KANE Brothers boxing gym in UNDERBELLY

Chopper Read mentions Ambrose in a number of his books, i would say their's a number of shady characters have passed under him including the Kane's, will check tonight.

 

I trained at Palmers from 1969 - 1973; Chopper was not there. Brian Kane was not there training. The gym was open to all. When Fammo was there, there would be possibly one hundred plus spectators there. Who knows who may have been standing there watching. A Daryl and Graeme Kane fought under Ambrose at this time. Cousin of Brian Kane? Possibly.

I believe that this Kane gym that is portrayed as them supposedly operating is a fantasy of the producers of Underbelly....which does a dis-service to all in boxing....tainting the flavour of our sport yet again. Domanic Gatto is depicted as training at this fantasy gym in Underbelly. He was trained at Keven Waterson's gym, Kevin ran the two up school with Nappy Ollington for numerous years there, in a floor above or below the gym, depending what night of the week, and who was keeping nit. The producers ignorance to portray the truth is understandable (being sued), and typical or perhaps just lazy.

For those truth seekers, like yourselves, it is better to ask older heads that were there part of the time. Writing about these things is often dangerous also (being sued).

Gradually, and unfortunately, shows like Underbelly will unintentionately replace the facts with their fiction.

ps: Many people like to 'drop names', and say they were associated with great legends. It happens in every sport. People, including criminals and drop-kicks like Choppa, like mentioning their connections to boxing legends like the Great Ambrose Palmer. They feel it gives them some qualification or kudos in the sport of boxing. A crystal ball might reveal the truth, of them perhaps coming to the gym once as a spectator and shaking his hand. If you were to count and identify the number of people who shook the legend Ambrose Palmer's hand, you would gain some understanding of the awe he created. To ask Palmer whether he actually knew these criminals and drop kicks, or whether he had met them, would be a most difficult thing for him to remember, and any other sports legend would have the same difficulty.

Having been to Palmer's house as a guest on two occasions, and having met his wife May, and his daughters.... I can say ( with some credibility I hope), that Palmer was a devoted husband, and father to his family. His interests were in his family, and boxing, and football, and horse racing. He was a very wealthy man, this wealth was not gained through crime. He had no interests in crime, or its crims and villains. If he had any associations with crims, it would be those who he was training at his boxing gym - from time to time. It is a mortal sin to ever/even think of Palmer as an associate of Brian Kane or Choppa.

In boxing, many fellows, kids come to the gym as crims; as a trainer, you hope and try to influence and lead them away from this. In the years I knew Palmer he spoke as a gentleman....not once, not once! did I ever hear him swear...or blaspheme or even say a nasty word. His military service and dedication to his sports, boxing and football should also bear some great weight, as a testimony to the man , in not being associated with criminals.

(And lets not forget that local Football clubs have young crims playing in their clubs too; you would not lable the local football coach as a friend or consorter of these criminals, just because he coaches a kid who does burglaries or sells drugs.)

 

Ha ha ha CHB
I can say I fought him several times in Palmers gym (over six rounders), wildly and spitefully....but it is my greater brother actually has the boxrec-ord.
Good on ya mate....

re:Underbelly. We supporters of boxing could possibly start a 'Class Action' against Underbelly producers, as showing a tendency to denigrate our sport of boxing.....I'll donate a few quid.

 

Cheers for the info guys.

I have never heard of a Kane brothers gym before and thought it might have been a bit of bull**** for the show.

Is it true that Ambrose was that the VIP section when the Great bookie robbery happened? And he was told he could sit down on a chair and he didnt have to lie on the floor?
I was told this before the series aired, cant be sure of it validity though.

 

I have read the Dockerunion site several times; its reference to APalmer was the Dockerunion website quoting Melbournecrime.com.........a site which apparantly only existed for a very short time, not hard to wonder why.

I've seen better (written) "evidence" from blinded graffitti bandits in a pitch black train-tunnel.

"The Bookie Club was an exclusive distinguished group of horse racing identities and on-track-bookmakers, that met regularly and talked about horse racing. It had a bar, and you could also place a bet there. (tabcor grabbed their old idea and have now marketed it to the back teeth, but back then, it was exclusive.) Ambrose Palmer was a avid horse race fan. He invested in some horses. He often invested in a bet. He would regularly go to Flemington Members and Caulfield Membes on each Saturday.

When the masked robbers entered the booky club, they told all punters and dignatories to get down on the ground, except Ambrose, he was allowed to sit on a chair...the crook saying to him, "Not you Ambrose, you sit on a chair" or words to that affect. Not one to argue with a gun, Ambrose sat on the chair. He did not know the character and did not identify the character.....reason for this was that he did not know the character and could not identify the character.

You've read my text in another Kane Thread.....I will not further espouse the finer virtues of the legend Palmer here again. Legends are known by everyone, including masked robbers. If Bert Newton had have been at the booky club, who knows he might have gained a seat also, and also been included in this mystery. Just bad luck that Ambrose was at the club enjoying his racing and racing friends that day.

I can honestly say that I have never heard that Palmer was ever able to reveal that Les Kane was the man who was 'courteous' to him at the Great Bookie Robbery. I think this is a speculation, or an invention, invented by others for their own different reasons...probably invented over much alcohol. ( I say this with my own very interested and clear mind about this event - at that time, and hearing that Amby was at the Club; I had good information, with regards to the things I was doing as a policeman then, and shortly after the event when serving as a detective in two of the major crime squads in Melbourne - but what would a dumb-ole, punchy, ex- coppa know? )

Such a shame that these brave people come out after Palmer had died and manufacture more myth. (Atigerofold in another thread)"

 

CHB, that dockers site is one strange place...makes the usual suspects here look like Rhodes scholars.

 

Good to see you have some science in your thinking LeonMcs;
in this computer age, we are so shaped by the technology and
media to often believe what is said or implied.

We must test and support info presented as fact, we must take a scientific reasoned approach to all claims, who people are, what goals they support, what organisation they might speak on behalf of, why and what are the motivations for what they are reporting......(sorry to give the obvious lesson)

I woiuld hope that with my honesty here, I would be regarded as a better witness, not first hand, but close to it; these proclamations made are horridly wrong, and has forces me to show my hand.

I will now retreat to my chair and not say anymore about these times.

 

TV producers can get away with anything...dont waste your cash mate.

On another note please post here more often as it would be interesting to here and learn some stories of the good old days :good

 

Thanks Ashley.

 

Tiger, the actual thread you linked was very interesting...just not sure about a forum entitled 'Trust Spades if you want to... Not me!!'.