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Profile on Des Crabbe.
I asked Des to jot down a few notes about his very interesting life, and I said that I would attach his record at the squash club. What he thought he would do was send a poem that was written about him on his 70th birthday by his first boxing trainer whose name is Sam Parker. I will add Des’s working life details and as I say above will also add his record at the Squash Club and other sporting achievements that he achieved.
Tribute to Des Crabbe by Sam Parker.
| Des Crabbe this is your life At least the life I knew And I thought I’d like to tell of it Before my life is through. I first set my eyes on you At coopers plains gymnasium I was told you were brought there By a mother’s strong persuasion You’ll remember that a little gym And the many training nights Your spars with Les Barber You might say were really fights. You played soccer for Caledonians And league you ran on for South’s And played squash for the Boomerang club You were a surf boat member at Broadbeach But I remember most of all Those early boxing bouts. Now as I dream and reminisce I remember well the night Right here in Beaudesert town You had your very first fight. You went on to be a champion A heavyweight of renown There was no one that I recall Ever took away that crown Or knocked you down. You once fought Tony Madigan Stayed with him in every round And Madigan had gone the distance With the great Mohammed Ali. At Brisbane’s festival hall You became the referee And one night with Ian Looker You joined in the fight melee. In pubs across this land of ours From Redland Bay to Torres Strait There are many hard drinking men Who call Des Crabbe their mate. Des Crabbe will be remembered Mostly for his fighting Let’s not forget his other skill His artistic sign writing. These are all good memories Des With you I can relate That’s something we would not do today But for the hand of fate. Or maybe for the strong discipline Of a firm but loving mother That spared you from the same fate That befell your only brother. Yes Des you’ve had a mixed life Some ups and downs and loves That no doubt you think about While pulling beer in pubs. Today there’ll be many stories Old timers stand and tell In a name that’s all good & holy I hope no dill rings a bell. So have a happy birthday Des With your mates from the square ring We all hope you get a letter From Charlie when he is king. |
Des’s working life started as a badge designer for Wallace Bishops. Then he became pictorial artist for Foxcroft’s in Hope Street just down the road from the Boomerang courts, his next job was a foreman for Brisbane Mirror Company, and later started his own sign writing business from 1964-1973 and employed 30 people at one time.
In 1970 Crabbie moved into the hotel business, Des owned or leased 10 pubs between 1970 to 2003. The pubs that Des had were the following, Oriental in Brisbane City, Redland Bay, Gloucester South Brisbane, Osborne Sandgate, Federal Thursday Island, Eagleby Tavern, Morans Wharf, Torres Thursday Island, Beaudesert and South’s Rugby League Club.
Des’s other sporting feats are listed below: He played 3 different football codes when a young bloke, Des played soccer for Caledonians and represented Brisbane, Des Played Aussie Rules for Yeronga, He played for Southern Suburbs in Rugby League in A and Reserve grade, and represented Brisbane in the Bulimba Cup, which was an inter city competition at that time between Brisbane , Ipswich and Toowoomba.
As the poem says Des was Australian heavyweight champion as an amateur boxer, but the poem says Des was not knocked of his feet ever, but Des told me last October about when he was fighting in Melbourne there was one bloke that did knock him off his feet, Des said he was the biggest bloke he ever fought, his name was Steve Zoranich from West Australia. Who later became Australian professional heavyweight Boxing champion.
Crabbie was also a strong swimmer and was a belt swimmer and an oarsman in the surf boat for Broadbeach Surf Lifesaving Club.
Des played squash at Boomerang for a few years and his comment to me was he was lucky to play with such a great bunch of good blokes. His on court record is below.
As Sam said in the poem Des became the referee at Brisbane Festival Hall for quite a few years, Des was the 3rd man in the ring for approximately 110 main event fights mainly at Brisbane Festival Hall, other venues were Milton Tennis Courts, Brisbane City Hall , Morningside Football club.
Des was the Referee for 4 Australian Title Fights & 5 Commonwealth Title fights and he was the 3RD man in the ring for approximately 17 of Tony Mundines fights.
Most of you may not know what the reference in the poem ” re a melee is about”, one night one of the boxers a bloke called Ian Looker didn’t like Crabbie’s decision against him, so he got stuck into Des who retaliated, over the years that clip still comes on now and again in some sporting shows on TV. Ian was definitely fighting above his weight in that battle.
Des’s Record at the Squash Club.
Vice Patron 1969-1972
1975 3RD Division winner of the club championships, runner up was Wally Telford.
1966 Handicap open runner up to Wally Kwit.
Des won three pennants at the club. His team mate’s grades and years he won are listed below.
1962 winter C4. Roy Elmer, Joe Williams, and Laurie Nielsen.
1963 winter C2. Joe Williams, Bob Ford, Kevin French.
1964 winter B4. Joe Williams. Alan Frost, Doug White. Bob Ford.
Des also has told me he has just about finished writing a book about his life and hopes to have it out by mid year 2008. When I get any more information about the book, I will put a note in the news section of t his site.