Jack Haines

Jack Haines (pictured at left in the above photo) lived on Cambridge street in the 20s and 30s.  He made his name as a boxer and at one stage held the Australian middleweight championship title.  He is remembered for a string of bouts against Ambrose Palmer (pictured at right in the above photo) in 1930.  The first fight was described by the SMH as "one of the greatest contests witnessed for years at the Rushcutters Bay Stadium" (known in the day as the "House of Stoush") and ended in a draw, despite boxing reporter Jim Donald from Smiths Weekly giving it to Haines. 

The rematch a month later was a sellout.  Still it ended in a draw after 15 rounds.  A third bout was scheduled for after Christmas.  In the 12th round Haines complained to the referee about a low blow, but the objection was over-ruled.  Moments later he was struck by another blow and felled.  Jack ended up in St Vincents that night, suffering from a cerebral hemorrhage.  You would think that would end his career but by June 1931 he returned to the ring for "an exhibition of boxing and training at the Capitol Theatre".

For the record, Jack, listed as John Haines, lived at 24 Cambridge street.  The above is a snapshot of a Sands Directory listing from 1931.  If you are interested in some more of Jack's story you can find a lot of old articles on him on Trove.  I have copied the SMH article from 29 December 1930 below but if it is too small you can get it by searching ' "Jack Haines" Cambridge Street' on Trove.