Buddy Daye

Delmore William "Buddy" Daye (1928 – October 1995) was a Canadian professional boxer and community activist.

Early life and beginnings
Delmore “Buddy” Daye was born in New Glasgow, Nova Scotia in 1928. Daye moved to Halifax, Nova Scotia as a young boy and grew up on Creighton Street. He worked as a merchant mariner for a short period.

Professional boxing career
Daye fought as a professional boxer between 1953 and 1966. He beat an undefeated Dave Hilton Sr. in a 10-round fight in 1959, but nearly three months later, he was defeated by Hilton for the Canadian Featherweight title. On June 30, 1964, Buddy Daye won the Canadian Super Featherweight title at the Halifax Forum in Halifax. Daye lost the title to Les Gillis on January 15, 1966. Daye's last boxing match was on September 10, 1966, against Leo Noel of Saint John, New Brunswick.

Daye was inducted into the Nova Scotia Sport Hall of Fame in 1981.

Political career
Daye was a community activist in Halifax's North End and supporter of Africville. Daye ran for the Nova Scotia New Democratic Party in the electoral district of Halifax Needham in the 1967 provincial election.

In 1990, Daye became the first African Nova Scotian Sergeant-at-Arms for the Nova Scotia House of Assembly, where he served until 1995.

Death
Delmore "Buddy" Daye died from lung cancer in October 1995.

Honors and awards

 * Canadian Super Featherweight Title. (1964)
 * Inductee of the Nova Scotia Sport Hall of Fame. (1981)
 * In 1996, his photograph was placed as a permanent memorial in the Nova Scotia House of Assembly.
 * In June 2006, a street was renamed in his memory in the North End of Halifax, between Gottingen and Maynard streets.