ATHLETICS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2651, 4 January 1905, Page 54

ATHLETICS.

DONALD DINNIE'S PEATS. - WINNER OF 11,000 PRIZES. In reply to an inquiry some time ago about Donald Dinnie's records, "William Davidson has sent an article from the {London Magazine, from which the following extracts have been taken : — To place any one man- at the head of Scotland's roll of athletic honour may seem * .somewhat' bold— not to say risky— pror Seding;. but.if the/ fact of ; winning , some ,'GOO" prizes,- including • 30- championship., ,Ipups,- and over -£25,000 hv cash,, -for allround athletics' anct? wrestling, ' is an ,unibeaten record,! then. Donald Dihnie is/.un\ "dojibtedly entitled -."to"/ rank" hot ' only aj»" '•"Scotland s ."greatest . athlete, - y ib'ut"" as the record, prize-winner- of the' .world. ' '. ■ He has; been prizes f6r\£he ' past ; . 50^ years,; and claims to- 1 have' never been defeated' in tfny all-round contest, .and .now ithat he is"" in his sixty-sixth year he still 'challenges any man within 10 years of his own age : to meet him , in any round of athletics^ that he may choose. - Donald ' Dinnie was born on June 10, 1837, at the quiet, little village of Aboyne,~ •Aberdeenshire. When only 16 he won fame ■is a wrestler, and did not hesitate to try 3alk with men of- much' greater weight and strength. It was not until he was 30 that he thought of taking up wrestlinepand • athletics generally" as a means of livelihood,lind began seriously to- train for the workj_ In 1870 Donald DinnieJ on the invitation "of the Caledonian^JGlubs in America, i sailed for the. States, where he met and -defeated all the beet- athletes, both in the UniteS states and in Canada. Two years later he again visited America,' accompanied by the well-known Scottish ' athlete James Fleming, and repeated his successes.' Next ksmer a few years at Home, largely occupied in attending athletic", meetings and carrying, off prizes. InTlBB2"he left once • more for America. ' - ' ' >' We shall,.; perhaps,, :best summarise, •Donald Dinnie's - extraordinary aohieveinents as. an athlete- by describing the belt presented in him by the. principal-athletes- " bf>Sc6tland-.on his,Teturn--Jpom t the;«bk»nies4n- recognition? .'"of -his^ "athletic -Vufowessl-' li is -is-"., massive? sil|;er^ belt, -on ' Which -are Mounted l(T"gold : platesV bearing, inscriptions:. ;, 5-.'- ' " .- ■- ' ': • '-< BECOBDS. , k The'«ecoflff -j>lat»s<rom' the jrighjfc showa a *air of : - wrestlers^"? amr reads,;, thus:— . '* Winner- 'p% -.over cs2OQO- wreetling .contests/ . 3xi 1882 won^t&oTian^on-iinedjaKfdr mixed . U^S.A.- .Wotfffche^ Hll-round "wrestling offampionship -or -• the • /world -at "Ttfelbourne .Wrestling Tournament Sn 1885, ' and was , champion^ of- Scotland over a- quarter of a oentury." * ' x Th& third plate bears. v this ' record : ~ "•'Won over, 2000' contests for hammer<tUrowing. Best records on lejrel, fair stand — By 4ft" 2in stiff handle, 161b,, 132 ft; by 4ft 'Bin handle, 161b, 138 ft 8in;» by 4ft. 2in stiff handle, 221b. 104ift; by «t 2in stiff iandle r 441b,'.56ift." ■On the. fourth plate we read:^-" Won. 800 contests for throwing. 561b weight. S"air stand; length "of ' weight, - 1 including Ting, 14in; distance, "28ft 4in. By chain, ■fair stand, 40ft oin. For height over -bar, 23ft lliri." ' ■ . i The fifth plate is inscribed: — "Won over 14ufl contests for tossing the caber. UnJbeateii forover^ 40 years! Won'championship of Australia at caber and wrestling at Gouiburn, N.SIW;, in 1891." Beat allcomers in South Africa in 1898." • The long" centre plate reads "as" follows : — : " All-round champion athlete of -the world. /Won over 1800 contests' for leaping: During IE6O cleared over sft llin on several .occasions. " Got a record of 6ft lin at ffurriff, Aberdeenshire. Best long- leap,, BOft lin. "Hop, stop, and leap, -44ft. In' »noof of this all-round .athlete's-, abilities^ he (has also won some hundreds of prizes for ?sl«p-dancing, rifle-shooting, - quoit-playing, etc."^ - . - ' ,i ' . '[ \ • -S ' ~ . . •!' Ne^cfc we come : to » jslat©;' bearing the £gure of a man" lifting -a barbell; • Thfe' Jbears the inscription:,— "Won^ over.- 200. 'contests for - .iiijimßbells v^wteyht-lif ting. , ■ Best - feats— Eif ted' leSlfr -.in" one -hah* --to--■feetoh^of '.arm- "over iiead;>. lifted; 1321b -in • -Tight and -12018, in- left to shoulder and then *O"Stcetoh'c6f- arms over'.^ head."' - ■ -On the^hexfe, plate- we'^read: — "Won- over. SCO" fiat'-and.&urdle'tfsueeiSt-" -Wo"n- champion^ uwdai at ; Philadelphiai7 and .- gold . medal •at - ILucknow, Canada, in 1882. : On. the same jjccasion won' the of America %b the best alt-round, athlete. Won the ' r \ll-round champion ' trophy of Scotland at Coatbridge in 1864." The last plate on the: belt represents putling the stone: — "Won. over 1800 contests lor putting - the weight. Beet - records on level, with 7ift run, 161b, 49ft 6in: 221b, 39ft 9in ; 241b, 37ft 9in. Fair stand, 281b, 82ft lOin; 561b,, 23ft 6in." 1 When Donnl.4 was , in his prime people travelled many miles to ccc him at the games, "and .it is reported that an old •woman up Deeside tramped to Braemar 2vab. to get a glimpse of ■ the famous athlete, whom she had heard so much about. , After much jostling and elbowing, she eagerly inquired which of the men was Donald Dihnie. . „ " That's him there wi' the tanned skin. "Ay ay; he's a braw chiel; he's a braw ohiel. A'weel, I'll aw*' hariie again; 111 dee happy noo, noo Tve seen Donal ■Dinnie.' -. - , •. „ „. Donald Dinnie is not much in -the public eye now/ and, in. his declining days has to - work - hard- for: a -living ; ran? f^though^ he ■made a respectable ' fortune by his athletw feats, he-lost Nearly. th«whol©:of it mfeh© land^boom and' bank failures -in Australia.

" — The policemen in Ha^ii are' paid by results. Th«y Jfet. capitation fees for all the arrestf they make. As they come from "ike worst class of the- population and are under no discipline, it follows that a. man is very liable to be arrested ra Hayti unless he is willing to pay the policeman more than the capitation fee. As this tee is only 7£d, th& price of freedom is not fevohibitiva.