Early Years
The early years reaped rewards of excellence for the lads. In their first season, the 1st XV and 2nd XV reached the O.R.U. semi-final stages. During the first ten years of operation, the Club won twelve 7-a-side tournaments - on one occasion, our "A" side played the "B" in the final. The Scottish won the Quebec "7s" five times winning the Dow Trophy outright.
Along with the team success came individual successes. When the Barbarians played Eastern Canada in 1957, five members of the Club played. During this first ten years, every representative game in which Ontario or Eastern Canada played, members of the Club participated. Here is a list of players who were honoured by the Province or Eastern Canada...Harry Archer, Billy Cuthbert, Gordon Findlay, Andy Mac Dowall, Jimmy Ward, Ken Talbot, Lindsay Kipps, Ronald Donaldson, Norman Donaldson, Alistair Whytock, Norm Lee, John Allen, Dick Geater, Ron Sharp, David Bruce Thomas, Ian Nicoll and Iain Greig. It should be noted that Ian Nicholl, Norm Donaldson and Iain Greig combined for eighty representative honours.
With little or no rugby being played in the schools at the time and in order to cope with usual turnover of players, an ongoing and successful recruitment campaign was undertaken in the Sixties. The Club was rejuvenated with a good mix of playing and coaching talent. Names like Hal Rowan, Doug Crawford, Alan Geddis, Ian Rugeroni and John Wlaiko arrived on the scene and a host of others too numerous to mention. Toronto, at this time, was not known to have any sort of pubs. So the Scottish like a lot of other rugby clubs had parties in members residences. Astley Avenue was home to some of the finer parties of the day as was Bayview Avenue and Merton Street. It was in 1969 that 113 Marlborough Avenue was purchased. And the gang arrived to strip the wallpaper, floors and anything else that was required...Members such as Peter Mason, Derek Smith and George Semple all lived there. For a number of years the basement at 113 was the place on a Saturday. The Club bought the home next door and it also became a player tenanted home. Those of us who were here at the time remember the numerous parties and other shenanigans that happened. To protect the innocent and not so innocent, none of the goings-on will be mentioned here. Let 's just take a moment to remember...
In 1971, the Club regained its' position at the top of the league, winning the Ontario Senior League Trophy and the Eastern Canada Championship. The season was capped off with Alan Douglas and Peter Mason being selected to play for Canada..
On January 25, 1973, the Club held its' first "Robert Burns Supper". Donald Sinclair was the president who started this event and it has been a fixture on the Club calender ever since. And not just on out social calender, it has become a premier Burns Supper nationally and internationally. In 2002, there were over 350 people in attendance. This has become the number one fund-raising event for the Club.
In 1974, the Club attempted to develop a downtown fitness club on Nelson Street. However, due to circumstances, it was not finalised and it cost the club and certain members a lot of money. In order to reimburse those members who had saved the Club's financial life, the Club appointed 28 people "life members". For those of members who wondered ...why do we have so many life members? Now you have some idea!!! In any other club, this could have finished us but in true Scottish spirit, we "got through it" and in the immortal words..."what doesn't kill you makes you stronger".
In 1978, our 25th anniversary year, the Club again won both the Ontario Senior League Trophy and the Eastern Canada Championship. Mike Williams won his first cap for Canada. He was also capped in 1980 and 1982. The celebrations culminated in a Scottish XV playing a President's XV. Guest players included eight full internationals, notably two Scotland captains, Ian McLaughlin and Doug Morgan. Doug is the current Scotland Manager .
Touring has always played an important part of the Club and in 1980, the Club toured to England playing Esher, the Wasps and London Scotland. Martin Sullivan was the tour manager, with lots of help from Jim McCann, Bill Fritz, Alan Geddis and Chris Stafford. Stories can be told of this fun and exciting tour but not here...