Dan Wright and Brian Zelley, co-founders 1971 NBC

FOUNDERS OF THE NANAIMO BOXING CLUB

*thirty eight years later in 2009 Dan Wright and Brian Zelley

Dan Wright and Brian Zelley, co-founders of the Nanaimo Boxing Club in 2009
t the Greater Victoria Sports Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony for builder Mike Caird

  

The Importane of One Man

As we look through the pages of amateur boxing in Nanaimo

without a doubt, George Nepper stands at the top of

the ladder for being the major influence in the sixties, and his vision carried forward with the formation of the

Nanaimo Boxing Club in 1971.

For many years now the head coach of the club has been

Barry Creswell

Between George Nepper in 1963 and

Barry Creswell in 2013

much has happened

there have been various coaches and boxers over

the years from the likes of Skimp Williams to Clark

MacLellan, from Harry Pollitt, to Joe Preston

Boxers from the early days such as Leo Rock and Mike Lazare, to Fred

 Wicks jr. and Zack McKay

Links
There are many links that try to expand the

complete story which is important

http://nanaimoboxing.com/

the above link is the current web site of the club

It does not give much in the way of history

https://www.facebook.com/groups/nanaimoamateurboxing

The above link does not have any set story

line, but does have a variety of comments,

posts and photos, as well as links.

http://www.saddoboxing.com/boxingforum/43265-nanaimo-boxing-club.html

above link is one of the popular boxing forums

The Live JouenL

http://zelleybuzz.livejournal.com/

the live journal includes a number of stories:

Nanaimo Amateur Boxing 1963 to 1974

A 1966 Club Show in Victoria

Start of Nanaimo Boxing Club and coaches

Nanaimo Boxing History, Now Public

http://www.nowpublic.com/nanaimo-boxing-history

Billy Townsend, the best ever boxer from Nanaimo, was a Canadian
amateur champion and a professional champion, and faced some of the best
boxers of all time.

Newcastle and Nanaimo
*Back to where it all began:
http://www.nanaimoinformation.com/forum/showthread.php?196-Nanaimo-Boxing-Club
The above link takes us to the
story that was started in 2005
which began as a brief history of
the two boxing clubs in Nanaimo
between 1963 to 1968, and the
revival from 1971 to 2005. 

The first active boxer in 2005 *2006
time period to make contact on the
site was Zack.

Individuals Links:
http://briansboxingbuzz.blogspot.ca

The above piece is a collection of stories
from 1963 to 2013 with the most recent
being the 2013 Boxing Round-up. 




Hall of Fame Links
http://bcboxinghallofame.blogspot.ca/

this piece includes a six minute video that captures images of the Nwcastle and 
the Nanaimo boxing clubs. 
The narrative begins with the opening line:
The modern history begins in 1963
with the formation of the Newcastle
Boxing Club by George Nepper. 

It closes with reference to former
Vancouver Firefighters' boxer
Jack Snaith in 1973.

Nanaimo Boxing Club, 1971

Nanaimo Boxing Club, 1971
the listing about the beginning of a club but the end of the story

THE FINAL STORY

THE OBJECTIVE and CONCLUSION - 

By Brian W. Zelley, former

member of the Newcastle boxing club,

and one of the co-founder of the

Nanaimo Boxing Club.

The overall objective was to bring

some awareness to and understanding

of the sport of amateur boxing in 

Nanaimo to those that would like to

have some background to the overall story.  But, it is not possible

to tell the complete story as that would require input from all to 

the current and past members from 1963 and 2013.  What is 

important to one person will not necessarily be as important

for someone else.  

*  From my point of view, the first important element was the

formation of the Newcastle boxing club, and some of the

highlights of the club and the alumni.  The second important

step was building that bridge from the old club to the new one

called the Nanaimo Boxing Club.   The third important thing

is building the  club with a solid foundation and opportunity

for a long term future.  I believe some of that was done

very early in the process during the first three years.

I have indicated the progress from August 1971 to

May 1974.  There are many others that have their own idea

of what was and is important, and nobody is wrong as the

true history of the sport is seen through the eyes of many

and remembered in different ways.  

There is no attempt to say who was more important than

another, or who was the best coach or best boxer.  There

can  never be total agreement on those matters, as most 

have not experienced the full 50 years.

* What happens after 2013, is up to those involved, and 

there can be no predictions as to the many possible 

achievements by individuals in future years.  

This is my last words on the Nanaimo Boxing Club.
But, over time, there may be more about the Newcastle
boxing club that set the stage for the Nanaimo Boxing club. 

                         The Now Captain of the Ship:  Barry Creswell, coach

Scattered Links:
http://zelleysround.wordpress.com/
see: Nanaimo Amateur Boxing: 1963 to 1974

http://zelleyonboxing.blogspot.ca/
takes us through many stories some of which have a
Nanaimo connection.

BC Boxing Hall of Fame and Nanaimo Boxing:
http://bcboxinghallofame.blogspot.ca/

THE FINAL CONCLUSIONS CONCERNING BOXING IN NANAIMO BOXING
* Without the Newcastle Boxing Club in the Sixties, there likely  would have
been no Nanaimo Boxing Club formed in 1971.  There was a very small 
window that provided that one opportunity for the club to start in the
closing months of   1971.  Anytime, after that it is unknown if there was
anybody that could pull of the timing, and gather the connections and the
resources.  There would have been no time for Jack Snaith to get prepared for
his National title journey in 1973.

Back to the beginning 1963

Back To Where In All Began 1963

*  Although amateur boxing in Nanaimo Boxing 

will continue with new faces in the future, the

real starting point is September 1963 when it

all began at the Newcastle Hotel and the start

of the Newcastle Boxing Club which would 

become the foundation and the vision for

the Nanaimo Boxing Club.

Founding Coach -

George Nepper

September 1963.

The First Champions

in first tournament.

The First to Compete

in 1964:

Leo Rock

Chris Balatti

Gilles Nepper

Leon Nepper

Roger Nepper

Brian Zelley

* and all of the rest is 

decades of history.

END OF A DECADE - THE LAST FIGHT CARD 1979

THE LAST FIGHT CARD 1979: by Brian Zelley

* As we step back in time to the end of the Seventies, the 
Nanaimo Boxing Card staged their last fight card December 1979.
The first fight card on the club would take place in early 1972.
                                                     

THE LAST FIGHT CARD:  Pre-Christmas show at St. Peters

Clubs engaged in action were Nanaimo, Victoria, Queensborough,
and the Richmond boxing clubs.

Some of the Nanaimo boxers would include junior novice
Wade Marling who faced Victoria's Paul Deluca, and in the
main event was LEE CAMPBELL who had scored three
knockouts in a tournament earlier in the year would face
Victoria's PERRY EVANS.  This close fight between 
knockout puncher Campbell and the slick boxer Evans
would be selected as the best bout of the night with the
outsider Evans winning a split decision. 

 Then there was
sensation CLIFF BALLENDINE vs GORDIE IVERS. 

The Dawn of the New Age - the Nineties and beyond

 A NAME  for the NINETIES - FRED WICKS Jr. by Brian Zelley

Every decade needs a new hero to keep the sport alive.  Beyond the
eighties, one of the names to raise the bar was Fred Wicks jr.
who would be the face of the new century.  Others would follow
such as Stefan Melideo who would close out the first decade of
the first decade of the 21st Century with a Canadian National
junior title.  And into this new era, the coach to lead the charge
would be a former boxer of the Seventies BARRY CRESWELL. 

BARRY CRESWELL

the new age coach for the 21st. Century

Old Members Still Rocking

Mickey Griffin and Seth Gotro

Pieces of the Nanaimo Boxing story

Every past member of the Newcastle and Nanaimo Boxing clubs
has their own story to tell, and when trying to tell the story of
each club, being the only member of both clubs is an interesting
but difficult task to attempt to measure the importance of both.
The only thing to say when all is said and done, they are both
important in their own way.  

This is not considered to be a complete history of boxing in Nanaimo  from 1963

to 1974, it is just the history that I experienced along the way.

Time To Say Goodbye - May 1974

2013 Canadian Golden Gloves ** Bob Pegues, coach

Former Nanaimo Boxer Bob Pegues:
* one of the boxing coaches for British Columbia boxers
including Prince George boxer Jag Seehra.

2013 Canadian Golden Gloves
* above link, part of a ranking list,  Bob and Jag are two of the names

2013 Canadian Golden Gloves ** Bob Pegues, coach

Former Nanaimo Boxer Bob Pegues:
* one of the boxing coaches for British Columbia boxers
including Prince George boxer Jag Seehra.

2013 Canadian Golden Gloves
* above link, part of a ranking list and bob is one of the names

Three more champions for Nanaimo 1963 to 2013

MORE NANAIMO BASED CHAMPIONS
The link below tells the story of the three latest champs.
Boxers get arms raised at provincials - Nanaimo News Bulletin

The first and the latest:

*The first two champions for Nanaimo amateur boxing

between 1963 and 2013 were Brian Zelley  and Gilles Nepper

back in 1964 to the here and now with the latest being

Justus McKay-Topley, Alex Irvine and Jordan Van Buskirk. 

Joe Preston

Joe Preston -the link

BCABHOF Nanaimo connections

JACK SNAITH - BOXER

2013 Inductee

NANAIMO BOXERS fight in Bronze Gloves

NANAIMO BOXERS ROCK IN VERNON

By Brian Zelley

 (original photo: from Boxing BC)

:

Trio of boxers bronzed in Vernon

* The above link tells the story
if the Nanaimo boxers taking
part in the 2013 Bronze Gloves
held in Vernon, BC 

*Three names mentioned in the
win department were:
Alex Wismiewski,
Ricky Orr, and
Alec Irvine.

Coach Barry Creswell was
quoted in the Nanaimo
Daily News article.


For Nanaimo folks, three March wins in the bronze gloves adds to the achievements.
It was in February when former Nanaimo boxers Mickey Griffin and Jack Snaith
were selected for the BC Amateur Boxing Hall of Fame.  Also, Gary Wood who
also trained briefly in Nanaimo.  Also, co-founder of Nanaimo's Newcastle 
Boxing Club George Nepper was selected in the builder category.  George
also assisted in starting the Nanaimo Boxing Club.

BC Amateur Boxing Hall of Fame - 2013 nominees and 2010 to 2012 inductees

Nominees for 2013 include Jack Snaith, Mickey Griffin, George Nepper and Gary Wood