A Sime, amateur golf champion; C. O'Neill, welter-weight amateur boxing champion; and J. Steel, a member of the All Blacks and 100 and 220 yards professional running champion.Greymouth.1922.

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DescriptionResidents of Greymouth - A. Sime, amateur golf champion; C. O'Neill, welter-weight amateur boxing champion; and J. Steel, a member of the All Blacks and 100 and 220 yards professional running champion.

Auckland Libraries Heritage Collections AWNS-19220803-39-02PhotographerAuckland Weekly News; RingDate of Photo1922-08-03Map^[1]External LinkAUCKLAND LIBRARYContributorHeather Newby

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Location (city or town)GreymouthPersonA Sime C. O'Neill J. Steel

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Category TagRugby

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Date Created13th January 2026CommentsDavid Coach-man
Jack Steel, sadly died age 42. What a sportsman he was in his prime! Bet he would be a superstar today! Struggling to recall the pub that he was Publican at? near Grey High???

Malcolm Lutton
David Coach-man the rec

John Mitchell
The boxer is LAURIE O'NEILL (Greymouth). 28-30 July 1921 at Greymouth Town Hall he beat Michael Neylon (Southland); Young Olsen (Wellington) and Rewi Gray (Hastings) to win the NZ Amateur Welterweight title. In 1920 at Hastings he finished runner-up in the same division. In 1922 at Auckland he finished runner-up in the Middleweight division. In 1923 at Dunedin he won the NZ Amateur Middleweight title defeating Angus McDonald (Otago). In 1924 at Wellington he beat Vince Parker (Auckland) and Frank Padget (Southland) to win the NZ Amateur Middleweight title.

Judy Ann Hinde
Laurie was trained/coached by my great grandfather William Mollison. I knew Laurie when I was a child and he ran the Star Tavern at the Cape. He would tease my dad telling him that his grandfather would have given him a hard time about being so unfit and overweight. Laurie was such a lovely man. Thanks for posting.

Sabrina Terrey
Thank you Robin Mcilraith for the clever AI touches to this photo. Laurie O'Neill was a brother of our Grandfather (William (Bill) O'Neill), and therefore Mum's uncle. I recall Mum saying Laurie fought under the name "Emerald", as in those days boxing was broadcast on radio, and this avoided his mother knowing he was boxing ?. Maybe some others may also recall his "boxing name".

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A Sime, amateur golf champion; C. O'Neill, welter-weight amateur boxing champion; and J. Steel, a member of the All Blacks and 100 and 220 yards professional running champion.Greymouth.1922.

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