James Walker

Rugby Union career

Amateur career

Walker was born in Tradeston, Glasgow. He was educated at Loretto School and Trinity College, Oxford, where he matriculated in 1879, and graduated B.A. in 1883. He captained the Oxford University side and then played for West of Scotland

He was noted by the Athletic News as a 'working forward and very efficient with his feet; in other words, he was a sound dribbler.'

International career

At rugby union, was capped twice for Scotland between 1882 and 1883.

Cricket career

He played first-class cricket for Oxford University and Middlesex, and represented the Scotland national cricket team.

Mr. Walker often played cricket for West of Scotland, Grange, Fettesian-Lorettonians, and in the second visit of the Australian XI. scored in game at Titwood, Glasgow. He was for many years one of Scotland's most accomplished, all-round sportsmen, and the large number of mourners his funeral was tribute the esteem and admiration in which was held.

From the Cricket magazine of 25 February 1886:

MR. JAMES GEORGE WALKER. SCOTTISH cricket, as every one has noticed with the greatest satisfaction, has shown a marked advance during the last few years. It is hardly necessary to adduce proofs in support of the statement. There is plenty of evidence in the records, some of them even of a sensational character, of native Scotch players just recently. To the attention shown to the cultivation of proper form in the principal Schools on the other side of the border, is in a great - measure due the improvement in the so noticeable among cricketers of play l tch extraction. Fettes and Loretto, the latter in particular, have furnished during the last few years, considering their limited resources, a very respectable proportion of cricketers to the two English Universities. Born in Glasgow on Oct. 9,1859, Scotland is entitled to the credit of Mr. Walker's early education. Sent to Loretto in his thirteenth year, he secured a place in the School cricket eleven in the summer of 1875, when not yet sixteen. His performances at School from 1875 to 1879 were distinctly above the average. In 1878 and 1879, in the last of which he was Captain, in particular, he scored heavily, and he left Loretto with a high reputation as an all • round cricketer. During the winter of 1879 Mr. Walker went into residence at Trinity College, Oxford, but though tried once in 1880 he failed to get his blue. That he was in capital form, though, was proved satisfactorily later in the season, and his brilliant performance at Glasgow at the end of that summer against the Australians will not soon be forgotten, particularly by Glasgowegians. Playing for Eighteen of the Clydesdale Club he defied for a long time all the best Colonial bowling, and his score of eighty-five in that match was one of the best innings made against the Second Australian Team. This brilliant performance gave him, as was only to be expected, a high reputation, and the authorities at Oxford were hopeful that he would prova a valuable acquisition in the following seas His opening performance of 1881, too, was of a kind to fully justify these expectations, a his first score of 81 out of 178 in the Seniors' match was an excellent display of crick it. Unfortunately, though, a severe attack of bronchitis put an end to his chances of cricket for the year, and he was prevented from playing in any of the Oxford matches during that summer—a great disappointment, it will be readily understood. The following season saw another old Lorettonian, Mr. Norman McLachlan, Captain of the Oxford University Eleven, and again Mr. Walker was seen to advantage in the earliest of the trial fixtures. His 55 in the Seniors' match secured him a place in the Eleven against the Sixteen Freshmen, and in this as well as in the next match, for the Twelve against the Next Sixteen, he showed capital cricket, being highest scorer for his side with 25 and 67 in the former, and second in the latter with 42. Though only moderately successful against the Australians he came out well in the next two fixtures—against M.C.C. and Ground and the Gentlemen of England—contributing 87 by steady cricket in the first, and 60 in his first innings in the second of these two engagements. His batting in 1882 at Oxford was particularly effective, but in London, on the other hand, he was most unfortunate. Against M.C.C. at Lord's he was credited with 15 and 5, but at the Oval he failed to score either time, and in the University match he had to be content with 6 runs as the result of his two innings. Though he did not figure so well in the trial matches of Oxford in 1883, in the more important matches he was proportionately fortunate, and his cricket throughout the season was excellent in every sense. His highest scores in the earlier matches were his 93 and 29 against the Gentlemen, but he rarely failed to make a good show, and his 63 in the opening fixture against M.C.C. was, perhaps, his best innings. Against Cambridge, at Lord's, too, his batting was of the greatest use, and his second score of 51, for which he was two hours and ten minutes at the wickets, was an admirable display of defensive cricket. He played on a few occasions for M.C.C. in 1884, and with fair success, scoring 102 in six innings, of which 43 were made against Yorkshire —another good exhibition of defence. Mr. Walker has been actively identified of late years with the Free Foresters, and both for this club as well as for I Zingari, of which distinguished fraternity he is now a member, has done excellent service. His innings for the latter at Scarborough at the end of last summer against the Gentlemen of England will be remembered by CRICKET readers. On that occasion he went in first, and was not out till the total had reached 229 of which 111 had come from his bat. Mr. Walker is a thoroughly sound bat with very strong defence. He is particularly good on soft or difficult wickets, as he watches the ball most carefully. He cuts particularly well, and has a good stroke on the leg side—a pushing stroke in front of short leg. Ho is a most painstaking field, usually taking point, where though somewhat slow he is sure. Mr. Walker has also an excellent record as a football player at the Rugby Union game. He played for Oxford against Cambridge, and also for Scotland on three occasions. He was Captain of the Oxford team in 1883, but had to give up the game, having sprained his ankle when playing for Scotland against Wales. Mr. Walker, who is reading for the English bar, will be qualified next summer to play for Middlesex, by residence.

Other sports

He was captain of the Prestwick Golf club.

He presented a trophy for golf; to be played between players from Scotland and England. The newspapers reported this as 'another Walker Cup', likening it to the UK - American golfing tournament.

Law career

After graduating at Oxford, Walker studied law and was called to the bar at the Inner Temple in 1886.

Family

He was born to Archibald Walker (1815–80) and Mary MacFarlane Smith (1826-1913). He had siblings:- Archibald Walker (1858-1945), who was also capped in rugby union for Scotland; Mary Smith Walker; and Agnes Walker.

He died in 1923, leaving an unsettled estate then valued at £639,000.