Golden Gloves Boxing

Golden Gloves Boxing

This picture was taken in 1947.  We have listed as Back Row, left to right: Harold Guldager, Allen Walden, Jim Walden, Harvey Dallman (Trainer), Hjalmer Friton, Ed Walden, & George Gustafson.  Directly in front, left to right: Shimschock & Eckstein.

            Golden Glove Boxing has been going on since the early 1920s.  A Chicago Tribune Sports Editor Arch Ward conceived the idea of a city-wide amateur boxing tournament in 1923, to be sponsored by the newspaper. Each champion was to be awarded a miniature golden glove which gave the tournament its name.  The Golden Gloves are open to all non-professional boxers age 16 and over. There is also a Silver Gloves amateur tournament, which is for amateur boxers age 10 to 15 years old.

            Amateur boxing  enjoyed enormous popularity in the 1930s, '40s and well into the '50s. It was a simpler, more innocent time for the sport of boxing, with gentlemanly heroes like Joe Louis (nick named Brown Bomber) who was considered to be a worthy role model for children. For the most part, the seamy underside of the sport remained hidden.

            Children even received boxing gloves as Christmas or birthday gifts and were cheered on by their parents in amateur matches the same way young football players are encouraged today.  Black eyes were badges of pride to young fighters who sneered at wearing protective headgear. Boxing as been known as the "sweet science".  Many hours were conducted on learning the correct workings of the right technique of boxing for the boys; a complete devotion.

            For Harold Guldager, Allen Walden, Jim Walden, Harvey Dallman (Trainer), Hjalmer Friton, Ed Walden, George Gustafson, Shimschock and Eckstein they were of the many here in Sleepy Eye that took on the roles and attempts to becoming the next Golden Glove winner, through the many black eyes, sore muscles, and bruised egos.  In the eyes of themselves they were winners, perhaps not in the eyes of national championships but in their eyes they themselves, made of heart and steal, they were Champions to themselves and their teammates.