This week sees Hawks prepare to take on the Greens at Old Anniesland a club always linked with Bill McLaren who is recognised as one for the great fonts of knowledge on all matters rugby framed by magnificent quotes-- his work and legacy now being carried on by the Foundation founded in his name

"My goodness, that wee ball’s gone so high there’ll be snow on it when it comes down.
"He’s as quick as a trout up a burn."

Bill was famed for his great attention to detail when commentating using copious notes but on at least one occasion he strayed into athletics where is knowledge was tested

This takes us to the Common Riding Athletics meeting which at times was held on the famous turf of Mansfield Park the home of Hawick RFC one of the great names of the Club game
Traditionally the meeting had been held under "pro rules" but some years the Committee chose to join the fold of the amateur ranks under the auspices of the Scottish Amateur Athletics Association which in a perverse way brought in a more professional approach both in terms of organisation but also in terms of rule bending the very rules this august governing body had been charged with upholding

All this brings us to a fine Friday night when a formidable field assembled on the grass track laid out at Hawick Rugby Club
The field included The Four Minute Smiler Derek Ibbotson a former world mile record holder--,the Head Waiter (because of his finishing kick)Alan Simpson 4th in the Olympic 1500 final in Tokyo,-- the King of the Boards John Whetton European Indoor 1500 m Champion -- and local hero Craig Douglas of Teviotdale Harriers together with sundry others from central belt

At that time invitation miles could prove lucrative events for those on the athletics circuit equivalent to boot money in rugby both sports of course during that era bastions of amateurism. That year the circuit was being dominated by Rotherham's Alan Simpson so when the show hit Hawick it had been suggested that maybe Whetton should post a win to maintain interest before the carnival rolled on to the Rockingham Miners Gala Day the following weekend

That however was thwarted by the fact on the last lap on Mansfields tight five laps to the mile track Whetton was boxed in and shouted to Simpson that he had to go on and win again-- whilst all this was unfolding on the back straight Bill who was commentating from the stand was suggesting who was going to win whilst the rest of us in the field already had heard the result with half a lap to go

However all this nonsense actually led to Alan Simpson posting a time of 4m 3.7s the fastest ever mile recorded on a grass track in Scotland and that is some running because Mansfield Park is not really the fastest of surfaces as many a Hawks team can attest to

This article was originally posted on 8-Oct-2012, 10:47 by Hugh Barrow.
Last updated by Hugh Barrow on 8-Oct-2012, 13:27.