Hall of Fame

 Kostya is a retired Russian-born Australian boxer, and holds both Russian and Australian citizenship.

He is a four time world junior welterweight champion, including a period of time as the undisputed junior welterweight champion.His record stands at 31 professional wins (25 by knockout), two losses and one no contest. He is considered by many be a national sports hero.

Kosta has trained at PCYC Newtown, and currently runs the Kostya Tszyu Boxing Academy from the premises of PCYC St. George.

He is a great supporter of PCYC and the development of  young people.

Lewis "Lew" Hoad (23/11/1934 - 3/7/1994) born in Glebe NSW. was a world champion tennis player. As a boy, Hoad was a member of the Glebe PCYC.

For five straight years, beginning in 1952, he was ranked in the World Top Ten for amateurs, reaching the No. 1 spot in 1956, and is regarded by many as one of the top-20 players of all time.

(photo credit: State Library Victoria)

 Boxer Jimmy Carruthers (5/7/1929 - 15/8/1990)  became world champion in the bantamweight division, and trained & competed within PCYC from a young age..

His amateur boxing career started as  Australian representative at the 1948 Olympics in London.

He joined professional ranks in 1950,  trained by "Silent" Bill McConnell. He won the Australian Bantamweight title in 1951, the British Commonwealth title in 1952, and was regarded by the National Boxing Association as the World Bantamweight Champion.

Carruthers became Australia's first universally recognised boxing World Champion.

After defending his title against Vic Toweel in Johannesburg, and then against the American Henry "Pappy" Gault in Sydney, it was found that Carruthers was carrying a 30-foot-long tapeworm.

After a non-title bout in Sydney, and a further title defence against Chamroen Songkitrat in Bangkok, Carruthers retired on 16 May, 1954.

He was inducted into the World Boxing Hall of Fame in Los Angeles in 1995.

In the 1950s Jimmy owned the Bells Hotel in Woolloomooloo, and a network of vegetarian takeaway and juice bars in Sydney.

Trevor was a student in inner-west Sydney in the 1940’s, when he first attended PCYC Burwood in 1946 at age 11, whe he joined the PCYC Drum & Flute Marching Band playing a Bb school flute.. Subsequently he became ‘Flute Sergeant’ of the band. Sgt. Edwards was the band trainer, and boys received instruments and uniforms on loan. Two years later, Trevor began clarinet instruction under Sgt. Reg Bowers, with an instrument on-loan from the Club and played in the marching band, orchestra, and dance band.

Shortly after, he began saxophone instruction under Mr Franze Vorreter, a volunteer instructor from the Burwood Migrant Hostel. Like Trevor, many other young people “graduated” from PCYC, and went on to have very successful music careers. “I’m aware of some well known musicians who received their first training at Burwood and other Police Boys’ Clubs.

Multi reed players Ray Swinfield and Ray Warleigh from Burwood are now first rank musicians in London. They moved there in the 1950’s and work internationally with many different groups. Both are internationally recognised musicians, playing flutes, clarinets and saxophones”.

“Ray Swinfield has recorded with many orchestras including his own jazz groups, and on soundtracks for the movies including “The Pink Panther”, “Chicago” and “De-lovely”.

Sydney band leader, trombonist, pianist and arranger John Ferguson was with the Leichhardt Police Boys Club Band. I’m sure there are many more” Trevor remains active in music in many areas.

Since 1990, he has been a freelance professional musician and tutors at several Sydney schools, including Sydney College for the Arts.

He is active in the dance band circuit, and has played with most leading Australian dance band, jazz and dance ensembles, including Thomas Tyco, James Morrison, Bob Gibson, Errol Buddle, Jim Davidson, Harry

Doyle, Graeme Bell, Ray Price, Bob Barnard, Don Burrows, George Golla and Ed Gaston, as well as leading his own groups. Currently he is the first tenor sax/clarinet with Phillip Sanchez’s “Mell-o-tones Dance Orchestra” which has recorded for the ABC, plays the Sydney Opera House’s “New Years Eve Celebration”, and leads the “New Wolverine Jazz Orchestra”.

Trevor has lead this award winning Orchestra on tour throughout Australia, completed six tours of the USA and one UK tour. They have been nominated in the finals of the Australian Entertainment Industry’s annual “Mo Awards” four times (1998, 1999, 2000, and 2003) and are the only group to win a US award for musical excellence – The Goldkette Award 2000.

They also featured in the annual conventions of the “The International Society of Jazz Record Collectors” (Chicago 1996) and “The American Federation of Jazz Festival Directors” (Iowa USA 1996). Trevor has played theatre pit and completed studio work for albums, commercials, movie and television sound tracks, and the “Swing into Spring Concert 2003” with the Sydney Symphony Orchestra. In addition, Trevor leads “Benny’s Boys Sextet”, prominent at jazz festivals, jazz and licensed clubs and private functions around Australia. They launched two CDs, one of which won through to the final four in the Australian National “Bell” Jazz CD Awards, 2003. 

James Armstrong was a Police Offcer & Club Superintendant at PCYC Glebe since 1952.

 Among his many sporting achievements over 22 year were:

* Heavyweight Wresting Champion of Australia, 1946, 1948, 1950, 1960, 1961, 1962

* Heavyweight Wresting Champion of NSW 1940 to 1962

* London Olympics 1948 - Wrestling - Bronze Medal 

* First Grade Rugby League player for South Sydney, 1939 to 1948

* Bristish Empire Games - Wrestling (Gold Medal 1950, Bronze Medal 1962) 

* Representative player for Australia Rugby League, 1946

Jeff Fenech (born 28/5/1964) is now a retired boxer and a three time world champion who is now a boxing trainer.

Starting out training at the PCYC Newtown, Fenech's amateur career led to him represent Australia at the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles.

In 1988, Fenech became a three time world champion, joining boxing's exclusive group of fighters who have been world champs in three or more divisions (Bantamweight, Super bantamweight and Featherweight).

In 1993, Fenech retired with a record of 28 wins, 3 losses and 1 draw, with 21 wins by knockout.

In 2002 he was inducted into the International Boxing Hall Of Fame in Canastota, New York.