Inductees

Sid McKnight (2001)

Boxing Athlete

In the 1970s the Spruce Capital Boxing Club was the home of a Prince George Olympian and Sid McKnight was known as a champion in the ring. The story is told by somewhat faded newspaper clippings and certificates now tucked away for safe keeping, but memories do not fade away.

The first time McKnight stepped into a boxing ring was in 1970. He was fifteen years old and joined the Spruce Capital Boxing Club to learn how to fight. Three weeks later he was competing at the B.C. Bronze Gloves and lost that bout by a decision. He did not lose many more after that. That first loss was the motivation to excel at boxing and provided the drive McKnight needed to spend those long, hard hours training to be a boxer.

At the provincial level, McKnight dominated his weight class, winning the B.C. Golden Gloves every year from 1974 to 1979 inclusive. During that time there was an Alberta Golden Gloves award in 1978 and two Canadian Championships, one in 1975 and another in 1976. There were also three Tacoma Golden Gloves Championships. The Tacoma competitions were very prestigious. Many world-champion boxers have been there before -- the likes of Sugar Ray Leonard and Leo Randolph. Throughout his career McKnight won numerous Silver and Emerald Glove Championships but never had another opportunity to fight in a Bronze Glove competition.

If you were to ask McKnight the greatest thrill of his career, he would answer the 1976 Olympics where he represented our country as a light flyweight. By all accounts boxing was his life in the 1970s. Training at least 20 hours a week, it all paid off with a bronze medal in 1975 at the pre-Olympic tournament and from there it was off to the Olympics in Montreal for the Summer Games in 1976. The people of Prince George rallied around their boxer, a member of Team Canada in 1976. There was a massive “Good Luck” telegram with hundreds of well-wishers' signatures and gifts.

McKnight retired from boxing in 1979 following competition at the Canadian Championships, held in his hometown at Vanier Hall. He was 24 years old and decided it was time to hang up the gloves. If there is maybe a twinge of regret it would be that he never pursued those offers in the 1970s to turn pro. It was never the money for Sid, but a half dozen fights in the professional ranks -- just to say he had done it -- would have added that much more to the scrap book and memories.