Wednesday, November 11, 2009

GOLDEN GLOVES

GOLDEN GLOVES - PACIFIC NORTHWEST & ALBERTA: by brian zelley



Sometimes all that glitters is just the shine from a Golden Gloves tournament. Stepping back in time. the first Golden Gloves tournament in British Columbia was in 1939,and has continued
for years except for 1943.

The first Golden Boys were PHIL VICKERY, TERRY DOYLE,
BOB HICKIE, JACKIE HAMILTON, CHESTER ORR
Others would follow such as SAMMY MAY, EDDIE HADDAD,   MANN 



Chester Orr was presented his Golden Boy trophy  by Sid Beech
with announcer Tommy Cruise doing his thing at the conclusion
of the 1945 Golden Gloves sponsored by the Vancouver Sun and
hosted by the "Vancouver Active Club" and sanctioned by the
"AAU of Canada" and "BC AMATEUR BOXING ASSOCIATION'.

Some of the boxers in those early years were a who's who of
amateur boxing in British Columbia and some would return
in future years to participate as coaches, officials or fans
such as Victoria's VIC MURDOCH who was also the 1944 Seattle
Golden Gloves flyweight champion. Then there were the likes of
Lyle Kehoe, Freddy Steele, Jackie Turner, Bobby Parker,
Tommy Symes, Gordon Grayson, Art Burgess, Bus Lindsay,
Jack Herwynen, Kenny Lindsay and Jimmy Crook.

As the years flashed by, there would be many new boxers to
shine under the bright lights of the BC Golden Gloves.
Some that saw action in amateur boxing in the Fifties were there
to continue the action, excitement and the history into the Sixties.

A sample of the boxers are ALAN CURTIS, SKIMP WILLIAMS,
TOMMY BLACK. LINDY LINDMOSER, MIKE CAIRD, GORDIE McGAW,
BILL ADAMS, JACK STRAZA, BOB GINETTI and WINNIE SCHELT





As the Sizzling Sixties moved forward to 1968 there
would be many more such as FRED FULLER, FRANKIE SCOTT,
EARL MCLEAY,  BRIAN ZELLEY, KALMAN SANTOSI, MIKE SARTORI,

ROGER ADOLPH, DICK FINDLAY, JACK MEDA,BILLY TAYLOR,
TOMMY BOYCE, RICK FLECK, HAROLD HANDLIN, DEREK AUSTIN,
RON WILSON, TONY JAMES, JOHN AMOS and DAVE WYLIE.

                                       brian zelley and neil knight

                          Golden Boy of 1959 - Jack Straza


Also, BC would also see some outstanding boxers from
Portland,Seattle and Tacoma
uch as Ray Lampkin, Neil Knight, Wes Craven
and GARY FERRARI.
Ray Lampkin and Neil Knight

In BC Junior Golden Gloves action one of the outstanding
stars was Victoria's CLIFF BALLENDINE - three time
Junior Golden Boy, but in the Eighties there were
many more to shine such as:
TONY FRANCIS, TONY DUFFY, MANNY SOBRAL, MIKE WOOD
JASON DOWNIE, ALAN BROWN and MANNY SOBRAL, JAMEY BALLARD,
and WILLY CURRY.





Looking back from 2009 to 1969, there have been
hundreds of names, that on a cold winter night
somebody may remember some golden memory from
the past and recall a moment in time when the amateur
boxer such as Neil Austin, Willie Benallie, Lou Cooke,
Perry Demosten, Chester Douglas, John Gamble, Bill Gariepy,
Mickey Griffin, Les Hamilton, Derrick Hoyt, David Ius,
Gordie Lawson, Sid McKnight, Mike O'Reilly, Buzz Montour,
Jamie Ollenberger, Darryl Olsen, Don Orr, Gary Robinson,
Jack Snaith,Steve Tohill,Dale Walters Ed Williams, and
Dan Wright, Mike Kennedy and Matt O'Brien were STARS.



                                                         De La Hoya with Matt O'Brien


NOT TO BE FORGOTTEN
There are many names that did not get mentioned in the
above overview such as Glenn McGee, Wayne Crowe
and Mike Olajide Jr.




  A Freddy Fuller quick one minute video



The correction for one of the names"
Glenn McGee of the Astoria Boxing Club 1968
BEYOND 2009
2010 BC GOLDEN BOY, DYLAN BISHOP

The Golden Gloves story continues beyond the early narrative:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BC_Golden_Gloves
The above link lays the groundwork for the Golden Gloves
stories with the names of the first BC Golden Gloves
champions in 1939 including boxers such as Kenny Lindsay.
Then it list a sample of boxers over the years, and then into
some specific tournaments




Expanded topics: 

Due to the involvement of California boxers in some of the
BC tournaments the Golden Gloves will be expanded to
include California golden gloves memories and moments.

Another link on the chain:
http://bzgloves.blogspot.ca/
*the above link covers a lot more detail of BC Golden Gloves action

YEAR 2000 - FRED WICKS jr., Nanaimo Boxing Club




      
A golden gloves video of various time periods.





BC AMATEUR BOXING HALL OF FAME
* one of the nominees for 2014 is one
WILLIAM J. FINLAY who was one of the
key names behind the Sun Golden Gloves
back in 1939 and into the fourties such as 1946
when he called for a Canadian Golden Gloves
 Championship.  And, "Billy's Dream"
was realized 67 years later in 2013 with the first 
Canadian Golden Gloves tournament held in Ontario.

             THE 2013 CANADIAN GOLDEN GLOVES buzz

More  Golden Moments







2014 Canadian Golden Gloves

Will take place in Cornwall
during the month of July.

Several boxers were repeat winners
from 2013 including 
Rodolfo Velasquez.










17 comments:

  1. i am looking to find information about my grandfather he has recently passed away and was a golden gloves champ. his name is patrick timothy holden mainly went by tim. i dont know what year he won but he was born in 1949. please help i want to share his pride.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Hi there, My dad was Golden Gloves Champion in 1952 in Montreal. He has since passed and I have been trying to find any information about this fights. I still have is championship robe and it would be great to be able to have some old pics or news clippings from when he faught. If anyone can help me out on where to look for the information would be awesome!!

    His name was Alex Baxter.

    Thanks
    Stew Baxter

    ReplyDelete
  3. My grandfather was/is William John Helferty. He was the Golden Gloves Boxer so a list of boxers and Champs would be nice to add.

    ReplyDelete
  4. There was Sailor Helferty who went by the name of John Helferty
    and fought in the mid-forties.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Do you have any other information or photos of (William) John Helferty? Would love to pass on any additional information to the family. Thanks in advance.

      Delete
  5. Of all the stories on numerous blogs or sites that I have posted, this post has received the highest number of views, so to expand the top beyond the photo of Dylan Bishop, the 2010 BC Golden Boy, the topic will continue with more years covered, more photos, and if possible a Golden Memories section by those that have been involved in Pacific Northwest and Alberta Golden Gloves activity as a boxer, coach, official or even fans etc.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I can’t seem to find the Alberta golden gloves champions, or fights names.my big win was knocking out the USA champion with a body shot, broke 2 of his ribs with a Carmen rinke body shot. The USA coach called me to come fight for the USA.

      Delete
  6. CANADIAN GOLDEN GLOVES
    * 2013 Cornwall a great success

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. 2014 Canadian Golden Gloves
      set for July 2014. *** YEAR TWO.

      Delete
  7. Looking to trace an old friend of mine Jimmy Ritchie from Hamilton Scotland Jimmy was a golden gloves champion they emigrated to Canada around 48 yrs ago when Jimmy would have been about 9 or 10 yrs of age thanks in anticipation

    ReplyDelete
  8. Just wondering what a golden boy is. My dad, Norbert Fox, was a golden boy in the 60.s.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Picked as best boxer of a tournament based on skills and quality of opponents.

      Delete
  9. I'm also looking for my dad he became champ in 1979 and I don't even see his name... Edward Badger

    ReplyDelete
  10. My grandfather Thomas Brew was the undisputed lightweight Champion of Canada 1922 to 1926. He fought under the name of Tommy Williams. He lived in Ford City, which is now Windsor Ontario. He was also the undisputed champion of Michigan during this same time period. I am looking for confirmation of these titles. Thank you. Tom Brew. tbrew@uwindsor.ca

    ReplyDelete
  11. My Father won the golden gloves in Newfoundland in the.late 60's. His name was John James "Butcher Boy" Watkins. He fought out of Caledonia boxing club in Glace Bay, N.S. I cant find any record of it, yet it was a really big deal,here, back in the day. Made all the papers. why cant I find any record. No records of golden gloves in Newfoundland. Someone plz help.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. MY father lost in his gold glove match in Newfoundland in 1967, around February or march. Maybe he beat my dad?

      Delete
  12. Hi I am looking for information on a Saskatoon boxer named Bill (Kid) Kornuta. Several articles from newspapers.com refer to him as "former Golden Gloves welter champ of Saskatchewan" (Calgary Herald, Nov 2, 1943) and "former Saskatchewan champion" (March, 1943.) Strangely, I can't locate any articles about him actually winning anything. Can you help?

    ReplyDelete