Leslie Balfour-Melville
Encyclopedia
Leslie Melville Balfour-Melville (1854–1937), born Leslie Melville Balfour, was an outstanding all-round Scottish
amateur sportsman. The finest moment in his sporting career was on 29 July 1882. As captain, opening batsman and wicket-keeper
, he led Scotland to victory over Australia at cricket
. This was as remarkable an achievement in 1882 as it would be today.
Balfour-Melville was also an international rugby union
player, tennis player, ice skater, curler, long-jumper and player of English billiards
. He was a prolific golf
medal winner, winning The Amateur Championship
, in St Andrews
in 1895.
He also held several important administrative positions within national governing bodies. He was President of the Scottish Rugby Union
, President of the Scottish Cricket Union, and Captain of the Royal and Ancient Golf Club in 1906.
Balfour-Melville was an inaugural inductee into the Scottish Sports Hall of Fame
in 2002.
, in 1854. Educated at the Edinburgh Academy
and the University of Edinburgh
, he became a lawyer
by profession, rising to be a Writer to the Signet. In 1893 the family changed its name to Balfour-Melville when his father succeeded to the estate of Mount Melville near St Andrews
, Fife
.
His son James also played cricket for Scotland before losing his life in the First World War.
Balfour-Melville died in North Berwick
, East Lothian
, in 1937.
, he debuted against the Free Foresters in 1874. He played eighteen matches for the national side over 36 years.
He captained Scotland in their first match against Ireland after the formation of the 2nd Scottish Cricket Union, and was the first President of the Scottish Cricket Union to play for the national side.
During his career he scored 46 centuries
.
and The Amateur Championship
.
LA = Low Amateur
NT = No tournament
DNP = Did not play
WD = Withdrew
"T" indicates a tie for a place
DNQ = Did not qualify for match play portion
R256, R128, R64, R32, R16, QF, SF = Round in which player lost in match play
Green background for wins. Yellow background for top-10
Source for British Open: www.opengolf.com
Source for 1886 British Amateur: The Glasgow Herald, 23 September 1886, pg. 5.
Source for 1888 British Amateur: The Glasgow Herald, 11 May 1888, pg. 8.
Source for 1890 British Amateur: The Glasgow Herald, 3 May 1890, pg. 10.
Source for 1892 British Amateur: The Glasgow Herald, 14 May 1892, pg. 4.
Source for 1893 British Amateur: The Glasgow Herald, 11 May 1893, pg. 12.
Source for 1894 British Amateur: The Glasgow Herald, 27 April 1894, pg. 11.
Source for 1896 British Amateur: The Glasgow Herald, 21 May 1896, pg. 11.
Source for 1897 British Amateur: The Glasgow Herald, 30 April 1897, pg. 11.
Source for 1899 British Amateur: The Glasgow Herald, 25 May 1899, pg. 8.
Source for 1900 British Amateur: Golf, July 1900, pg. 20.
Source for 1901 British Amateur: Golf, June 1901, pg. 413.
Source for 1902 British Amateur: The Glasgow Herald, 30 April 1902, pg. 10.
Source for 1903 British Amateur: Golf, July 1903, pg. 10.
Source for 1904 British Amateur: Golf, July 1904, pg. 6.
Source for 1905 British Amateur: Golf, June 1905, pg. 340.
Source for 1906 British Amateur: Golf, July 1906, pg. 30.
Source for 1907 British Amateur: The Glasgow Herald, 29 May 1907, pg. 12.
Source for 1908 British Amateur: The Glasgow Herald, 27 May 1908, pg. 14.
Source for 1909 British Amateur: The Glasgow Herald, 28 May 1909, pg. 14.
Source for 1910 British Amateur: The Glasgow Herald, 1 June 1910, pg. 10.
Source for 1911 British Amateur: The Glasgow Herald, 31 May 1911, pg. 10.
Source for 1913 British Amateur: The Glasgow Herald, 28 May 1913, pg. 15.
Source for 1914 British Amateur: The Glasgow Herald, 20 May 1914, pg. 12.
Source for 1920 British Amateur: The Glasgow Herald, 9 June 1920, pg. 11.
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
amateur sportsman. The finest moment in his sporting career was on 29 July 1882. As captain, opening batsman and wicket-keeper
Wicket-keeper
The wicket-keeper in the sport of cricket is the player on the fielding side who stands behind the wicket or stumps being guarded by the batsman currently on strike...
, he led Scotland to victory over Australia at cricket
Cricket in Scotland
Cricket has a lower profile in Scotland than it has in neighbouring England. Scotland is not one of the ten leading cricketing nations which play Test matches, but the Scottish national team is now allowed to play full One Day Internationals even outside the Cricket World Cup, in which Scotland...
. This was as remarkable an achievement in 1882 as it would be today.
Balfour-Melville was also an international rugby union
Rugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
player, tennis player, ice skater, curler, long-jumper and player of English billiards
English billiards
English billiards, called simply billiards in many former British colonies and in Great Britain where it originated, is a hybrid form of carom and pocket billiards played on a billiard table. Billiards is less well known as "the English game", "the all-in game" and "the common game".The game is for...
. He was a prolific golf
Golf
Golf is a precision club and ball sport, in which competing players use many types of clubs to hit balls into a series of holes on a golf course using the fewest number of strokes....
medal winner, winning The Amateur Championship
The Amateur Championship
The Amateur Championship is a golf tournament which is held annually in the United Kingdom. It is one of the two leading individual tournaments for amateur golfers, alongside the U.S. Amateur...
, in St Andrews
St Andrews
St Andrews is a university town and former royal burgh on the east coast of Fife in Scotland. The town is named after Saint Andrew the Apostle.St Andrews has a population of 16,680, making this the fifth largest settlement in Fife....
in 1895.
He also held several important administrative positions within national governing bodies. He was President of the Scottish Rugby Union
Scottish Rugby Union
The Scottish Rugby Union is the governing body of rugby union in Scotland. It is the second oldest Rugby Union, having been founded in 1873, as the Scottish Football Union.-History:...
, President of the Scottish Cricket Union, and Captain of the Royal and Ancient Golf Club in 1906.
Balfour-Melville was an inaugural inductee into the Scottish Sports Hall of Fame
Scottish Sports Hall of Fame
The Scottish Sports Hall of Fame is the national sports hall of fame in Scotland, initiated on St Andrew's Day 2001. It is a joint project organised by sportscotland, the national governmental body for Scottish sport, and the National Museums of Scotland. It is also funded by BBC Scotland and...
in 2002.
Biography
Balfour was born in Bonnington, EdinburghBonnington, Edinburgh
Bonnington is a district of Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland. It is south-west of the Leith Docks.The Water of Leith flows by here.The former Bonnington Church united with North Leith Parish Church in 1968, with the united congregation thenceforth using the North Leith Parish Church building in...
, in 1854. Educated at the 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...
and the University of Edinburgh
University of Edinburgh
The University of Edinburgh, founded in 1583, is a public research university located in Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland, and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The university is deeply embedded in the fabric of the city, with many of the buildings in the historic Old Town belonging to the university...
, he became a lawyer
Scots law
Scots law is the legal system of Scotland. It is considered a hybrid or mixed legal system as it traces its roots to a number of different historical sources. With English law and Northern Irish law it forms the legal system of the United Kingdom; it shares with the two other systems some...
by profession, rising to be a Writer to the Signet. In 1893 the family changed its name to Balfour-Melville when his father succeeded to the estate of Mount Melville near St Andrews
St Andrews
St Andrews is a university town and former royal burgh on the east coast of Fife in Scotland. The town is named after Saint Andrew the Apostle.St Andrews has a population of 16,680, making this the fifth largest settlement in Fife....
, Fife
Fife
Fife is a council area and former county of Scotland. It is situated between the Firth of Tay and the Firth of Forth, with inland boundaries to Perth and Kinross and Clackmannanshire...
.
His son James also played cricket for Scotland before losing his life in the First World War.
Balfour-Melville died in North Berwick
North Berwick
The Royal Burgh of North Berwick is a seaside town in East Lothian, Scotland. It is situated on the south shore of the Firth of Forth, approximately 25 miles east of Edinburgh. North Berwick became a fashionable holiday resort in the 19th century because of its two sandy bays, the East Bay and the...
, East Lothian
East Lothian
East Lothian is one of the 32 council areas of Scotland, and a lieutenancy Area. It borders the City of Edinburgh, Scottish Borders and Midlothian. Its administrative centre is Haddington, although its largest town is Musselburgh....
, in 1937.
Cricket
Playing for the GrangeThe Grange, Edinburgh (cricket and sports club)
The Grange Club is a cricket and sports club in the Stockbridge district of Edinburgh, Scotland. The cricket ground, commonly known as The Grange, is the regular home of the Scotland national cricket team.-Cricket:...
, he debuted against the Free Foresters in 1874. He played eighteen matches for the national side over 36 years.
He captained Scotland in their first match against Ireland after the formation of the 2nd Scottish Cricket Union, and was the first President of the Scottish Cricket Union to play for the national side.
During his career he scored 46 centuries
Century (cricket)
In the sport of cricket, a batsman reaches his century when he scores 100 or more runs in a single innings. The term is also included in "century partnership" which occurs when two batsmen add 100 runs to the team total when they are batting together. A century is regarded as a landmark score for...
.
Amateur wins (1)
| Year | Championship | Winning Score | Runner-up |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1895 | The Amateur Championship The Amateur Championship The Amateur Championship is a golf tournament which is held annually in the United Kingdom. It is one of the two leading individual tournaments for amateur golfers, alongside the U.S. Amateur... |
20 holes |  John BallJohn Ball (golfer) John Ball, Jr. was a prominent English amateur golfer of the late 19th and early 20th century.Ball was born in Hoylake, Merseyside. His father was the prosperous owner of the Royal Hotel, located near the Royal Liverpool Golf Club, in Hoylake... |
Results timeline
Note: Laidlay played in only The Open ChampionshipThe Open Championship
The Open Championship, or simply The Open , is the oldest of the four major championships in professional golf. It is the only "major" held outside the USA and is administered by The R&A, which is the governing body of golf outside the USA and Mexico...
and The Amateur Championship
The Amateur Championship
The Amateur Championship is a golf tournament which is held annually in the United Kingdom. It is one of the two leading individual tournaments for amateur golfers, alongside the U.S. Amateur...
.
| Tournament | 1885 | 1886 | 1887 | 1888 | 1889 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Open Championship The Open Championship The Open Championship, or simply The Open , is the oldest of the four major championships in professional golf. It is the only "major" held outside the USA and is administered by The R&A, which is the governing body of golf outside the USA and Mexico... |
T16 | DNP | DNP | 5 LA | DNP |
| The Amateur Championship The Amateur Championship The Amateur Championship is a golf tournament which is held annually in the United Kingdom. It is one of the two leading individual tournaments for amateur golfers, alongside the U.S. Amateur... |
DNP | QF | DNP | SF | 2 |
| Tournament | 1890 | 1891 | 1892 | 1893 | 1894 | 1895 | 1896 | 1897 | 1898 | 1899 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Open Championship The Open Championship The Open Championship, or simply The Open , is the oldest of the four major championships in professional golf. It is the only "major" held outside the USA and is administered by The R&A, which is the governing body of golf outside the USA and Mexico... |
DNP | DNP | T28 | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP |
| The Amateur Championship The Amateur Championship The Amateur Championship is a golf tournament which is held annually in the United Kingdom. It is one of the two leading individual tournaments for amateur golfers, alongside the U.S. Amateur... |
SF | DNP | SF | R16 | R16 | 1 | R32 | SF | DNP | R16 |
| Tournament | 1900 | 1901 | 1902 | 1903 | 1904 | 1905 | 1906 | 1907 | 1908 | 1909 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Open Championship The Open Championship The Open Championship, or simply The Open , is the oldest of the four major championships in professional golf. It is the only "major" held outside the USA and is administered by The R&A, which is the governing body of golf outside the USA and Mexico... |
WD | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP |
| The Amateur Championship The Amateur Championship The Amateur Championship is a golf tournament which is held annually in the United Kingdom. It is one of the two leading individual tournaments for amateur golfers, alongside the U.S. Amateur... |
R32 | R32 | R128 | QF | R128 | R128 | R32 | R64 | R128 | QF |
| Tournament | 1910 | 1911 | 1912 | 1913 | 1914 | 1915 | 1916 | 1917 | 1918 | 1919 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Open Championship The Open Championship The Open Championship, or simply The Open , is the oldest of the four major championships in professional golf. It is the only "major" held outside the USA and is administered by The R&A, which is the governing body of golf outside the USA and Mexico... |
DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | NT | NT | NT | NT | NT |
| The Amateur Championship The Amateur Championship The Amateur Championship is a golf tournament which is held annually in the United Kingdom. It is one of the two leading individual tournaments for amateur golfers, alongside the U.S. Amateur... |
R64 | R64 | DNP | R128 | R128 | NT | NT | NT | NT | NT |
| Tournament | 1920 |
|---|---|
| The Open Championship The Open Championship The Open Championship, or simply The Open , is the oldest of the four major championships in professional golf. It is the only "major" held outside the USA and is administered by The R&A, which is the governing body of golf outside the USA and Mexico... |
DNP |
| The Amateur Championship The Amateur Championship The Amateur Championship is a golf tournament which is held annually in the United Kingdom. It is one of the two leading individual tournaments for amateur golfers, alongside the U.S. Amateur... |
R128 |
LA = Low Amateur
NT = No tournament
DNP = Did not play
WD = Withdrew
"T" indicates a tie for a place
DNQ = Did not qualify for match play portion
R256, R128, R64, R32, R16, QF, SF = Round in which player lost in match play
Green background for wins. Yellow background for top-10
Source for British Open: www.opengolf.com
Source for 1886 British Amateur: The Glasgow Herald, 23 September 1886, pg. 5.
Source for 1888 British Amateur: The Glasgow Herald, 11 May 1888, pg. 8.
Source for 1890 British Amateur: The Glasgow Herald, 3 May 1890, pg. 10.
Source for 1892 British Amateur: The Glasgow Herald, 14 May 1892, pg. 4.
Source for 1893 British Amateur: The Glasgow Herald, 11 May 1893, pg. 12.
Source for 1894 British Amateur: The Glasgow Herald, 27 April 1894, pg. 11.
Source for 1896 British Amateur: The Glasgow Herald, 21 May 1896, pg. 11.
Source for 1897 British Amateur: The Glasgow Herald, 30 April 1897, pg. 11.
Source for 1899 British Amateur: The Glasgow Herald, 25 May 1899, pg. 8.
Source for 1900 British Amateur: Golf, July 1900, pg. 20.
Source for 1901 British Amateur: Golf, June 1901, pg. 413.
Source for 1902 British Amateur: The Glasgow Herald, 30 April 1902, pg. 10.
Source for 1903 British Amateur: Golf, July 1903, pg. 10.
Source for 1904 British Amateur: Golf, July 1904, pg. 6.
Source for 1905 British Amateur: Golf, June 1905, pg. 340.
Source for 1906 British Amateur: Golf, July 1906, pg. 30.
Source for 1907 British Amateur: The Glasgow Herald, 29 May 1907, pg. 12.
Source for 1908 British Amateur: The Glasgow Herald, 27 May 1908, pg. 14.
Source for 1909 British Amateur: The Glasgow Herald, 28 May 1909, pg. 14.
Source for 1910 British Amateur: The Glasgow Herald, 1 June 1910, pg. 10.
Source for 1911 British Amateur: The Glasgow Herald, 31 May 1911, pg. 10.
Source for 1913 British Amateur: The Glasgow Herald, 28 May 1913, pg. 15.
Source for 1914 British Amateur: The Glasgow Herald, 20 May 1914, pg. 12.
Source for 1920 British Amateur: The Glasgow Herald, 9 June 1920, pg. 11.
Rugby football
Leslie Balfour, as he was then, played for Edinburgh Academicals, and was capped once in 1871.Achievements
- Played rugby for ScotlandScotland national rugby union teamThe Scotland national rugby union team represent Scotland in international rugby union. Rugby union in Scotland is administered by the Scottish Rugby Union. The Scotland rugby union team is currently ranked eighth in the IRB World Rankings as of 19 September 2011...
against EnglandEngland national rugby union teamThe England national rugby union team represents England in rugby union. They compete in the annual Six Nations Championship with France, Ireland, Scotland, Italy, and Wales. They have won this championship on 26 occasions, 12 times winning the Grand Slam, making them the most successful team in...
, 1872 - Scottish Lawn Tennis Championship winner, 1879
- Captained Scotland to a cricketing victory over Australia, 1882
- The Amateur ChampionshipThe Amateur ChampionshipThe Amateur Championship is a golf tournament which is held annually in the United Kingdom. It is one of the two leading individual tournaments for amateur golfers, alongside the U.S. Amateur...
winner, 1895; and runner-up in 1889; both at St Andrews LinksSt Andrews LinksSt Andrews Links in the town of St Andrews, Fife, Scotland, is regarded as the "home of golf". It is one of the oldest courses in the world, where the game has been played since the 15th century... - Scottish billiards champion
See also
- List of Scottish cricket and rugby union players
Further reading
- "Memories of the day we defeated Australia", by Neil Drysdale, The HeraldThe Herald (Glasgow)The Herald is a broadsheet newspaper published Monday to Saturday in Glasgow, and available throughout Scotland. As of August 2011 it had an audited circulation of 47,226, giving it a lead over Scotland's other 'quality' national daily, The Scotsman, published in Edinburgh.The 1889 to 1906 editions...
, 13 March 2007
External links
- Player profile on scrum.com
- Wisden obituary
- Cricketarchive profile