HASTINGS COMMUNITY CENTRE BOXING CLUB

FLASHBACKS - HASTINGS COMMUNITY CENTRE BOXING CLUB

By:  Brian Zelley, BC Amateur Boxing News, March 1984

In 1953, Pat O'Reilly and the late Val Roach formed the
"St. Helens Athletic Club" in the east end of Vancouver.
The club served as the foundation for the Hastings
boxing club in 1958.  Prior to the construction of the
community centre, Pat trained his boxers in the basement
of his home in Burnaby. One of the first stars of the club
was JOHN STEVENS..

During the Sixties many boxers carried the torch forward
to add an exciting chapter to the pages of amateur boxing
in British Columbia.  Some notable stars were

the MacDonald clan, the Greaves boys,  Danny Crawford,
Boyce family, Orlan Ralph, Clint Page, and Pat O'Reilly Jr.
Throughout the Sixties, some of the people that helped
included  Dick Huber.

During  the Seventies, a new wave of boxers appeared
on the horizon, including Derek Flanagan, Brian Jones,
Dan O'Connell, Jeff Wilfong,  Andy Holland, Terry McKinley,
Frank Lactatuorto, Mike O'Reilly and many more. 

Following his active boxing, the young O'Reilly was ready
to replace his father Pat as the head coach, but received assistance
from the likes of Lindy Lindmoser. Throughout the Eighties,
a score of capable boxers have carried the flag of the

HASTINGS COMMUNITY CENTRE BOXING CLUB.
 Some of the boxers :

Peter Hogg, Ken, Steve and Tony  Anderson,  Steve Downie,
Sean Murphy, Mike O'Connell, Isaac Gock, Glen Quocksister,
Michael Roach, Benito Barbato, Dave Marrello, Randy Scott,
Neville White, Rob Howe and many more.