On Friday (October 15), Dick McTaggart will celebrate his 80th birthday.
Dick is by far the most successful Dundonian sportsperson ever.
He competed at two Olympic Games as a lightweight boxer in 1956 and 1960, and one as a light-welterweight in 1964.
He won the gold medal in Melbourne in 1956, and was awarded the Val Barker Trophy, as the games’ most-stylish and outstanding boxer.
Dick also won a bronze medal four years later in Rome.
A gold medal was also Dick’s reward in the 1958 Commonwealth Games in Cardiff, with a silver his ultimate reward four years later in Perth, Australia.
He also won the gold medal at the European Amateur Championships in Belgrade in 1961.
Dick was also a five-time ABA champion (1956, 1958, 1960, 1963, 1965).
He boxed well over 600 times, and his percentage of success is in the high 90s.
During a visit to Dundee to attend a dinner, former world welterweight champion John H Stracey spoke of his admiration for Dick McTaggart.
Dick was at the same dinner, and John told everyone: “I became a boxer because of that man there,” pointing to Dick.
“I saw him win his Olympic gold medal on the telly in 1956 and thought to myself, ‘That is what I want to be.’
“If it wasn’t for seeing Dick on the telly, I might never have been a boxer.
“He was an artist in the ring, a true stand-up boxer. His ringcraft was immense.”
My sports desk colleague James Masson was also at that dinner and, later in the evening, James got chatting to the great John H.
John happened to mention he was leaving Dundee at 7am the next morning to fly south for a funeral and, thinking, someone close to John had died, James offered his condolences.
John, with a smile on his face, retorted: “Oh, don’t worry about that, I’m not a mourner – I’m the undertaker. I have an undertaker’s business in Epsom.”
The pair then went back to talking about boxing and Dick, the man who inspired John H Stracey to become a boxer.
Former world featherweight champion Barry McGuigan is “in awe of Dick McTaggart”.
Speaking to my colleague James Masson recently, Barry said this of the great man.
“He was a most dedicated amateur boxer who is due the utmost respect.
“What he achieved in boxing, Olympic, European and Commonwealth titles, was immense.
“And, of course, he was the first European boxer to win the Val Barker Trophy which is given to the most stylish Olympic Games boxer.
“Dick was a classic British stand up boxer who handled himself brilliantly in and out of the ring.
“He truly is a great example to any young boxer.
“I’ve met Dick and, believe me, he was not only a terrific boxer but is a really terrific man.”
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