For esteemed Edinburgh University academic Angus McIntosh is rumoured to have played a vital part in kick-starting author JRR Tolkien’s creative process – by beating the author at tennis.

An injury laid the writer up, giving him time to dream up the fantasy yarn that has enchanted countless children.

Jo Blair, Senior Programmer at Picturehouse Cinemas, told the Evening News it is a literary fact that still surprises.

She said: “Not many people know that it was actually after hurting his ankle in a tennis match with Edinburgh University lecturer and academic Angus McIntosh that JRR Tolkien, confined to his room, started sketching out his ideas for The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings.”

I have never seen this mentioned before and the glaring howler is not a good start "started sketching out his ideas for The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings.".

Peter Jackson and his script team, may believe that Tolkien worked on both books at once, but he is probably the only one.

Any confirmation on this that anyone knows of, dates would be nice?

http://www.scotsman.com/news/scottish ... dream-up-hobbit-1-2693880