THIS is one of the best-known shots from the extensive Herald and Times picture archive.

Taken on Friday, August 7, 1964, it shows some spectators improvising protection from the rain as they watched the final stages of the Scottish Bowling Association Championship at Queen’s Park Bowling Club in Glasgow.

As our bowling correspondent noted, the event took place “in mixed weather, heavy intermittent showers in the afternoon making conditions unpleasant”.

So striking was the photograph that it was used prominently on the back page, our customary slot at that time for the best pictures of the day (the two others showed a policeman breaking up an attempted demonstration by anti-Vietnam war protestors at the US consulate in Glasgow, and some of the young female dancers from Vancouver who were going to appear at the Edinburgh Festival Tattoo).

The biggest gallery at Queen’s Park that Friday gathered for the singles ties, with much local interest in the play of J McAllister (Govan), W Paterson (Garrowhill), S Muir (Belvidere) and W Gibb (Bothwell).

In the pairs, Clarkston “gave a good account of themselves” and defeated Buckhaven. There was a sensational start in the fours, Dreghorn, the Ayrshire champions, falling behind to Laurencekirk before emerging as winners.

“The rain in the afternoon altered the weight of the greens at almost every end,” our presumably slightly damp correspondent noted.

In the end, Lenzie won the pairs title and Balerno the four championship.

The singles title was contested by Willie Gibb, and Uphall’s Willie Muirhead.

It was, our man noted, “a magnificent final between two players making their first appearance in the later stages of the championship. Victory went to Gibb, a 50-year-old manager an an indoor bowls international; he beat Muirhead, 30, a civil engineer, 21-17.”

Read more: Herald Diary