1. Donald Dinnie was a Scottish strongman, wrestler, and multi-sport athlete, born at Balnacraig, Birse, near Aboyne, Aberdeenshire.
21 Facts About Donald Dinnie
1. 2.
The son of stonemason Robert Donald Dinnie, born on 10 July 1837, he was one of eight sons, and had two sisters.
3.
Donald Dinnie won his first sporting event, at the age of 16, in the nearby village of Kincardine O'Neil.
4.
Donald Dinnie became an all-round athlete, growing and building his skills over a 21-year reign as Scottish champion.
5.
Donald Dinnie excelled in sprint, hurdles, long and high jump, pole vault, putting the stone, hammer throw, tossing the caber and several styles of wrestling.
6.
However, by 1896, Donald Dinnie was approaching the twilight of his sporting career.
7.
Donald Dinnie was reportedly a "poor hand" at "first down to lose" wrestling but excelled at ground wrestling.
8.
Donald Dinnie was a 19th-century superstar, with widespread fame, success, and riches.
9.
Donald Dinnie first toured the United States' Caledonian Circuit in 1870.
10.
Donald Dinnie continued to tour, and in his 60th year he was in New Zealand and Australia as a successful professional athlete.
11.
Donald Dinnie participated in the Cape Town, South Africa, Caledonian sports day on 30 May 1898.
12.
Donald Dinnie continued to be involved in theatres and at Highland Games as a judge, or in veteran events, until 1912.
13.
Donald Dinnie's act was to support a platform made from a large table while two Highlanders danced a "fling" on it.
14.
Whilst mentioned in newspapers, Scottish-Australian wrestler and strongman George Dinnie was not the known son or relative of Donald.
15.
Donald Dinnie's mother died on Saturday 11 April 1891 aged 81, when Dinnie was aged about 54, at the family residence of 'Wood Cottage' near Kincardine O'Neil.
16.
Donald Dinnie died in London in Sunday 2 April 1916, aged 78 years, and is buried at the Hanwell Cemetery.
17.
In 2002, Donald Dinnie was inducted into the Scottish Sports Hall of Fame in Edinburgh.
18.
Donald's relative Gordon Dinnie accepted a cut glass trophy on Donald's behalf.
19.
In 1860, Donald Dinnie undertook a feat of strength that was to give birth to a long-lasting legacy.
20.
Donald Dinnie carried two granite boulders with a combined weight of 733 pounds, now known as the Dinnie Stones, for a distance of more than 17 feet, across the width of the Potarch Bridge.
21.
The medal given to Donal Donald Dinnie has 'Champion for Tossing the Caber' written across It is a sporting medal that is circular and has an engraved border and a plain outer edge.