A Boy's Own story in every sense, we wrote four years ago of the extraordinary career of William Reuben Applegarth - hereinafter Great Uncle Willie - a Guisborough lad who became the fastest man on earth.

Unlike Willie Applegarth, the story failed to run and run. Its theme was that Applegarth had all but been forgotten in his home town, an amnesia echoed in the subsequent stony silence.

Nor, it should be admitted, did the column make the connection when the British men's team became in August the first since the 1912 Stockholm quartet - anchored by Applegarth - to win the Olympic 4x100m relay.

"I watched the Athens race as it happened and there was an incredible feeling when I realised they'd finally caught up with Great Uncle Willie," says Aidan Applegarth, his great nephew.

Aidan, who lives in Essex, has also sent a 1914 Boy's Own (Part 10, Volume XXXVI) in which his great uncle features triumphantly on the cover and in a full length interview inside.

The death earlier this month of Aidan's father prompts him yet again to seek contact with any remaining family members in east Cleveland, however greatly they may be in the distance.

Born in Union Street, Guisborough, in 1890, Applegarth moved with the family to London in 1906 - "probably seeking work," suggests Aidan - and joined Polytechnic Harriers.

"The Yorkshire Tyke" they call him, a name in which he took Yorkshire pleasure.

Willie Applegarth became a triple world record holder, won bronze in the 1912 220m as well as gold in the relay and set a 9.8 British record in the 100m which stood until 1958.

Described in the 1914 article as "Britain's most famous athlete" - and as a Boy's Own reader - he also offered tips to aspiring athletes which included not being a silly Billy or taking "piffling little steps."

A strict teetotaller and non-smoker, Willie also advised military style training - he'd spent five years in the TA - eating the plainest English food, washing each morning in cold water, running with dumb bells and having buttons down the front of the shorts, the better to support the waist muscles.

"While today some of the tips may seem laughable, even Harold Abrahams took notice of what great uncle Willie had to say," says Aidan.

Ernie Applegarth, Aidan's father, was a left winger for Peterborough and for Wycombe Wanderers, a pre-war newspaper cutting noting "almost the same speed" as his namesake without realising the family connection.

Aidan himself won 100m and 200m Southern Counties titles, usually closely followed by his identical twin brother, Mike.

"On one occasion when I was playing football, a stranger remarked that my dashing down the line reminded him of great uncle Willie running against Jack Donaldson, the Australian blue streak, at Stamford Bridge. The resemblance in style was apparently uncanny"

Willie himself occasionally returned to Guisborough, once running a 9.8m 100 yards in a free training show for the locals.

Aidan's own researches in the town have revealed little. "There's a street in Hammersmith named after him but nothing at all up there," he says. "It does seem strange. There can't have been that many Olympic champions from Guisborough."

Now he seeks the column's help with information on the Guisborough Flyer, a man seconds ahead of the field but years ahead of his time. We'll happily pass on any contact information; the Boy's Own story could have another happy ending.

Among the bonuses for Local Heroes winner and Newcastle United nut David Bogg - otherwise Sir Boggy - was a delightfully discursive video message from that yet more familiar hero, Sir Bobby.

David, a 14-year-old Darlington schoolboy, had observed that the former England boss - absent to switch on Newcastle's Christmas lights - might pass on a couple of managerial tips.

"How should I know, I've just lost my job," said Sir Bobby. "I'm going to ask him instead."

Another award winner - and local hero, too - 17-year-old David Nelson picked up the "most ducks" trophy at Stafford Place CC's do in Thornaby on Saturday. They gave him a bat with a hole in.

In eight innings, in truth, the youngster had more ducks than South Park lake - never once troubling the scorers, though the lone asterisk may have been prelude to greater things.

"David's technique is fantastic, he just plays down the wrong line," said team captain Dave Metcalf. "He's a lovely lad who always turns up and we're sure he'll improve next season."

"I just hope they'll have me," said Dave.

Convivial as ever, the presentation was also memorable for Brent "Bomber" Smith's epic poem in honour of the column's annual appearance - Stafford rhymed with knackered; "It's near," said Bomber - and for the translation of the season's fines into pint chits.

Only one player had escaped. He was subsequently fined for smirking.

The team won the Bob Lowther Cup, Smith 6-11 in one round. Bomber and the Australian Liam O'Donohue shared most of the individual awards, Steve Livingstone and Danny Wade also among the glad handers.

The bad news is that Bomber - B52 according to his birth certificate - suffers increasingly from sciatica. Familiar for 40 years in North-East club cricket circles, he may be able to put his back into it no longer.

The hole truth: Tow Law FC hope to be back on the Ironworks Ground after Christmas, three months after mining subsidence opened up a huge crater in the goal mouth.

The Coal Authority have dug deep, 850 tons of liquid concrete pumped into the chasm. Now the Lawyers hope that the new turf will quickly take to Tow Law's less than hospitable climate.

"They found coal 28 feet down," says club chairman Harry Hodgson. "If the Coal Authority hadn't accepted responsibility, they might as well have opencasted it. We'd have been finished."

Cash flow reduced to a trickle, the Albany Northern League held a splendid social evening on a bitter cold Friday evening at which former England international George Brown - Wingate lad, long in Spennymoor - talked captivatingly, and for 90 memorable minutes, about his time as one of North-East non-league football's most feared goal scorers.

"I had no skill, couldn't pass ten yards, couldn't head the ball and scored one goal with my left foot in my entire career," he said.

"All I had was a bit of pace and the ability not to panic in front of goal."

The genial Geordie also recalled his eight goals in a match for Crook Town in the 1960s, after which the committee refused to let him have the ball. Miffed, he joined Durham City instead.

Tow Law remain his favourite club, the 1967 FA Cup ties with Mansfield and Shrewsbury among his fondest memories. He spoke without charge and, having long since given away the rest of his souvenirs, gave Tow Law his treasured sole international cap - and that, of course, capped it all.

Last Tuesday's column noted BBC Radio Newcastle non-league football expert Paul Dixon's delight at getting 150-1 on Cammell Laird to win the FA Vase.

On Saturday, Paul was at Jarrow Roofing - manager/chairman Richie McLoughlin a sadly unused substitute on his 55th birthday - to see the former Birkenhead shipbuilding side sink 3-1.

Paul - "bang goes me retirement fund," he says - has now switched to Plan B. He's got a tenner on Jarrow Roofing.

And finally...

The only post-war Sunderland players to have appeared together for England (Backtrack, November 19) were Michael Gray and Kevin Phillips, in 1999.

Fred Alderton in Peterlee today invites the identity of the former Premiership footballer who has a day named after him in his native Bermuda.

Another day in the sun on Friday.

Published: 23/11/2004