Date: Tue, 30 Aug 2005 03:27:38 -0500

From: holly

To: Dad <johnnyw@codap.com>

Subject: Arena Gardens

 

 

Hi, I would of had these earlier tonight, but someone suggested I watch the Weather Channel, and, uh, I fell alseep. But anyway, here are the references I've found so far. I included the links and some excerpts so you know what you're getting into. I've labeled the excerpts as the only mention if it was all that was relevant on that page.

 

 

There are several mentions on this page: http://www.wrestlingclassics.com/wawli/New151-160.htm , but the one on April 26,

1936 (just do a Find) is pretty good. Adam Weissmuller gets referred to as a "quiet little German" and it describes how well things are going for him. It's called FAME AND FORTUNE ARRIVED FOR MAT PROMOTER. There are also:

 

April 19, 1936

Full article on Adam Weissmuller:

"From now on he will be addressed as '$50,000 Weissmuller.'"

 

April 21, 1936

This one just mentions Arena Gardens, but I thought this quote was funny.

"An angered fan attacked referee Ted Greis as he stepped from the Arena Gardens ring last night but the ring official, strong and youthful, quite gallantly refused to strike back because his assailant was wearing glasses."

 

April 26, 1936

This is describing a match at Olympia, a different arena in Detroit, between Shikat and Ali Baba whose exclusive contract Adam Weissmuller had for five years.

"Shikat had poked Detroit's No. 1 grappler in the eye just once too often. So Ali picked up the big fellow and dumped him over the top rope." "With difficulty, the German crawled back at the count of eight and Ali picked him up again, like a bag of salt. Head first he dished the champ again over the top rope and Dick sprawled once more on the cement. As fate would have it, he landed at the feet of Buddy Rogers, widely known movie star. Buddy had been eating peanuts."

[...]

"The supporting card of last night's show stamped Adam Weissmuller as a worthy promoter."

 

There are probably more, these are just the interesting ones I happened across while skimming.

 

 

http://www.wrestlingclassics.com/wawli/New191-200.htm May 4, 1936

Here's the one that talks about Adam Weissmuller's eyes and how he got started in promoting.

 

 

 

http://www.wrestling-titles.com/nwa/meeting195203.html The only mention here is:

"Here you meet up with Harry Light. He has Detroit and the state of Michigan wrestling conscious. Light succeeded Adam Weissmuller, uncle of Johnny Weissmuller, famed moving picture star."

 

 

 

http://www.njboxinghof.org/cgi-bin/henryseehof.pl?64 Only mention of Arena Gardens:

"At the Arena Gardens in Detroit, at age 19, Charley Smith scored a technical knockout over Chester Rico, whom “RING MAGAZINE” had rated the sixth best lightweight in the world."

 

 

 

http://wrestlingclassics.com/cgi-bin/.ubbcgi/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=1;t=055840;p= Tons of results of wrestling matches in the 30's at Arena Gardens. I'm going to try looking up pictures of these guys to see if they match that picture of Adam Weissmuller with lines of wrestlers on either side of him.

 

 

 

http://www.detnews.com/2004/metro/0403/15/b03-91030.htm Did Arena Gardens have a gym? Because Arena Gardens was on Woodward Avenue.

Only mention.

"The first time I met Ted Ewald, we were standing in a rancid, smelly locker room in a sleazy gym called the Arena Gardens, on Woodward Avenue not far from the Wayne State campus."

 

 

 

http://theatreorgans.com/au/opus/OP01/OP0103B.htm Here's the theatre organ specs.

 

 

 

http://www.ebay.com.my/viItem?ItemId=5231416328 Here's an item on Ebay, the auction is over, but it looks like it didn't sell. Includes pictures of Arena Gardens Skating Club.

1941 Chicago Roller Skates Catalog 38 pages photos: "Excellant condition (glare from camera) 38 pages Chicago Roller Skates 1941 catalog. Photos of all skates available + parts/skating rink items. Photos include: Ware brothers factory (where the sktes are made)/The Resua Sisters/The Three Hamiltons/Transcontinental Roller Derby Colliseum Chicago/ 1st dogs on roller skates/Snyders Bears/Arena Gardens Skating Club of Detroit, Michigan/Skating record holders: Leon Kimm/Malcom J. Carey/Helen Carlos."

 

 

 

http://web.archive.org/web/20030528234128/http://butternut.k12.wi.us/charles+fischer/frame491568.html Only mention in the Biography of Charles "Midget" Fischer: "The circumstances under which Roxy was awarded the light heavyweight title were suspicious. The match had been promoted by Adam Weismuller, a relative of Johnny Weismuller of Olympic swimming and "Tarzan" movie fame. Like many other wrestling promoters, Adam was not known to be a straight-shooter when it came to

staging honest wrestling matches."

 

 

 

http://www.rollerskatingmuseum.com/museum/museum_news.htm Here's the book!

"NEW BOOK RELEASED FROM THE NATIONAL MUSEUM OF ROLLER SKATING The National Museum of Roller Skating is proud to present The Allure of the Rink, Roller Skating at the Arena Gardens, 1935-53, (ISBN 0-9658192-1-3). The book is sold exclusively by the National Museum of Roller Skating for $10 or included with a new Individual/Family Membership for $35.

The book was written by Sarah Webber, former assistant curator of the National Museum of Roller Skating from the spring of 1997 through the early summer of 1998. During her tenure at the museum, she wrote extensively on the history of roller skating in the United States in the twentieth century.

 

From the 1930s through the 1950s, Americans met at their local roller rink after work, went roller skating there on dates, and joined their rink's roller skating club. Roller skating reigned as the second most popular participation sport in the country. Millions of people across the United States embraced roller skating. For thousands of Americans, roller skating at their local roller rink became an important, intimate part of their lives.

 

The Arena Gardens in Detroit, Michigan, like hundreds of other rinks across the United States, served the social and recreational needs of thousands of Detroit residents. Noted across Detroit as well as the United States for its professional staff, skating clubs, organist, and even its refreshment counter, the Arena Gardens quickly attained a legendary status after it opened in 1935.

This celebrated roller rink, completely designed and organized around providing roller skaters with a wholesome and enjoyable experience, represented then as now the model rink in the era of roller skating in the United States.

 

With over fifty images from the collection of the National Museum of Roller Skating, The Allure of the Rink illustrates one of America's most famous roller rinks, the Arena Gardens in Detroit, Michigan."

 

 

http://www.rollerskatingmuseum.com/prod03.htm (only mention)

"First official U.S. Amateur Speed Skating Championship races held April 2-4, 1937 at the Arena Gardens rink in Detroit, Michigan.

First Figures Championship held at the Arena Gardens rink in Detroit, Mich., in 1939."

 

 

This is about the history of St. Mary College which became Marygrove College.

It was run by nuns. Were these the nuns Grandpa talked about? There's only this mention of Arena Gardens:

"The purchase price of the land, however, exhausted the money that had been set aside to build the new campus in Monroe, so the Congregation launched a Building Campaign Fund in 1923, culminating in a week-long Marygrove Festival at the Arena Gardens in Detroit."

 

 

 

http://www.lesliefield.com/personalities/bill_cantrell_wild_bill_remembers_1979.htm 'Wild Bill' Cantrell Remembers: (only mention) "I rassled for Adam Weissmuller the promoter in Pontiac, Flint, Jackson and several small towns in that territory. And I was rasslin’ at the Arena Gardens down on Woodward Avenue."

 

 

 

http://www.caulifloweralleyclub.org/2004Reunion/WildBullCurry.html This is a different Wild Bill. This is Adam Weissmuller's only mention: WILD BULL CURRY What made Curry all the more feared (and respected) is his toughness was no mere gimmick. Fred says, “Dad started in the 1930s, training with Adam Weissmuller (a top wrestling promoter) during AT shows. He could work it or shoot it – that’s what you had to do in those days to survive.”

 

 

http://wrestlingclassics.com/cgi-bin/.ubbcgi/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=4;t=005384;p= Also about Wild Bill Curry: Only mention.

"At the age of 14, he started as a boxer and a wrestler in carnivals. He was seen by Adam Weissmuller, the uncle of swimmer Johhny Weissmuller of Tarzan fame, who was a wrestling promoter in Detroit and was signed to work in that promotion.

 

There is a story that he was once wrestling in Montreal. The fans charged after Curry following the match and cornered him. Bull reportedly told the mob that they could do anything they wanted to him, but to "leave my Cadillac alone". The people ran and destroyed the Cadillac while Curry went back to the dressing room, showered, dressed and went to his car and left. It seems the Cadillac they destroyed belonged to the local promoter."

 

 

 

Forgotten where I got this, but it lists some fights Adam Weissmuller was in. Columbus, Ohio: November 10, 1926

 

(MH) ... (WWTM) Jack Reynolds* beat Adam Weissmuller ... Ira Dern beat John Kilonis ... Jack Sherry beat George Walker (decision) ...

 

(Amateur Heavyweight Tournament) Ray Steinmetz beat Charlie Wilder ... Bob Hendricks beat Strangler Robinson (decision) ... (Final) Bob Hendricks beat Ray Steinmetz

 

Columbus, Ohio: October 13, 1926

 

(Chamber of Commerce) ... Adam Weissmuller beat Charlie Grip ... Clete Kauffman beat Joe Shimkus (dq) ... Charles Lehman beat Clete

 

Kauffman (decision) ... Joe Schwartzoff beat Dan Powell ... Wayne Dunkle beat Jack Saunders (decision)

 

Note: Adam Weissmuller was the brother of swimmer Johnny Weissmuller, who became

the most famous "Tarzan" of the movies." 

[Errata Note:  This is incorrect -- Adam and Johnny were Cousins, sons of brothers Michael and Peter Weissmuller]