PREMIERLAND? IT’S ODDS-ON BOOKIE GEORGE WAS INVOLVED

Carnoustie reader DOROTHY VANNET was very interested in Andy Walker’s piece regarding Premierland in Dundee (BwB, July 7).

To refresh, Andy extolled the virtues of Joe Miller’s involvement in boxing in Dundee from the 1930s.

Andy also put forward the view that the Premierland boxing arena in the city was the brainchild of Joe.

However, Dorothy has another view.

“I’m the daughter of the late George P. Grant and was always under the impression that Premierland was my father’s idea,” she said.

“He was very well known in this area as a bookmaker — Grants Promotions — and, indeed, had shops in the High Street, Graham Place, Blackscroft and Murraygate in the city.

“He also had units in Arbroath, Carnoustie, Montrose and Kirriemuir.

“He came a long way from a lad who started out at a very early age selling newspapers on the street.

“However, he was also a promoter and put on fights in the city and around Scotland.

“Indeed, he was the promoter who put on the 1946 world, British and Empire flyweight title fight between Glasgow’s Jackie Paterson (26) and Liverpool-born Joe Curran (32).

“The fight was staged at Hampden Park in Glasgow and over 50,000 attended to see Paterson retain his title by winning every round.”

Paterson died tragically when he was stabbed to death in Durban, South Africa, in 1966.

Checking back our archives, I came across a “People’s Journal” piece from January 1981, which seems to back Dorothy’s view of her dad’s involvement with Premierland.

The piece was written at the time of George severing his connections with bookmaking, and may explain the confusion.

It read:

In addition to bookmaking, George Grant was also associated with boxing and Premierland, the boxing stadium in William Lane, between Victoria Road and King Street.

In boxing’s hey-day, you could always be sure to count on an all-action evening in Premierland.

There were, in fact, two Premierlands, both on the same site.

The first George Grant arena of fisticuffs was in a big marquee, with seats around its ring, and many more spectators crowded at the back. That was in 1930.

After the war, a Premierland of more solid construction was built.

And that may explain Andy Walker’s view that “local builder Alex Evans and Joe Miller” built the venue.

However, further evidence that George was involved in the new structure comes from a 1961 cutting which highlighted carnival proprietor Robert Horne’s intention to use the stadium to house his sideshows.

The cutting offered:

Premierland Stadium, at present empty, is owned by Dundee proprietor Mr George Grant. Mr Horne would rent it from him.

Moving on and it seems it wasn’t just boxing which went on at Premierland.

That same year (1961), a gentleman by the name of Syncopatin’ Sandy played the piano for days on end (eight, reckons Dorothy) to break the world record for such a feat.

The Premierland building was demolished in 1972.

CELTIC SELLING THE JERSEYS

From listening to friends, family and colleagues, and viewing readers’ correspondence over the years, one of the greatest things about Glasgow Celtic — apart from their actual football — is their strip.

The Hoops.

So, it came as a big surprise to me that I noticed recently that the team, in recent money-spinning friendlies, took to the field against DC United, Everton and Manchester United resplendent in . . . er . . . all white — despite no obvious colour clash with their opponents.

Now, it may just be the way I think, but is this the Parkhead club realising that every fan will buy a hooped shirt anyway, and thus trying to boost sales of their second and third strips?

Celtic-minded fans on the other side of the Atlantic, especially, rarely get the chance to see their team live, so surely every effort should be made to put out the team against DCU, at least, in their famous first-choice hoops.

FOUR, NOT TWO

A reader, signed “CURIOUS, DUNDEE”, reckons Italy have won the World Cup just twice — in 1982 and this year.

However, a relative informed him it is now four times, and he’s looking to BwB for confirmation.

Italy won the coveted trophy two times in succession in 1934 and 1938.

Their first success was as hosts, beating Czechoslovakia 2-1 (after extra time) in the final in Rome. Four years on, they retained it in Paris when they beat Hungary 4-2 in the final.

Their third success was in 1982 as mentioned, a 3-1 final win over West Germany in Madrid, then, of course, they won it again this year for trophy No. 4.

For the record, Italy were losing finalists in 1970 to Brazil (4-1) in Mexico, and again to the Samba masters in the USA in 1994 when they failed in a penalty shoot-out after a dull, goalless draw.