BOXING: NATIONAL FINALS

Series

Series Name

Mining Review 8th Year

Issue

Issue No.

11

Date Released

Jul 1955

Stories in this Issue:

1. 1MUM’S DAY
2. 2TIME WELL SPENT
3. 3BOXING: NATIONAL FINALS
4. 4NO RETURNING

Story

Story No. within this Issue

3 / 4

Summary

BFI Summary - finals of 1955 Coal Board Boxing championships in Edinburgh
NCB synopsis: At Murrayfield Stadium, Edinburgh, miners meet for the 1955 Coal Board Boxing Championships, at which Yorkshire won the Mitchell-Hedges Trophy.
NCB Commentary - Murrayfield Stadium, Edinburgh, was the scene of the 1955 Coal Board Boxing Championships. To the music of men of the Bowhill Colliery Pipe Band, themselves the champions of Scotland, the stage was set in impressive style.
Among distinguished visitors were five of the Chinese Miners delegation visiting Scotland.
First surprise of the evening came in the light-weight championship contest between Frazer of Yorkshire and Andrews of South Wales.
Andrews started the contest in spirited style and within the first minute of Round 1 had Frazer down from a textbook right. Nineteen-year-old Frazer, something of a knock-out specialist himself, for once had met his master.
In Round 2, Andrews went straight in again and soon had Frazer in trouble on the ropes. Another solid right was enough to put Frazer down for the count and the Yorkshireman was led dazed and defeated to his corner. But after this setback, Yorkshiremen were to sweep the board.
Piped into the arena in the best Jack Solomon style came Milles of Monk Bretton, Yorkshire. He took the 1955 Bantamweight Championship in a points decision over Waddon, from Betteshanger in Kent.
A well-matched bout between two lads both under 20 didn’t produce the fireworks of a knockout but nevertheless kept the audience on their toes with a display of action even if some of it was a bit inaccurate.
Payoff of the evening’s entertainment was the heavyweight class between Owen Brady of Firbeck in Yorkshire and Albert Praill of Northumberland’s Bedlington pit.
There wasn’t much doubt about the outcome. After a wild opening Brady had to hang on for most of Round 2 and 3, until a terrific right in the third round put him well and truly out for the count. It was a great evening for Yorkshire, winners for the first time of the Mitchell-Hedges Trophy.

Researcher Comments

Commentary recorded 6 June 1955.

Keywords

Sport; Competitions; Boxing; Mining

Locations

Edinburgh; Scotland

Written sources

British Film Institute Databases
The National Archives COAL 32   /3 Scripts for Mining Review, 1949-1956

Credits:

Production Co.

Documentary Technicians Alliance

Sponsor

National Coal Board