Merseyside For Sport - John Rimmer

John Thomas Rimmer was born on the 27th of April 1878 at 7 Vaughan Road, Birkdale, North Meols, the son of William and Elizabeth Rimmer, and many consider him to be the greatest human running machine ever produced on Merseyside, winning races at distances from 100 yards to 25 miles. In fact he was proclaimed the "Fastest White Guy in Europe in 1900" on the 13th of April 2009 as part of the Europe Athletic Association (EAA) awards. He had made his home in later years at 23 Bingley Road Anfield, Liverpool, where he was cared for by his devoted daughter, Vera.
In his prime as an athlete, Jack Rimmer was well nigh unbeatable. With his slithering slide, scarcely lifting his feet from the ground he won races at every distance from 100 yards to 25 miles. His lanky body was slim to the point of being classed as skinny and it was said that a strong gust of wind would blow him over but his strength and stamina were fantastic. Jack won the 1899 District cross-country event running as a member of Liverpool Harriers AC before joining Southport Harriers, but was unable to defend the title due to the club being outside the District. However he did win the title again in 1909 when running for Sefton Harriers, who he joined around 1905, and became president of in 1951 until his death. In the 1900 Olympics in Paris he became Liverpool's first gold medal winner at the modern Olympic games. With the runners in the first Olympic steeplechase to be held having to contend with stone fences, a water jump, hurdles and other obstacles, Great Britain was well served by the cross-country experience of her representatives in the 4,000 metre event. The British trio of Jack, Charles Bennett, and Sidney Robinson came home virtually together, but it was Jack who caught the judges’ eye and was awarded first place with just two seconds separating the three runners. Then he was one of the British team of three, the others being A.E Tysoe and C.Bennett, who won the 5,000 metres team race. Bennett was first, Jack second and Tysoe third. At the A.A.A championships prior to the Olympics that year, Tysoe won the 880yards, Bennett the mile and Rimmer the four miles. With two, he jointly held the record for the most Olympic titles in athletics by a British athlete.

Having moved to Liverpool and living at 181 Vine Street, in 1901 he joined the Liverpool City Police at the age of 22 and retired as a sergeant 30 years later. In one Liverpool City Police athletics meeting, Jack was matched against the best miler in each of the seven divisions. The seven men each raced one mile in opposition to him and seven prizes were given. Jack won the lot. In other words, he beat, in succession, the best mile runners at the meeting, and in doing so he himself ran a total of seven miles.

Before an open road race of 20 miles at Glasgow in 1909, the officiating doctor at first refused to pass Jack because he considered such an exhaustive test to be too much for his fragile-looking body.
The doctor took a great deal of persuading, but finally gave in, although he declared, "I won’t be responsible for the consequences." The consequences were that 'the frail streak of lightning from Liverpool' broke the tape as the winner - half a mile ahead of his nearest rival. As President of the famous Sefton Harriers he was running well over the age of 50 years in their club colours.
Jack died in Anfield on the 6th of June 1962 with his place in the history books, and the 1980s edition of The Guinness Book Of Records, secure.

see also :- http://www.thefootballvoice.com/2026/07/merseyside-for-sport-lottie-dod.html