From Golspie to Buffalo . . . then Scotland’s first Olympic medal in track and field

Thursday 29th July 2021

Arnold’s Archive – column pieces by our resident Historian

Can you name Scotland’s first track and field medallist? If not, let our scottishathletics Historian, Arnold Black, enlighten you . . .

Born in Golspie on 24 December 1872, Adam Beattie Gunn emigrated to the United States in 1893, getting a job with the General Electric Company in Buffalo, New York.

He represented the United States at the 1904 Olympic Games at St Louis. Adam was second in the All-around at the 1904 Olympic Games at St Louis. The medallists were: 1 Tom Kiely (Ireland) 6,036 points; 2 Adam Gunn (USA) 5,907 points; 3 Truxton Hare (USA) 5,813 points.

In winning the silver medal, Adam became the first Scottish man to win a medal in the Olympic Games track and field competition.

The story of Adam’s life was told by the journalist Joe Cummiskey of the Buffalo Times. The following article appeared in that newspaper on 1 January 1930.

Check out the full story via Arnold’s Archive in our History section . . .

The man from Golspie – Adam Gunn