Buddy Palmer

Campbell Palmer, better known as Buddy, was one of 13 children born to Gordon Wellington Palmer and Sarah Desjarlais, originally of Saskatchewan. The family moved west in his early years, first to Alberta, then to Haney, British Columbia where he grew up and took up the sport of boxing by the age of 11. He quickly found success, winning multiple awards and accolades in his youth, including Silver Gloves tournaments in 1949 and 1950. He won Golden Gloves competitions in 1952, 1953, and 1954, in addition to provincial (Alberta) and national titles in the latter year. Though injury kept him off the podium in 1955, Palmer picked up yet another Golden Gloves championship the next year at Vancouver. He moved to the small central British Columbia town of 100 Mile House in that same year where he found work as a bartender.

After a short break from boxing, Palmer re-emerged onto the boxing scene in 1962, winning a championship in Vancouver. Fighting out of the 100 Mile House Boxing Club alongside his younger brother Gerry, Buddy Palmer set his sights on the Olympic trials for the 1964 Tokyo Olympics and gained his selection by winning the Canadian 132-pound title. At 28-years-old, he was the oldest member of the Canadian boxing delegation and announced his intention to retire from the sport after the Olympics. In Tokyo, Palmer won his first match against Gabriel Achy of Côte d’Ivoire by decision, but eventually lost to Bulgarian Stoyan Pilichev in the third round. After his return to Canada, Palmer continued his involvement in the boxing scene in the capacity of a judge and official for various matches across central and Northern British Columbia. He later moved to Prince George, British Columbia where he worked as a carpenter.