# 1883 Scottish Athletics Championships

The 1883 Scottish Athletics Championships were the first national athletics championships to be held in Scotland. They were held under the auspices of the Scottish Amateur Athletic Association at Powderhall Grounds, Edinburgh, on Saturday 23 June 1883, in front of 3000 spectators. In addition to the twelve individual athletic events there was a 1-mile bicycle race won by G. B. Batten of Edinburgh University Bicycle Club. Lord Moncreiff presented the prizes.
Some sources describe Thomas Moffat, the winner of the half-mile, as a Canadian, but it was an absolute condition of entry that you be Scottish, either from birth, parentage, or residence. Moffat was born in Sheffield, but his father John Moffat was a Glasgow doctor. Thomas Moffat had emigrated to Canada, hence the Montreal AA affiliation, but had returned home for a family occasion when the championships came along. Earlier that year there had been a rival championship, hosted by the short-lived West of Scotland Amateur Athletic Association, and Moffat is the only man to win events at both championships.

## Results summary

100 yards :
| Pos | Athlete | Time |
| 1. | William A. Peterkin (Edinburgh Un.) | 10 1/2 sec. |
| 2. | Dr. John Smith (Queen's Park FC) | 1 foot |
| 3. | Frederick G. Westenra (Edinburgh Un.) | 3 yards |
440 yards :
| Pos | Athlete | Time |
| 1. | William A. Peterkin (Edinburgh Un.) | 51 3/4 |
| 2. | Thomas Moffat (Montreal AA) | 5 yards |
| 3. | J. Glegg (Edinburgh Un.) | 4 yards |
880 yards :
| Pos | Athlete | Time |
| 1. | Thomas Moffat (Montreal AA) | 2:00 3/4 |
| 2. | Thomas Ireland (Edinburgh Un.) | 20 yards |
| 3. | W. J. Laing (Watson's Coll. AC) | |
1 mile :
| Pos | Athlete | Time |
| 1. | David S. Duncan (Royal High School FP) | 4:35 |
| 2. | William M. Gabriel (Edinburgh Un.) | 5 yards |
| 3. | John Johnstone (Helensburgh AC) | 25 yards |
120 yard hurdles :
| Pos | Athlete | Time |
| 1. | Robert A. Carruthers (Fettes-Loretto) | 16 3/4 |
| 2. | Andrew R. Don Wauchope (Fettes-Loretto) | 2 feet |
| 3. | Henry A. Watt (Glasgow Un.) | 1 yard |
3 miles walk :
| Pos | Athlete | Time |
| 1. | John Harvie (Queen's Park FC) | 24:10 |
| 2. | James H. Vibart (Watson's Coll. AC) | 24:29 |
High jump :
| Pos | Athlete | Dist |
| 1. | William F. Methuen (Fettes-Loretto) | 5 ft 6in (1.67m) |
| 2. | James N. Macleod (Glasgow Un.) | 5 ft 5in (1.65m) |
Pole vault :
| Pos | Athlete | Dist |
| 1. | George Hodgson (Edinburgh & North of England AC) | 9 ft 8in (2.94m) |
Long jump :
| Pos | Athlete | Dist |
| 1. | Daniel A. Bethune (Established Church TC) | 19 ft 5 1/2in (5.93m) |
| 2. | Arthur E. Bullock (Edinburgh Un.) | 19 ft 3in (5.86m) |
Shot put :
| Pos | Athlete | Dist |
| 1. | Kenneth Whitton (Ross County FC) | 38 ft 11in (11.86m) |
| 2. | William A. Peterkin (Edinburgh Un.) | 38 ft 9in (11.81m) |
| 3. | Charles Reid (Edinburgh Academicals) | 38 ft 8 1/2in (11.80m) |
Hammer :
| Pos | Athlete | Dist |
| 1. | Robert Smith (Mauchline FC) | 94 ft 7in (28.84m) |
| 2. | Kenneth Whitton (Ross County FC) | 93 ft 2in (28.40m) |
Throwing the cricket ball :
| Pos | Athlete | Dist |
| 1. | Robert F. H. Bruce (Glasgow Un.) | 322 ft 5in (98.26m) |
| 2. | A. R. Don Wauchope (Fettes-Loretto) | 316 ft 6in (96.45m) |