Chicago Stadium
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| The Chicago Stadium | |
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| The Madhouse on Madison | |
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| Location | 1800 W. Madison Street Chicago, Illinois 60612 |
| Opened | March 28, 1929 |
| Closed | 1994 |
| Demolished | 1995 |
| Owner | Arthur Wirtz |
| Tenants | Chicago Blackhawks (NHL) (1929-1994) Chicago Bulls (NBA) (1967-1994) Chicago Sting (MISL) (1980–1988) |
| Capacity | 17,317 |
The Chicago Stadium was a famed and historic indoor sports arena in Chicago, Illinois. The Stadium hosted the Chicago Blackhawks of the NHL from 1929-1994 and the Chicago Bulls of the NBA from 1967-1994.
The arena was the site of numerous historic events, including the first NFL playoff game in 1932, (moved inside and played on an 80-yard field due to inclement weather), the 1932, 1940, and 1944 Democratic National Conventions, and the 1932 and 1944 Republican National Conventions, as well as numerous concerts, boxing matches and political rallies.
The stadium was first proposed by Chicago sports promoter Paddy Harmon. Harmon wanted to bring an NHL team to Chicago, but he lost out to Col. Laughlin. This team would soon be known as the Chicago Black Hawks (later 'Blackhawks'). Harmon then went on to at least try and get some control over the team by building a stadium for the Blackhawks to play in. He spent $2.5 million and borrowed more funds from friends, including James E. Norris in order to build the stadium.
Completed on March 28, 1929 at a cost of $9.5 million ($2.5 million was funded by Harmon), Chicago Stadium was the largest indoor arena in the world at the time - the closest to it in terms of capacity at the time was the third incarnation of New York's Madison Square Garden, which sat almost half as many people. Detroit's Olympia stadium, built two years earlier, was a model for the Chicago stadium and had a capacity of over 15,000 people. It was also the first arena with an air conditioning system (though the system was fairly rudimentary by modern standards, and was memorably given to filling the arena with fog during late-season games).
The Stadium sat 17,317 for hockey at the time of closure. Standees were allowed for many years, and often the official attendance figures in the published game summaries were given in round numbers, such as 18,500 or 20,000. The largest recorded crowd for an NHL game at the stadium was 20,069 for a playoff game between the Blackhawks and Minnesota North Stars on April 10, 1982. That record would be broken on April 23, 1996 when the Thunderdome, home of the Tampa Lightning, would record an attendace of 28,183. That record was broken again for the 2004 Heritage Classic.
Madhouse on Madison
In addition to the close-quartered, triple-tiered, boxy layout of the building, much of the loud, ringing noise of the fans could be attributed to the fabled 3,663-pipe Barton organ that was played during hockey games there, earning it the moniker of "The Madhouse on Madison (Street)". In the Stanley Cup semi-finals in 1971, when the Blackhawks scored a series-clinching empty-net goal, CBS TV announcer Dan Kelly reported, "I can feel our broadcast booth shaking! That's the kind of place Chicago Stadium is right now!"
It also became traditional for Blackhawk fans to cheer loudly throughout the singing of the Star Spangled Banner, especially when sung by Chicago favorite Wayne Messmer. Denizens of the second balcony often added sparklers and flags to the occasion. The most memorable of these was the singing before the 1991 NHL All-Star Game, which took place during the Gulf War.
It was also the very last NHL-used facility to retain the use of an analog dial-type large four-sided clock for timekeeping in professional hockey games. That clock eventually was replaced by a four-sided scoreboard with a digital clock, and then by another, this one with a color electronic message board.
The Stadium was also one of the last three NHL arenas (the others being Boston Garden and the Buffalo Memorial Auditorium) to have a shorter-than-regulation ice surface, as their construction predated the regulation. The distance was taken out of the neutral zone.
[edit] Demolition
After the Blackhawks and Bulls moved to the United Center, the Chicago Stadium was demolished in 1995. The console of the Barton organ now resides in the Phil Maloof residence in Las Vegas, Nevada. Also, the center of the Chicago Bulls' floor resides in Michael Jordan's trophy room in his house.
- A plaque with the words "Chicago Stadium 1929–1994, remember the roar" is located behind a statue of the Blackhawks greatest players on the north side of the United Center.
- Two friezes from Chicago Stadium were incorporated into a building at St. Ignatius College Preparatory School, 1060 W. Roosevelt Road.
[edit] Notable Events
- 1932 - Due to a snow storm the Chicago Bears played the 1932 championship game inside the Chicago Stadium against the Portsmouth Spartans (later the Detroit Lions). The Bears won 9–0 on an 80 yard dirt field.
- 1932, 1940, and 1944 - Democratic National Convention
- 1932 and 1944 Republican National Conventions
- 1933 - the site hosted the funeral of Chicago mayor Anton J. Cermak.
- 1948, 1961, and 1974 - NHL All-Star Game
- the Great Midwest Conference men's basketball tournament was held here in 1992.
- 1961 - Scenes from the 1962 version of the film The Manchurian Candidate depicting the Republican nomination convention, were filmed in the stadium. The scenes are set in New York's Madison Square Garden.
- 1977 - In the spring of 1977, Led Zeppelin played four shows here during their North American tour. Two more were scheduled for later in the tour but were cancelled due to Robert Plant's son's death.
- 1973, 1988 site of the NBA All-Star Game
- 1994 - The final concert at Chicago Stadium was held on March 10, 1994. The concert featured Pearl Jam, Urge Overkill, and The Frogs.
- 1994 - The final hockey game at Chicago Stadium was played on April 28. The Blackhawks lost to the Toronto Maple Leafs 1–0. eliminating them from the 1994 Stanley Cup Playoffs. The only goal in the game, and last goal ever scored, came from Mike Gartner in the first period.
- 1994 - The final event at Chicago Stadium was Scottie Pippen's Ameritech Classic charity basketball game, held on September 9, 1994. Michael Jordan, despite being in retirement at the time, participated and scored 52 points, leading the White Team to a 187–150 victory over Pippen's Red team. At the end of the game, Jordan kneeled and kissed the Bulls logo at center court.
[edit] External links
- Chicago Stadium's Basketball History
- Chicago Stadium's Hockey History
- A web page devoted to the fabled Chicago Stadium Barton organ.
- Jazz Age Chicago: Chicago Stadium
| Preceded by Chicago Coliseum |
Home of the Chicago Blackhawks 1929 – 1994 |
Succeeded by United Center |
| Preceded by Maple Leaf Gardens Montreal Forum Madison Square Garden Pittsburgh Civic Arena |
Host of the NHL All-Star Game 1948 1961 1974 1991 |
Succeeded by Maple Leaf Gardens Maple Leaf Gardens Montreal Forum Philadelphia Spectrum |
| Preceded by International Amphitheatre |
Home of the Chicago Bulls 1967 – 1994 |
Succeeded by United Center |
| Preceded by The Forum Kingdome |
Host of the NBA All-Star Game 1973 1988 |
Succeeded by Seattle Center Coliseum Astrodome |
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