Wrestling and Wrestlers: Biographical Sketches of Celebrated Athletes of the Northern Ring; to Which is Added Notes on Bull and Badger BaitingRobinson, Jacob
History
Wrestling and Wrestlers: Biographical Sketches of Celebrated Athletes of the Northern Ring; to Which is Added Notes on Bull and Badger Baiting
Robinson, Jacob
Wrestlers; Wrestling
[10] Litt speaks unguardedly when he calls Jordan "a noted wrestler from
the Penrith side," as there was nothing worthy of note about any of his
performances in the ring. Nature had endowed him with a considerable amount
of strength, but being almost destitute of science, he had only one mode of
dealing with opponents, and that was "just to tew them doon!" One who knew
him well, described him as "a greit rammin' sixteen-steàn man, creùk't
back't, an' varra fond o' fishin'!"
JAMES SCOTT
OF CANONBIE.
Noo, Jamie Scott o' Cannobie,
He hied to Carel toon;
And mony a borderer cam to see
The English lads thrawn doon.
_Border Ballad._
James Scott was the lightest man who won the head prize in the Carlisle
ring about his own time; and what is much more curious, the only Scotchman
who ever accomplished the same feat. Indeed, it seems up to Scott's time,
and since, too, that the borderers on the Scotch side did not take as much
pleasure in the pastime as those dwelling on the English side.
Scott was born and brought up at Oarnlee, in the picturesque parish of
Canonbie, in Dumfriesshire, within a few miles distance from the roofless
tower of Gilnockie, the ancient stronghold of the noted border free-booter,
Johnny Armstrong, of whose tragic fate in the presence of the Scottish
king, the old minstrel thus sings:--
But then rose up all Edenborough,
They rose up by thousands three;
A cowardly Scot came John behind,
And run him through the fair bodye.
Said John, "Fight on my merry men all,
I am a little wounded, but not slain;
I will lay me down to bleed a while,
Then I'll rise, and fight with you again."
James Scott stood about five feet nine inches high, and weighed between
eleven and twelve stones. Litt surmises that he was more than thirteen
stones; but according to the most reliable authorities, this is much beyond
the mark. He was a "tight built, streight, beàny mak' iv a fellow, withoot
a particle o' lowse flesh aboot him." In the ring, he became noted as a
quick striker, and bore the reputation of being a good scientific wrestler.
He never went much from home to contend, and, excepting in the Carlisle
ring, is only known to have wrestled at the village gatherings, along the
borders. He does not figure among the thirty-two men, who wrestled at the
first annual meeting at Carlisle, in 1809. In the following year, when
double that number contended, we think it hardly likely that he put in an
appearance; but on this point we cannot speak with any amount of
confidence, as there is no list of names known to be in existence.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account