Career
Roddin, universally known as "Hughie", was raised in the Newbigging district of Musselburgh in East Lothian. Hughie first came into contact with boxing through legendary Charles "Charlie" Cotter. Cotter worked as a timekeeper, physical trainer and boxing coach and a dominant figure in Scottish boxing.
The building that he trained and fought in is being refurbished and used as a museum of Scottish boxing, including a display of Hugh Roddin memorabilia.
He was a featherweight (57 kg). They had not originally planned to include boxing in the 1908 Olympics, so it was held after all of the other events, in October.
His fight was a 37 bout marathon session that started at 11:25 am and went until 10:30 pm. Because it was held after all the other events, 32 of the 42 entrants were from Great Britain, including all of the featherweight medalists.
Of the ten overseas entrants, nine were defeated in their first bout.
This book devotes a complete chapter to Hugh Roddin. One of the fights was held in the old Vanderbilt Athletic Club in the Ninth Ward before World War I. In an extract that appeared in 1954 in the now defunct Brooklyn News: Hughie Roddin, the great featherweight, was a real star. During a contest in Brooklyn’s Vanderbilt Club he knocked out his opponent with a crushing blow in the first round.
The club owners asked Roddin if he would go in with the same opponent after a 10-minute interval, Roddin agreed and knocked the same guy out again! Roddin’s career in the ring ended during World War One when he served in the United States. Army’s 35th Division.
On returning he ran several youth soccer teams in Brooklyn and athletics teams based at a gym he owned there. Sonny would go from Bayside to Rosedale many a Saturday night, go to the Legion and then home.
Hugh reached into his coat as if to grab the wallet - and came out with a punch to knock the young man down. The young man was so stunned he got up and ran away.
An old boxer never loses his punch is what Hugh had said.
He died at the age of 66 in Brooklyn in 1954 and is buried at Long Island"s National Cemetery in Farmington, New New York They were given to Brian Donald as a show of appreciation by Roddin"s family in the United States for his work on the fighter in "The Fight Game in Scotland". They are on display in the National Museum of Scotland.