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ROUND TWO
Selection & Elimination process - 31 of 50 remain in the contest.
In the first ever selection process for a British Columbia Amateur Boxing Hall of Fame,
there are 14 boxers and 17 builders that have advanced from the 50 potential choices.
The builders' list is expect to decrease by July 30th.
THE 14 BOXERS - Round Two
As we blast through the decades of amateur boxing and review all past boxers,
a select few standout in each decade and some of those are still in the running for a
spot in the newly created BRITISH COLUMBIA AMATEUR BOXING HALL OF FAME.
Chris Ius, Dale Walters, Dick Findlay, Donnie Orr, Eddie Haddad, Frank Scott, Fred Desrosiers,
Freddy Fuller, Harold Mann, Jimmy Walters, Les Hamilton, Manny Sobral, Roger Adolph and
Sid McKnight.
-BUILDERS MOVING FORWARD
With a couple of days to go, at least nine of the 17 builders will be moving forward.
Dave Brown, Elio Ius, Fred Fuller, George Shiels, Howard Curling, Pat O'Reilly,
Rick Brough, Stanley F. Smith and Tommy Paonessa.
TWENTY FOUR NOW REMAIN TO COMPETE FOR A SPOT
BUILDERS:
Dave Brown, Elio Ius, Fred Fuller, George Shiels, Herbert (Bert) Lowes,
Howard Curling, Pat OReilly, Rick Brough, Stan Smith, & Tommy Paonessa.
BOXERS
Eddie Haddad, Harold Mann, James (Jimmy) Walters, Dick Findlay,
Frank Scott, Fred Desrosiers, Freddy Fuller, Roger Adolph, Chris Ius,
Les Hamilton, Sid McKnight, Dale Walters, Manny Sobral & Donnie Orr
There are no sure winners in this race to the finish bell.
WHY A BRITISH COLUMBIA AMATEUR BOXING HALL OF FAME: By Brian W. Zelley
Background - BC AMATEUR BOXING NEWS (1983 to 1986)
During my term as editor for the BC Amateur Boxing News in the Eighties,
I came to the conclusion that there was very little discussion of past events
or those Golden Memories of past boxing happenings.
The logical step was to add past events in a Flashbacks section or as an introduction to report on various tournaments such as the 1085 Diamond Belt tournament in Victoria, BC there was some flashbacks to 1967, 1968 and 1980.
In a buil-up to the Vancouver Island Amateur Boxing Championships
in 1984, a summary of the highlights of amateur boxing from 1954 to the Seventies was produced.
However, it appears in 2009 and 2010, that many folks now involved ii in amateur boxing are lost when it comes to the past as they were in the Eighties.
One example was the case of the early history of the Nanaimo Boxing Club
which was started in 1971 by Dan Wright and Brian Zelley. Active boxers in Nanaimo did not know much of the history and were unaware of who started the club and the connection to the old Newcastle Boxing Club of the Sixties.
Another recent concern was at least two former boxers from a club in Greater Vancouver did not understand the history and one disputed that Dan Wright
was a founder.
A Tarnished Golden Gloves Program
In the 2010 BC Golden Gloves program, the only significant reference
was a list of past Golden Boys from 1939 to 2009. It was a nice list but
the Golden Boys for 1968 and 1969 were incorrect. The 1968 BC Golden Boy
was Portland boxer RAY LAMPKIN and the 1969 Golden Boy was Seattle boxer
NEIL KNIGHT.
HALLS OF FAME IN BRITISH COLUMBIA
There is a BC Sports Hall of Fame, but amateur boxing has not been high on the inductee list with only seven names. Since the beginning of the Golden Gloves
in 1939, that works out to slightly less than one individual per decade not to mention the total history of the sport in BC.
MUNICIPAL SPORTS halls of fame - very few of the towns have many boxing folk inducted, but at least Prince George has seven as of 2010.
THE BC AMATEUR BOXING HALL OF FAME
Began recently with a call for names, and it did not take long to gather 50 names to start the selection and elimination rounds. aS of July 30, 2010 there are now 24 names of folks that are still in the competition, and at the end of August it is expected the list will be reduced to about 12 names, but of the 50 that are eliminated along the way, they wiill be remembered for future years along with others.
EDDIE HADDAD - By Brian Zelley
Of the 14 remaining boxers, the one that fought in the Forties was EDDIE HADDAD.
For many current folks connected with amateur boxing, the name EDDIE HADDAD
is not likely a name that they remember, but if one was to take a trip into the dsitant past, then it is likely they would understand why HADDAD should be high in the selection process and considered one of the best lightweight boxers of Canada.
Today, Eddie Haddad is remembered as an inductee of the Canadian Forces
SPORTS HALL OF FAME, the Greater Victoria SPORTS HALL OF FAME and the Manitoba
SPORTS HALL OF FAME. In the book ISLAND OF CHAMPIONS, Eddie is the only person to be recognized in the boxing category. Tha main focus of the story by writer Cleeve Dheensaw was HADDAD in the 1948 Olympic Games.
Following Eddie, the next two in the list of 14 are HAROLD MANN and JIMMY WALTERS
whose main period in amateur boxing was the Fifties.And, what a decade that was.
KENNY LINDSAY, Eliminated early
In any attempt to select boxers for special recognition, some get overlooked. One such case is former amateur and professional boxer KENNY LINDSAY. Although he was considered among fifty boxers
and builders in the first stage of the BRITISH COLUMBIA AMATEUR BOXING HALL OF FAME
he did not make the list of 14 to move forward in the selection and elimination process.
Kenny was one of the original BC Golden Gloves Champions in 1939, he then turned pro in 1940 and faced locals like JACKIE TURNER and various world champions such as MANUEL ORTIZ and DADO MARINO
His manager was ARNOLD BERTRAM who also was the proprietor of
"Teddy-Bee" dress shoppe at one time located at 604 Robson Street in Vancouver, BC.
FIFTEEN LEFT STANDING
Recent results have left 15 left standing - 5 Builders amd 10 Boxers
BUILDERS
Rick Brough, Dave Brown, Fred Fuller, Elio Ius and Pat O'Reilly
BOXERS
Fred Desrosiers, Dick Findlay, Freddy Fuller, Eddie Haddad, Chris Ius,
Harold Mann, Frank Scott, Manny Sobral, Dale Walters and Jimmy Walters
As this is the first ever selection and elimination process, there are some that think all 15 should
be included as the starting group which appears to be a good idea and can be supported by the fact that when the first ever
boxing folk were inducted into the 1954 BOXING HALL OF FAME there was a high number (24) and in subsequent years the numbers reduced to a smaller number such as five in 1965 and five in 1964. For instance in 1960 the numbers included
Jack Britton, Joe Choynski, Freddie Welsh, Johnny Kilbane, Tommy Burns and Dan Donnelly (6).
However, for the final decision it will rest on the shoulders of six administrators that represent different decades in amateur boxing.
The 15 Still Standing are likely to be the core group. for 2010.
THE CORE GROUP OF 15 are the first ever members of a
British Columbia Amateur Boxing Hall of Fame.
THE NEXT ROUND - December 2010
The name of the administrators for 2011 will be named in December 2010.
At the present time there are six but it is hoped there will be between nine to
twelve. Also, some honorary directors will be named.
2011 - THE DAWNING OF A NEW DAY; By Brian Zelley
With the selection of the inductees for 2010, it is now a dawning of a new
round to nominate and select worthy choices for 2011 in various categories.
Potential Categories:
.Junior/Youth Boxer
.Boxer
.Builder
.Rounder - boxer\builder
.Club, Team & Tournament.
NOMINATION PROCESS
.Anyone with an appreciation or involvement with
amateur boxing in British Columbia may nominate
one choice for any or all of the seven categories.
Deadlind for submissions - JUNE 30, 2011.
24 Nominations To-date
There are some interesting nominations for 2011 including three boxing clubs:
Campbell River Eagles, East Vancouver Optimists, and South Hill-Firefighters Boxing Clubs
For tournaments the only one nominated is the 1967 Shrine International Diamond Belt Championships which had ROCKY MARCIANO, as the guest referee.
JUNIOR/YOUTH CATEGORY - ALAN BROWN, two time Canadian Junior Canadian Champion.
Alan was a member of the Campbell River Eagles, the Gold River Boxing Club, the Nanaimo Boxing Club and trained at various other clubs such as the Vancouver based Shamrock Boxing Club in the mid-Eighties.
2011 Selection Process
The process for selecting ones for 20ll has expanded to include a number of new categories
with some first class nominees.
NEW CATEGORIES
Junior/Youth Boxing - 2011 Nominee is Alan Brown.
All Rounder - Boxer/Builder - 2011 Nominee is Lennie Walters,
Pioneer - 2011 Nominee - TOMMY PAONESSA
Tournaments/Events - 2011 Nominee
1967 Centennial International Diamond Belt Championships,
sponsored by by the Rajah and Burnaby Shrine Clubs, and held at the PNE
Agrodome, Vancouver, BC on March 31 - April 1, 1967 with special guest
referee ROCKY MARCIANO.
CLUBS 2011 Nominees
Campbell River Eagles Boxing Club,
East Vancouver Optimists Boxing Club
South Hill/Firefighters of Vancouver, BC
In addition there are some boxers and builders, the names of those moving into
the second round of the selection process will be named within a few days.
2011 Selection and Elimination
With six days to go 8 of 24 have been selected, three have been eliminated and 13
stand on the threshold of being selected or eliminated. For the 2011 process it started in February and will continue until July 31st.
The final group selected will be named in August. Hopefully August 1.
For those not selected in 2011, there will be other opportunities in 2012
and beyond.