Page 20 - Sports Energy News, Cornwall, Issue No 43

20 JUNE 2016 sportsenergynews.com

Boxing Roots Two

local paper. After school that day I Heavyweight Champion Earl Walls. we shared the sparring gloves and

checked before I started my paper This was in the 50’s before the heavy bag gloves. We had no ring,
route and sure enough there it was George Chuvalo era. Earl Walls was we sparred on a taped-off area on
“Cornwall Boxing School Boxing an Ontario Champion as an amateur the Judo mats, warmed up together
Program” at the Kinsmen Centre on and a Canadian Heavyweight in a big circle and sometimes some
5th Street or as most people referred Champion as a pro. He frequently of us would sneak into the weight
to it as “the old Y”. The new club fought in the U.S. and England. room downstairs and lift weights or
was being run by the city recreation Al McGillis had a short amateur jog in the basketball gym if it was
department. I begged my father for not rented.

career and had been a police officer
the extra money and went to register
for a short time before taking on a Eventually former boxing alumni
on the first registration night. I job in Cornwall with the Seaway Gerry Blanchard (former Canadian

took the papers home so my parents Authority. Al had a good base Amateur Champ and Pro) joined the
could co-sign as I was 15 years old; knowledge of the basics and group as did Art Gagnon (former
By Jorge Luis I went back with money and papers fundamentals of boxing, a calm, Cornwall Hall of Famer and a good
in hand.
t is now 1979 and things have soft spoken, and humble man, fi ghter who in his day was never
There were about ten young he took the club on and trained given his due). Gerry Blanchard
Ichanged in the boxing world.

men that registered the first night. amateur boxers three nights a week stayed and gave the boys lots of
When the Hilton family left Cornwall
there was no longer a boxing club. Besides the recreational department from 1979 to 1984. The “other” tips and pointers and trained us too.
Muhammad Ali is now retired doing the paperwork, there was two coaches never did materialize, Wayne Lafave also joined; he and
no coach. The two coaches that although they were good critics at his son Denis would help out. Gerry
and Larry Holmes has emerged
were supposed to coach never local club shows. But they never Blanchard and Vernon Thoocet took
as the new dominant force in the
presented themselves. However materialized and donated their time offi ciating courses, as did former
heavyweight ranks. I was running
track at school, played football one gentleman who worked for the to help train the young men at the boxer Joe St. Louis. Al and Wayne

with the Optimist Football league Seaway, Al McGillis did show up. old Y. We trained in a small room got accredited as coaches by Boxing
Mr. McGillis was only supposed that was used for Judo 3 times a Ontario. They began to run shows
and doing some weight training
to assist the other two coaches, but week. There were 2-3 heavy bags in town at Nativity Hall and the old
with friends from school. I shared
he ended up running classes alone; along the wall, a speed bag in the water street arena, two or three times
a paper route with a friend from
becoming head coach. Al McGillis corner, a big incline sit up board in a year, sometimes four. In addition,
school too. One day in September
1979 a friend from school tells had done some boxing as a young the corner. Equipment was sparse at we were boxing at the Massena
me there is a new boxing club in man in Toronto and had trained and best, we used old electric extension Club shows at St. Mary’s Social
sparred on occasion with Canadian cords at fi rst for skipping ropes;
Cornwall. It was advertised in the Continued on page 25

“In the 1970’s, 80’s and early 90’s
The Cornwall Royals “Dished out”

Major Jr Hockey Action, During
this time, George, Paul and Tommy

“Dished out” their famous home
cooked meals and pizza.

The Royals left town 23 years ago, George,

Paul and Tommy are still in the same
location, serving the same delicious meals.

You’re invited to come in and see why many

Royals players picked Cornwall BBQ as
their favourite restaurant. photo credit Vern MacDonald

Owners George, Paul and Tom have been involved with Cornwall
community sports since 1975.
CORNWALL The original and longest operating Family Restaurant in Cornwall, providing

BAR-B-Q a healthy choice with our famous barbecued rotisserie chicken.
Our Full Course Menu Price includes, Soup,
RESTAURANT Dessert & Hot Beverage • From opening until 8:00 pm

436 Second Street West, CORNWALL • 613-933-1000 • www.cbbq.ca