Crawford Fairbrother
Personal information | |
---|---|
Full name | Crawford William Fairbrother |
Nationality | Scottish |
Born | Paisley, Renfrewshire, Scotland | 1 December 1936
Died | 23 November 1986 Paisley, Renfrewshire, Scotland | (aged 49)
Alma mater | John Neilson Institution |
Occupation | Meteorologist |
Years active | 1958 –1970 |
Height | 1.87 m (6 ft 2 in)[1] |
Weight | 76 kg (168 lb)[1] |
Sport | |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sport | Athletics |
Event(s) | High jump |
Achievements and titles | |
Personal best(s) | 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) |
Crawford William Fairbrother MBE (1 December 1936 – 23 November 1986) was a Scottish high jumper. Born in Paisley, Renfrewshire, Scotland, his father was Scottish Athletics Championship medallist in high jump in the 1920s and 1930s.[2]
Fairbrother won a record 13 successive Scottish titles in the high jump from 1957 to 1969, the best post-war championship record by any Scot.[2] He also won the AAA Championship titles in 1959, 1961 and 1964.[3]
Fairbrother first competed internationally at the 1958 British Empire and Commonwealth Games in Cardiff, Wales. Representing Scotland, he finished in seventh place in the final of the high jump with a jump of 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m).[4] One month later at the 1958 European Athletics Championships in Stockholm, Sweden, Fairbrother, representing Great Britain in the high jump, finished tenth in the final clearing 6 ft 6+1⁄2 in (1.99 m).[5] At the 1960 Summer Olympics in Rome, Fairbrother failed to make the qualifying height of 2 m (6 ft 7 in) in the high jump. Two years later at the 1962 European Athletics Championships in Belgrade, Yugoslavia, Fairbrother in the high jump cleared 6 ft 6+3⁄4 in (2.00 m).[6] Two months later at the 1962 British Empire and Commonwealth Games in Perth, Western Australia, Fairbrother finished eighth in the high jump clearing the bar at 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m).[7] At the 1966 British Empire and Commonwealth Games in Kingston, Jamaica, Fairbrother recorded his best international result finishing fourth in the high jump clearing the bar at 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m).[8] At his final international meet, the 1970 British Commonwealth Games in Edinburgh, Fairbrother took the oath of behalf of the competitors at the opening ceremony.[2] The following day in the high jump, Fairbrother failed to make the final.[9]
He represented Britain on a record 53 occasions and placed in the top three 35 times.[2] He cleared the height of 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) on more than 200 occasions. He set three United Kingdom and five Scottish records, the best being 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) set in September 1964, a mark which stood until 1975.[2]
Fairbrother died on 23 November 1986 in his hometown Paisley, eight days short of his 50th birthday. He survived by his wife Rena, daughter Karen and son Kenneth. A service was held on 26 November 1986 at St. John's Church, Paisley and he was cremated during a private service.[2]
References
- ^ a b "Profile of Crawford Fairbrother". Sports Reference. Archived from the original on 18 April 2020. Retrieved 5 July 2014.
- ^ a b c d e f Gillon, Doug (24 November 1986). "Crawford Fairbrother: a hard man to beat". Glasgow Herald. George Outram & Co. p. 10.
- ^ "Fairbrother's record of achieve". Glasgow Herald. George Outram & Co. 3 February 1970. p. 6.
- ^ "Results of the men's high jump at the 1958 British Empire and Commonwealth Games". CGF. Archived from the original on 14 July 2014. Retrieved 5 July 2014.
- ^ "Stockholm Results". The Times. London: Times Newspapers Ltd. 25 August 1958. p. 4.
- ^ Our Athletics Correspondent (17 September 1962). "Unexpected Marathon Win For Britain". The Times. London: Times Newspapers Ltd. p. 3.
- ^ "Results of the men's high jump at the 1962 British Empire and Commonwealth Games". CGF. Archived from the original on 8 April 2014. Retrieved 5 July 2014.
- ^ "Results of the men's high jump at the 1966 British Empire and Commonwealth Games". CGF. Archived from the original on 14 July 2014. Retrieved 5 July 2014.
- ^ "Results of the men's high jump at the 1970 British Commonwealth Games". CGF. Archived from the original on 14 July 2014. Retrieved 5 July 2014.
- Articles with short description
- Use dmy dates from July 2014
- Use British English from July 2014
- AC with 0 elements
- 1936 births
- 1986 deaths
- Sportspeople from Paisley, Renfrewshire
- Scottish male high jumpers
- Members of the Order of the British Empire
- Olympic athletes of Great Britain
- Commonwealth Games competitors for Scotland
- Athletes (track and field) at the 1960 Summer Olympics
- Athletes (track and field) at the 1958 British Empire and Commonwealth Games
- Athletes (track and field) at the 1962 British Empire and Commonwealth Games
- Athletes (track and field) at the 1966 British Empire and Commonwealth Games
- Athletes (track and field) at the 1970 British Commonwealth Games