Golden Gloves, Glory & Tragedy: by Brian Zelley, B. Com, CPA (CA)

Golden Boys Tragedy and Glory: By Brian Zelley From the first BC Golden Gloves in 1939 tournaments called the Sun Golden Gloves up to 1980 our golden boys have lived with the glory but some died in tragedy. Four names to remember are Phil Vickery, Eddie Haddad, Billy Stone and Jamie Ollenberger, Phil died in WwII, and the other three met tragedy in different ways.

eddie Haddad died after being hit by a vehicle near 100 Mile House after he retired from the navy, Jamie Ollenberger died as a result of a traffic acciden.

Other Golden Boys have had near tragic moments such as a heart attack for Ray Lampkin, luckily he was saved by two young lads at a bowling alley. Dick Findlay lost his job at Molson's brewery and was left without a pension with no real hope of ever getting justice.

Ray Lampkin, 1968 BC Golden Boy in images with Frankie Scott, Brian Zelley and Wayne Boyce. Boyce and Scott also had tragedy and died before therir old age arrived.

1968: THE TWISTS AND TURNS FOR BC BOXERS - DICK FINDLAY prevails

1968: THE TWISTS AND TURNS FOR BC BOXERS
At the end of the ring wars, only one boxer by the name of
DICK FINDLAY would make it to the Olympic Games
for Team Canada.

GEORGE CHUVALO

CHUVALO
on the covers of the
old magazines.  George
had his share of front
paid coverage over the
decades.

THE BOUT:
George Chuvalo
        vs
Floyd Patterson

AL SPARKS and AL FORD: CANADIAN BOXERS

GREAT BOXERS FROM THE WEST:  by brian zelley

*Looking back, both AL FORD of Alberta and AL SPARKS of Manitoba
gave us plenty to cheer about with their boxing performances.

http://www.mhs.mb.ca/docs/people/sparks_as.shtml
*The above link is a memorial page for AL SPARKS who
left us on September 29, 2008 which seems like yesterday,
He is remembered for being the Canadian light-heavyweight champion
and a member of the Manitoba Sports Hall of Fame.  And some of us
from British Columbia remember Al and sparring in a Vancouver 
gym with amateur DAN WRIGHT.  And, some may still remember
the words of Firefighters' boxing coach BERT LOWES to Wright:
"Those gloves belong to Mr Sparks." It is kind of funny what we
remember from many years ago.

Then there is world class boxer AL FORD who is still seen at fight 
cards in Alberta.  But, some of us remember Ford when he was just
an amateur boxer in the mid-Sixties, but later would see his name
in "The RING" and "Boxing Illustrated" magazines' high rankings
and some of the boxing round-the-world news in the black and white
pages of the magazine.











(photo of Al Sparks, publicity photo see notice)  

Clyde Gray and Wilf Greaves: CANADIAN BOXING HALL OF FAME

Wilf Greaves - Boxer  Record recorded by BoxRec
\CLYDE GRAY and WILF GREAVES

JIMMY MCLARNIN

THE LIFE AND TIMES OF JIMMY MCLARNING: By B. Zelley

*Beyond his days as a
boxer, Jimmy would
 return to Vancouver
for a visit or as in 1968
to be a guest for an
amateur boxing 
tournament such as
the 1968 Diamond Belt
which also served as 
the BC Olympic Trials.

*An important part of
his professional boxing
journey was his manager
Charles "Pop" Foster.

Throughout his boxing
bouts, Jimmy would be
known for his power
in his right hand which
would stop many fine
fighters and champions.
He would also become 
a full time active member
of the "Cauliflower Club" in California where many of his top
bouts were fought.  Jimmy is a member of many halls of fame
such as the California Boxing Hall of Fame, the Canadian
Boxing Hall of Fame, and the British Columbia Sports Hall
of Fame.

IN MEMORY OF THE LATE JIMMY MCLARNIN
http://jimmy-mclarnin.memory-of.com/About.aspx

THE PROFESSIONAL FIGHTS:
*It is believed and recorded that Jimmy's first pro fight took
place at the Hasting's Gym in Vancouver against MICKEY GILL. 
Beyond Vancouver he would fight in numerous location with
California being a top spot.  In the early years, he did have a 
few setbacks such as the loss to DOC SNELL in 1926, but
along the way that included the world welterweight title, he
would face many champions, uncrowned champions and
top fighters including:
Fidel LaBarba, Bud Taylor, Pancho Villa, Jackie Fields,
Kid Kaplan, Al Singer, Sammy Mandell, Billy Petrolle, 
Benny Leonard, Barney Ross, Tony Canzoneri and Lou Ambers.

JOHNNY GRECO

JOHNNY GRECO - A Cnadian Boxing Star: by brian zelley

*When a Canadian boxer
 appears on the cover of
"The RING: magazine
it validates his star 
quality.  And Montreal's
Johnny Greco was a star.

Greco's pro journey would
begin in 1940, but would
come to a tragic and sudden
 end in December 1954 at the
 young age of only 31.

Looking back over the years
between 1940 and 1954
Johnny Greco provided us
with boxing quality and 
action such has his back -
to - back bouts with the
classy BEAU JACK in
the legendary MSG in
New York.  Then win
a Canadian welterweight
title when he travelled to the FORUM in Montreal to face
DAVE CASTILLOUX, but in 1952 he would drop a split decision
to ARMAND SAVOIE.  However, he would bounce back and
regain the title and defend it a number of times.  But who would have
guessed that a bout in November 1954 would be his very last bout.
In December 1954, there would be no Merry Christmas for those
who johnny when he was killed in an auto accident.