Flaming June is the month where pure athleticism is seen on the fields of Anniesland and Balgray with the Annual School Sports programme in full tilt

The annual Sports Days of High Schoolof Glasgow, Glasgow Academy and Kelvinside Academy have been graced by many great athletes some have even gone on the Olympic honours including Gold in the form of Arthur Robertson of Kelvinside Academy who won the 3 miles in 1908 and a silver medal in the Steeplechase at the same London Games
He was the first of only six Scots to ever win Olympic athletics gold,

The events have not been without controversy when on one occasion an athlete who had a name of two halfs John Cargill-Thompson a product of Kelvinside Academy Harrow and High School displayed too much triumphalism when awarded the Victor Ludorum at High School that the rector of the day stripped him of the honour He later became a thespian and rugby fan, always rooting for Scotland and acquired an extensive collection of rugby shirts. He once even acted the title part of his play, Hamlet II: Prince of Jutland, in full rugby regalia.



The Glasgow Academy Sports is the oldest athletics meeting in the west of Scotland starting in 1868 and has been held every year since including the dark years of two World Wars
In early years the event was organised by the Glasgow Academical Club and included "strangers races" the forerunner to open athletics
In 1899 the crowd was entertained by the band of the Royal Scots Greys who stopped off en route to the Boer War

This article was originally posted on 12-Jun-2012, 10:39 by Hugh Barrow.
Last updated by Hugh Barrow on 13-Jun-2012, 10:14.