Games chieftain knocked out by wrestling hall of fame accolade

BLACKFORD: Bill Ross handed honour during eventful day

The busy Highland games season kicked off in Blackford with an action-packed programme of contests and music.

Visitors from all over Scotland descended on the Perthshire community on Saturday.

As always, the Blackford games – now in its 149th year – was a mixture of events including throwing the hammer, tossing the caber, tug o’ war and athletics, track and field events.

Local primary schools battled it out in the hotly contested relay race, while crowds were entertained by the De’il tak the Hindmost cycling event.

And there was a big surprise for this year’s chieftain Bill ‘Flying Scot’ Ross, who was inducted into the professional wrestling hall of fame.

A native of Auchterarder, the energetic joiner William James Ross was highly active in the Highland games circuit as a youngster, competing in events such as the high jump, pole vault and hill running.

By 1959, Bill had started training in Stirling alongside local wrestlers Willie Bell and Andy Robin, with an aim to compete in grappling contests held at the games.

But it was a trip to watch Bell wrestle in Inverness that jump-started his own path towards a life as a professional wrestler in 1961.

Immediately prior to the show, one of the other wrestlers had suffered an injury and there was a vacancy that needed to be filled.

Aware of the physical talents and endurance that Bill possessed, Bell quickly recommended the young athlete to promoter Max Crabtree, who agreed to use him on the card.

Impressed by his potential, Crabtree offered Bill further bookings in the following weeks, beginning with an official debut bout against Duncan Fechnie in Edinburgh.

Bill went on to dominate the Scottish and European lightweight divisions and amassed three reigns with the British Commonwealth Lightweight Championship.

He retired as the undefeated world middleweight champion in 1980.

In the years following his retirement, Bill has remained an active figure in the organisation of Highland games events, through which he first discovered his interest in competitive athletics and professional wrestling.

A plaque to commemorate his induction was presented by Perth and Kinross Provost Dennis Melloy at a civic ceremony held during the games.

Pictures: Steve MacDougall. From left, back: Blackford Highland Games chieftain Bill Ross, president Stuart Laing, Helen Laing and honorary president David M McLaren. Front: Attendant Emily Sinclair, 9, gala queen Jodie Robertson, 12, and attendant Libby Shedden, 10.

Action from the Highland dancing at Blackford. Number 180 is Aimee Munro, from Pitlochry, during the Half Reel of Tulloch.

Competitors in one of the running events at the Highland games.

Comrie Pipe Band during the opening parade.

Some of the crowd enjoying the sunshine at Blackford.