Ian Black (swimmer)
Encyclopedia
Ian MacIntosh Black (born 27 June 1941) is a Scottish
former swimmer. He was BBC Sports Personality of the Year
in 1958 at the age of only seventeen and is still to this date the youngest winner of the award. He achieved this phenomenal feat by winning gold medals in three separate events at the European Championships in Budapest
, competing as an adult.
In the same year he also won gold and silver medals for Scotland at the 1958 British Empire and Commonwealth Games
in Cardiff
; gold in the 220 yards butterfly, silver in the 440 yards freestyle and silver in the 4×220 yards freestyle relay.
He holds certain age-related British records to this day.
When competing for Great Britain
, he would proudly display his Scottish identity
by wearing a MacGregor
tartan
dressing gown poolside. As well as excelling in the water, he was also a formidable rugby union
player.
He is a member of the Scottish Sports Hall of Fame
.
In the late 70s he became Headteacher of Seafield Primary School in Elgin
. He taught in Canada and he became headmaster of St Christopher's prep school in Bahrain. In the early 1980s he was headmaster of Sek Kong Primary School in Kong Kong before moving to Aberlour House school 1987-89. He later returned to his former school, Robert Gordon's College
in Aberdeen
, as headmaster of the Junior School, and retired in 2004.
He is notable for his extreme modesty concerning his sporting accomplishments. He is married and he has four children. He is a member of the Church of Scotland. His uncle served in the Great War and was killed on the Western Front. His ancestors lived in the very north of Scotland near John O'Groats. They changed their name to Black for their hair colour because their previous surname MacGregor was associated with Rob Roy MacGregor.
Ian Black attended Aberdeen University where he was awarded an M.A. and a Certificate in Education.
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
former swimmer. He was BBC Sports Personality of the Year
BBC Sports Personality of the Year
The BBC Sports Personality of the Year is an awards ceremony that takes place annually in December. Devised by Paul Fox in 1954, it originally consisted of one titular award. Several new awards have been introduced, and , eight awards are presented. The oldest of these are the Team of the Year and...
in 1958 at the age of only seventeen and is still to this date the youngest winner of the award. He achieved this phenomenal feat by winning gold medals in three separate events at the European Championships in Budapest
Budapest
Budapest is the capital of Hungary. As the largest city of Hungary, it is the country's principal political, cultural, commercial, industrial, and transportation centre. In 2011, Budapest had 1,733,685 inhabitants, down from its 1989 peak of 2,113,645 due to suburbanization. The Budapest Commuter...
, competing as an adult.
In the same year he also won gold and silver medals for Scotland at the 1958 British Empire and Commonwealth Games
1958 British Empire and Commonwealth Games
The 1958 British Empire and Commonwealth Games were held in Cardiff, capital of Wales from 18–26 July 1958.Thirty-five nations sent a total of 1,130 athletes and 228 officials to the Cardiff Games and 23 countries and dependencies won medals, including, for the first time, Singapore, Ghana, Kenya...
in Cardiff
Cardiff
Cardiff is the capital, largest city and most populous county of Wales and the 10th largest city in the United Kingdom. The city is Wales' chief commercial centre, the base for most national cultural and sporting institutions, the Welsh national media, and the seat of the National Assembly for...
; gold in the 220 yards butterfly, silver in the 440 yards freestyle and silver in the 4×220 yards freestyle relay.
He holds certain age-related British records to this day.
When competing for Great Britain
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
, he would proudly display his Scottish identity
Scottish national identity
Scottish national identity is a term referring to the sense of national identity and common culture of Scottish people and is shared by a considerable majority of the people of Scotland....
by wearing a MacGregor
Clan MacGregor
Clan Gregor, Clan McGregor, Clan MacGregor or Clan M'Gregor is a Highland Scottish clan. It is the most senior clan of Siol Alpin, translated as referring to King Kenneth I, descending from the ancient Kings of the Picts and Dál Riata...
tartan
Tartan
Tartan is a pattern consisting of criss-crossed horizontal and vertical bands in multiple colours. Tartans originated in woven wool, but now they are made in many other materials. Tartan is particularly associated with Scotland. Scottish kilts almost always have tartan patterns...
dressing gown poolside. As well as excelling in the water, he was also a formidable rugby union
Rugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
player.
He is a member of the Scottish Sports Hall of Fame
Scottish Sports Hall of Fame
The Scottish Sports Hall of Fame is the national sports hall of fame in Scotland, initiated on St Andrew's Day 2001. It is a joint project organised by sportscotland, the national governmental body for Scottish sport, and the National Museums of Scotland. It is also funded by BBC Scotland and...
.
In the late 70s he became Headteacher of Seafield Primary School in Elgin
Elgin, Moray
Elgin is a former cathedral city and Royal Burgh in Moray, Scotland. It is the administrative and commercial centre for Moray. The town originated to the south of the River Lossie on the higher ground above the flood plain. Elgin is first documented in the Cartulary of Moray in 1190...
. He taught in Canada and he became headmaster of St Christopher's prep school in Bahrain. In the early 1980s he was headmaster of Sek Kong Primary School in Kong Kong before moving to Aberlour House school 1987-89. He later returned to his former school, Robert Gordon's College
Robert Gordon's College
Robert Gordon's College is a private co-educational day school in Aberdeen, Scotland. The school caters for pupils from Nursery-S6.-History:...
in Aberdeen
Aberdeen
Aberdeen is Scotland's third most populous city, one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas and the United Kingdom's 25th most populous city, with an official population estimate of ....
, as headmaster of the Junior School, and retired in 2004.
He is notable for his extreme modesty concerning his sporting accomplishments. He is married and he has four children. He is a member of the Church of Scotland. His uncle served in the Great War and was killed on the Western Front. His ancestors lived in the very north of Scotland near John O'Groats. They changed their name to Black for their hair colour because their previous surname MacGregor was associated with Rob Roy MacGregor.
Ian Black attended Aberdeen University where he was awarded an M.A. and a Certificate in Education.
External links
- BBC Profile - with 1958 photographs
- Scottish Sports Hall of Fame Profile - with recent photograph
- British Olympic Association athlete profile