Paddy Ryan (1851-1900) was a professional heavyweight bare knuckle boxer and prizefighter who was a heavyweight champion once, but lost his title to John L. Sullivan. He was known as the Trojan Giant.
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Aussie champs Murray Rose, Jon Henricks and John Devitt, 1955
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FACTORY ATHLETIC CLUB n2 - Saber Dridi photographed by Baldovino Barani x FACTORY Fanzine
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Bryan Robson - England. - World Cup 1986.
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This vintage soccer ball by John Woodbridge is based on a classic 1950s model that was used during the 1954 World Cup in Switzerland. Just like the Vintage Leather Rugby Ball and Baseball, it is made from hand-stitched individual leather pieces for an iconic design and authentic style.
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(Part 1!)
Now Wimbledon has begun, I wanted to share some of my favourite photos of Bertie playing tennis!
When he was still The Duke of York, he participated in a doubles match at Wimbledon with his mentor & friend, Louis Greig (above). Bertie was extremely anxious and asked to play on one of the outer courts, as opposed to Centre Court, to keep attention away from him. A compromise was eventually made for Court 2, where there was still a considerable crowd.
One spectator recalled that, ‘The Duke of York was very nervous and couldn’t play at all, at times lashing at the ball with his racquet…”
The Prince and Louis Greig lost the match in straight sets: 6-1, 6-3, 6-2 to Herbert Roper Barret and Arthur Gore - both considerably older and more experienced than the then 30-year-old Bertie! Some exasperated people in the crowd even yelled out that he should try playing with ‘the other hand’ (i.e. his right hand, as Bertie played tennis left handed). It is likely that his anxieties and quick temper —usually aimed at himself!— affected his game that day.
In reality, Bertie was, in fact, an extremely talented tennis player!
He had previously won the RAF doubles competition in 1920 (pictured above!) and when at White Lodge, he loved playing tennis with Elizabeth in the mornings, before breakfast.
The ladies’ Wimbledon champion, Suzanne Lenglen, watched Bertie’s match on Court 2 that day and said that, ‘with plenty of practice’ he would have ‘the makings of a champion’. Nonetheless, the whole Wimbledon experience traumatised the sensitive Duke, and he never played a game in public again.
Sources: George VI, by Sarah Bradford; The King Maker, by Georgie Greig.
Photo credits: Getty, Alamy.
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P.S. Sorry I've been very absent from this page! I'm so, so busy with work :( But I promise to catch up on all your questions, and I have a ton of Bertie to share when I get more time!
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Arthur Wyns, Belgian featherweight boxer, gets a massage, 1913
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Members of the Lviv Skiing Club - Andriy Paliy and Iryna Makarushka - on a walk, 1930s
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FACTORY ATHLETIC CLUB n2 - Saber Dridi photographed by Baldovino Barani x FACTORY Fanzine
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