This weekend sees Hawks engage Edinburgh Accies a club with a history almost without parallel in the world of football whatever the code
In a life of over 150 years they have produced many greats but surely non greater than Leslie Melville Balfour-Melville so good they named him twice who could lay claim to be Scotland's greatest ever all rounder


Leslie Melville Balfour-Melville

(1854-1937)
All Rounder
Inducted into Scottish Sports Hall of Fame in 2002

Balfour-Melville's finest moment in his sporting career was on 29 July 1882. As captain, opening batsman and wicket-keeper, he led Scotland to victory over Australia at cricket. This was as remarkable an achievement in 1882 as it would be today! Balfour-Melville was also a tennis player, rugby player, skater, curler, long-jumper and billiards player. He was a prolific golf medal winner and captain of the Royal and Ancient Golf Club in 1906.

Played rugby for Scotland against England, 1872
Scottish Lawn Tennis Championship winner, 1879
Captained Scotland to a cricketing victory over Australia, 1882
British Amateur Golf Championship winner, 1895

This article was originally posted on 26-Jan-2010, 08:22 by Hugh Barrow.
Last updated by Hugh Barrow on 26-Jan-2010, 08:24.