THE EXTRAORDINARY BRUCE MCTAVISH
By Ronnie Nathanielsz
PhilBoxing.com
Tue, 30 Oct 2007
We have always held international referee and judge Bruce McTavish in the highest esteem. Not so much because of his undoubted competence as a referee who really knows the rules and the nuances of boxing, but also understands how he is supposed to perform in the ring as a referee or seated on the side of the ring apron as a judge but because of his compassionate and caring ways.
The extremely likeable New Zealander who is married to a charming lady ? Carmen Tayag ? who hails from a truly respected family from Pampanga ? has lived in Angeles City for as long as we can remember. And that?s more than a longtime.
But it's not Bruce?s refereeing that has impressed us although he is among the very best. Its his down-to-earth manner and his inherent goodness. He is someone who cares for the fighters whose bouts he oversees, the men in the fight game and those who tell the stories of fighters although one or two individuals have hurt him with their unfair comments. The measure of the man is that he felt the pain and didn?t demonstrate a desire to get even. Therein lines the difference between a man and a gentleman.
McTavish has this wonderful habit of texting us whenever he has an assignment abroad indicating how excited and thankful he is that he remains in the epicenter of boxing which is a sport dear to his heart next perhaps to rugby which he played at the highest level in a country that has a reputation for playing the game like no other- New Zealand. Upon his return he tells us how it went. Its always an interesting exchange and we are certain some of our colleagues who also receive Bruce?s text messages feel the same way.
Bruce just recently returned from North Korea ? yes, North Korea - where he officiated some fights. It surely was a memorable experience. He was, as one would expect, provided with a guard probably not to protect him but rather to watch him. Fair enough. Of course Bruce was touched by the hardship he saw on the faces of the people, including his guards who, because of their situation should have been better taken care of. But their faces were gaunt and it seems really hard times were upon them all. How terribly sad.
McTavish is the kind of human being who is touched by the adversity of others. We recall that when Philippine bantamweight champion Alvin Felisilda was stopped in the tenth round of an OPBF title fight against Hozumi Hasegawa on November 9, 2003 and had brain surgery not once but twice, OPBF president Frank Quill and some Australian friends chipped in to help Felisilda try and regain some sort of productive life. McTavish was in the thick of it.
Quill, who is also a fine man, showed his concern while the Japanese boxing people and the doctors at the hospital where Felisilda was operated on did a terrific job not merely saving his life but in rehabilitating him. Bruce, Quinito Henson and we were picked to handle the funds in trust and McTavish did the brunt of the work. He even flew to the hometown of Felisilda and donated a tricycle to enable the boxer to earn a decent living even as we regularly sent him money for his medical expenses.
Just the other we received a call from Bruce. He was ecstatic and we couldn?t figure out why the joy. Then, when he calmed down and narrated how he received a donation of $40,000 from officials of New York based OMSG Company for his street children in Angeles City, we knew the happiness that filled his heart . The company it seems held a conference at the Holiday Inn in Clark where Bruce has a lovely little restaurant that provides the most sumptuous, mouth-watering steaks and a variety of fabulous Filipino food and decided to make a donation. In fact they had done so some six years ago.
McTavish and the members of the Rotary Club of Clark Centennial of which he is president have committed themselves to help feed and more importantly educate around 70 kids whose parents had abandoned them.
Bruce who is often in the center of the ring quietly doing his job without too much flourish or fanfare as some are wont to do, to perhaps cover up their inadequacies, has an unbelievably kind and caring disposition which is sometimes hard to appreciate in the context of what he does ? moderating a combat sport where two men are trying to maul or maim each other.
Therein lies the goodness of the man. And indeed, we are proud of what he has done and continues to do but more that are proud to count him among our valued friends. These are the kind of men we must embrace. For goodness and decency are the traits that elevate men not just in the eyes of their fellow men but most significantly in the eyes of God.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Ronnie Nathanielsz.
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