The Bob Pegues Boxing Story

.Dreams Never Die: by brian w, zelley

Introduction

* To tell the Bob Pegues boxing story it is necessary to go
 back  in time to 1969.  It was a year after Nanaimo's 
Newcastle Boxing Club closed it's doors forever.

but the old coach George Nepper had that vision
that some day a new club would begin a new journey.  
So all the boxing equipment was tucked away

for some new beginning.

* In the spring of 1969, I returned to Nanaimo during a
 break from UBC, and one day, I was approached by
 a number of folks including a 

teenager by the name of Bob Pegues to help them train in boxing. 

So at some facility, we all would go there to practice boxing.  But,

it would be for a short duration.  But, the desire shown by young

Bob Pegues and the vision of the old coach George Nepper would

be a symbolic new beginning to start the Nanaimo Boxing Club.

But, it would take another two years before the new club would

become a reality when Brian Zelley and Dan Wright got permission

from the Nanaimo recreation department to train at a facility close

to Bowen road.  That new beginning would be the summer of 1971.

Also, assisting in the planning and start-up was John Ormandy, 

a family friend of Dan Wright who had trained at the old Firefighters

boxing club along with Zelley and boxer Jack Snaith.  Assisting with

the start-up was George Nepper who provided some of the old equipment

from the old Newcastle Boxing Club that turned his vision into a realityl 

To gain trainees, Brian went to the Nanaimo Daily Free Press office to
search for the sports editor who was on a coffee break at the old 
Modern Cafe close to the news office.  So Brian and the sports editor
Mark Kiemele met over a coffee at the Modern to discuss the new 
boxing club called the Nanaimo Boxing Cub. 

After the story, various folks would show up for training including
the young teenager from '69 called Bob Pegues.  Also, various folks
would come to assist with the training.
.  One of the early decisions was to decide on the training
days, the club colors and when to register the club.  Dan and I agreed
that the colors would be gold and green, the old colors of the Newcastle
club was gold and blue.  For registration, we would have four names
listed - Zelley,  Wright, Ormandy and Varro.
would appear in the 1972 BC Golden Gloves program for all to see that
we had arrived and Bob's hope, wishes and dreams became a reality. 

The Early Years of Boxing Bob:

Bob selected for the first fight card in 1972"

Pegues training with Mickey Griffin:

Mickey Griffin and Bob Pegues

training  for action in '75

One of the active trainers was 

Clark MacLellan.

Big Support For Bob's early  Journey 

 the Nanaimo Press

There could be no Bob Pegues boxing story without

a great team of editors and reporters of the

two newspapers

Nanaimo Daily Free Press and the Nanaimo Times

as we trace Bob's journey as a coach in Prince George

that important element of  a good working relationship

with the local press, radio and television 

has been important parts of the Bob Pegues boxing story

and the story of boxers Kenny Lally and Jag Seehra.

No Tomato Cans for Boxer Bob

It was January 1975 and the 

tournament was one of those

BC Festival of Sports events

and for Bob Pegues it was to easy 

opponent that Pegues would face

So Battling Bob would face 1972 Olympic

boxer Les Hamilton in the Nanaimo hosted event

Beyond Vancouver Island

It would be in the Spruce Capital of Prince George

where Bob Pegues would begin a new journey as 

a boxing trainer/coach assisting in the local club

that was started by Irving  Mann and carried on by

his famous BC boxing son Harold Mann.

However, for Bob that old desire from 1969

would resurface in a different form where 

Bob would become coach Bob in his own club. 

 

The Real New Beginning - 2000

From 2000 to 2013 it would an interesting journey

and his two key boxers were Kenny Lally and Jag Seehra.

Happy Together - Clubs helping Clubs 

Bob Pegues and Wally Doern

Wally is the head coach of the 2 River Boxing Club

in Quesnel, BC.  Over the years there was 

great co-operation between the two coaches

Following the Boxers

* to get a good understanding of Bob the coach, it is 

necessary to follow the boxers so one way is to 

read the Kennny Lally story that takes

Kenny from his junior days to his terms as a champion

Likewise there are the achievements of Jag Seehra.

In 2013, a recent historical moment was boxer Jag

and coach Bob attending the first ever 

Canadian Golden Gloves tournament in Cornwall

some may also remember Jag's appearance in 

the 2010 BC Golden Gloves tournament 

Jag Seehra and Bob Pegues

2010 BC Golden Gloves

A Touch of Class - Moments To Remember

Beyond the bright lights

in the shadows

                     

"Brother in the Night"

"Trying to do what is Right"

Oh, what a journey they have to share

as another year slips away

Kenny Lally *** Bob Pegues *** Jag Seehra

And Then There Is That Magic Carpet Ride

Who would of guessed back in 1969

when a starry eyed teenager  had a hope,

a wish and a dream in Nanaimo, BC

And, sometimes dreams come true

and the wish and the hope

turns bright and there is that magic moment

beyond the wildest dreams of a young boy named Bob

"A Belt of His Own"

My Golden Memory of Bob

As I search the chambers of my mind

there is only one clear  vision that I have

of the one they call Bob Pegues,

 the trainer of boxers and now the champion

it will alway take me back to where it all began

in some now forgotten building in a town called Nanaimo

where the desire of a young teenager flowed  like summer wine

for that something in the sweet science

And,  I ask did he get what he was looking for in '69?

Beyond Tomorrow

"A new day and a story"

Mickey Griffin and Seth Gotro

Another Mile On The Road

the Inner City Aces

The Ranking of Bob Pegues

When a persons name is listed on a ranking site

there can be no predictions where they will be rated.

Depending on the names and the era or region being

ranked, one could expect various ratings

Nanaimo Boxing Ranking

The Top Ten

Bob Pegues makes the top ten  

VANCOUVER ISLAND BOXERS and BUILDERS

Bob Pegues in the top 15

2014 BCABHOF NOMINATION PROCESS

Bob Pegues was in a one - tw race

with Bert Wilkinson and managed

to earn top spot before it was frozen

after the actual nomination process.

NANAIMO BOXING CLUB

some of the names behind the scene

ranking listing of names in Nanaimo Boxing

Bob Pegues

2014 Inductee

BCABHoF