TWO IMPORTANT YEARS in the Eighties' amateur boxing were 1984 and 1988. but there were some interesting times in 1980 to 1989.
But, pre-1980 and [post-1989 had some interesting happenings
This would be the first issue of the 1984/1985 year
in amateur boxing with the main news being the AGM
of the BC Amateur Boxing Association
It took place on September 9th. in Burnaby, BC
Elected Board Members:
George Armson, Fred Fuller, Sid Knopp, Marg O'Reilly,
Larry Carney, Shirley Knopp, Bert Lowes, Brian Zelley,
Dave Thompson, Glynn Jones and Stan Smith.
Special Constitution Committee members:
George Armson, George Shiels and Cliff Ivers.
Special Reports
Dr. Raj Sandhu, Medical Report, and
Bill McAllister, BC Sports.
GOLD RIVER Event, July 19, 1984
guest boxer GREG JOHNSON from Ontario
performed some exhibition sparring in the Village Square
with Gold River boxer ALAN BROWN.
Photo Gallery
Throughout the issue there were numerous photos
including a boxing picture on the front cover Scott Cessford and Kit Munro.
Others included:
Danny Thompson, Deep Butter, Brian Zelley, Darryl Olsen,
Stanley F. Smith, Jimmy Hunter, referee Vic Murdoch
refereeing a bout in Nanaimo, sparring with Alan Brown
and Greg Johnson, Brother O'Grady and Sixties boxer
Gary Van Buskirk at an Emerald Gloves event,
Jerry Shears, Champion Steve Beaupre, 1984 Canadian champion
Wayne Welsh, and Dorothy Runacres presentin a trophy to a
Nanaimo Boxer in the mid-Seventies.
NOTHING LASTS, IT ALL FADES TO BLACK: by brian zelley
It was three long years of producing news in
a regular publicationon Vancouver Island boxing
and then BC boxing. Countless hours
researching, communicating, attending events but
it all ended in January 1986 when the Executive
of the BC Amateur Boxing Association wanted
more control over the content and micro-managing.
Prior to that, arrangements were made to produce
a BC BOXING GUIDE
and the cost would have been covered by advertising.
But, some coaches in boxing thought that advertising
for a guide may take away from their opportunities
to get advertising dollars, so the time and money
investedin the venture went south and the prelim
stuff and outlines were trashed.
So, without support, the writing was on the wall
and it was time to say goodbye concerning the future
publications of the BC AMATEUR BOXING NEWS.
BC AMATEUR BOXING NEWS - January 1986
My last publication of THE NEWS happened to
be at a time when numerous pro and amateur
boxing cards were being cancelled in places
like Nanaimo, Vancouver and Victoria while the
insiders of Boxing in BC were pumping up the volume
that good things were going to happen. In some cases
a few good things did happen, but the best thing
for the future would be Victoria obtaining the 1994 COMMONWEALTH GAMES and the rest is history.
BC AMATEUR BOXING NEWS - January 1986
BOARD OF DIRECTORS George Armson, Sid Knopp, Larry Krangle, Marg O'Reilly,
Bink Bakkan,Jean Bayne, Dave Thompson,Brian Zelley,
Bert Lowes, Larry Carney and Terry Copeland.
AREA REPS: Dick St. Louis, Mike Moore, Don McDonald,
George Shiels, Cliff Ivers and George Angelomatis.
CABA Executive and Committee Heads Herbert Embuldeniya, George Goff, Bill Starr,
Dick MacLean, Jerry Shears, Stuart Charbula,
Denis Bradley, Taylor Gordon, Ken Johnson, and Matt Mizerski.
CLUB SHOWS and TOURNAMENTS
1985 Emerald Gloves, Silver Gloves and
Comox Valley Boxing club show.
Silver
The Champions:
Bruce Flack, Rick Funk, Dylan Mulder, Rob Dellapenna,
Randy Galler, Johnny Belfry, Al Bayne, Geronimo Bie,
Mike Marrello, Doug Thomas, Todd Lynch, Lee Demarni,
Jason Broad, Brad Bergette, Terry MacLauley.
Finalists:
Stewart Brown, Tyler Piddocke, John Margetts Ben Fecht,
Jeff Janco, Damion Guibault, Brian Lumsden, David Flack,
Mike Cleary, Robb Garrett, Jim Saunders, Reno Pinetto,
Pat Solderholme, Pat Liddy, Dirk Erickson.
1985 Emerald Gloves
A sample of the boxing Champions
***Eddie Lee, Daniel McGarvie, Tony Duffy, Troy Taylor, Terry Copeland, Gary Wood, John Margetts and Pat Palmer.
COMOX VALLEY CLUB SHOW - November 23, 1985
Best Bout - George Mercredi vs Glen Moyles. Best Comox BoxerTODD GOOD
As 1985/1986 faded into the dust there would be many interesting times ahead for BC boxers including Olympic Games and other International tournaments.
BC AMATEUR BOXING NEWS - February 1985
News Director - Brian Zelley, President - George Armson
Front Page -Photo from "Upper Islander"
- RAY ABRAHAM (Astoria) VS JIM HUNTER (CR Eagles)
Page 2 - included recipients of the Harold Mann Boxing Achievement Award (1971 to 1984) Elio Ius, Bert Lowes, Ed Williams, Pat O'Reilly,
Walter Boyce, Stan Smith, Tommy Paonessa, Irving Mann,
Marg O'Reilly, Mike Moore, Fred Fuller, Tommy Yule
Lindy Lindmoser, and Sylvia Gallagher
Page 3 - 1985 Diamond Belt Tournament -
January 19, 1985 - Victoria, BC
Diamond Boy - RICK ALBRECHTSEN of Williams Lake.
Al Harper, Diamond Boy runner-up and the best bout Alex Bankier (Astoria) - Tim Cessford (Parksville)
Page 4 - LOWES LOWDOWN and STOP,BOX & BREAK
- Bert Lowes reported on Ladner coach Len Barker and
John Kovak, Jim Fair, and Dr. Raj Sandhu, and George Shiels.
Page 5 - Coaches' Corner with JOHN KOVAK. Elk Valley club.
Also, golden oldie photo from 1954 with boxer EDDIE ROBERTSON
and coach NICK LYSTAR
Page 10 and 11 FLASHBACKS - Profiles of
Danny MacDonald, Harold Handlin, Paul Calve,
andJack Snaith then a "Between Rounds on
boxing news and views from the Comox Boxing Club and
boxer PAUL DODD to the likes of Art Smith and Brian Sacho.
Back Page - photos - JOE SANDULO. CURTIS FIDDLER and RONNIE JOE.
BRITISH COLUMBIA AMATEUR BOXING NEWS - March 1985
-News Editor - Brian Zelley, BCABA President - George Armson
Page two - AT THE BELL focused on the SPIRIT of CO-OPERATION
Page three - STOP, BOX & BREAK covered some of the BOXING CANADA rule changes.
Page four - BETWEEN ROUNDS - included a brief look at JERRY SHEARS,
the founding president of BOXING CANADA.
also mention of the Ladies Auxiliary to the BRITISH COLUMBIA AMATEUR BOXING ASSOCIATION.
Names mentioned in 1985 were Jean Baine, Nadine Bayne,
Maria Carriera, Sabrina Carriera, Audrey Wilson,
Roxanne Montgomery, Cheri Miner, Bette Leon, Stella Fuller,
Carole Brown, Ida Smith, Shirley Knopp and Marg O'Reilly.
Page eight - 1972 list of clubs and club officials.
Page nine - RING ROUND-UP
.Sparwood Club Show with referees Alan Stockdale and Billy Watson.
.Queensborough Boxing Club show with some of the stars being
AL HARPER of Port Kells, Manny Sobral, Scotty Scott and Tim Howie.
Page five - COACHES' CORNER - focus on BOB DECKER.
Page six - FLASHBACKS
.look back at a 1956 VICTORIA OPTIMISTS INTERNATIONAL TOURNAMENT
boxers included Johnny Phillips, Mickey Mazur, Gary Oakden,
Brian O'Hare, Skimp Williams, Rip Kirby, Bobby Hicks,
Norm Jorgenson, Richard Murickami, Tommy Delveccio,
Harold Mann, Jimmy Walters and Lindy Lindmoser.
Some of the officials - Paul Calve, Tom Crabbe,
Vic Simmons and Howard Curling.
.1975 and 1976 events Emerald Gloves and a 1976 list
of executive, clubs. coaches and officials.
Page seven - look back at 1978 Edmonton and BC Golden Gloves
and 1978 BC Junior Golden Gloves. DERRICK HOYT was the
BC GOLDEN BOY.
Page ten - BC NORTHERN WINTER GAMES (Boxing) and list of
boxers in 1985 BC WINTER GAMES at Osoyoos some names to remember
MIKE MURRAY (Nanaimo Boxing Club) and RUSS LYON (Crofton)
.Also, the 1985 Senior Team Challenge (six bouts).
1994 COMMONWEALTH GAMES BOXING Story: By Brian W. Zelley, B.Com., CA -
.As I look back into the past and revisit the 1994 Commonwealth Games boxing event that took place
in Esquimalt, BC (Greater Victoria), I remember seeing Prince Philip sitting in the audience observing the
action, I remember seeing one of my old coaches BERT LOWES from 1968 volunteering as part of security
(in earlier years, he had been an referee and judge at International events and local club shows),
Then there was Gold River coach MONTY BROWN helping in the corner for one of the foreign boxers.
But the real story for amateur boxing begins in 1989 with the appointment of a boxing committee as part of
the sports committee - the original committee was comprised of Hassan Sunderani, Brian Zelley,
Mike Sartori, Glynn Jones and later Ian Weir and then others such as Bert Lowes and George Armson.
At the time of my appointment, I was a School Trustee with the Greater Victoria School Board,
but my term was coming to an end and there would be more time to get involved with the organizing
process. One of the first requirements was for chairman Sunderani to put together a report. As part of the report,
I put together a mini-history of boxing from Greater Victoria, but much of the data was from my previous work
when I was the editor of the "BC Amateur Boxing News" and publicity chairman for the 1984 Vancouver Island
Amateur Boxing Championships which was a big deal as it was a revival of a tournament that last took place in 1964
with one of the boxers being FRED DESROSIERS who would be one of our 1964 Olympic boxers.
As 1989 turned into 1990, the boxing committee needed to build a volunteer base that would make things happen.
To begin the process of reaching out to ex-boxing folks and supporters of the sport, a public meeting was
arranged in the boardroom of the Victoria Commonwealth Games Society - April 21, 1990.
The first public meeting:
Attending the first public meeting were John Stothart of the VCGS, and boxing committee members
Hassan Sunderani, Brian Zelley and Mike Sartori, and others including Dr. Dan Buie,
Wes Byrnell, Pud Smith, Ian Duddy, Bert Wilkinson, Rick Brough, Ian Weir.
(photo: Pud Smith)
From the first wave of volunteers, Victoria had a good cross section of experienced folks including two
former Vancouver Island Amateur Boxing Commissioners in BERT WILKINSON and RICK BROUGH.
Also, MIKE SARTORI was a boxing coach and at one time he was one of the Team BC coaches for
National competition. Dr. Dan had been a ringside doctor at some pro boxing cards. IAN WEIR
was one of the Victoria boxers that would be part of the revival of amateur boxing in Greater Victoria
in 1974. IAN DUDDY was one of the founding directors of the Victoria Athletic Association in 1976
and would serve for a couple of years as the manager of the VAA boxing program along with coaches
Lou Bujdoso, Brian Zelley and Mike Caird. Lou would later spin-off and form the Victoria Jaycees
Boxing Club of which Sartori and Zelley would join as coaches. Sartori would also continue to host
the BC Diamond Belt tournament after a revival in 1980 into the mid-Eighties such as the 1985 tournament.
GOALS & PLANS
1. Establish a training Centre,
2. Revive the Greater Victoria Amateur Boxing Association
3. Spreading the Word - A general public meeting for volunteers.
A GREATER VICTORIA VOLUNTEERS MEETING - May 13, 1990
The earlier meeting with 11 bodies was important, but there was work to do to reach out to more
potential volunteers at a public site. On May 13, 1990 the group of eleven picked a perfect public site
at the popular Princess Mary Restaurant . By the start of the 10:00 a.m. meeting the list of potential
volunteers was raised to 25 with more in future days.
Some of the additional persons with a backgound in boxing included:
Don Orr, Tommy Black, Alan Curtis, and Mike Caird.
JOURNEY TO SEATTLE - 1990 GOODWILL GAMES
Members of the various Sports Committees were given the opportunity to send at least two members to observe
the International event. For boxing, two of us were set to go but the boxing chairman didn't go. So, I went alone
but it was for the finals and not the beginning which would have been more of a learning experience. But it was kind of cool going to the event and running into folks like MONTY BROWN and RON WHALLEY. But due to the timing on the last day
photo RON WHALLEY
it was too late to get the proper ID to move freely and speak with official and competitors. And unless you get the right access
and freedom of movement, it is reduced to a moment of entertainment rather than an information gathering process to help
future planning.
C
1984 CANADIAN NATIONAL JUNIOR BOXING CHAMPIONSHIPS - May 25 - 27th.
BCABA Training Cenre, 250 S. WillingdonAvenue, Burnaby, BC
CABA Executive Committee
Herb Embuldenya, Omar Gagnon, Jerry Shears, Bill Starr, Dick MacLean
Taylor Gordon, Allan Tummon, John Raftery, George Fraser,
Dr. Joseph Falletta, Jpe Hajnal and Bill Arsenault.
B C Amateur Boxing Executive:
George Armson, Bill Long, Sid and Shirley Knopp, Marg O'Reilly, Larry Carney,
Bert Lowes, Glynn Jones, Brian Zelley and Dave Thompson.
An opening statement in the June 1984 issue of the "B C Amateur Boxing News"
"The 1984 Canadian National Junior Championships was a smashing success due to the efforts of the
boxers, coaches, managers, ring officials, CABA Executive Committee, BCABA Executive Committee,
the many helpers, and the support and effort of Lois Jackson and the staff of the Pacific Vocational
Institute's "Redford House". Also, the senior boxers and their coaches involved in box-offs for the
Canadian Olympic Team selection provided additional variety to this gala event. The EVENT provided
an exciting and action packed conclusion to the 1983/84 amateur boxing season in BRITISH COLUMBIA
and much goodwill that should assist us in hosting EXPO'86 amateur boxing competition." - B. Z.
JUNIOR BOXERS:
Norman Tynes, Guy Dugal, Edgar Davis
Curtis Peterson, Dean Jeffries,
Wesley Sunshine, J. Forte, Corey Burton
Barry Christie, D, Sebileau, Aaron Wolfe, K. Moore
Eric Grenier, Leonard Petrie, Harvey Claveau, Shane Poole,
Charles Beaudry, Paul Mashiskino, John Turner
Chris Robichaud, Jeff Hill, Tony Francis, Dwayne Loppie,
Giles Basilion, Peter Oxtoby, Mario Bergeron
Steve Trenholme, Dan Jackson, Jeff Beliveau, Eric Henson,
Tony Kelsie, Paul Dube, Tony Duffy,
Ray Wiswell, F. Toulouse, Jamie Sparks
Shawn Downey, Richard Gauthier, Manny Sobral,
George Davis, John Walker, J. Greenwood
Clint Dumais, Ricjard Olson, Stewart Hilton,
Steven Penrod, Ray Downey, W. Johnson
Tom Glesby, P. Desrochers, Rodney Walsh, R. Kovacs
Mike Reuter, R. Stowell, Danny Stripe, R. Malley
Willy Curry, J. Letourneau, Brian Hatfield.
SENIOR BOX-OFF COMPETITORS:
Steve Pagendam, Steve Nolan, John Kalbehn, Sylvain Thibeault, Peter Britt, Dennis Lambert,
Shawn O'Sullivan, Lawrence Rolfe, Rick Duff, Darrell Flint, Ken Johnson, Wayne Welsh.
BEST JUNIOR BOXER - ERIC GRENIER
Special Awards Judges: Glynn Jones, Tommy Yule & Brian Zelley
Referee & Judges: Bert Lowes, Fred Fuller, Ron Whalley, Bob Carswell,
Morgan Williams, Len Johnson, Al Tucci, Jean Paul Ricard, Stewart & Nolan.
Others: From CABA - Jury - Jerry Shears, George Fraser and Allan Tummon
Gloving Tommy Yule, Gordon Miller and Lindy Lindmoser,
Timekeepers: Larry Krangle & Jack Mellor
Announcers: Stan Smith and Jack Mellor
THE CHAMPIONS - 1984 CANADIAN JUNIORS
NORMAN TYNES - COREY BURTON - AARON WOLFE- ERIC GRENIER -
SCOTTY OLSON - MARIO BERGERON - JEFF BELIVEAUX - JAMIE SPARKS -
JOHN WALKER - STEWART HILTON - TOM GLESBY - MIKE REUTER - WILLY CURRY
THE ROAD AHEAD:
Some of the boxers that did not win Junior Gold in 1984 bounced back
in Senior Nationals as the years slipped away -
A few names to remember are:
JEFF HILL - MANNY SOBRAL - RAYMOND DOWNEY - WESLEY SUNSHINE -
All four seized the moment and the 1984 experience to become Champions.
Others that d continue to win titles on a senior level were:
TOM GLESBY WILLY CURRY -
COREY BURTON - SCOTTY OLSON
Canadian Olympic images - Govt. of Canada archived
