Charles Reid
Encyclopedia
Charles Reid, nicknamed Hippo, was a Scottish international rugby
players. He was capped twenty times for between 1881-88. Reid vies with Ninian Finlay
for the title of the youngest player ever to be capped for - he was seventeen years and thirty six days old when he was capped against on 19 February 1881; however, Reid had lived through an extra leap year day, when he was capped in 1881, so Finlay generally gets that title. He played at second row/lock.
Reid attended Edinburgh Academy
, which he was attending when capped. On his second cap, against , he actually played against Frank Wright
who was also seventeen at the time, but was a boarder from Manchester
. He later played for Edinburgh Academicals RFC
.
As Allan Massie
says,
Reid was 15 to 16 stone in weight, and 6 ft 3in. The first historian of Scottish rugby, R.J. Phillips says that Reid "carried no superfluous weight and was as active as a well-trained ten-stone man", but that also, from his viewpoint in the 1920s, he was "Scotland's greatest forward."
He played alongside some of the greats of the era including Ninian Finlay
, Andrew Don Wauchope and Bill Maclagan
. He was said to be a proficient tackler, excellent at dribbling and Scotland only lost four times in his twenty one caps. He captained Scotland in 1887 to their first Home Championship win, and also won four tries.
He maintained an interest in rugby long after retiring from the game, and after the positional changes in the early 1890s, he wrote boldly:
However, Massie disagrees with this statement, and says that over-dependence on aggressive forward play such as that supported by Reid led to European sides being beaten thoroughly by and when they toured.
at Raeburn Place
. At the end of the match, both of the boys were carried on the shoulders of their fans back to the school
.
He was the brother of James Reid
, who was capped five times for Scotland from 1871-5, including the very first rugby international.
He was a doctor by profession, and later ended up living in Selkirk.
.
Rugby football
Rugby football is a style of football named after Rugby School in the United Kingdom. It is seen most prominently in two current sports, rugby league and rugby union.-History:...
players. He was capped twenty times for between 1881-88. Reid vies with Ninian Finlay
Ninian Finlay
Ninian Jamieson Finlay was a Scottish international rugby players. He was capped nine times for between 1875-81, and is generally considered to be the youngest player ever to be capped for - he was seventeen years and thirty six days old when he was capped against on 8th March, 1875...
for the title of the youngest player ever to be capped for - he was seventeen years and thirty six days old when he was capped against on 19 February 1881; however, Reid had lived through an extra leap year day, when he was capped in 1881, so Finlay generally gets that title. He played at second row/lock.
Reid attended Edinburgh Academy
Edinburgh Academy
The Edinburgh Academy is an independent school which was opened in 1824. The original building, in Henderson Row on the northern fringe of the New Town of Edinburgh, Scotland, is now part of the Senior School...
, which he was attending when capped. On his second cap, against , he actually played against Frank Wright
Frank Wright
Frank Wright or Francis Wright may refer to:* Frank Lloyd Wright , American architect* Frank Wright , English cricketer* Frank Wright , free jazz musician and saxophonist...
who was also seventeen at the time, but was a boarder from Manchester
Manchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
. He later played for Edinburgh Academicals RFC
Edinburgh Academicals RFC
The Edinburgh Academical Football Club, also known as Edinburgh Accies or Edinburgh Acads, is a rugby union football club in Edinburgh, Scotland. The club was formed in 1857 and is the oldest rugby club in Scotland, the second oldest club in continuous existence in the world behind Dublin...
.
As Allan Massie
Allan Massie
Allan Massie is a well-known Scottish journalist, sports writer and novelist.-Early life:Born in 1938 in Singapore, where his father was a rubber planter for Sime Darby, Massie spent his childhood in Aberdeenshire...
says,
- "Charles Reid's physique would never have appeared inadequate for any forward position; he was bigger than 's Tom ReidTom ReidThomas Allan Reid is a retired professional ice hockey player who played 690 games in the National Hockey League...
who was the biggest and heaviest forward the British LionsBritish and Irish LionsThe British and Irish Lions is a rugby union team made up of players from England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales...
took to South Africa in 1955, and more or less the same height and weight as the great Willie John McBrideWillie John McBrideWilliam James McBride, MBE, better known as Willie John McBride is a former rugby union footballer who played as a lock for Ireland and the British and Irish Lions. He played 63 Tests for Ireland including eleven as captain, and toured with the Lions five times — a record that gave him 17...
."
Reid was 15 to 16 stone in weight, and 6 ft 3in. The first historian of Scottish rugby, R.J. Phillips says that Reid "carried no superfluous weight and was as active as a well-trained ten-stone man", but that also, from his viewpoint in the 1920s, he was "Scotland's greatest forward."
He played alongside some of the greats of the era including Ninian Finlay
Ninian Finlay
Ninian Jamieson Finlay was a Scottish international rugby players. He was capped nine times for between 1875-81, and is generally considered to be the youngest player ever to be capped for - he was seventeen years and thirty six days old when he was capped against on 8th March, 1875...
, Andrew Don Wauchope and Bill Maclagan
Bill Maclagan
William Edward "Bill" Maclagan was a Scottish international rugby union forward who played club rugby for London Scottish F.C....
. He was said to be a proficient tackler, excellent at dribbling and Scotland only lost four times in his twenty one caps. He captained Scotland in 1887 to their first Home Championship win, and also won four tries.
He maintained an interest in rugby long after retiring from the game, and after the positional changes in the early 1890s, he wrote boldly:
- "Give me a forward team like we had in Manchester in 1882, and I don't care how many threequarter backs you have; we could go through them. We dribbled very close, and backed up the other so well that they could not get away, and they had fliers like Bolton against us. Dribbling and tackling are the characteristics of the Scottish forwards, and on them we depend to win."
However, Massie disagrees with this statement, and says that over-dependence on aggressive forward play such as that supported by Reid led to European sides being beaten thoroughly by and when they toured.
Personal life
In the match against in 1881, he played against his classmate Frank WrightFrank Wright
Frank Wright or Francis Wright may refer to:* Frank Lloyd Wright , American architect* Frank Wright , English cricketer* Frank Wright , free jazz musician and saxophonist...
at Raeburn Place
Raeburn Place
Raeburn Place is the main street of Stockbridge, Edinburgh, and the name of the playing fields there.-Rugby:The first international rugby football game was played on the playing fields at Raeburn Place on 27 March 1871 between England and Scotland. It was won by Scotland, though England got revenge...
. At the end of the match, both of the boys were carried on the shoulders of their fans back to the school
Edinburgh Academy
The Edinburgh Academy is an independent school which was opened in 1824. The original building, in Henderson Row on the northern fringe of the New Town of Edinburgh, Scotland, is now part of the Senior School...
.
He was the brother of James Reid
James Reid (rugby)
James Reid was a Scottish rugby football player.He was capped five times for between 1874-77. He also played for Edinburgh Wanderers.He was the brother of Charles Reid who was also capped for Scotland.-References:...
, who was capped five times for Scotland from 1871-5, including the very first rugby international.
He was a doctor by profession, and later ended up living in Selkirk.
Nickname
His nickname "Hippo" does not refer to his being like a hippopotamous, but the fact that he didn't know the word for a horse, when asked once in an Ancient Greek class at the Edinburgh AcademyEdinburgh Academy
The Edinburgh Academy is an independent school which was opened in 1824. The original building, in Henderson Row on the northern fringe of the New Town of Edinburgh, Scotland, is now part of the Senior School...
.