Scottish Highland Games

Drawn from the author's pocket sized edition published by Collins in 1959 this 1973 work has many textual additions as well as the inclusion of many unpublished black and white photographs from his own personal archive.

Beginning with an outline of the origins and developments of Scottish Highland Games the author then offers chapters on the main constituent events of the Games: Highland dancing, the Bagpipes, the heavy events (including the caber toss and the hammer throwing) and the "Light" events (athletics) with stories of many of the notable champions such as Donald Dinnie and Bill Anderson. There is also a chapters on novelty events sometimes included in the Games like a race after a pig with a greasy tail or barrel races. The book concludes with an short chapter on Highland dress.

David Pirie Webster  born in Aberdeen on 18 September 1928 – 18 October 2023) was a leading authority on the Highland Games both as an active administrator (he was chief organiser of the Highland Games in Largs for over 50 years) as well as a historian and commentator of the Games. He was an active participant both in dancing and strength athletics before turning his attention to sports administration where he officiated at the Olympic Games in Rome (1964), Mexico City (1968) and Munich (1972) and at the Commonwealth Games in Wales (1958), Jamaica (1966) and Scotland (1970). 

Webster also founded The World Highland Games Championships which were first held in 1980.

Bibliography:

Scottish Highland Games - Published by Collins 1959

Donald Dinnie: The First Sporting Superstar - Published by Ardo Publishing Co. Ltd., 1999

World History of Highland Games - Published by Luath Press Ltd, 2011

A good copy of this edition - the dustcover has some fraying around the edges notably at the top and bottom of the spine areas. Inside the pages are bright and clean throughout..

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