Long distance Liz runs into the Hall of Fame - December 2004
The most successful female distance runner in British athletics history, Liz McColgan MBE will take her place in the Scottish Sports Hall of Fame (SSHOF) today (25 November). McColgan’s outstanding career has spanned more than two decades and included winning two gold medals at the 1986 and 1990 Commonwealth Games and a silver at the 1998 Seoul Olympics.
McColgan together with five other Scottish sporting heroes will be inducted during a ceremony performed by Patricia Ferguson MSP, Minister for Tourism, Culture and Sport.
Ms Ferguson said: “The Scottish Sports Hall of Fame aims to honour Scotland’s sporting heroes past and present and inspire future champions to participate in sport. We recognise that high performance athletes can influence people to pursue more active lives and to strive for excellence.
“Participation in sport can help improve the long-term health and well-being of our nation and provide a stronger pool of talent to nurture future world-class performances.
“The Scottish Executive and sportscotland are fully committed to achieving international sporting success. To help achieve this we should take maximum advantages of such sources of inspiration. Last week saw London submit its bid to bring the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games to London. Hosting these Games would inspire our up and coming athletes to compete at the greatest sporting event in the world. That, along with the other sporting, tourism and business benefits that these Games would bring to all parts of the UK, is why Scottish Ministers strongly support the London bid.
“The Scottish Sports Hall of Fame, which will soon be housed in a permanent exhibition at the Royal Museum, rightly recognising the achievements of those who have excelled in their own sport and helped to raise the profile of Scotland and Scottish sport to a national and international audience.
“Congratulations to all of the new inductees.”
The earliest sportsman to be recognised today is long distance runner, Arthur James Robertson whose sporting achievements include being the first of only six Scots to ever win an athletics Olympic gold medal which was in 1908 in the three mile team race and followed by a silver in the 3,200m steeplechase.
The legendary Celtic goal scorer, Jimmy McGrory also features in this year’s line-up scoring a massive 397 goals in 378 League games and more than 500 in all, which remains an achievement almost unmatched in world football terms. His association with Celtic was lifelong with a 20 year stint as manager, continuing his involvement in public relations until his death in 1982.
W I Douglas Elliot is today recognised as the outstanding Scotland rugby player of the early post-war years, winning 29 caps and excelling in his role as captain versus the All Blacks and in the Victory internationals.
Holder of four world records and two Commonwealth Games medals, Jack Wardrop is the latest swimmer to join the Scottish Sports Hall of Fame. Born in Motherwell, Wardrop went to Michigan University in America in 1952 and never came back to Scotland permanently. By the end of 1952 Wardrop held a total of 32 records and five British titles. He was one of a record seven swimmers from his famous hometown club to be selected for the 1948 Olympic Games in London.
1988 US Masters winner, golfer Sandy Lyle is also inducted today. He became the first non-American to win the famous green jacket and at the Championship dinner, haggis was added to the menu in his honour! Sandy was also the first Scot since Tommy Armour to win The Open in 1985.
Now in its third year, the Scottish Sports Hall of Fame has been developed through a unique partnership between the National Museums of Scotland and sportscotland, and already includes legendary names such as Formula 1 racing driver Sir Jackie Stewart OBE, swimmer David Wilkie and Major League baseball star Bobby Thomson. Today’s ceremony brings the total number of inductees to 70 (9 women and 61 men). Of the 19 sports represented there are: 12 footballers, eight from both athletics and swimming; seven each from golf and rugby and six boxers.
At 40 years of age Liz McColgan is the youngest living inductee and golfer Jessie Valentine MBE inducted in 2003 is the eldest at 89 years. The earliest sportsman to be recognised in the Hall of Fame is Captain Robert Barclay Allardice 1779-1854 for his famous marathon walking feats including in 1809 walking 1 mile every hour for 1000 hours.
The ultimate aim of the project has always been the development of a permanent tribute to Scotland’s sporting achievements. Thanks to outstanding fundraising efforts by the National Museums of Scotland, next autumn will see the opening of the Scottish Sports Hall of Fame Gallery at the Royal Museum of Scotland.
Dr Gordon Rintoul, Director of the National Museums of Scotland, said: “I am delighted that the partnership between National Museums of Scotland and sportscotland is once again welcoming new inductees to the Scottish Sports Hall of Fame. Thanks to our successful fundraising campaign, both at home and abroad, the sterling achievements of these Scottish sportsmen and women will be recognised in a new gallery in the Museum of Scotland in 2005 ”.
Sports Halls of Fame are an internationally recognised way of acknowledging past performers, promoting excellence in sport and instilling sport as a key part of a nation’s culture. By providing a public record of Scotland’s greatest sports men and women, the Hall aims to inspire younger generations and promote a culture of Scots recognising and celebrating Scottish success across a range of sports.
Congratulating the 2004 inductees, Alastair Dempster, Chairman, sportscotland, said: “I am privileged to be here today as we induct a further six Scottish sporting legends into the Sports Hall of Fame. I am particularly pleased that our ultimate goal of a permanent Gallery here at the Royal Museum is just around the corner thanks to a successful partnership with our colleagues from National Museums of Scotland.
“I am sure the Scottish Sports Hall of Fame will be a significant attraction to Scots and visitors alike, joining together to celebrate some of the world’s greatest sporting achievements and giving inspiration particularly to our young people, highlighting just what can be achieved through participation in sport.”