NationMaster - Encyclopedia: Eric Liddell

Eric Henry Liddell (January 16, 1902 – February 21, 1945, Chinese name 李爱锐, Li Airui) was a Scottish athlete and Rugby Union international and the winner of the Men's 400 metres at the Olympic Games of 1924 held in Paris. He then served as a Protestant Christian missionary to China. He was immortalised in the film Chariots of Fire. His surname is pronounced /lɪdl/ and rhymes with fiddle. The Eltham College Sports Centre is named after Eric Lidell Image File history File links Eric_Liddell. ... Image File history File links Eric_Liddell. ... is the 16th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1902 (MCMII) was a common year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar). ... is the 52nd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1945 (MCMXLV) was a common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar). ... This article is about the country. ... A womens 400m hurdles race on a typical outdoor red rubber track. ... For other uses, see Rugby (disambiguation). ... Sprints are short running races in athletics. ... The Games of the VIII Olympiad were held in 1924 in Paris, France. ... It has been suggested that List of visitor attractions in Paris be merged into this article or section. ... Protestantism is a general grouping of denominations within Christianity. ... For other uses, see Christian (disambiguation). ... Two Mormon missionaries A missionary is traditionally defined as a propagator of religion who works to convert those outside that community; someone who proselytizes. ... Chariots of Fire is a British film released in 1981. ... Articles with similar titles include the NATO phonetic alphabet, which has also informally been called the â€œInternational Phonetic Alphabetâ€. For information on how to read IPA transcriptions of English words, see IPA chart for English. ... This article is about the school in London, England. ...

Biography

Eric Liddell, fondly called the "flying scotsman", was born in Tientsin (Tianjin)(Chinese 天津) in North China, second son of the Rev & Mrs James Dunlop Liddell who were Scottish missionaries with the London Missionary Society. Liddell went to school in China until the age of five. At the age of six, he and his brother Rob, eight years old, were enrolled in Eltham College, Blackheath, England, a boarding school for the sons of missionaries. Their parents and sister Jenny returned to China. During the boys' time at Eltham their parents, sister and new brother Ernest came home on furlough two or three times and were able to be together as a family - mainly living in Edinburgh. British Railways Poster celebrating the centenary of the Flying Scotsman. ... (Chinese: ; Pinyin: ; Postal map spelling: Tientsin) is one of the four municipalities of China. ... This article is about the country. ... The London Missionary Society was a non-denominational missionary society formed in England in 1795 by evangelical Anglicans and Nonconformists, largely Congregationalist in outlook, with missions in the islands of the South Pacific and Africa. ... This article is about the school in London, England. ... Blackheath is a suburb of London, divided between the London Borough of Lewisham and the London Borough of Greenwich. ... For other uses, see England (disambiguation). ...

At Eltham, Liddell was an outstanding sportsman, being awarded the Blackheath Cup as the best athlete of his year, playing for the 1st XI and the 1st XV by the age of 15, later becoming Captain of both cricket and rugby. His headmaster described him as being 'entirely without vanity'. Bowler Shaun Pollock bowls to batsman Michael Hussey. ... For other uses, see Rugby (disambiguation). ... In the UK and elsewhere, a head teacher is the most senior teacher in a school. ...

Eric and Rob were both exceptional athletes. Eric Liddell became well known for being the fastest runner in Scotland while at Eltham. Newspapers carried the stories of his successful track meets. Many articles stated that he was a potential Olympic winner, and no one from their country had ever won a gold medal before.

Liddell was chosen to speak for Glasgow Students' Evangelical Union (GSEU) because he was so well known. The GSEU hoped that he would draw large crowds, so that many people would hear the Gospel. The GSEU would send out a group of eight to ten men to an area where they would stay with the local population. It was Liddell's job to be the lead speaker and to evangelize the men of Scotland. Many came to see him because he was an accomplished athlete, but all heard his message of faith.

University of Edinburgh

In 1920, Eric joined his brother Rob at the University of Edinburgh to read Pure Science. Athletics and rugby played a large part in Eric's university life. He ran in the 100 yards and the 220 yards for Edinburgh University and later played for the Scotland national rugby union team. He played rugby for Edinburgh University and in 1922 made his way into the very strong Scottish backline. In 1922 and 1923, he played in seven out of eight Five Nations matches with A. L. Gracie. In 1924 he won the AAA Championships in athletics in the 100 yards (in a British record of 9.7 seconds: this record would not be broken for the next 35 years) and 220 yards (21.6 seconds). He graduated from university with a Bachelor of Science Degree after the Paris Olympiad in 1924. The University of Edinburgh (Scottish Gaelic: ), founded in 1582,[4] is a renowned centre for teaching and research in Edinburgh, Scotland. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with Hard science. ... First international (also the worlds first) Scotland 4 - 1 England (27 March 1871) Largest win Scotland 100 - 8 Japan (13 November 2004) Worst defeat Scotland 10 - 68 South Africa (6 December 1997) World Cup Appearances 5 (First in 1987) Best result 4th 1991 The Scotland national rugby union team... The RBS 6 Nations Championship, (referred to as RBS 6 Nations for sponsorship reasons) known before 2000 as the Five Nations Championship, is an annual international rugby union competition held between six European sides: England, France, Ireland, Italy, Scotland and Wales. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... A B.A. issued as a certificate A degree is any of a wide range of status levels conferred by institutions of higher education, such as universities, normally as the result of successfully completing a program of study. ...

Paris Olympics

During the summer of 1924, the Olympics were hosted by the city of Paris. Liddell was a committed Christian and refused to race on Sunday, with the consequence that he was forced to withdraw from the Men's 100 metres, his best event. The schedule had been published several months earlier, and his decision was made well before the Games began. Liddell spent the intervening months training for the 400 metres, an event in which he had previously excelled. Even so, his success in the 400 m was largely unexpected. The day of 400 meters race came, and as Liddell went to the starting blocks, an unknown man slipped a piece of paper in his hand with a quotation from 1 Samuel 2:30, "Those who honor Me I will honor." He not only won the race but broke the existing world record with a time of 47.6 seconds. A few days earlier Liddell had competed in the 200 meter finals, for which he received the bronze medal, beating Harold Abrahams, who finished in sixth place. (This was the only race in which these two runners ever met.) Image File history File links Flag_of_the_United_Kingdom. ... A womens 400m hurdles race on a typical outdoor red rubber track. ... The Games of the VIII Olympiad were held in 1924 in Paris, France. ... Athletics Medal Winners at the 1924 Paris Olympics Categories: Athletics at the Olympics | 1924 Summer Olympics ... The Games of the VIII Olympiad were held in 1924 in Paris, France. ... Athletics Medal Winners at the 1924 Paris Olympics Categories: Athletics at the Olympics | 1924 Summer Olympics ... Topics in Christianity Movements Â· Denominations Â· Other religions Ecumenism Â· Preaching Â· Prayer Music Â· Liturgy Â· Calendar Symbols Â· Art Â· Criticism Important figures Apostle Paul Â· Church Fathers Constantine Â· Athanasius Â· Augustine Anselm Â· Aquinas Â· Palamas Â· Luther Calvin Â· Wesley Arius Â· Marcion of Sinope Archbishop of Canterbury Â· Catholic Pope Coptic Pope Â· Ecumenical Patriarch Christianity Portal This box: Christianity is... Sprints are short running races in athletics. ... Harold Maurice Abrahams (December 15, 1899 â€“ January 14, 1978) was a Jewish British athlete. ...

Service in China

After the Olympics and his graduation, Liddell continued to compete. Shortly after the 1924 Olympics, his final leg on the 4 x 400 meters race in a British Empire vs. USA contest helped secure the victory. A year later, in 1925, at the Scottish Amateur Athletics Association (AAA) meeting in Hampden Park in Glasgow, he equaled his own Scottish championship record of 10.0 seconds in the 100 yards, won the 220 yard contest in 22.2 seconds, won the 440 yard contest in 49.2, and participated in a winning relay team. He was only the fourth athlete ever to have won all three sprints at the SAAA, achieving this feat twice: in 1924 and 1925.

He returned to North China where he served as a missionary, like his parents, from 1925 to 1943 - first in Tientsin (Tianjin) and later in Shaochang (Chinese 韶昌). During this time he continued to compete sporadically, including wins over members of the 1928 French and Japanese Olympic teams in the 200 and 400 metres at the South Manchurian Railway celebrations in China in 1928 and a victory at the 1930 North China championship. Liddell's first job as a missionary was as a teacher at an Anglo-Chinese College (grades 1-12) for wealthy Chinese students. He used his athletic experience to train the boys in a number of different sports. One of his many responsibilities was that of superintendent of the Sunday school at Union Church where his father was pastor. The South Manchuria Railway Company (Japanese: 満鉄）; Mantetsu) was a company founded by Japan in 1906, after the Russo-Japanese War (1904-1905), and operated in Japanese-occupied Manchuria. ...

During his first furlough in 1932, he was ordained as a minister. On his return to China he married Florence Mackenzie (of Canadian missionary parentage) in Tientsin in 1934. They had three daughters, Patricia, Heather and Maureen. This article is about the sacrament. ... For other types of minister, see Minister In Christian churches, a minister is a man or woman who serves a congregation or participates in a role in a parachurch ministry; such persons can minister as a Pastor, Preacher, Bishop, Chaplain, Deacon or Elder. ... Tianjin (Chinese: 天津; pinyin: tiān jīn; Postal System Pinyin: Tientsin) is a harbour municipality in China on the Hai He River (from Beijing) and Bohai Gulf of the Yellow Sea (Pacific Ocean). ...

In 1941, life in China was becoming so dangerous that the British Government advised British nationals to leave. Florence and the children left for Canada to stay with her family when Liddell accepted a new position at a rural mission station in Shaochang, which gave service to the poor. He joined his brother, Rob, who was a doctor there. The station was severely short of help and the missionaries who served there were exhausted. There was a constant stream of local people who came at all hours to get medical treatment. Liddell arrived at the station in time to relieve his brother who was ill, needing to go on furlough. Liddell suffered many hardships himself at this mission station.

Meanwhile, the Chinese and the Japanese were at war. When the fighting reached Shaochang the Japanese took over the mission station. In 1943, he was interned at the Weihsien Internment Camp with the members of the China Inland Mission Chefoo School. Liddell became a leader at the camp and helped get it organized. Food, medicines, and other supplies ran short at the camp. In 1945, he died as a result of a brain tumour, to which being overworked and malnourished probably hastened his demise. He was interred in the Mausoleum of Martyrs in Shijiazhuang, China. He was greatly mourned not only at the Weihsien Internment Camp but also in Scotland as well. A fellow internee, Langdon Gilkey, was later to write, "The entire camp, especially its youth, was stunned for days, so great was the vacuum that Eric's death had left." The word internment is generally used to refer to the imprisonment or confinement of people without due process of law and a trial. ... The China Inland Mission was a missionary society, set up by English missionary Hudson Taylor on 25 June 1865 in Brighton during a home leave. ... The Chefoo School of the China Inland Mission in Yantai, Shandong China 1880-1951 The Chefoo School a. ... A brain tumor is any mass created by an abnormal and uncontrolled growth of cells either found in the brain (neurons, glial cells, epithelial cells, myelin producing cells, etc. ... Website: http://www. ...

Fifty-six years after the 1924 Paris Olympics, Scotsman Allan Wells won the 100 metre dash at the 1980 Moscow Olympics. When asked after the victory if he had run the race for Harold Abrahams, the last 100 metre Olympic winner from Britain (in 1924), Wells quietly replied, "No, this one was for Eric Liddell." Allan Wipper Wells (born May 3, 1952) is a former Scottish athlete who became Olympic Champion in the 100 m at the 1980 Summer Olympics in Moscow. ...

Memorial

In 1991, a small memorial headstone was unveiled at Liddell's previously unmarked grave in Tientsin province, erected by Edinburgh University. A few simple words taken from the Book of Isaiah, formed the inscription: "They shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run and not be weary."^[1]. The city of Weifang, as part of the 60th anniversary of the liberation of the internment camp, commemorated the life of Liddell by laying a wreath at the memorial headstone marking his grave in 2005. Year 1991 (MCMXCI) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the 1991 Gregorian calendar). ... Tianjin (Chinese: 天津; pinyin: tiān jīn; Postal System Pinyin: Tientsin) is a harbour municipality in China on the Hai He River (from Beijing) and Bohai Gulf of the Yellow Sea (Pacific Ocean). ... This article is about the Book of Isaiah. ... Dongfeng Street in Downtown Weifang Weifang (æ½åŠ; Pinyin: WÃ©ifÄng) is an important city in central Shandong province, China. ... Year 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Chariots of Fire

The 1981 film Chariots of Fire commemorated the Olympic triumphs and contrasted the lives and viewpoints of both Liddell and Harold Abrahams, starring Ian Charleson as Liddell. One inaccuracy in the movie surrounds Liddell's refusal to race in the 100 metres. The film portrays Liddell as finding out that one of the heats was to be held on a Sunday as he was boarding the boat that would take the British Olympic team across the English Channel on their way to Paris. Actually, the schedule and Liddell's decision were known several months in advance, although it is the fact that he refused to participate that is significant. (It was actually the 100 metre qualifying heats, not the final, that were scheduled for a Sunday. Liddell had also been selected to run as a member of the 4 x 100 metre relay and 4 x 400 metre relay teams at the Olympics but also declined these spots as their heats, too, were to be run on a Sunday.) Chariots of Fire is a British film released in 1981. ... Harold Maurice Abrahams (December 15, 1899 â€“ January 14, 1978) was a Jewish British athlete. ... Ian Charleson (August 11, 1949 â€“ January 6, 1990) was a Scottish actor. ... Satellite view of the English Channel The English Channel (French: , the sleeve) is an arm of the Atlantic Ocean that separates the island of Great Britain from northern France and joins the North Sea to the Atlantic. ...

The scene in the movie where Liddell fell early in a 440 yard race in a Scotland-France dual meet and made up a 20-metre deficit to win the race is, however, historically accurate except for the fact that the actual race was during a Triangular Contest meet between Scotland, England and Ireland at Stoke-on-Trent in England in July of 1923. He was knocked to the ground only a few strides into the race. He hesitated, then got up and went pounding after his opponents, now twenty metres ahead. He caught the leaders shortly before the finishing line and promptly collapsed in exhaustion after crossing the tape. This article is about the country. ...

Liddell's unorthodox running style, with his head back and his mouth wide open, is also said to be historically accurate. At an athletics championship in Glasgow, a visitor watching the 440 yard final in which Liddell was a long ways behind the leaders at the start of the last lap (of a 220 yard track) remarked to the Glasgow native that Liddell would be hard put to win the race. The Glasgow native merely replied, "His head's no' back yet." Liddell then threw his head back and with mouth wide open caught and passed his opponents to win the race.

Trivia

Liddell was a lifelong supporter and member of Rangers Football Club and often used the club's training facilities.

See also

First international (also the worlds first) Scotland 4 - 1 England (27 March 1871) Largest win Scotland 100 - 8 Japan (13 November 2004) Worst defeat Scotland 10 - 68 South Africa (6 December 1997) World Cup Appearances 5 (First in 1987) Best result 4th 1991 The Scotland national rugby union team... United States Senator Arlen Specter of Pennsylvania (right) is a long-term brain tumor survivor who continues to serve in public office. ...

References

Books

External links

Categories: Brain tumour deaths | British people in China | Humanitarians | Christian missionaries in China | Congregationalist missionaries | Scottish missionaries | Scottish Congregationalists | Scottish rugby union footballers | Scottish Sports Hall of Fame | Scottish sprinters | Alumni of the University of Edinburgh | 1902 births | 1945 deaths This is the complete list of mens Olympic medalists in athletics from 1896 to 2004. ... Thomas Edward Burke (January 15, 1875 â€“ February 14, 1929) was an American athlete. ... Maxwell Washburn Maxey Long (October 16, 1878 â€“ March 4, 1959) was an American athlete, winner of 400 m at the 1900 Summer Olympics. ... Harry Hillman Harry Livingston Hillman Jr. ... Paul Harry Pilgrim (October 26, 1883 - January 8, 1958) was an American athlete, winner of three gold medals at the 1904 and 1906 Summer Olympics. ... Wyndham Halswelle (May 30, 1882 â€“ March 31, 1915) was a Scottish athlete, winner of the controversial 400 m run at the 1908 Summer Olympics. ... Charles Decker Reidpath (September 20, 1889 – October 21, American athlete, winner of two gold medals at the 1912 Summer Olympics. ... Bevil Gordon DUrban Rudd (October 5, 1894 – February 2, 1948) was a South African athlete, the 1920 Olympic Champion in the 400 m. ... Raymond J. Ray Barbuti (June 12, 1905 â€“ July 8, 1988) was an American athlete and American football player, winner of two gold medals at the 1928 Summer Olympics. ... William Arthur Bill Carr (October 24, 1909 – January 14, 1966) was an American athlete, a double Olympic champion in 1932. ... Archibald Franklin Archie Williams (May 1, 1915 – June 24, 1993) was an American athlete and teacher, winner of 400 m run at the 1936 Summer Olympics. ... Arthur Stanley Wint (March 25, 1920 â€“ October 19, 1992) was the first Jamaican Olympic gold medallist, winning the 400 m at 1948 Summer Olympics. ... Vincent George Rhoden (born December 13, 1926) is a former Jamaican athlete, winner of two Olympic gold medals in 1952. ... Charles Lamont Charlie Jenkins (born January 7, 1934) is a former American athlete, winner of two gold medals at the 1956 Summer Olympics. ... Otis Crandall Davis (born July 12, 1932) is a former American athlete, winner of two gold medals at the 1960 Summer Olympics. ... Michael Denny Mike Larrabee (December 2, 1933 – April 22, 2003) was an American athlete, winner of two gold medals at the 1964 Summer Olympics. ... Lee Edward Evans (born February 25, 1947) is a former American athlete, winner of two gold medals at the 1968 Summer Olympics. ... Vincent Edward Vince Matthews (born December 16, 1947) is a former American athlete, winner of two gold medals at the 1968 Summer Olympics and 1972 Summer Olympics. ... Alberto Juantorena Danger (born December 3, 1950) is a former Cuban track athlete. ... Viktor Fedorovich Markin (Виктор Федорович Маркин) (born February 27, 1957) is a former Soviet athlete, winner of two gold medals at the 1980 Summer Olympics. ... Alonzo C. Babers (born October 31, American athlete, winner of two gold medals at the 1984 Summer Olympics. ... Steven Earl Steve Lewis (born May 16, 1969) is a former American athlete, winner of three gold medals at the 1988 Summer Olympics and 1992 Summer Olympics. ... Quincy D. Watts (born June 19, 1970) is a former American athlete, winner of two gold medals at the 1992 Summer Olympics. ... Michael Duane Johnson (born September 13, 1967) is a retired American sprinter who holds world records in the 200 m, 400 m and 4 x 400 m relay (2:54. ... Michael Duane Johnson (born September 13, 1967) is a retired American sprinter who holds world records in the 200 m, 400 m and 4 x 400 m relay (2:54. ... Jeremy Wariner (born January 31, 1984 in Irving, Texas) is an American track athlete. ... This is the complete list of mens Olympic medalists in athletics from 1896 to 2004. ... For the First World War soldier, winner of the Victoria Cross, see Albert Hill VC. Albert George Hill ( March 24, 1889 – January 8, 1969) was a British athlete, winner of two Olympic gold medals at the 1920 Summer Olympics. ... Percy Hodge (December 26, 1890 - December 27, 1967) was a British athlete, winner of the 3000 m steeplechase at the 1920 Summer Olympics, held in Antwerp. ... Harold Maurice Abrahams (December 15, 1899 â€“ January 14, 1978) was a Jewish British athlete. ... Douglas Gordon Arthur Lowe (August 7, 1902 â€“ March 30, 1981) was a British athlete, a double winner of 800 m at the Olympic Games. ... David George Brownlow Cecil Burghley, 6th Marquess of Exeter (February 9, 1905 – October 22, 1981) was a British athlete, winner of 400 m hurdles at the 1928 Summer Olympics. ... Thomas Hampson (October 28, 1907 â€“ September 4, 1965) was a British athlete, winner of the 800 m at the 1932 Summer Olympics. ... Bold text (born 20 March 1894) was a British athlete who competed mainly in the 50 kilometre walk. ... Harold Whitlock (born 16 December 1903) was a British athlete who competed mainly in the 50 kilometre walk. ...

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