Golden Gloves

Golden Gloves

Golden Gloves
Background information
Also known as Golden Gloves of America, GG's
Years active 1928–present
Website GoldenGloves.com
USABoxing.org
A pair of hanging golden boxing gloves is an iconic Golden Gloves image dating back to the late 1920's.
2011 Golden Gloves Boxing Championships in San Antonio.

The Golden Gloves is the name given to annual competitions for amateur boxing in the United States. The tournament's sole material award was a tiny golden glove, symbol of an amateur championship, which went to the winner of each weight division, thus, the name "Golden Gloves". The Golden Gloves is often the term used to refer to the National Golden Gloves competition, but it also can represent several other amateur tournaments, including regional golden gloves tournaments and other notable tournaments such as the Intercity Golden Gloves, the Chicago Golden Gloves, and the New York Golden Gloves.

Golden Gloves, once a Chicago Tribune fabled Sports Editor, Arch Ward came up with the idea of a city-wide amateur boxing tournament in 1923, to be sponsored by the Tribune. First sponsored officially in 1927, annual tournaments were held between Chicago and New York teams. In later years the idea was taken up by other cities, and a national tournament was held.[1] Along with the New York Golden Gloves, the Chicago tournament was viewed as one of the two elite Golden Gloves Championships in the United States. Winners from certain states and regions headed to Chicago to meet in the Chicago Golden Gloves, while winners from other sections of the U.S. faced each other in the New York Golden Gloves tournament. Champions from the Chicago tournament went on to face champions from the New York tournament in the Intercity Golden Gloves, thus the Intercity Golden Gloves served as the National Tournament of Champions.[2] The on Square Garden and Chicago Stadium.Intercity Golden Gloves ran from 1928 to 1961, with the event being held at famed venues including the Chicago Coliseum, Madis[2]

The National Golden Gloves contest began in 1962 and continues to be the most highly regarded amateur boxing tournament in the United States.[2] It is sponsored and controlled by the Golden Gloves Association of America, Inc. Winners from regional Golden Gloves competitions compete in the national competition, called the Golden Gloves Tournament of Champions. The Tournament of Champions is held once a year, and a new tournament site is selected annually. The U.S. Golden Gloves program is currently organized on a territorial basis to give all sections of the country representation. All tournaments are planned, promoted and directed by the Golden Gloves Charities and within the limits of the amateur boxing code.[1] Many Amateur Golden Gloves participants went on to become professionals. Some were champions like Joe Louis, Muhammad Ali, Joe Frazier, and Barney Ross. Still others went on to successful careers outside of boxing, including Illinois Attorney General Jim Ryan and the late Judge Abraham Lincoln Marovitz.[3]

The Golden Gloves are open to all non-professional pugilists age 16 and over who are United States citizens.[4] There is also a Silver Gloves amateur tournament, which is for amateur pugilists age 10 to 15 years old.[1]

USA Franchises

Around the World

Other countries have similar amateur boxing awards, such as Mexico's Guantes De Oro (literally "Gloves Of Gold" in Spanish).

Diamond Belt

In the past certain amateur tournaments would award the victor with a Diamond Belt as recognition of their amateur championship status. These tournaments were sponsored by various organizations and newspapers in the United States with the Philadelphia Inquirer being one of the more notable. Notable Diamond Belt winners include George Foreman, Bobby Chacon, Jimmy McCarter, Logan McElroy, and Lou Brooks.[3]

Pacific North West Golden Gloves

Four major Golden Gloves annual tournaments that have taken place include: BC Golden Gloves,[19] Tacoma Golden Gloves, Seattle Golden Gloves and Oregon Golden Gloves. Some notable Canadian boxers to win championships in two or more of the four locations include Frank Albert Scott, Freddy Stephen Fuller, Earl McLeay, Dick Findlay and Clint Page from the Sixties.[20]

BC Golden Gloves

The annual Golden Gloves tournament in British Columbia, Canada has been a regular event since 1939. The first BC Golden Gloves champions were Alan Dunn, Bob Hickey, Eric Burnell, Henry Devine, Kenny Lindsay, Phil Vickery and Wayne Morris[21]

Regional and special tournaments

From time to time, there have been special tournaments or regional Golden Gloves tournaments. One that operated from 1954 to the early Sixties was the Vancouver Island Golden Gloves.[22] The first Vancouver Island Golden Boy was Victoria's Bert Wilkinson in 1954.[23] Some of the history was documented in various issues of the Vancouver Island Boxing News in 1983, and the "BC Amateur Boxing News" between November 1983 and January 1986. Also, a poster of the 1954 tournament and a photo of Bert Wilkinson was recently used in a video for the induction ceremony of the Greater Victoria Hall of Fame held in November 2009.

See also

Lists of former Golden Gloves champions, by division:

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Golden Gloves: Keeping it Simple – theboxingtribune.com". theboxingtribune.com. Retrieved 2016-04-18.
  2. 1 2 3 "Chicago Golden Gloves History".
  3. 1 2 "Boxing: Golden Gloves - WTTW". www.wttw.com. Retrieved 2016-04-18.
  4. ↑ Murphy, Kim; Tanfani, Joseph; Loiko, Sergei L. (April 28, 2013). "The Tsarnaev Brothers' Troubled Trail to Boston". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved April 30, 2013.
  5. ↑ "Buffalo Golden Gloves Boxing - Buffalo New York Chapter". Buffalogoldengloves.com. Retrieved 2013-05-18.
  6. ↑ "Chicago Golden Gloves, Chicago, IL". Chicagogoldengloves.com. 2012-06-12. Retrieved 2013-05-18.
  7. ↑ "Welcome to the Golden Gloves". Clevelandamateurgg.com. Retrieved 2013-05-18.
  8. ↑ "floridagoldengloves.org". floridagoldengloves.org. Retrieved 2013-05-18.
  9. ↑ "Official Indiana Golden Gloves Boxing Organization". indianagoldengloves.org. Retrieved 2014-04-10.
  10. ↑ "Kansas City Golden Gloves - Home". Kcgoldengloves.com. Retrieved 2013-05-18.
  11. ↑ Racecol Web Solutions. "Michigan Golden Gloves". Michigangoldenglovesboxing.com. Retrieved 2013-05-18.
  12. ↑ http://www.njgoldengloves.com
  13. ↑ "USA Boxing Metro". USA Boxing Metro. Retrieved 2013-05-18.
  14. ↑ "Pennsylvania Golden Gloves". Pagoldengloves.com. Retrieved 2013-05-18.
  15. ↑ http://www.utahgoldengloves.org
  16. ↑ "Rocky Mountain Golden Gloves". Rocky Mountain Golden Gloves. Retrieved 2013-05-18.
  17. ↑ "Saint Louis Golden Gloves - Home". Stlgg.com. Retrieved 2013-05-18.
  18. ↑ "Welcome". Texas Golden Gloves. Retrieved 2013-05-18.
  19. ↑ BC Amateur Boxing News
  20. ↑ "Vancouver Sun", January 27, 1968
  21. ↑ 1984 BC Amateur Boxing Annual, editor Brian Zelley, president George Armson, September 1984
  22. ↑ Howard Curling, former Vancouver Island Amateur Boxing Commissioner
  23. ↑ The Victoria Daily Times, 1954

21. Oregon Golden Gloves Championships - Bend Oregon. President,

Richard E. Miller. State level held in January or February each year.

External links

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