BRIGHTON EBA member Rob Benson contacted me to say that their Summer Barbecue is taking place on Sunday, August 11th at their HQ – The Romans Pub, 35 Manor Hall Rd, Southwick. Start time is 12 noon, and, said Rob, “You’re all welcome, of course.”
This is always a great afternoon, and I hope it is well attended.
Rob kindly said he really enjoyed my piece on Justin Murphy in a recent column. Well, if Rob (or anyone else from Brighton EBA) hadn’t taken the trouble to let me know that Justin was at their meeting, I wouldn’t have known and couldn’t have written the piece. This column has been reader-driven, and I am very grateful to the EBA Secretaries who send me newsletters – and to members who contact me with news and/or questions. Everyone, please move on!
I recently raised a question about the show at the Poplar Hippodrome on July 14, 1929 – and was delighted to receive a reply from Essex EBA Secretary Ray Lee. “There are only two periods in this program,” said Ray. “Alec Thake w 15 pts for Bert Cannons, and Alec Broom w pts 12 George Booker (Bethnal Green). Booker replaced Charlie East.”
Ray, along with his wife Teresa (EEBA Treasurer), and Chairman Tom Burling, came to the London EBA July meeting – and as it was Teresa’s birthday we all sang Happy Birthday to You. Essex, unfortunately, are organizing another charity cricket match in aid of the Ringside Charitable Trust (RCT), following last year’s hugely successful event. The date is Sunday, September 8th, and I will publish more details as I get them.
The question came up again, of the big advocates not supporting RCT. In his report to the President, Stephen Powell recalled the generosity of past promoters. The late Mickey Duff, he said, used to give LEBA £50 every time he attended a meeting – and had also performed at the Anglo-American Sporting Club in 1973, to raise money for the ailing former British lightweight champion (and LEBA Deputy). . President) Dave Crowley. Stars of boxing, stage and screen were in attendance – and the evening raised a fantastic £18,000.
Stephen also recalled how, when he visited America, Mickey met the great Joe Louis working as a hotel greeter. He paid for Louis to come to London, and introduced him to ringside at the Albert Hall show. That was in my pre-reporting days, so I was “above the gods” – no chance to meet the great man, or get his autograph. But being in the same building, and seeing him in the flesh, was still a thrill.
The current EBA Central (Midlands) book has a full article, by Craig Birch, about former Scottish Commonwealth two-weight champion Willie Limond – whose recent death, aged just 45, has shocked everyone in boxing.
I was lucky enough to see Willie’s fight in England, at the London O2 – his 2007 Commonwealth lightweight title against Olympic silver medalist (and future world champion) Amir Khan. The fight was full of drama – Khan, then unbeaten in 12 rounds, was heavily run down in the sixth round, but fought back to take out Willie in the seventh and forced him to retire after the eighth with a suspected broken jaw.
The article cites Willie’s anger at the way his outburst against Khan was handled. “Thirteen seconds – it was the time when the referee took him to count Khan to his feet. Not nine. Even 10.”
Willie later rose to the limelight, winning both the Commonwealth and British belts.
The newspaper also records that CEBA recently sponsored two fundraising events. One was the Midland Freewheelers, whose volunteers deliver blood and other essentials to local hospitals for free. Another was a donation to North Staffs EBA, raising funds to install a library for young people who cannot attend mainstream schools.
The article concludes: “Being part of the EBA is not just about having fun and attending events for a good time – we also like to do good work where possible.” That is very true.
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