BC GOLDEN GLOVES - Looking back & Looking forward

[Zelley]

BC GOLDEN GLOVES: By Brian W. Zelley

As boxing members of the past and present prepare for the
2010 BC GOLDEN GLOVES in (Greater Victoria) Langford, BC, Canada,
it has given us an opportunity to connect with the past "glory days".

As part of the preparation, I have been in contact with many including
the 1960 BC Golden Boy ALAN CURTIS, the 1965 BC Golden Boy
FREDDY FULLER and the 1980 BC Diamond Boy GARY ROBINSON
and many others including current amateur boxers, coaches and officials.

When I look at the significance of this tournament, there should be no special significance
over past tournaments, but when the lights turn bright and you can see or have images
of past tournaments from 1939 onward, one clear and present significant thing
bubbles to the surface from the passages of the mind and that is the tournament of 1960
which was held in Vancouver 50 years ago.

[Zelley]

Golden Moments from the past included USA boxers in action in the
BC Golden Gloves such as RAY LAMPKIN and NEIL KNIGHT,

[Zelley]

EARLY YEARS in GOLDEN GLOVES - 1939 to 1946

In 1939, the first BC Golden Boy was Phil Vickery. Sadly Phil died during
WW II and his name can be found listed with the Commonwealth War dead.

In the early years, the tournament was sponsored by the "Vancouver Sun"
with assistance by the "Vancouver Active Club.

During those early years some of the BC boxers also compeyed in the Seattle Golden Gloves
such as Jackie Turner, Norm Dawson, Tommy Symes and Vic Murdoch.

Fast forward to 1968 and nineteen BC boxers were selected to compete in
the 1968 Seattle Golden Gloves and Pacific Northwest AAU championships:

Dave Johnson, Frank Scott, Derek Austin, Wayne Boyce, Brian Zelley,
John Carr, Danny Gontes, Dick Findlay, Nick McDonald, Freddy Fuller,
Dave Wylie, Les Vegas, Larry Sinitsin, Glen McGee, Billy Taylor,
Rick Fleck, Earl McLeay, John Amos, and Nafiz Ahmed.

Boxer Dave Allerdice was also picked but suffered an injury in training.

[Zelley]

THE BEGINNING of THE BC GOLDEN GLOVES: By Brian W. Zelley

The GOLDEN GLOVES tournament that takes place on April 16 and 17th
will be the 70th tournament in 71 years since the beginning in 1939 with the following champions being the first:
Kenny Lindsay, Henry Devine, Bob Hickey, Eric Burnell, Phil Vickery, Alan Dunn, and Wayne Morris.

The journey for each boxer would take a different course as the years
rolled-on. In boxing circles, the one that become a known boxer throughout the Pacific Northwest and other locations was KENNY LINDSAY after he turned pro and was managed by ARNOLD BERTRAM who worked in his day job
as the owner of the "Teddy-Bu" dress shop. From selling dresses to Vancouver's finest by day and watching the ring action by night was an interesting mix of talents. But Arnold didn't forget the Golden Gloves activity and would support the tournaments if the following years.

For the first "Golden Boy" PHIL VICKERY, WW II would spin into tragedy when he was killed and now his full name can be found among the thousands displayed by the Commonwealth War Dead group.

One boxer from the first group of seven would continue to compete in annual Golden Gloves to the tune of victory. ALAN DUNN would follow-up the victory in 1939 with new victories in 1940, 1941 and 1942 and then the victories stopped when the tournament was halted in 1943 due to WW II.

[Zelley]

With so many Golden Gloves tournaments throughout Canada and the USA,
the BC Golden Gloves on the west coast on Vancouver Island is unlikely to
compete with the major cities such as New York or Chicago.
But by BOXING BC co-hosting the event on April 16 and 17th with
the relatively new Capital City Boxing Club it may trigger renewed interest
of the sport on Vancouver Island.

As expected, there has been a variety of interest from various clubs in
British Columbia but to rise to the level of past decades
it would be nice to have some participation from USA boxers
that had competed in such tournaments as the TACOMA GOLDEN GLOVES.

The ace in the hole for expected fan attendance will be GEORGE CHUVALO,
the former top ranked heavyweight of the Sixties and early Seventies
best known for his two fights with MUHAMMAD ALI and other top heavyweights
such as the mid-Sixties bout with FLOYD PATTERSON.

In addition to Chuvalo, some members of the GOLDEN GLOVES alumni
are expected to be in attendance at the opening bell.

The best catch for the tournament
would be former Island boxer ALAN CURTIS, 1960 BC Golden Boy.

That would be a very interesting "Golden Anniversary"
for the Golden Boy. After turning pro for a short time
he worked with the likes of PHIL & DENNY MOYER.

Also, expected to appear is 2009 Greater Victoria Hall of Fame inductee
MIKE CAIRD. Mike was a former boxer and coach and worked with
the likes of JASON HEIT and DONNY ORR and many more. Some of the other coaches
that worked with Mike include Gordie McGaw, Larry Montgomery,
Brian Zelley, Lou Bujdoso, Don Orr and Ian Weir.
Other expected appearances will be made by DON ORR and GARY ROBINSON.

[Youngblood]

Hi Zelley. I'd go if it wasnt so darn far!

[Zelley]

SIXTY YEARS AGO - 1950 BC GOLDEN GLOVES:

Champions:
Mike McMurtry, Bob McGivern, Leo Logan, Don Codville,
Barnie Grace, Tom Palmer, Bob Shires and Billy Stone.

[Zelley]

SIX DAYS and counting - As the big tournament approaches there are a share of pre-competition stories appearing in the various local newspapers. Two recent ones were in the "Goldstream Gazette" with a focus on "Golden Gloves Dreams" and another in the University of Victoria's "The Marlett" paper
with a focus on one women boxer on a mission.

Life is full of hopes, dreams and anticipation for some coming event,
for many there is that slow build-up of nervous tension as one moves closer to the opening bell then the real "moment of truth" begins after the gloves are touched and the opening bell rings.

And when it comes to picking the "Golden Boy" and "Golden Girl", the pressure falls on the shoulders of those charged with the selection and often it is not an easy process to sort out all of the variables that determine the points that will cement the big awards.

[Zelley]

1975 BC GOLDEN GLOVES

Two of the interesting stories are focused on JIMMY MACMILLAN and GORDIE LAWSON.

Jimmy made a comeback after about 8 years and ended up earning the Golden Boy runner-up award. And, Gordie was the only boxer, in the two day tournament,
to score a clean knockout when his opponent was on the deck for over a minute.

[Zelley]

The Future of the Canadian Golden Gloves

Although the idea of a Canadian Golden Gloves was created
back in 1946 by William (Billy) Finlay of the Vancouver Sun,
the decision by BOXING CANADA to sponsor the 2013
initial Golden Gloves tournament at Cornwall in July did
not have much to do with "Billy's Dream"

When we look back in 2020 with clear vision, 2013 will
be one of those important critical points in the long history
of the sport of boxing in Canada. Hopefully, in year seven
or year six, there will be an impressive history of the
first five or six years and the champions will likely include
some that are not even boxing in 2013.

[Zelley]

The first day of action in the CANADIAN GOLDEN GLOVES is now history but there
will be more action on July 18th. One of the quality divisions is the men's
senior open lightweight division. Two of the expected starts to win their opening
bouts were BRAD KATONA of Manitoba and JAG SEEHRA of British Columbia.