Sunday, July 15, 2012

FIRE and ICE in 1983 Nanaimo Boxing

DEEP FREEZE BOXING in NANAIMO:  By Brian Zelley
*In the Spring 1983 issue of the Vancouver Island Amateur 
Boxing News, I covered that card held at the Frank Crane Arena
on January 15, 1983.

(reprint of the story from 1983)
********************************************************************************
"...Due to extreme cold, many of the boxers could not get warmed-up
enough to put up a fair showing.  Island boxers included
Paul Deluca, Scott Cessford, Rick McNally, Roman Grimard, Sheldon Samuels,
Gary Wood, Lyle Jack, Pete Seggie, Jim Fidler and Cody Redford.  The officials
in attendance included Bert Lowes, Rick Brough, Bob Perry, Brian Zelley,
Joe Preston, Frank Bowers and John Jackson.  Also, in attendance was
BCABA president Larry Carney and past president Fred Fuller."
********************************************************************************

Thursday, July 12, 2012

Alumni of the Newcastle and Nanaimo Boxing


SOME OF THE TRAINERS and COACHES:
* George Nepper, Harry Pollitt, Jerry Sorensen,
Rene Nepper, Roger Nepper, and Skimp Williams.
Barry Creswell, Brian Zelley, Clark MacLellan,
 Dan Wright, Joe Preston,   and Mickey Griffin.


PAST and PRESENT MEMBERS OF
 THE NANAIMO BOXING CLUB:


The Boxers: sample of some of the boxers

Alan MacLellan, Barry Creswell, Barry Neufield, Bob Pegues,  
Bob Walsh, Brian Attig, Brian Zelley, Britton Gillette, Clark MacLellan,
Cody Redford, Dale Creswell, David Houliston, Dan Wright, Darren Lussier, 
 Don Preston, Dwayne Evenson,  Fred Thornhill, Gary Wood,  Fred Wicks, jr.   
Jack Snaith, John Navrolli,  John Ormandy,  Kelly Gourlay, Kevin Jolly,    
Lee Campbell, Lee Ranger,   Lloyd Anderson, Lyle Jack, Mark Barr,  
Mickey Griffin,Bob Jamison,   Mike Murray, Mike Nagra,  Norm Greenwell, 
Pete SeggieRob Argyle,   Robbie Wentland, Ron Williams, Stefan Melideo, 
Stewart Springett,  Takashi Sasagawa, Tim Cessford,  Wade Marlin, 
Wayne Morgan,  Wayne Peace,  Zach McKay.




Some recent names: 
Alex Wisniewski, Josh Grossgardt, Justin McKay - Topley,  Lucas Coburn,
 Madi Hicks, Sarah Ali,  Thomas Eyecheson, and Tony Tran.  



Looking Beyond 2013
Mickey Griffin and Seth Gotro

The Old Guard - Sixties
sample of some of the names
Brian Zelley, Chris Balatti, Leo Rock, 
Gilles, Jules, Leon and Roger Nepper
Ken Stant, Mike Lazare, Rick Johnson

Chris Balatti, Ted "Spider" Balatti, Ken Barker
Wayne Barnes, Kelly Barrows, Gerry Budzinski, 
Joe Buxton, Murray Glover, Tony James, Rick Johnson, 
Bob Lewis, Terry Lewis, Mike Lazare, 
Larry McFadden, Keith McPherson, Ken Maughan,
Giles, Jules, Leon and Roger Nepper
Al Ranger, Leo Rock, Ken Stant, Gene Tait,
Rick Tate, Alan Windecker and Brian Zelley
ISLAND CHAMPIONS 1964 - Brian and Gilles
Brian also won "the most aggressive boxer" trophy

Newcastle and Nanaimo Boxing Clubs
faces through the years

The Here and Now - 2013 
Barry Creswell, coach
Nanaimo Boxing Club


The Unsung and Forgotten Supporters


THE ROOTS FOR LONG TERM SUCCESS
Over the decades, it has been the many supporters
that have helped in many ways that would
help in the success of the sport be in Nanaimo,
Prince George, Quesnel or Greater Vancouver
One of many unsung heroes  -  Dorothy Runacres.

May 1979:  A Change of Location
It was to be the third location of the club.
(the following is a slightly revised story of the club
during the time of the change in location from 
the Queen's Hotel to Harewood, but it would not be the last)

The story has published got the folks that were responsible
for being instrumental in starting the club all wrong.
As documeted in earlier reports, the four key persons
to get the club started were:
Brian Zelley, Dan Wright, George Nepper and John Ormandy.

A dozen boxers and only one coach were mentioned in the
story which misses some of the boxers between 1971 to 1979
exluding the twelve names listed some of the boxers were

Wayne Peace, Dan Wright, Brian Zelley, 
Clark MacLellan, Fred Thornhill, Bob Jamison
Stewart Springett, Norm Greenwell, Lyle Jack,
Ron Williams, Steve Venuti, Wayne Marling
Dwayne Evenson and Kevin Jolly. 






Dorothy  Runacres 


Barry Creswell, boxer

Videos



Vancouver Island boxing:


Bob Pegues


Nanaimo and Victoria
boxing images

 bo

NANAIMO BOXING 1974


















Nanaimo boxing coach and former boxer Clark MacLellan and
some of the boxers for the November 2, 1974 boxing card.

NANAIMO BOXING CLUB FIGHT CARDS

The above is just one of many fight cards held at the St. Peter's Hall
in Nanaimo during the Seventies.  In the main event, Dan Wright
one of the co-founders of the Nanaimo Boxing Club was 
representing the Victoria club against North West Eagles boxer
NEIL MELROSE.  "Dynamite" Dan scored a convincing 
victory.  In 1973, Dan was a member of the NWE for a short time
before moving to Victoria.  Later he would move back to Nanaimo.
*In the semi-main event 
IAN WEIR would step in to 
replacer DON ORR to face
Nanaimo's CLARKE MCLELLAN.

Clarke would win the bout with
a decision.  Clarke was also one of
the boxing coaches of the club and 
worked with boxers such as 
Mickey Griffin.  *Previous match by
MacLellan was against Brian Zelley.


1978 NANAIMO FIGHT CARD

1978 FIGHT NIGHT IN NANAIMO:  by Brian Zelley
(photo of Barry Creswell)
*a Nanaimo Daily Free Press photo
contributed by ex-boxer
 Kevin "Booper"  Maughan.

*St Peter's Hall  in Nanaimo
was proving to be a popular 
site for amateur boxing cards
in Nanaimo.  And, Sid and
Dorothy Runacres were
proving to be valuable 
supporters of the six plus
year old club for donating
trophies that began in 1975.
And the first show in 1978
would take place in January at the hall located on 
Fitzwilliams street with a 12-bout card with many
of the bouts featuring Nanaimo boxers.  Ther officials
included Boxing BC's vice-president Sid Knopp.

The main event would be fought by the now top
star of the Nanaimo Boxing Club, Barry Creswell
and Sean Murphy of the Richmond Boxing Club.

some of the other Nanaimo boxers in action would be 
Takashi Sasagawa, Britton Gillette, 
Ron Williams, Barry Neufield.  .
Most Scientific Junior award donated by Sid and Dorothy
Runacres was  won by Barry Neufield.     


Mr. and Mrs. Runacres are the uncle and aunt of 
Nanaimo Boxing Club co-founder Brian Zelley.
Recognized at the event were three of the volunteers
Erma Creswell, Marlene Tulak and Joan Simpson.

As the 1977/78 season continued, there would be many
more club shows and tournaments for Nanaimo boxers
in Nanaimo and in many other places such as
Langley, Chilliwack, Richmond and other places. 





Wednesday, July 11, 2012

NANAIMO BOXING in 1975


















NANAIMO BOXING CLUB 1975: By Brian Zelley
Looking back, by January 1975, the club had been in operation
for just over three years with some of the original members gone
and plenty of new trainees to fill the gym.  And, every year there 
would be a core group of boxers that would engage in bouts whil

other trainees were in the beginning stages, and others were there
for just recreational purposes.  In that first three plus years, there
had been a number of volunteers helping with the training and
some that would help at club shows and tournaments.

*The boxers in the photo above in January 1975 included:
Rickey Evenson, Dale Creswell, 
Dwayne Evenson, 
 Mickey Griffin and Bob Pegues.  Bob was the
most experienced of the boxers at the time as he had been one
of a select group of boxers from Nanaimo that would participate
in the first boxing club show that was held in the spring of '72
with Bob Pegues, Dan Wright, Brian Zelley, Darren Lussier,
Wayne Peace and Fred Thornhill.  Jack Snaith, another original
member, had left the club and was training at another club.
Another former boxer was Alan Toth who had several
bouts in the early years of the club.  

*During that time period of 1971 to January 1975
there would be other boxers engaged in activity 
including Clark MacLellan who had a few fights
but would become one the trainers, and in recent
years, Clark has also engaged as a ring official in
various club shows and tournaments such as the
2010 BC Golden Gloves held in Langford which 
is part of Greater Victoria.  Other  trainees that
would have some success in the ring was
Barry Creswell, Wayne Morgan and Lee Ranger.


Friday, July 6, 2012

BRONZE GLOVES in NANAIMO

VANCOUVER ISLAND BRONZE GLOVES: By Brian Zelley
(the original photo of the poster was provided by Kevin "Booper" Maughan

+The tournament was hosted by the Nanaimo boxing club and the early months
of it's fifth years since it's formation.  Without getting into whom won what it
was another excellent show hosted by the club with seven nanaimo bouts s winning
seven of the 11 bouts.  Some of the Bronze Gloves boxers from Nanaimo were
Kelly Gourley, Ray Philp, Marvin Denton, Ricky Evenson,  Malcolm Elridge,
Dwsyne Evenson, Lee Ranger, Kevin Maughan, and Leslie and Steven Varro.

A SPECIAL BOUT with the first step for the end of the road for  one boxer:
*Having a main event in a Bronze Gloves tournament that featured one of
of Canadian Olympic boxers from 1972 may not have been a good idea as
it would be one more door that would see the end of Nanaimo boxer
MICKEY GRIFFIN.  The problem  with the pre-fight hype was about how
great Mickey was but at the end of the bout with Olympic boxer  Chris Ius
was the bout ended in a split decision for Chris.  

Despite the split decision loss, by January 1976 Nanaimo Daily Free Press
sports editor Don Retson wrote the following article with the headline: 

"Griffin given 'excellent' chance making Canada's Olympic team.
Then in February 1976, Mickey announced that he was quitting
boxing because of "unfair decisions" from BC boxing judges.