A message from the Mayor: Dave Sands, it's time!

Published on 17 May 2022

Long overdue recognition for one of Kempsey Shire’s most outstanding athletes, Dave Sands, occurred last week with the presentation of the Commonwealth Championship Belt in NSW Parliament House 73 years after it was earned.

Dave and the Ritchie family put our Shire in the world spotlight in the 1940s and 50s and it is now time to take action to honour them and this tribute should be ongoing. 

Dave Ritchie (who took on the Sands name for his boxing career) was one of six brothers and a daughter, Lillian, to George and Mabel Ritchie from Burnt Bridge. They were all proud Dunghutti people who put the Kempsey Shire on the Map.

Clem, Percy, George, Dave, Alfie, Russell were the famous Sands boxing brothers. All of them had many significant successes over the years. Dave was sadly killed in a road accident at Dungog in 1952.  He was twenty-six and left a wife, Bessie and four children.

Last Thursday I travelled to Parliament House in Sydney for the overdue presentation of the 1949 replica Belt to the Ritchie family.

Able to attend were Clem’s daughter Mabel Jacky, Dave’s grandsons, Chad & Shane, Lilian Ritchie’s son Hector, and Phil Dotti with wife Trish and daughter Rhiannon. 

Also in attendance were NSW Boxing Association Veterans Bob Holt and Marty Pepperall. The NSW Sports Minister Stuart Ayres made the presentation, with local Oxley MP, Melinda Pavey being the MC.

Chad Ritchie gave an empowering speech to mark the event.

“He was community minded, he raised money for charities and would never say no to anyone,” he said of his grandfather.

Chad also spoke about the Ritchie family. “They always had each other’s back. They adored and loved their mother and always return to Burnt Bridge for family time and financing a new cottage to ensure their mother’s comfort and security.”

Kempsey Shire Council is looking to work with the Ritchie family to create an ongoing and suitable commemoration to an outstanding Dunghutti man, Dave Sands, and his champion brothers.