Olympia Stadium - Grand River & McGraw

[9606 Prest]

Does anyone have any interesting stories about attending events like Red Wing hockey games, Piston basketball games, boxing, concerts, etc. at Olympia?

[jjaba]

According to jjaba's sources, Elvis is still in the building.

jjaba, on the Westside on the Grand River bus heading to Oakman Blvd.

[SMRJim]

Not that this is all that interesting, but just to get something out here, I saw Led Zeppelin there. I think it was in December of 75, on the tour after they had released Physical Graffiti. Can't remember all that much, other than Jimmy Page running around in his moons-and-stars outfit, oocasionally chugging on a bottle of whiskey. We were doing a lot of what folks did at concerts back then - the stadium was a bit smokey. After the concert there were small gangs outside causing problems, stealing purses, etc. I remember being very relieved when we finally got back to our car. Also saw the Who at the Silverdome right around that time, it was the very first concert there. Spent the night before partying in a parking lot, slept in the car, froze to death the day of the concert standing in line all day so that we could get good seats, almost got trampled when everyone started rushing towards the doors late in the afternoon. Me and a buddy of mine got interviewed by a news reporter and were quoted in the Free Press - still have the article. My friend's quote said that we 'stayed up all night drinking in the rain'. My parents really loved that quote - I was 15 at the time. Sorry to stray off the Olympia theme! I did go to a couple of Wings games at Olympia, but I was very young and memories are very vague. Gordie Howe was still playing then, I know that much.

[Mackenzie68]

I went to many Red Wings games, including the last one played in there. Was an oldtimers game, and I knew more of them than the young dudes. I just found the stub. Thurs. Feb 21, 1980 7:00pm "Olympia's Last Hurrah The Old Timers vs The Detroit Red Wings. Ticket was for Mezz row H seat 10 and cost $3.00. Fifty cents of that was the city surcharge. I don't remember the score. I think most of the Production Line was there and that Sonny Elliot played goalie for a moment or two between periods. I had no idea that the building was done for until I read the ticket [[from Convenient Ticket Company) .

I saw Chicago there, was an awful place for a concert. We were behind the stage and couldn't even recognize most tunes as the sound was bouncing around so much. I turned down a chance to see the Beatles there. My logic was good, [[they played very short shows, you couldn't hear for the screaming) but still ... .

I don't remember the first Ice Capades and Ice Follies we went to but I don't think the family missed a year from early fifties through mid seventies. Many hockey games as well, mostly cheering for Gadsby and Lindsay [[mom's crush) and Sawchuk, who was considered a wimp for his face mask. Oh yeah, some Howe guy.

I'll try to get dad to tell some stories of working as the house electrician when Roy Rogers put on a show there. He also spent some time on the catwalks rigging the lighting for Scotty Kilpatrick to get amazing photos for the News.

[Downriviera]

I grew up in that building, attended many Wings games in my youth and played hockey there numerous times as well. I'll always remember the strange feeling I had walking down the steps in the balcony. It seemed if you stumbled you would fall right onto the ice. Those were some steep steps, but what a great view of the game, right on top of the action. Joe Louis pales in comparison.

[grumpyoldlady]

Saw the Beatles there twice. The key word is "saw". Couldn't hear a thing for all the screaming [[including my own). Occasional bit of bass or drums would come through. Quite an experience any way.

[Philbo]

Me and a friend of mine went there a lot in the early 60s. Saw the ice capades and loved the wrestling shows, remember Dick the briuser? The upper balcony seats were great.

[Mackenzie68]

Here is what dad [[age 87) remembers, so far: Saw Joe Louis in an exhibition with a fighter named Mitchell. Saw Vaughn Monroe and his Moonmaids, saw Aquapades, not sure which famous swimmers. His friend remembered seeing Sonia Henie and a circus, possibly Coles, certainly not Ringling Bros.

Dad is an electrician and the union hall sent him to setup for a rodeo featuring Roy Rogers in '48 or '49. They kept him on for the rodeo, his job there was to watch the show and be available for emergencies. He said they brought in six inches of clay over the whole floor to give the horses traction. He also said that Roy wasn't all that good a shot. His pistols used peppershot and he still had to practice before performances. He said Roy was a good guy, made a big deal about a little girl, even knowing her name and stopping to say hi as he rode around on Trigger.

He also said that the Lions used the locker room there when they practiced at Robinson Field. Dad doesn't remember going to Olympia before WWII, that may help with dating events.

On the lighting -- He rigged strobe lights in the rafters that Kilpatrick could trigger for some breathtaking shots. This required him to stay for the games, on overtime. A tough job.

[Ms. G]

Went there to see wrestling and roller derby.

[56packman]

I rode the Grand River bus to Olympia in 1975 to audition for the Junior Red Wings to become the organist for the Jr. Wings games. I didn't have a driver's licence yet. I didn't get the gig [[which was a volunteer position) but a good friend [[who was better than me, and better suited to the job) got the gig and I went to several games with him, watching from the side of the press box, where the organ console was located. There was a white Rodgers [[electronic) theatre organ console on one side of the press box and a Hammond B-3 on the other side, both had deep cigarette burns to the consoles where Art Quatro would set his burning fags when he had to play suddenly. I met Lincon Cavalari and the head electrician of the building--his name escapes me now, but they were a fine, professional group of men that ran Olympia.
As a customer I saw Red Wing games there, it was superior to the Joke Lewis arena from a sightline perspective, and the cheapes seats in the top balcony were still close to the action. I also saw the Harlem Globetrotters there.

[Downriviera]

I rode the Grand River bus to Olympia in 1975 to audition for the Junior Red Wings to become the organist for the Jr. Wings games. I didn't have a driver's licence yet. I didn't get the gig [[which was a volunteer position) but a good friend [[who was better than me, and better suited to the job) got the gig and I went to several games with him, watching from the side of the press box, where the organ console was located. There was a white Rodgers [[electronic) theatre organ console on one side of the press box and a Hammond B-3 on the other side, both had deep cigarette burns to the consoles where Art Quatro would set his burning fags when he had to play suddenly. I met Lincon Cavalari and the head electrician of the building--his name escapes me now, but they were a fine, professional group of men that ran Olympia.
As a customer I saw Red Wing games there, it was superior to the Joke Lewis arena from a sightline perspective, and the cheapes seats in the top balcony were still close to the action. I also saw the Harlem Globetrotters there.

56packman, you mentioned Art Quatro. I remember he played a melody after the Wings would score, everyone called it the Red Wings Polka. I always wondered if that was his original or if it was some other tune. I also heard there was a recording of the Red Wings Polka, I'd love to have a copy of that for sure. I'm really happy that they have brought back the organist for some of the games at the Joe. I hate the canned music.

[eno]

Yeah Downriviera, I usually confuse Howie Young For Bryan Watson. What was Howie Young famous for?

[baskerville holmes]

I remember the Ice Capades and some sort of circus event at Olympia as well as the Harlem Globetrotters. I saw a lot of Red Wing games including Game 6 of the 1966 Stanley Cup Finals, in which the Canadians clinched the cup on a disputed goal in overtime. I was devastated because had the Wings won, my uncle's company would have engraved the cup and I would have gotten to see it. On that night after the game, I met my childhood football hero, the Lion's Terry Barr, crossing Grand River after the game.

And, on Sept 6, 1964 I saw my first concert there. It was this quartet.
From Liverpool.

Bob Jared

[jiminnm]

I saw a few Red Wings' games there, and recollect climbing the stairs like a ladder to get to get to the cheap seats [[and trying to avoid the standees who took up sitting in the aisle steps when the game started). My clearest memory, though, is of Dick the Bruiser beating the Shiek in a fenced in cage match circa 1967-68.

[reddog289]

While I do not remember ever being in the Olympia, Many family members remind me that I was. I remember being at Farrels more the the Ice Capades? that I went to after, And my Mom says that I went to many wrestling matches there. Yet have no memory of it. Biggest memory of the Olympia. One July morning my Dad wakes me up says "Were going for a ride" . I hop in the Olds and we head to Grand River and McGraw. Well that was July 9th 1986, and you should know the story. My Dad kept saying ," We can fit one more brick in the trunk". Never seen that car so lowriding.

[slick]

The brick barn as it was affectionatly called.
No one mentioned the addition to the balcony on the east end sometime in the 60's.
not sure how many seats it added but I think it was the world longest escalator.
Up for the start of the game, then they would reverse it for the end of the game.
Not sure when the switch would flip.

Saw many a hockey game and you could wait in the corridor afterward and the players would sign autographs.

[exmotowner]

Almost saw David Bowie there one year. He came out and started to do FAME, but someone threw something at him. He stopped the concert and said if you continue to throw things I will quit. He started again and someone threw a cup [[or beer can) and hit him. He gave the audience the finger and said Fuck you Detroit! I will never be back and he left the stage and didnt return. . Needless to say we were all pissed, but cant say I blame him. Anyone remember this?

[Gistok]

The 1927 opened Olympia Arena was designed by Detroit Architect C. Howard Crane... who was one of America's most prolific movie palace architects.

Crane designed about 50 theatres in the Detroit area, including the Fox, State [[Fillmore), Detroit Opera House [[Capitol), Orchestra Hall, United Artists, Majestic, DIA Theatre, and many others.

Crane also designed the currently being demolished Lafayette Building, and Columbus Ohio's 45 story Leveque-Lincoln Tower, his tallest commission, and considered one of America's finest Art Deco towers.

Crane had spent a lot of time visiting the sights of Europe, and his vast repetroire of classic styles in his buildings shows it. Even Olympia's brick exterior had the characteristics of a Romanesque basilica.

By 1930 his commissions had dried up, and Crane moved to London England, where he designed cinema's throughout the UK, although in a much tamer style than his exotic late 1920's movie palaces in the USA. His greatest work in the UK was London's Earl's Court Convention Center [[1937-38), built over railroad track air space.

Crane died in London in 1952, and is buried there. His grandson C. Howard Crane III is currently living in metro Detroit.

[msamslex]

Saw the Ice Capades, usually with family.

Roller Derby with the LA Thunderbirds? A group of us neighbor kids rode the bus down to the Olympia. We waited for them in a hallway to go to the locker rooms I believe and I was thrilled to watch them pass by. I don't recall how we made our way down to the hallway but no way you could do that now at any venue.

An aunt took me and some cousins to see the Jackson Five. We had decent seats and could see the whole show. I think tix were only about $6.50? Of couse the whole place was nothing but screaming girls. My aunt sat there with cotton in her ears.

[EastsideAl]

I was at that Bowie concert too. What a mess! He did play Detroit again several times though, but I don't think he ever came back to Olympia.

Saw several concerts there, including Pink Floyd, Jethro Tull, Paul McCartney, and a memorably bad George Harrison concert that nearly turned into a riot before the star finally showed up quite stoned sometime around 1 AM.

Of course, I used to take the bus there as a teenager to go see the Red Wings with family and friends. This was mostly in the immediate post-Howe era when the team was terrible, so I don't have a lot of memorable home team moments from those games. Still, those standing room tickets at the back of the steep upper deck were an outstanding value to see the best hockey players in the NHL [[you could usually snag a seat once the game started). I saw a lot of greats in that era, Orr and Esposito on the Bruins, those brawling Philadelphia Flyers teams, LaFleur and Dryden on the Canadiens,

[kryptonite]

I saw David Bowie there around 1976 or 1977. It was the Thin White Duke tour. A group of us Kent State students drove up to Detroit together for the show. Bowie did a great show, it was an experimental show for him with no special effects.

[eno]

I had the same reaction as a previous poster about the steep steps in the balcony. One wrong step and you got 2 minutes off for delay of game. I went to about a dozen Red Wing games over the years. The most memorable were the Stanley Cup playoff games against the Black Hawks with Bobby Hull being shadowed by Howie Young. I also saw the Ice Capades and roller derby games there too.

It was a lousy place for concerts. I can't believe they would sell seats behind the stage, but they did. I went to my first RnR concert there to see the Animals tho' Herman's Hermits were the headliners. There was still an element of yelling, screaming girls for the Hermits so I left after the second number. Also saw Frank Zappa and the Mothers when he had former Turtles, Flo & Eddie, in the band. Saw Cream's farewell concert tour there too.

[Downriviera]

I had the same reaction as a previous poster about the steep steps in the balcony. One wrong step and you got 2 minutes off for delay of game. I went to about a dozen Red Wing games over the years. The most memorable were the Stanley Cup playoff games against the Black Hawks with Bobby Hull being shadowed by Howie Young. I also saw the Ice Capades and roller derby games there too.

It was a lousy place for concerts. I can't believe they would sell seats behind the stage, but they did. I went to my first RnR concert there to see the Animals tho' Herman's Hermits were the headliners. There was still an element of yelling, screaming girls for the Hermits so I left after the second number. Also saw Frank Zappa and the Mothers when he had former Turtles, Flo & Eddie, in the band. Saw Cream's farewell concert tour there too.

That was actually Bryan Bugsy Watson who was assigned to shadow Bobby Hull in the playoffs. My fathers company had four seats in the front row behind the net. Dad and his coworkers were at the game where Hull finally had enough of Watson and popped him in the head with his stick, drawing some blood. All the fans became enraged at Hull for this. Back in those days the glass behind the net was much lower, so you could stand on your seat and pull yourself up on the glass to yell at the players. My dad and his friends jumped up on the glass and were really giving it to Hull verbally, when suddenly he swung his stick at them. No one got hit, they just jumped back somewhat startled at what had just happened. Also in those days, the visiting team walked through the lobby to get to the ice from their dressing room with only a wooden railing and a few ushers separating them from the fans. So after the intermission, my dad's group is standing next to the wooden rail as the Black Hawks were coming back out, and Hull starts to walk right towards them. They first thought he was going to swing his stick at them again. Instead he apologized for swinging his stick at them earlier. Hull was a class act.

[Mikeg]

I saw a lot of Red Wings games at Olympia Stadium during my high school years [['68-69 and '69-70 seasons). I would drive my younger brother down to the Olympia, park in the Northwestern field parking lot and purchase standing room tickets. As soon as they let the standees into the building, we would run for "the world's longest escalator" and try to claim our favorite spot in the balcony.

We would go all the way down the far right balcony aisle [[along the wall) where it widened out slightly at the bottom to create a space big enough for two. We had an unobstructed view nearly straight down to the ice and we didn't interfere with anyone else's view.

Beginning in 1975, I worked in the same General Motors engineering department as Art Quatro. He was supposedly the only GM employee to ever purchase a Cadillac Limousine using the employee discount. His musician son Mike was branching out into concert promotion and buying made more sense than continually renting a limo.

[Ray1936]

On the entrance on the Hooker Street side of Olympia stood the police detail room just to the right of the lobby. Before the game, Olympia popped for two hot dogs and a coke for the assigned officers. Today, the DPD charges the full salaries for the detail.

I'd prefer the two dogs and a coke.