Page 2 - Gordie MacDougall, Boxer: My Life

ISSUE : Issue 57

Published by Ronald Caplan on 1991/6/1

more or less on Ernie's behalf, you know. So, things steamrolled from there. FROM GORDIE'S SCRAPBOOK: Ace Foley wrote, "It was MacDou? gall's Halifax debut, and he lived up to the advance notices. He gave away almost 12 pounds in weight to (Bob) Hessien (from Niagara Falls), who surprised everyone with the form he flashed. It was Bob's best showing since he turned pro.... It was a close fight, one that called for close scoring. If a decision had to be given, MacDou? gall earned it. If they had to call It a draw, there would have been no beefs from anyone.... "A good many fighters fail to live up to advance notices, but Mac? Dougall Is an exception. A boxer-hitter, he could become a main eventer with a few more bouts under his belt. All he needs Is experi? ence. He appears to have everything else." (Gordie, how did you train? Did you take vitamins?) No, there was no such thing as vitamins. You had your mother's good home cooking, that's what you did. Gosh, you worked hard. I worked on the railway, old S & L Railway. I was a fireman there, shovelling coal. Walked to work. Ran back in the morning from work--worked night- shift on the railroad shovelling coal. I'd run home in the morning--my roa(}work. Go to bed. And go that evening to the gym. I was working out with some pretty good boys. There were a lot of fighters around here then. There was Mitzi Krszwda, Gordon "Cramps" Kiley, Tommy "Gun" Spencer, Char? lie Pyle. Archie "Bear" Hannigan, and his brother Ernie "Champ" Hannigan, New Water? ford. And Al Hogan. "Diapers" Gillis--he's a policeman in New Waterford now. Bobby Moore from the Northside. Buddy Greer. A SERVING CAPE BRETON readV mix concrete concrete septic tanks patio blocks PRIME BROOK, SYDNEY 539-5217 Cape Breton Tours Operated by Briands Cabs Ltd, ( Discover the Beauty of Cape Breton ) Cabot Trail Miners' Museum Cape Breton Fortress Highlands 564-6200 louisbourg Limousine Service Taxi Fleet 24 KINGS ROAD SYDNEY Airport Service Parcel Piclcups THE it lot of the local lads here. Ty? rone Gar? diner (Light? weight Champion of Canada). Later, Rocky Mac? Dougall came in (Feather? weight Champion of Canada). There was quite a crowd of us around box? ing. I mean, there was no shortage of Ernie MacKinnon sparring partners at that time. The police had a club, and Local 1064, Ashby, had a club. And R. K. Donnell had one down at the old Pier Legion. And they had them in New Wa? terford, Glace Bay, and Caledonia. Sydney Mines had a club, North Sydney had a club. I'd guess there were about a hundred pro fighters around here then. There were a lot, you know. George "Rockabye" Ross was still going then; it was the end of his ca? reer. ("Rockabye" Ross from West Bay was Middleweight Champion of Canada.) Tommy "Gun" Spencer was going then. J. B. Adshade "Enjoy superS dining in a re[a?(ing & [u?curioii$ atmosphere SPECIALIZING IN CHINESE CUISINE Canadian Dishes also available FULLY LICENSED TAKE OUT & DEUVERY ORDERS Major Credit Cards Accepted TTTTTf ONE OF CAPE BRETON'S FINEST liking Htjstaurant 355 Charlotte Street Dov/ntov/n Sydney Tel: 539-7775 Open daily! 1:00 am

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