Madison Square Garden Bowl
Encyclopedia
Madison Square Garden Bowl was the name of an outdoor arena
in the New York City
borough
of Queens
. Built in 1932, the arena hosted circuses and boxing
matches. Its seating capacity
was 72,000 spectators. It was eventually destroyed after years of disuse.
It was located at 48th Street and Northern Boulevard
in Long Island City. This was the site where James J. Braddock
defeated Max Baer for the World Heavyweight title on June 13, 1935 that was dramatized in the film Cinderella Man
. Braddock was born on West 48th Street in Hell's Kitchen just a few blocks from the West 49th Street location of the third Madison Square Garden
. Braddock's first comeback fight against John "Corn" Griffin
was also in the venue. Jack Sharkey
and Primo Carnera
also captured the heavyweight crown in the 1930s at the Madison Square Garden Bowl.
The bowl was torn down after World War II
to make way for a US Army Mail Depot. It, in turn, was torn down and the area was home to car dealerships, and now The Home Depot
.
Arena
An arena is an enclosed area, often circular or oval-shaped, designed to showcase theater, musical performances, or sporting events. It is composed of a large open space surrounded on most or all sides by tiered seating for spectators. The key feature of an arena is that the event space is the...
in the New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
borough
Borough (New York City)
New York City, one of the largest cities in the world, is composed of five boroughs. Each borough now has the same boundaries as the county it is in. County governments were dissolved when the city consolidated in 1898, along with all city, town, and village governments within each county...
of Queens
Queens
Queens is the easternmost of the five boroughs of New York City. The largest borough in area and the second-largest in population, it is coextensive with Queens County, an administrative division of New York state, in the United States....
. Built in 1932, the arena hosted circuses and boxing
Boxing
Boxing, also called pugilism, is a combat sport in which two people fight each other using their fists. Boxing is supervised by a referee over a series of between one to three minute intervals called rounds...
matches. Its seating capacity
Seating capacity
Seating capacity refers to the number of people who can be seated in a specific space, both in terms of the physical space available, and in terms of limitations set by law. Seating capacity can be used in the description of anything ranging from an automobile that seats two to a stadium that seats...
was 72,000 spectators. It was eventually destroyed after years of disuse.
It was located at 48th Street and Northern Boulevard
New York State Route 25A
New York State Route 25A is a state highway on Long Island in New York in the United States. It serves as the main east–west route for most of the North Shore of Long Island, running from the Queens Midtown Tunnel in the New York City borough of Queens at its western terminus to...
in Long Island City. This was the site where James J. Braddock
James J. Braddock
James Walter "The Cinderella Man" Braddock was an American boxer who was the world heavyweight champion from 1935 to 1937....
defeated Max Baer for the World Heavyweight title on June 13, 1935 that was dramatized in the film Cinderella Man
Cinderella Man
Cinderella Man is a 2005 American drama film by Ron Howard, titled after the nickname of heavyweight boxing champion James J. Braddock and inspired by his life story. The film was produced by Howard, Penny Marshall, and Brian Grazer.-Plot:James J...
. Braddock was born on West 48th Street in Hell's Kitchen just a few blocks from the West 49th Street location of the third Madison Square Garden
Madison Square Garden (1925)
Madison Square Garden was an indoor arena in New York City, the third of that name. It was built in 1925 and closed in 1968, and was located on Eighth Avenue between 49th and 50th Streets in Manhattan on the site of the city's trolley car barns. It was the first Garden that was not located near...
. Braddock's first comeback fight against John "Corn" Griffin
John Griffin (boxer)
John Charles "Corn" Griffin, was an American heavyweight boxer whose career lasted from 1930 to 1936 and included the memorable June 14, 1934 TKO loss to James J. Braddock, recreated for the 2005 film Cinderella Man....
was also in the venue. Jack Sharkey
Jack Sharkey
Jack Sharkey was an American heavyweight boxing champion. He was born Joseph Paul Zukauskas , the son of Lithuanian immigrants, in Binghamton, New York but moved to Boston, Massachusetts as a young man...
and Primo Carnera
Primo Carnera
Primo Carnera was an Italian boxer, nicknamed the Ambling Alp, who became the world heavyweight champion.-Biography:...
also captured the heavyweight crown in the 1930s at the Madison Square Garden Bowl.
The bowl was torn down after World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
to make way for a US Army Mail Depot. It, in turn, was torn down and the area was home to car dealerships, and now The Home Depot
The Home Depot
The Home Depot is an American retailer of home improvement and construction products and services.The Home Depot operates 2,248 big-box format stores across the United States , Canada , Mexico and China, with a 12-store chain...
.
See also
- Madison Square Garden (1879)Madison Square Garden (1879)Madison Square Garden was an arena in New York City located at East 26th Street and Madison Avenue in Manhattan. The first venue to use that name, it had a seating capacity of 10,000 spectators...
- Madison Square Garden (1890)Madison Square Garden (1890)Madison Square Garden was an indoor arena in New York City, the second by that name, and the second to be located at 26th Street and Madison Avenue in Manhattan...
- Madison Square Garden (1925)Madison Square Garden (1925)Madison Square Garden was an indoor arena in New York City, the third of that name. It was built in 1925 and closed in 1968, and was located on Eighth Avenue between 49th and 50th Streets in Manhattan on the site of the city's trolley car barns. It was the first Garden that was not located near...
- Madison Square GardenMadison Square GardenMadison Square Garden, often abbreviated as MSG and known colloquially as The Garden, is a multi-purpose indoor arena in the New York City borough of Manhattan and located at 8th Avenue, between 31st and 33rd Streets, situated on top of Pennsylvania Station.Opened on February 11, 1968, it is the...