Eastern Parkway Arena

Eastern Parkway Arena was a sports venue located in Brownsville, Brooklyn.[1] First operated as an indoor roller rink,[2] in 1944 it was bought by dress manufacturer Emil Lence and his father John Lence, who converted it to a boxing club in 1947.[3][4]

Under the supervision of matchmaker Teddy Brenner, the arena became known as the "House of Upsets" for its competitive matches.[5][6] Brenner used the arena to feature young fighters such as Bobo Olson, Gene Fullmer, Walter Cartier, and most notably Floyd Patterson,[7] who fought there twelve times between 1952 and 1955, winning them all except a highly controversial 1954 loss by decision to Joey Maxim.[8]

The arena was known for hosting Boxing from Eastern Parkway, a weekly broadcast on the DuMont Television Network from 1952 to 1954, followed by another year on ABC until May 1955, when ABC failed to renew its contract with the arena after picking up the rights to show fights at the International Boxing Club.[9][10] The arena hosted a few more fights in 1958 and was later torn down.[11][12]

References
  1. "Barclays Center raising the stakes for big-time boxing in New York, putting the heat on Madison Square Garden". NY Daily News.
  2. "RSROA NE Regional Success in All Ways' Big Attendance Gets Eastern Parkway Off Financial Hook, Skating is Solid", Billboard, June 16, 1951, p. 36.
  3. "Emil Lence, 76, Dies; Was Boxing Promoter", The New York Times, June 19, 1993.
  4. "On This Day in History: June 16; From Skating Rink To Boxing Club", Brooklyn Daily Eagle, June 22, 2006.
  5. "Eastern Parkway Arena Rates 'House Of Upsets' Cognomen", United Press in Sarasota Herald-Tribune, January 31, 1953.
  6. Murray Rose, "Gene Smith Is Victim Of Parkway House Of Upsets", Associated Press in The Day, April 7, 1953.
  7. Jerry Kirshenbaum, "Boxing's Great White Hoopla", Sports Illustrated, July 21, 1969.
  8. Alan H. Levy (22 September 2008). Floyd Patterson: A Boxer and a Gentleman. McFarland. pp. 30–44. ISBN 978-0-7864-3950-8.
  9. Tim Brooks; Earle F. Marsh (24 June 2009). The Complete Directory to Prime Time Network and Cable TV Shows, 1946-Present. Random House Publishing Group. p. 174. ISBN 978-0-307-48320-1.
  10. "Eastern Parkway Finished", Associated Press in TimesDaily, May 17, 1955.
  11. Martin Kane, "TV talent hunt finds some", Sports Illustrated, May 26, 1958.
  12. Patrick Rosal, "Boxing’s Return to Brooklyn and Brownsville’s Thirst for Boxing", Grantland, October 22, 2012.
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