The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-07-05
SCOTTISH THISTLE CLUB,
Thirteenth Annual Gathering
and Games at She'll
Mound Park.
A MOST SUCCESSFUL AFFAIR.
The Prizes We're Very Liberal and
the Contests We're Keen
and Exciting.

The thirteenth annual gathering and
games OF the San Francisco Scottish This
tie Club, held at Shell Mound Park yester-
day, proved complete success in every
way, except the attendance. In past years
the club has been fortunate in having an
attendance in excess of it's expectations,
but there were too many counter attrac-
tons yesterday, and the weather looked
decidedly unpromising.
There were forty-three events on the
programme, and, with one exception, the
ladies' bicycle race, all were keenly con-
tested. Contrary to expectation, no lady
bicyclists entered, although the prizes Of
fered were very liberal. Indeed, all the
prizes were on the same footing.
The leading events were the quarter
mile race for amateurs, the mile race for
amateurs, the tug-of-war, the mems bicycle
race and the Irish jig and reel contest.
Each was closely contested and aroused
the greatest excitement. Burns, who took
the first prize in the bicycle race, had an
easy thing of it, but there was magniti-
cent struggle for second place. The Irish
jig and reel contest delighted the spec
tators. The music was supplied on the
Irish pipes by Timothy Mccarthy, who is
unsurpassed in his manipulation of these
instruments. Four couples participated
and the way they tripped it on the boards
drove the spectators wild with enthusiasm.
The tug. Of-war, between eight married
and eight single, men, was looked. forward
to with the greatest interest, and to the
surprise of most people, the married men
had it all their own way, winning two
straight tugs. The first did not last more
than fifteen seconds, but the second was
stubbornly contested.
In the sword dance for lads and lassies,
ha nd bod 10 OIL m 6a no
tween Sybil Campbell and Elaine Telfor,
but finally awarded the first prize to the
former, but the positions were reversed in
the sailors hornpipe. These two young
ladies possess many medals, and no more
graceful dancers can be seen anywhere.
There were several unique events that
tickled the spectators. Among them were
the leap-frog race, sack hurdle-race, foot
ball dribbling contest, obstruction race and
three-legged race.
No records were broken IN the athletic
events, but some good distances were
made, particularly in throwing the heavy
hammer. The principal competitors in
these events were Thomas Carroll, D. r.
Campbell and A. Coutts.
Some excitement was caused during the
married ladies' race. Five ladies entered
and Mrs. Baxter led from the start till
within few yards of the finish, when she
tainted and fell in heap. The games
committee in the circumstances awarded
her an extra prize.
The success of the games was primarily
due to Royal Chief James Niven, John
Donaldson, starter and referee, and Alfred
Miller, secretary, who, with the help of ex-
Royal Chiefs George Miller James r.
Watson and Donald G. c. Mckay, kept
things going without break and without
protest.
Chieftain William Grant was in charge
OF the edibles and he took care that the
guests of the club had their inner selves
well supplied.
Dancing was kept up in the two pavil-
ions from morning till night, the floors
being constantly filled with couples. J. f.
Macdonald was the floor manager in the
lower pavilion and George Watson in the
mound pavilion.
Pipers J. E. Hill, Neil Lindsay, Donald
Weir, Duncan Fraser and Elaine Telfor
made the welkin ring with the skirl of the
pipes.
The official judges were r. F. Wilson, P
A. +. Keith and Alexander Sharp, and the
judges of the different events James Scobie,
J. Clinton, James Spiers, John NJ. Duncan,
Andrew Forman T. Frazer, John McLaren,
w. Donald, William Nichol and ]. Rattery.
Among the guests of the club were Chief
Hugh Fraser of Clan Frazer, the founder
of the club; w. Nicol, president, and Y. c.
Lawson. treasurer, OF st. Andrews Society;
George Davidson, the first secretary of st.
Andrews Society; William Mitchell,
fourth chieftain, CALIFORNIAN Club; ex-
Chiefs P. G. Mcintyre and T. Macdonald of
Clan Macdonald, Supervisors Taylor and
Scully. Auditor Broderick, Police Sergeant
tains Mcintyre, Mcneil, Taggart and Lees
and many others.
Following are the results of the different
events:
prize So. First Thomas Stevenson, second
William Turner, third II. McNear.
Boys race lhandicap) 10 years and under
First prize SD, second prize So, third prize 81.
First w. Kinney, second j. Kinney, third K.
Ross.
Girls race (handieap) 10 years and under
First prize $3, second prize So, third prize, 81;
First Corinne Telfor, second Bessie Allen, third
Isabel Craig.
Boys race handicapl. Is years and under
First prize SO second 50, third 81. First John
Donald second Obey Boyle, third Guy Harriet.
Girls race ihandicapl Is years and under
First prize So, second 81, third 81. First
Mabel Hesketh, second Lottle Vincent, third
Katie Donald
Putting heavy stone-First prize 81 second
90, third $3: First D. R. Campbell, 80 feet l
inch; second Thomas Carroll, "a feet 1 inch;
Best-dressed boy in Highland eostume-First
prize So, second So, third 50. First Adam
Ross. second Robert Ross, third Willie Guild.
Best-dresscd man in plain Highland costume
leach competitor must own his costumel-
First prize 81, second So. third SO. First John
C. Fraser, second d. Fraser, third g. w. Patter-
son.
Best-dressed man in full Highland costume
leach competitor must own his costume). First
prize SO, second ST, third 81 First Neil
Lindsay, second W. Hutchinson, third Donald
Weir.
Running high leap-First prize ST, second
So. third So. Thomas Carroll first, 8 feet 5
inches; J. Murphy second, feet inches;
j. Sexsmith third, 5, feet inches.
Grand Highland reel for gentlemen in cos
tume-First prize So, second $5, third So. J. C.
Fraser first &. W. Patterson second, w. Hutch
inson third.
Hop, step ana jump or hop, hop and jump
First prize 81, second IS, third SO. j. Muir
ply first, 40 feet II inches; p. Inerney second,
40 feet; J. Sexsmi.h third, 81 feet 8 inches.
Sword dance for men in costume-First prize
81 second, 50 third So. First J. c. Fraser
second G. w. Patterson third d. Fraser.
Highland fiug for lads and lasses until 16
years in costume-Prize, So each. E. Telfor,
Margaret Boyd, Annie Mcintyre, Blanche
Guild. Corinne Telfor, Pearl Allen, Hazel Allen,
Bessie Allen, Mabel Smith, Isabel Craig, James
Baimatyne, X. Ross, Adam Ross Dan Smith,
Walter Mcintyre, Willie Guild, Jennie McIn-
tyre, Lizzie Fairgrieve, Mabel Gregg, Sybil
Campbell.
Short race for amateurs, one-fourth mile
First prize, gold medal second, gold and silver
medal. First George Klavmann, second Dan