New sports hall of fame

Thursday 26 April 2007

Former Olympic athlete Sir Menzies Campbell will be among the front- runners today (Friday 27 April 2007) as the University of St Andrews launches its new Sports Hall of Fame.

Sir Menzies, the University’s Chancellor, will be among the first round of distinguished sporting professionals past and present to be honoured in recognition of their sporting achievements.

He will be joined by alumni, staff and other distinguished names in sport with a link to the University, in a celebration of St Andrews’ centuries-long association with sporting excellence.

Sir Menzies will be among the inductees present for the ceremony at the University’s Gateway Building, and will be honoured for his achievements as a sprinter in the 1960s and 70s. Former language teacher Donald Macgregor, a marathon runner; Professor Emeritus Bill Shaw, who held several titles in squash, and Fiona Lothian, a former postgraduate student and staff member and accomplished national and international athlete in six sports, will also be present for their inductions. They will be joined by Kirkcaldy-born Terry Mitchell, an accomplished runner of twenty years, who works for the University’s Estates Department. Terry appeared in ‘Chariots of Fire’, the 1981 film that made the town’s West Sands beach famous.

Other inductees present will include: Ross Napier, who holds a BSc and a PhD from St Andrews and represented the University, Scottish and British Universities and Scotland in hockey; David Whyte, a St Andrews MA and champion sprinter, long-jumper and Scottish rugby player; Tyrone Howe, another MA and former Ulster, Irish and British Lions rugby player and Jack Ferguson, Deputy Director of the University’s Department of Physical Education from 1963-90, who capped a long water polo career with his 1952 and 1956 selection for Great Britain’s Olympic team.

In addition to the nine inductees who will be present, seven more will be inducted in absentia, including golfing legends Colin Montgomerie, Severiano Ballesteros, Peter Alliss and Jack Nicklaus, who all hold honorary degrees from the University. They are joined by fellow honorary graduate and football player and manager, Sir Alex Ferguson and Chris Hoy, a 1996 graduate and MBE who holds a panoply of Olympic medals as well as a world record in track cycling.

Dr Allan Lindsay, who took his degrees from the University in 1949 and 1958, broke the Scottish native triple jump record at the Edinburgh Highland Games in 1949, and held it for nine years, will also be inducted in absentia. He also represented Great Britain in the 1948 Olympics and Scotland in the 1950 British Empire Games (later the Commonwealth Games). He notes in his profile for the Hall of Fame that his finest memory of St Andrews was, “walking along the pier at St Andrews Harbour at 11.30pm on VE night and knowing that World War Two was over.”

Another honorary degree holder, Dr Charlie Sifford, has already been inducted into the Hall of Fame. The first African-American to play in the PGA tour, Dr Sifford fought against the colour bar in American golf in the 1930’s and 40’s. He was formally inducted in person when he was in St Andrews to collect his honorary degree in June 2006.

Inductees will be formally introduced and presented with their scrolls by student athletes and University staff. Their places in the University of St Andrews Sports Hall of Fame (to be located at the University’s Sports Centre) will be marked with a photograph of the athlete from their time competing, a modern photograph, a note on their achievements and their own reflections on their careers and sporting lives.

The presentations will follow the formal opening of the Hall of Fame by University Principal and Vice- Chancellor Dr Brian Lang, remarks from Professor Peter McKiernan and historical remarks from Professor Ian Carradice. The ceremony will close with announcements of next year’s nominations by John Scott, Assistant Director of the Department of Sport and Exercise, which co-organised the Hall of Fame with the Athletic Union.

John said, “Over the centuries the University has produced and been associated with achievement and distinction at a national and international level. Sport has been very much a part of those achievements, but is, as yet, an untold and unknown story.

“More recently, a number of students, staff and sporting professionals with links to the University have reached the pinnacle of their field and made a significant contribution by their skill, determination and spirit to the national and international sporting scene. It is time to honour, enshrine and salute them, pay tribute to their efforts and glory in their success.

“From marathon runners to champion sprinters, from Olympic heroes to golfing greats, our inductees will include those who broke not just records but barriers. We hope that the University of St Andrews Sports Hall of Fame will serve as an inspiration to those who might deign to follow in their footsteps.”

ENDS

NOTE TO EDITORS:

YOU ARE INVITED TO ATTEND THE OFFICIAL LAUNCH OF THE SPORTS HALL OF FAME AT THE UNIVERSITY OF ST ANDREWS, AT 8PM ON FRIDAY 27 APRIL 2007, AT THE GATEWAY BUILDING, NORTH HAUGH, ST ANDREWS. IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO ATTEND PLEASE CALL JOHN SCOTT IN ADVANCE ON 01334 462186 / 01334 462180.

PROFILES OF THE NEW INDUCTEES ARE AVAILABLE FROM THE PRESS OFFICE IN ADVANCE – CONTACTS BELOW.

NOTE TO PICTURE EDITORS:

THERE WILL BE AN OFFICIAL PHOTOCALL OF THE FIRST INDUCTEES AT THE ST ANDREWS GOLF HOTEL (WITH BACKDROP OF THE WEST SANDS) AT 7.30PM, PRIOR TO THE OFFICIAL INDUCTIONS.

Issued by Press Office, University of St Andrews

Contact 01334 467227 / 462529

Ref: Hall of Fame 240407

View the latest University press releases at http://www.st- andrews.ac.uk


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