Jim Isard recently broke the sad news that his father, also Jim, well-known locally as a former boxing coach, had died aged 88.
For many years, Jim was at the helm of the Dundee Amateur Boxing Club.
He trained many prolific boxers and champions in his time at the club’s former premises in Dudhope Castle, Dundee, before it closed in the late 1970s to house what is now business offices.
At his peak, Jim was assistant coach and corner man to British, Commonwealth, European and Olympic champion Dick McTaggart.
Jim Jr relayed an amusing tale.
“In July 1960, Dick had to return the Val Barker Trophy, which he won as the most stylish boxer at the Olympics in Melbourne four years earlier,” recalled Jim.
“He asked my dad if he could ‘spruce up’ this impressive, but somewhat tarnished, silver trophy. Much to Dick’s amusement, dad calmly replied ‘consider it an honour bestowed’.
“The following week, along with the highly-polished trophy, dad handed Dick a tightly-wrapped circular-shaped object. Opening up this impromptu gift, Dick asked in haste what he had done to deserve this.
“A large tin of Brasso appeared from within and, at first, a bewildered look appeared on Dick’s face, until, of course, the penny eventually dropped!”
Jim Sr also coached many boxers to Scottish, British and international levels, including local man and Scottish flyweight champion John Kellie, who represented Scotland at the Commonwealth Games in Jamaica 1966 and later turned professional.
The late Ally Nicol, from Muirhead, became Scottish middleweight champion and represented Britain at the European Championships in Rome in 1967.
The young players of Sidlaw Boys Football Club also had the privilege to experience (or suffer!) a tougher training regime when Jim assisted for a couple of seasons.
Jim Sr attended Rosebank Primary, then Rockwell Secondary School before embarking on a career in 1939 serving his apprenticeship as a motor mechanic with Lambs Garage in Dundee. His co-apprentice was none other than Jimmy Shand.
After serving in the Royal Navy during the Second World War, he returned to his trade until 1950 when he took a position as engineer/mechanic with Dundee Harbour Trust, repairing and maintaining the two sand dredgers that frequently worked the River Tay.
He then joined the NCR in 1958 as production inspector where he remained until their main factory closed. Laterally, he was foreman mechanic for Jack Gow Motors and Motorcycles in Strathmore Avenue, Dundee, when he retired.
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