William Blaikie

Background

William Blaikie was born on May 24, 1843, in New York City, New York, United States, the son of Rev. Alexander and Nancy (King) Blaikie.

Education

Willliam prepared for college at the Boston Latin School, graduated from Harvard in 1866, and from the Harvard Law School in 1868, being one of the two honor men of his class.

Career

After serving as pardon clerk in the United States Attorney-General's office (1869 - 1870) and as assistant in the office of the United States district attorney, New York (1870 - 1872), he established himself in practise in that city.

From boyhood he was an all-round athlete. When seventeen years old and weighing 133 pounds, he lifted a weight of 1, 019 pounds. He was captain of a winning football team at the Boston Latin School, and in 1866 stroked Harvard's victorious crew. For ten years he held the amateur long distance walking record, having covered the 225 miles between Boston and New York in four and one-half days. Throughout his life his interest in physical education remained strong, and by lecturing and writing he added impetus to the rapid development in that field which took place in the eighties and nineties.

As has been the case with many athletes, Blaikie did not attain old age, but died suddenly of apoplexy in his sixty-second year.

Achievements

• William Blaikie was a well-known athlete and promoter of physical training of his time. He published How to Get Strong and How to Stay So (1879), a book of nearly 300 pages, interesting, untechnical, and not without charm of style. It had wide popularity in this country and in Europe. Later he issued a manual entitled Sound Bodies for Our Boys and Girls (1883), which in the form of safe and simple exercises embodies some of the suggestions in his earlier work. Its clarity and illustrations made it a book suitable for schools or private use.

Works

More photos

• book

  • Sound bodies for our boys and girls

    (Sound bodies for our boys and girls by William Blaikie. ...)

  • How to Get Strong and How to Stay So

Connections

Blaikie was twice married, first, to Isabella Stuart Briggs of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, July 3, 1872; and second, to Rebecca Wynne Scott of Elk Horn, Kentucky, October 6, 1891.

Father:

Rev. Alexander Blaikie

Mother:

Nancy (King) Blaikie

Spouse:

Rebecca Wynne (Scott) Blaikie

Spouse:

Isabella Stuart (Briggs) Blaikie