The Athletes and Athletic Sports of Scotland

CHAMPION SCOTTISH ATHLETES—1850-1890. 105 John, Applecross ;Maccoll, J ohn, Oban; Macrae, Finlay, Dun- tulm; Macrae, Angus, Callander; Macrae, Donald, Harris; Macrae, Kenneth; Macrae, Christopher, Harris; Macdonald, Alexander-, Macdonald, George, South Morar; Macdonald, Angus, South Morar; Macdonald, William, Moy Hall; Mac- dougall, Duncan, Aberfeldy; Mackay, Duncan; Mackay, Donald, piper to Prince of Wales; Mackenzie, John, Taymouth ; Mac­ kenzie,Donald, Taymouth ; Mackenzie, Ronald, Inverness; Mac­ kenzie, William, Hamilton ; Maclaren, Peter ; Maclennan, John, Strontian; Maclennan, William, Edinburgh; Maclennan, A., Inverness ; Macphee, Donald, Glasgow ;Macpherson, Malcolm, Badenoch ; Macpherson, John, BlairCastle ; Macpherson, Angus, Badenoch; Murchison, George; Patterson, Donald, London ; Rose, ^Eneas, Blair Castle; Rose, William,Blair Castle; Smith, John, Inverness ; Smith, William, Inverness ; Stewart, Alexander, Drummond Castle ; Sutherland, William, Airdrie. CHAPTER XL CHAMPION SCOTTISH ATHLETES—iSjo-iSgo. T TP to the middleof the present century the fameof the best Scottish athletes was mostly local, and this is easily ac­ counted for. Until railways increased the speedand reduced the cost of travelling, the class of men from whom arise ourbest athletes could afford neither the time nor the money to go to distant meetings. Now and again some of the nobility and gentry might take or send a retainer, who had acquired local fame as an athlete, to some distant athletic gathering, but as a rule athletes, previous to1850, were little known beyond their own and neighbouring Counties. Any one interested in such matters will find men offrom 60 to 80 years of age in Aberdeen­ shire who will wax eloquent on the feats ofmen who had a great local reputation when they were young men, but whose names 7