FOLLOWING more than 2,000 sporting features and tributes – all voluntary – I am sure that I am entitled to just an occasional “faux-pas”, and that was the event concerning the outstanding achievements of our local swimming celebrity, Jim “Bull” Skelton.

Virtually everything “spot-on” except for me having overlooked the fact that “Bull’s” victory in the “Blue Riband” event, the men’s 100 yards championship at the Skipton open-air swimming gala in 1957, was indeed, not the last one to be held at the much-revered Moorview outdoor pool up Shortbank Road.

For, after some deliberation as to whether the venue would still be available in future years, the 1958 open-air gala did eventually proceed. Myself having been elsewhere at another sporting event on that occasion.

Never wishing to decry anyone of their past achievements, and it suddenly clicked that the last outdoor men’s champion was in fact, Tony Daggett, - runner-up to “Bull” Skelton in 1957 -, and who himself by 1958 had gone off to serve Queen and country in war torn Cyprus.

Tony Daggett thus took the crown, that following year, 1958. A deserved accolade for he befittingly returned volumes of return favour to swimming, both for the club up Shortbank, and later as a swimming instructor at the eventual new pool in Aireville Park, then later at the international pool in Leeds, and then as manager of a big sports complex and swimming pool in Reading.

Short-term, I have only as yet managed to dig up the results of the 1957 championships where “Bull” Skelton then Tony Daggett and Gordon Daggett took the podium places in the men’s 100 yards – a straight race in that former reservoir pool. And, Margaret Stott ahead of her sister, Pat Stott, won the ladies.

I was runner-up to John Rosenthal who himself was midst a “hat-trick” of consecutive victories in the schoolboy’s championship over 50 yards and also the junior members championship over 75 yards where a rope was pulled across to determine the finishing line.

Winner of the novices race in that 1957 gala – 30 yards across the pool – was Malcolm Jarvis who proceeded in life to becoming a Police Sergeant in Nottingham and famously ejected a certain Forest football manager from the City ground, namely Brian Clough.

The diving board – at 40ft high – was reputed to be the highest in England, and a perennial winner of the senior diving event was Johnny O’Brien – a local butcher. And, the junior champion was Gordon Barrett – fifth placer in my two aforementioned junior races.

Female participation was reasonable, but, less in all events. And, significantly no ladies or lassies were ever noted diving or somersaulting off that featured top board.

That much revered outdoor pool was finally closed in late summer, 1958, and the championships thus switched to the neighbouring indoor pool where Tony Daggett – finishing ahead of his two younger twin brothers, Gordon and Brian – proceeded to achieve the distinction of him becoming a senior champion at both venues.

Roger Ingham

Skipton