Richard Hultman writes:
You didn’t mention a certain landmark location on your Main Street blogs.
Don’t know if the L.A. Conservancy tour mentioned it, but about a block
further up Main Street at 318 1/2 S. Main was the Main Street Gym.
I
checked the address on Windows Live Local and saw a big parking lot across
from what I guess is the Ronald Reagan Office Building so it must be
gone. Nothing there for even a Conservancy tour.
The Main Street Gym
was the mecca of boxing in Los Angeles. The place all
the greats went to
train or workout when they were in Los Angeles. Joe
Louis (above, 1963), Ray Robinson,
Muhammad Ali, and a host of lesser lights all trained
there when they had
fights in Los Angeles or were in L.A. for other reasons.
The Rocky movies
had location scenes shot there.
Cecelia Rasmussen wrote a column in The
Times about one of its owners, Howie
Steindler, that was later reprinted in
her book "LA Unconventional". The man
was murdered in 1977 in a case that
was never solved.
Main Street must have been a lively place at one time
with all the burlesque
theatres, and the trolleys and interurbans going up
and down the street.
And the Main Street Gym between 3rd and 4th.
–Thanks for sharing!
–Larry
ladailymirror.com 
The gym has been gone for quite a while. There are only two buildings on the entire lot, and they are on the Los Angeles St side. They are part of the Downtown Women’s Center. These buildings will be torn down in 2 years or so, when the DWC moves to its new location on S. San Pedro.
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Hey Larry: When I was in high school in Fullerton, we used to ditch school, drive up to skid row and hang for the afternoon. We’d end up at either The Follys, The Burbank to watch the strippers, or the Main Street Gym to watch the boxers spar. Of course we’d get some drunk to get us a couple of quarts of beer and have a great time. There was a little joint across Main from the gym called Johnnie’s Shrimp Boat. ^ in a bag with rice, beans, and gravy was only a buck. What a treat. Those were some of the best times of my life.
Yer pal, Bill
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My Father in Law trained at the Main street Gym–cica 1920 1939. He has passed, but I would love to hear from someone about him and his career.
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Johnnies Shrimp boat is open at Whittier Blvd and Mott Ave. in east LA.Still to this day, there are times when people walk in and see the pics on the walls and say “oh my god, thats exactly the way I remember it.” As a child we enjoyed the ride in the back of my dads truck, and enjoyed some great shrimp with rice and beans covered in gravy!!! And of course watch the great scenery surrounded by the skidrow bums!!!
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I walked into the Main St Gym in about 1971. I was going to school at Southwestern U, which was on 11th and Hill. I was in an aggressive mood and thought I might try my hand at fisticuffs. I noted most the guys in there had broken noses and decided against it.
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Main Street Gym 318 1/2 does anyone know who the owner is of this name
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I’m doing research on the Boxing Era from 1947 – 1956, Main Strret Gym, Los Angeles. Does anyone know who or where the film footages are from the boxing matches that took placve at Main Street Gym or the Hollywood Legion?
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I used to spar in the Main St. Gyn in the 1970s with Pedro Lovell, Ernie Lopez, Mike Nixon and even George Foreman. Do you know where Pedro Lovell and Mike Nixon are today?
Thanks.
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