Douglas Edmunds
Dr. Douglas Morris Edmunds Ph.D. (29 Mey 1944 – 30 October 2020) wis a Scots Heilan Gemms competitor an strangman. Kent as the "Godfaither o Strangman", he wis a twa-time warld champion o the caber toss an co-foondit an actit as referee fur the World's Strongest Man competition.[1] He wis a co-founder of the International Federation of Strength Athletes and Highlander Challenge World Championships an aw. He wis the faither o strangman Gregor Edmunds.
Dr. Douglas Edmunds | |
|---|---|
 Edmunds in 2007 | |
| Born | Douglas Morris Edmunds 29 Mey 1944 Glasgow, Scotland |
| Dee'd | 30 October 2020 (aged 76) |
| Alma mater | University of Strathclyde |
| Thrift | Businessman, metallurgy ingineer |
| Kent for | Strongman, caber toss, shot and discus champion, referee of World's Strongest Man |
| Hicht | 6 ft 3 in |
| Title | Dr |
| Hauf-marrae(s) | Moira Edmunds (divorced), Linda Edmunds (1992-2020) |
| Bairns | 3, includin Gregor Edmunds |
| Kin | 3 sibs |
Early life
eeditEdmunds wis born on 29 Mey 1944 in Glesga, Scotland, tae John an Izabella Edmunds, an wis cried efter Douglas Young. Ane o fower bairns, he bidit in the umwhile Netherton airmy camp. He went tae St. Colombia's RC prep school in Largs an St. Joseph's College, Dumfries, whaur he played rugby fur the Sooth o Scotland schuils match agin Wales an wan titles in shot put an discus.[1] He attendit Glasgow University afore switchin tae the University of Strathclyde, gainin a doctorate in metallurgy in 1969.[2] He wirkit in Zambia as a minin ingineer for three year in the early 1970s afore flittin back tae Scotland. Efter his marriage tae Moira Edmunds fawed apairt, he flittit tae Nigeria in 1980 an remaint there until 1982.
Edmunds wirkit at Drakemire Dairy Ltd, the faimily business, atween 1982 an 2000, alang wi his brither John an brither-in-law Kevin Connelly, eventu becomin the managin director.[3][1]
In 2013, Edmunds wis diagnosit wi cancer. He deet on 30 October 2020.[1]
Strength sports
eeditEdmunds stairtit competin in strength sports professionally in 1975. He won the warld caber tossing championships in 1976 an 1978.[2] In 1979, he wis the anerly body able tae toss the Braemar challenge caber.[4] He organisit the World Highland Games Championships in Lagos, Nigeria in 1981.[4] In the 1970s he representit Zambia at the World Powerlifting Championships.[1]
Edmunds co-foondit the World's Strongest Man competition in 1977 wi David P. Webster an actit as the contest's referee, helpin tae televise strength sports as entertainment fur audiences.[5][6] Atween 1992 an 2004, he wis the contest's heid referee.[2]In 1995, he co-foondit the International Federation of Strength Athletes,[2] serrin as its president.[7] In 2007, Edmunds creatit the Goddodin Gemms in a bid tae revive the Heiland Gemms an strangman sports, that he felt haed became tired.[8] He believed that the sports sud be anent engagin an enterteenin crouds.[9]
Edmunds haes scrievit three beuks: The Warrior Breed, The World's Greatest Tosser, an Giants and Legends.
Faimily
eeditHis faither, born John Morris, wis a pairt o a gang o Scottish nationalists that plottit tae steal the Stone of Destiny fae Westminster Abbey. He later changed his surname tae Edmunds efter bein arreistit fur bigamy an tae jouk chairges o desertion fae the airmy. Edmunds' paternal grandfaither, cried John Morris as weel, focht fur siller in fairgroond booths.[2]
He mairit Moira Edmunds (née Graham) in 1970,[10] haein twa bairns bi her, an split in the 1980s. In 1992 he mairit Linda Edmunds an haed anither bairn bi her.[1]
Gregor Edmunds, his son bi Moira, is a strength sports competitor, umwhile Scotland's Strangest Man an Hieiland Gemms champion.[11]
References
eedit- ↑ a b c d e f Davidson, Jack. "Obituary: Doug Edmunds, outstanding athlete who was world caber-tossing champion". HeraldScotland (in Inglis). Retrieved 16 Mairch 2021.
- ↑ a b c d e Obituaries, Telegraph. "Doug Edmunds, world champion caber tosser, athlete, strongman and raconteur – obituary". The Telegraph. Telegraph Media Group Limited. Retrieved 1 December 2020.
- ↑ "Drakemire Dairy targets long-life milk market". Herald Scotland. Herald and Times Group. Newsquest Media Group. 16 Februar 1995. Retrieved 3 Januar 2021.
- ↑ a b Ann, Donaldson, Emily. The Scottish Highland Games in America (in Inglis). Pelican Publishing. p. 20. ISBN 978-1-4556-1171-3. Retrieved 17 Februar 2021.
- ↑ Smith, David (6 November 2020). "David Smith: Godfather of Strongman will be sorely missed Douglas Edmunds". Herald Scotland. Retrieved 4 December 2020.
- ↑ Heffman, Connor (28 November 2020). "The History of Strength Competitions — From 6000 B.C. to 2020". BarBend. Retrieved 16 Mairch 2021.
- ↑ Redjkins, Vladislavs (2019). "Ethnosport-strongmen discipline: alfa and omega of the world's strongmen movement" (PDF). International Journal of Ethnosport and Traditional Games. 1: 21. doi:10.34685/HI.2019.1.1.008. Archived frae the original (PDF) on 11 Julie 2020. Retrieved 21 Februar 2021.
- ↑ "Bring on the war games". Herald Scotland. 19 Mey 2007. Retrieved 4 December 2020.
- ↑ Strossen, Randal J. "Douglas Edmunds on the Highland(er) Games". ironmind.com. IronMind Enterprises.
- ↑ Edmunds, Douglas (2016). The World's Greatest Tosser: A Reminiscence of a Sporting Life (in Inglis). CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform. p. 82. ISBN 978-1-5398-7416-4.
- ↑ Meredith, Fionala (15 Julie 2009). "Strongmen know how to throw a party". The Irish Times. The Irish Times Trust CLG. Retrieved 4 December 2020.