[Richard]

Aye, Morag.
I'm exactly the same and I think that could be said for the majority of us.
Especially the competitive & passionate amongst us.
I've even seen me doing it over a game of snooker.

It's amazing how we turn into completely different creatures, as soon as we "take sides".