Cape Breton's Magazine

could never under? stand. And he was rough, tough guy himself, you know. Just as soon fight on the street as anything.... But that was my disappointment, was that he never came to my fights. I can see if it was just a ham-and-egg or getting beat up all the time. But, you know. I was well- trained. And. I don't know. He would ask--like when I'd call, af? ter a fight, there was a stage where I'd call home. He'd wait up with my mother. Phone would ring, he'd be sit? ting down watching TV. Only one chan? nel then, old black-and-white. Phone'd ring and my mother'd go answer the phone. She'd always say. "Well, how are you?" I said, "Oh, good." It wouldn't matter if I had an eye hanging out, I would tell her I'm all right, you know. And she'd say, "Okay," you know. "I won her." So he'd go in and he'd say, "Was that Gordie?" She'd say, "Yeah." "How'd he do?" "He won." "Okay." He'd go over then, shut the TV off. "Time for bed." But yet he wouldn't go. So, like I said, that was my biggest dis? appointment was that he never came to see me, then he could evaluate me himself, you know what I mean. So that when you look down in the audience and see all your rel? atives there, and your father's not there, you know what I mean. And give you a bit of encouragement. He even went, when I first started--he found all my gear in a bag down in the basement and he threw it in the furnace, bag and all, the whole Above, left to right: Joe Jackson, Blair Richardson, Johnny Nemis, pro- SS'i meter Gussie MacLellan, Jack Dempsey, World Heavyweight Champion (1914-27), Gordie MacDougall. Right: Blair Richardson, Middleweight Champion of Canada and Middleweight Champion of the British Empire, and held a high world rank. "Well," Gordie said, "Biair Richardon was a terrific kid. And he used to come and • he boxed when he was around 12 in a Golden Gloves, and he was a very shy kid, and that's the only time he fought. And then he started coming to the gym with me, carrying my bags. And then he*d come in the gym when i*d work out in the afternoon to spar with me. He was shy in front of a crowd. And then I got him com? ing at night, and he kept coming. Then he kept training with me and then • God, he trained with me for about 5 years, until he went away to f|-5' sea. He trained with me till he was about 17,18,1 guess. He used to fight W' 6-rounders on my main event. "Well then he went away to the States and he fought some of the top- notch fighters in the States. Good fighters. He fought In Madison Square Garden. He fought Joey Archer, who was around the 7th-rank middle? weight in the world, and he lost to him in Madison Square Gardens. So, he fought some good boys. "He died of a brain tumour when he was 33. He collapsed and died. He was a teacher at Boston University, teaching theology. He put himself through college In Boston. He was married • married a beautiful girl from Sydney Mines. And she was pregnant. He died In February, and she had the baby In May. "He was a terrific guy. He was a very religious person, very religious." thing. I went down that night to get my bag to go to the gym. I said, "Mom, Where's my bag at?" "I hate to tell you," she said. "Your father threw it in the furnace and burned it." I said. "Did he? Well, that's all right." I went and I started gathering up junk--beer bottles and everything else--and I bought it all A Proven Tub System Since 1973 "It's Better to Improve It, than Remove It." Call us: • Sydney 564-2220 • St. Peter's 535-2093 1. Resurfacing bathtubs, sinks, showers & tiles 2. Converting existing battitubs into quality whirlpool systems ' 3. Selling beautiful brass and antique fixtures 4. Selling factory direct jetted bathtubs /whirlpool 5. Non-slip tub surfaces 6. Acrylic & Fiberglass & Enamel repair 7. World's largest line of inground pool & patio coatingsi >L/- OR FAX 535-3505 DEALER INQUIRIES WELCOME | Seventh Season of Sinvtier Theatre Sdu Maurier Arts Ltd. Les Arts du Maurier Ltee A Musical for the Whole Family S'Hfd fn&m; tit TKCtiL The Music of Allister MacGillivray TOiti a, 4UU • ''UfL Music from the Summer of Love Tennessee William's Classic Drama A CiiUU 'a'fUtti Featuring the Festival Young Company r49-9333 1'1 Enifi'oyment & Immigration Canada ?? 'B Enterprise Cape Breton Corporation Dept. of Small Business De* Dept of Tourism & Culture 13