Sunday, December 4, 2011

NANAIMO BOXING CARD, April 13, 1985

THIRTEEN YEARS BEYOND THE FIRST CARD
- by Brian Zelley


April 13, 1985: Nanaimo hosts another card.


I remember the card well, as I refereed the first bout
that had Mark Hartell of Kamloops earn a
unanimous ddecision over Rick Davidson.


In the second bout  Paul Dodd of Courtenay earned
a split decision over Paul Frasca.


Other boxers in the bouts were:
Harry Kliener, Mark Harmeston, Scott Sinclair, Scott Cessford, 
Ralph Torrie, Chris Rathy, Alan Brown,  Marton Zupan, 
Barrie Howardson, Ed Lee, Claude Cipellethe, Ken McCrilles,
Dave Fiddes, Dave Leahy, Denis Kent and Randy Dorman.


Referee and Judges:
Bert Lowes



Bert Lowes, Rick Brough, Brian Zelley, Dan Wright, 
Cliff McNabb, and Ken Punt.  Medical:  Dr. Sandhu.
Also, Paddy Nelson from Gold River assisted in judging duties.
Announcer:  Stan Smith
Timekeeper:  Frank Ballane 


Recordings:  Julie Brown and Charlene Nelson
(clubs helping clubs, one show at a time) 

*over the years, be it Nanaimo, Gold River,
Campbell River, Comox, Parksville,  Ladysmith,
Port Alberni, Crofton and Victoria, there have been
hundreds of volunteers that often are never remembered, including the
many cornermen that often make a difference in the ring results.



Sunday, November 20, 2011

A COLLECTION OF NANAIMO FACES ON THE WALL

FACES ON THE WALL:  by brian zelley
JULES NEPPER

                                           NANAIMO BOXING CLUB CO-FOUNDERS
                                                             Dan and Brian
ALEN BROWN 0 VIC MURDOCH - BRIAN ZELLEY





Vancouver Connections
Vancouver South Hill and Firefighters
Fuller, Findlay, Wylie
Zelley, Lawson, Walters
Gamble, Scott, Lindmoser

Friday, September 30, 2011

NANAIMO BOXERS - FACES ON THE WALL

Gilles, Chris, Josh, Zack, 
Alan, Bob, Dan, Brian

EIGHT FACES OF THE MANY
Newcastle and Nanaimo
Boxing Clubs

TWO CLUBS WITH TWO DIFFERENT STORIES
By Brian W. Zelley, B. Comm, C A

As the only member of both clubs, it is an interesting story.
Some years back, I did a history of Nanaimo's 
NEWCASTLE BOXING CLUB
(1963 to 1968)

Of the eight boxers listed, three were members of the 
Newcastle Boxing Club - Gilles Nepper, Chris Balatti and Brian Zelley 

Alan had an interesting boxing journey from the late Seventies
to the late Eighties.  His prime club as a junior was the
CAMPBELL RIVER EAGLES BOXING CLUB
and then the GOLD RIVER BOXING CLUB
before joining the NANAIMO BOXING CLUB
in the late Eightiues.  Also, he had trained at 
other clubs such as the SHAMROCK BOXING CLUB
in Vancouver under the direction of Bob Decker.

Bob Pegues has had an interesting boxing journey.
About 1975, Bob fought 1972 Olympic Boxer
LES HAMILTON,  and would later become
a boxing coach in Prince George, and is
the current coach of Canadian Champion 
KENNY LALLY 

DAN "Dynamite" WRIGHT
The Dan Wright journey is likely one of the most
interesting stories with many twist and turns.
It was in the spring of 1967 when I first met
Dan in the library of the Nanaimo District
Secondary School when he came up to me
while I was studying for a history quiz in
my Grade 13 History Class while Dan was
a grade 12 student at the school.  It began 
when he asked me about boxer BUSTER MATHIS.
A year or so passed, and it would be in the fall of 1968
when I was coming from the Vancouver Firefighters gym
on a Friday night and decided to walk from the Cambie and 12th 
area down to Kingsway near Fraser and stop at a hamburger 
drive-in.  When I entered, the first person that I saw was that
fellow named Dan from the library about a year and a half ago.
So, I invited him and his friend Ray Ormandy to come to the gym
next Friday and introduce him to the various folks and if he wanted
to try boxing, I would help him.
Of interest, one evening the Canadian pro light-heavyweight
AL SPARKS happened to visit the gym while in Vancouver.
Dan had no formal fights and no very many days in the gym,
but I asked Mr. Sparks if he would like to spar with Wright.
He agreed, and coach Bert Lowes wasn't so keen, but I said
it would be okay as Al would take it easy on the novice trainee.

Over time, while at UBC in residents, Dan would come and visit
and we would spar in the 4th floor lounge at the Totem Park 
residence, and for many of the kids on the floor it must of 
seemed strange with a big heavyweight and a lightweight 
sparring, but it was all in the name of sport and fun and
a chance for "Dynamite" to learn how to box.

In the summer of 1971, Danny would help me start-up
the Nanaimo Boxing Club 
Later Dan would join the North West Eagles for a year
then join some of us in Victoria in 1974 to start another
boxing revival, but like a revolving door Dan went 
back to Nanaimo in 1975 and rejoined us when we
started the Victoria Athletic Association in August 1976.

MORE NANAIMO  FACES ON THE THE WALL
1964 VANCOUVER ISLAND CHAMPIONSHIPS

2011 Nanaimo  and  1964 Newcastle
   TONY TRAN  and JULES NEPPER

SPECIAL THANKS TO ALL THE 
SPORTS REPORTERS AND EDITORS
for the newly created 
Nanaimo Boxing Club
Our first sport editor champion was
MARK KIEMELE of the
"Nanaimo Daily Free Press"
also the "Nanaimo Times"
was great for both clubs
with such reports=writers as
EARLE COUPER

OCTOBER 2011 NEWS
Nanaimo Boxing Club 
early nominated candidate for 
BC AMATEUR BOXING
HALL OF FAME
to be decided starting June 2012

Sunday, September 25, 2011

1964 NANAIMO BOXERS in VICTORIA BOUTS

                                              brian zelley, roger nepper, leo rock, gilles nepper
                                                                       Nanaimo Daily Free Press photo
                               (this photo was taken in May 1964 and relates to a boxing tournament)



"NANAIMO BOXERS EARN
SPLIT IN VICTORIA BOUTS"


"Nanaimo boxers coached by GEORGE NEPPER
added to their impressive tournament record last
night  in the all-star card staged by the London
Boxing Club in Victoria.


The Hub City Scrappers fighting under the
Newcastle Boxing Club banner won three 
victories, lost three and had one fight 
posponed due to illness."


GILLES NEPPER over ANDY ROSS
ROGER NEPPER over LARRY HAY
BRIAN ZELLEY  over  PAT ALWOOD


Other boxers in action were:
Leon Nepper, Charles Forscutt, Leo Rock, Norman Williams,
Chris Balatti, Tom Kelly, Gorden Harvey, Dave Way, 
Mike Miller, Jim Fenwick, Richard Uche and Bill Pepper.
Uche is a member of the Royal Canadian Navy stationed
in Esquimalt.

The publicity photo - original in the Nanaimo Daily Free Press, 1964.

Monday, May 16, 2011

A FEW OF THE MANY

BOXERS THAT FOUGHT ON NANAIMO BOXING CARDS: by brian zelley

From Alan Brown to Zach McKay, they all have a boxing story.  Some even
return to the bright lights of the public years later such as boxer Ed Lee who
along with Dale Walters were responsible for getting 1984 Olympic boxer
Shawn O'Sullivan to take part in the 2010 the running with the Olympic torch.
Shawn from Ontario was overlooked in Ontario, but through the efforts of 
folks like Eddie Lee and Dale Walters, O'Sullivan returned to the bright lights
of the Olympic buzz for a brief moment in time.

Bob Pegues was one of the original members of the Nanaimo Boxing Club.
He had a number of bouts including one with Olympic boxer Les Hamilton.
Chris Ius was a former Olympic boxer when he was matched against 
Nanaimo boxer Mickey Griffin in a special main event held during a
Vancouver Island Bronze Gloves tournament in the mid-Seventies.
Chis would also, be part of the 1976 Olympic team.  But, the bout for
Griffin would be one of a number of bouts that would see Griffin quite
amateur boxing while he was still young and had not reached his potential.

Sunday, April 10, 2011

NANAIMO BOXING ALUMNI

                         George Nepper - Terry Lewis - Bob Lewis 
                                 - Brian Zelley - Alan Windecker -

NANAIMO BOXERS (1963 - 1968)


Friday, April 8, 2011

Nanaimo Boxing Club

Nanaimo Boxing Club

Link to the Saddo Boxing forum on Nanaimo Boxing

2011 BC GOLDEN GLOVES | The News is NowPublic.com

2011 BC GOLDEN GLOVES | The News is NowPublic.com

In 2010 - some of the Nanaimo boxers fought in junior bouts.  Also Barry Creswell and the Nanaimo Boxing club loaned the ring to Capital City Boxing for the tournament.

Wednesday, April 6, 2011

THE LAST ROUND and NEW BEGINNING



MANNY GONZALEZ - before my last fight


THE LAST FIGHT - BRIAN ZELLEY vs CLARK MACLELLAN


BRIAN ZELLEY - BEYOND THE LAST FIGHT
A NEW BEGINNING - COACHING & OFFICIATING


Taking all the lesson learned from Harry Pollitt,
Skimp Williams, Manny Gonzalez and many more
and passing it forward to the next generation.

Golden Memories

1984 - A GOOD YEAR

Tuesday, April 5, 2011

THE FOURTH DECADE


THE FOURTH DECADE - September 2001 - August 31, 2011

THE NANAIMO BOXING CLUB - Another decade begins and races to the end.

Some key names - MIKE NAGRA - STEFAN MELIDEO - ZACK MCKAY - BARRY CRESWELL

2009 - STEFAN MELIDEO wins Canadian title and Special BC award.

2010 - Former Nanaimo boxer and Prince George based coach
BOB PEGUES recognized by BOXING BC for
special award.

THE THIRD DECADE - Sept 1991 to August 2001

THE THIRD DECADE

a Decade without a lot of documented history.  But there were some
standouts such as Fred Wicks jr.




Thursday, March 24, 2011

the FIRST DECADE - 1971 to 1981


 FIVE TOP or KEY EVENTS



1, Getting Started 1971 - Wright, Zelley, Nepper and Ormandy

2.  The first fight card hosted by Nanaimo Boxing Club - 1972
* the boxers: Darren Lussier, Wayne Peace, Fred Thorsell
Bob Pegues, Dan Wright and Brian Zelley

3. Jack Snaith - Canadian Champion 1973

4.  Mickey Griffin receiving the Jimmy Symes award
Bob in photo
5. The first annual BATHTUB CAPITAL GOLDEN GLOVES - 1978






Wednesday, March 23, 2011

PARADE of BOXERS

THE PARADE OF BOXERS in NANAIMO BOUTS

 - Alex Angelomatis - Alex Bankier - Allen MacLellan
Barry Creswell  -  Barry Neufield -   Bob Pegues - Brett Summers   
Brian Zelley - Chris Ius - Chris Rathy -  Chuck Robinson
Dan Wright - Danes Kent - Darren Lussier - Dave Houliston 
Don Preston - Dwayne Evenson - Ed Lee - Ed McCaffrey 
Ed Williams -  Gary Ivers - Gordie Lawson - Jack Snaith -
John Herbert  - John Hunter -  Kelly Gourlay - Kevin Maughan
Kevin Howard - Lee Ranger - Les Hamilton - Malcolm Elridge 
Mark Hartell  - Mark Barr - Marty Burton - Mickey Griffin
Norm Greenwell - Paul Dodd - Perry Evans - Ron Williams
Ralph Torrie -  Rick Davidson - Rick Evenson - Roman Grimard
Scott Cessford - Scott Sinclair - Shane Amderson - Sheldon Samuels
Stan Murphy - Steve Alexander - Steve Varro - Takeshi Sasagawa
Tim Hunter ********* Stefan Melideo*******Zack McKay.  

Two years after he appeared in Nanaimo in 1978, CHUCK ROBINSON
would die along with other members of the 1980 USA Olympic boxing
team while heading for a tournament in Poland.  The plane crashed
and exploded in Poland.

Of course, there are many others that fought in some of the club
shows and tournaments hosted by Nanaimo over it's 40 plus years.
Since the first action of the club in the early Seventies, many Nanaimo
boxers would compete in various club shows and tournaments 
in British Columbia and other locations.  

THE VANCOUVER ISLAND CHAMPIONS

THE THREE CHAMPIONS

GILLES NEPPER - BRIAN ZELLEY - MIKE MURRAY
Also 1984 Island Champion ALAN BROWN and GARY WOOD would join
 the Nanaimo Boxing Club for a brief period.