Metadata

Overview

When citing please acknowledge " The Lim Kee Chan Collection, courtesy of the National Archives of Singapore"

Synopsis

Personnel running Katong Boys' Club (KBC). Operated by Social Welfare unit. KBC entry criteria. Father against sports. Lost first two fights. Description of novice national boxing tournament. Fought older boxers. Boxing weight classification disadvantageous to Caucasians. Advice from pro boxing trainer. Facilities at KBC; inadequate for boxing. Recounted his experience as coach. Training programme should cater to individuals. Training schedules at KBC. Structure of amateur fights. Categories of promotion for professional boxers. Weight training dos-&-don'ts. Keeping boxing secret from family. KBC moved from Haig Rd to Joo Chiat Rd. Recruitment into professional boxing.

Remarks

When citing please acknowledge " The Lim Kee Chan Collection, courtesy of the National Archives of Singapore"

Metadata

Overview

When citing please acknowledge " The Lim Kee Chan Collection, courtesy of the National Archives of Singapore"

Synopsis

Initial training in boxing. Scoring tips. Description of gloves. Selection committee for boxers. Sparring as training. Other training routines. Avoided push-up. Friendship with Angelo Dundee. Role of trainers. Boxing well-supported. Kept boxing secret from family. How father found out. His recruitment process. Recruited by Little Nene. Prominent boxers of late 1940s. Sought to train with prominent boxer, Bobby Njoo, for improvement.  Differences between amateur and professional boxing. "Cutting" in boxing; how and when it was used. Job upon leaving school. Turned  to boxing after three months. Incentive for pro-boxing. First professional bout. Structure of Fight Night. Penang fight.

Metadata

Overview

When citing please acknowledge " The Lim Kee Chan Collection, courtesy of the National Archives of Singapore"

Synopsis

Relationship between managers and professional boxers. Pro-boxers brought in by Little Nene. Trainer and managers could be synonymous. Comparisons between local and foreign trainer/promoters. Working relationship with Little Nene problematic. Better aspects of relationship with Little Nene. Recounted controversy in Manila. Fight with Flash Elorde did not materialise. Suspension from International Boxing Association. Disagreed with Little Nene. Details on Manila incidents. Developed friendship with Lope Sarreal, the opposing manager in Manila. Believed Sarreal rather than Nene. Felt pro-boxing was dirty. Recounted incident in Indonesia. No postponement  for pro-fights. Code of behaviour for pro-boxers.

Remarks

When citing please acknowledge " The Lim Kee Chan Collection, courtesy of the National Archives of Singapore"

Metadata

Overview

When citing please acknowledge " The Lim Kee Chan Collection, courtesy of the National Archives of Singapore"

Synopsis

History of Singapore Boxing Board of Control (SBBC). Roles and duties (1930s-1940s). Ring deaths. Two sizes of boxing-rings. Size important for certain boxing styles. Boxing-ring's material. Safety additions. SBBC members. Annual election. Reason for SBBC's demise - loophole in entertainment law. Boxing revival in late 40s. Tried to revive SBBC. Instances of unscrupulous promoters. Pro-boxing fights sporadic after early '50s. Singapore Amateur Boxing Association (SABA) looked after amateur boxing. More world boxing associations governing pro-boxing today. Boxing classes; weight limits, changes made. Weight a good advantage. Fought in Fly-weight, Fly-Bantam, and out of weight classes.  The weigh-in.

Remarks

When citing please acknowledge " The Lim Kee Chan Collection, courtesy of the National Archives of Singapore"

Metadata

Overview

When citing please acknowledge " The Lim Kee Chan Collection, courtesy of the National Archives of Singapore"

Synopsis

The weigh-In. Reducing 2.5 pounds in an hour. Those present at weigh-in. Cheating possibilities. Promoters picked referees. Lack formal referee courses. Rules governing boxing. Golden ages of professional boxing (1930s and 1940s). Names of boxers who fought in these periods. Interested in boxing since 1930s. Gained knowledge about boxers from newspapers. World-class Filipino boxers. How professional boxing started in Singapore. Famous rings in Singapore. Happy World most popular spot because it was indoor. First fight in Great World. Won at 6-rounds instead of 4-rounds. Training regime.

Remarks

When citing please acknowledge " The Lim Kee Chan Collection, courtesy of the National Archives of Singapore"

Metadata

Overview

When citing please acknowledge " The Lim Kee Chan Collection, courtesy of the National Archives of Singapore"

Synopsis

Booed by bus drivers during runs. No off-match fights incidents. Love of boxing motivated him in corrupt environment. Examples of unscrupulous promoters. Why pro-boxing died. Retired in 1955; his reasons. Philosophical in retirement. Why he threw last fight. Disappointment at professional boxing led to quitting. Had contact to go to US. World ranking for boxers; its criteria. How part-time work affected his boxing. Reason behind non-boxing work. Changes in world professional boxing. Manager/Promoter dictated fights with world-ranked contenders. Manager with connections important. State of professional boxing today. Muhammad Ali's role in boxing.  Attitudes changed because of money.

Remarks

When citing please acknowledge " The Lim Kee Chan Collection, courtesy of the National Archives of Singapore"

Metadata

Overview

When citing please acknowledge " The Lim Kee Chan Collection, courtesy of the National Archives of Singapore"

Synopsis

Sacrifices made for boxing: Early nights; no steady girlfriends. Training without proper guidance at Katong Boys' Club. Joined Straits Times as court reporter. Transferred to Sports desk. Norman Siebel kind to him. Focussed on boxing and golf. Reason for covering golf. Other sports journalists in Straits Times group. Hectic schedules. Covered Jesse Owens'  visit. Schedule when covering Singapore Open for golf. Recalled incident after report on badminton resulted in suicide. Size of Sports desk. How Siebel helped him. About Siebel, his work and personality.  Sports scene in 1950s.

Remarks

When citing please acknowledge " The Lim Kee Chan Collection, courtesy of the National Archives of Singapore"

Metadata

Overview

When citing please acknowledge " The Lim Kee Chan Collection, courtesy of the National Archives of Singapore"

Synopsis

Main administrators of Katong Boys' Club (KBC). Fund-raising for KBC. Media coverage of sports. Football dominated headlines. Reasons behind applying for journalist's job. Lessons from Norman Siebel. Siebel would not re-write when editing. Trained to write in simple English. How he got inspiration for stories; an example. Filing stories from overseas using telewriters and cables. Felt Singapore's past success in some sports helped promote participation. Post-1950s boxing champions. Reasons why no local amateurs turned professional. Felt amateur boxing would not produce regional champion without pro-matches.  Sports covered in journalistic career.

Remarks

When citing please acknowledge " The Lim Kee Chan Collection, courtesy of the National Archives of Singapore"

Metadata

Overview

When citing please acknowledge " The Lim Kee Chan Collection, courtesy of the National Archives of Singapore"

Synopsis

Covered Malayan Matchplay golf. Learnt valuable lessons on reporting golf. Coverage of Pesta Sukan in 1960s. Journalists told to cover event. Venues used by Pesta Sukan for various sports. Pesta Sukan gradually became more international. Unsure when Pesta Sukan ceased. Recalled boxing upset by local boxer. Straits Times moved operation to Kuala Lumpur (KL) . Rumoured political reasons behind move. Not all staff moved to Malaya (1961). Stories were filed from Singapore to KL. Newspaper typeset in KL with provision for late news in Singapore. 1958 Thomas Cup coverage. Transferred to Malay Mail, then New Nation. Death of Norman Siebel.

Remarks

When citing please acknowledge " The Lim Kee Chan Collection, courtesy of the National Archives of Singapore"