Bonhams 1793 : 1873 Marquis of Queensbury Heavy Weight Boxing Champions medal awarded to Frederick Brunning-Maddison

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20 Feb 2013 11:00 GMT Chester
General Sports Memorabilia
Back to auction 21119

1873 Marquis of Queensbury Heavy Weight Boxing Champions medal awarded to Frederick Brunning-Maddison

A circular medal. to the obverse AMATEUR ATHLETIC CLUB and central Greek design, the reverse engraved 'April 3rd 1873 CHAMPION BOXING HEAVY WEIGHTS WON BY F.B.MADDISON', floral surround, includes original presentation case imprinted with gold gilt lettering of Hancocks & Co. Jewellers of Bond Street. This medal was awarded to Frederick Maddison for winning the heavyweight division of the marquis of Queensburys Challenge cup in 1873.
Approx. diam. 51mm

Sold for £625 inc. premium

Footnotes

In 1866 John Graham Chambers of Eton and Trinity College Cambridge, founded the Amateur Athletic Club at Walham Green. The Club held regular sporting fixtures, from 1867 including boxing. Chambers wrote updated rules for boxing, that included regulations for competitors to wear protective gloves, fighting over three timed rounds.

Chambers enlisted John Sholto Douglas, the 8th Marquis of Queensbury to provide cups for winners of boxing matches, naming his rules with Queensbury's prestigious title. Queensbury Cup competitions continued until 1885, eventually replaced with a championship organised by the Amateur Boxing Association.

Born in 1849, Maddison was a prolific sportsman, rowing for Oxford University, he played at Wimbledon and also in the British Golf Open. He played for Scotland in the first unofficial international under the name F.Maclean and for England in the first official international on 30th November 1972. He won 2 F.A. Cup winners medals with Oxford University in 1874 and Wanderers in 1876. On retirement he became a solicitor.