The first boxing card Augustine “Gussie” MacLellan promoted netted him just about enough money for streetcar fare to his home in New Aberdeen from the Glace Bay Fire Department Hall where the bouts were staged.

It was 1939, but from then until the 1970’s, there were countless more cards promoted by Gussie most of them were great successes at the box office. It didn’t take long before boxing fans learned that a card promoted by MacLellan was a guarantee of great entertainment.

Augustine “Gussie” MacLellan was born and grew up in New Aberdeen, an area of Glace Bay which has spawned more than its share of colorful personalities. Bill MacNeil, a long-time figure with CBC Radio, came from New Aberdeen and so did Clarie Gillis who used his background in coal mine union politics to help him reach Ottawa as a CCF member of parliament.

Gussie MacLellan was destined to make his mark in boxing. Remembered as a promoter, Gussie was a better than average boxer. He was 15 when he first entered the ring and continued boxing until 25. In 1936, he won the Eastern Canadian Featherweight title but within three years, was out of the ring and in the business end of the sport.

Fight fans in Halifax, Glace Bay, Sydney, New Glasgow, North Sydney, Toronto and other centres have been treated to some great matches thanks to the knack MacLellan had for setting up bouts people wanted.

He operated the Sydney Press Club on Charlotte Street for many years, a popular watering spot for those who loved to swap sports stories.

The Miners Forum in Glace Bay and Gussie were a perfect match. The Forum opened in the late 1930s just as Gussie was starting his career as a promoter. While the Forum was a centre for hockey during the winter months, there was a need to fill those 3,000 seats during the spring and summer. Gussie was just the man for the job. He promoted matches involving Liverpool, Nova Scotia product Terrance (Tiger) Warrington, West Bay Road’s popular George “Rock-a-Bye” Ross or favorites from the industrial area of Cape Breton such as Ronnie MacNeil, Kid Adshade, Gramps Kiley, Willie Williams, Tyrone Gardiner, Gordie MacDougall, Johnny Devison and Blair Richardson.

The Richardson vs Gomeo Brennan battle in 1965 at the Miners Forum drew a gate of $24,000. That figure may not impress Don King but at the time, was a record gate for a Maritime fight card. The figure stood until the late 1970s when topped by a card headlined by Clyde Gray and Lawrence Hafey at the Halifax Forum. And yes, Gussie MacLellan promoted that card.

Thanks to Gussie MacLellan, fight fans in the province witnessed a rising George Chuvalo who headlined a card at Miners Forum. Later Chuvalo fought for the world title. Yvonne Durelle, who fought Archie Moore for the world light heavyweight crown, got one of his first breaks defeating Rock-a-Bye Ross at Miners Forum for the Canadian Middle-weight title in the early 1950s.

In the late 1970s and 80s, MacLellan introduced closed-circuit boxing cards to Cape Breton. These attractions were held in arenas or theatres and gave Cape Breton boxing fans a chance to be at “ringside” for many major boxing cards.

Today, Gussie resides at the Veterans Wing of the Glace Bay Hospital with failing memory. He seems to be in tip top physical shape and could probably come at his 1936 weight. He still has that friendly smile and enjoys greeting old friends.

Sometimes the memory will come back and he can recall Rock-a-Bye, Blair, Tiger and the dozens of other boxers who once made up the world of Gussie MacLellan.