Top Comments: the 'Two Gardens' edition

A look at two famed sports arenas bearing the name “Garden”, after the jump ….

But first: Top Comments appears nightly, as a round-up of the best comments on Daily Kos. Surely ... you come across comments daily that are perceptive, apropos and .. well, perhaps even humorous. But they are more meaningful if they're well-known ... which is where you come in (especially in diaries/stories receiving little attention).

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Send your nominations to TopComments at gmail dot com by 9:30 PM Eastern Time nightly, or by our KosMail message board. Please indicate (a) why you liked the comment, and (b) your Dkos user name (to properly credit you) as well as a link to the comment itself.

My previous Top Comments effort (about the destruction of the legendary Penn Station in NYC) noted that it was done in part to make way for a “new” Madison Square Garden arena. In fact, that was the fourth iteration of venues called Madison Square Garden (MSG) — and with news reports that there may be a need for a fifth: it might do well to take a look at the history for this (and a sister arena).

First, the word “garden” was often adopted by various theaters and other public venues possibly because a garden had been there, and the name was kept even for a fully-enclosed building. Or maybe not. It caught on, as one can sense with Maple Leaf Gardens in Toronto, Cincinnati Gardens and numerous other venues.

The first incarnation of MSG was actually constructed at … Madison Square in Manhattan (unlike more recent versions of the venue).

Madison Ave & 26th St (Square North): original site

Originally the site of a rail depot that was moved to Grand Central in 1871, it was developed by P.T. Barnum as a 10,000 seat open-air Hippodrome in 1874, where he put on circuses. Two years later, bandleader Patrick Gilmore took over the lease and named it Gilmore’s Gardens (adding concerts, flower shows and the first Westminster Dog Show). In 1879, the grandson of Commodore Vanderbilt renamed it Madison Square Garden, adding track-and-field, boxing and other events.

Yet the open-air venue was too-hot-in-summer, too-cold-in-winter and he sold it to a syndicate that included such financial heavyweights as J.P. Morgan, Andrew Carnegie and W.W. Astor … who demolished MSG #1 in 1889.

     The first Madison Square Garden (1874 to 1889)

They commissioned architect Stanford White (of the famed McKim, Mead & White firm I noted in my last essay) who constructed (in Moorish style) what was then the second-tallest building in NYC and had the Augustus Saint-Gaudens sculpture “Diana” (on the right spire, below). In 1906, Stanford White was murdered on its rooftop …. by millionaire Harry Kendall Thaw over an affair White had with his young wife, leading to a Trial of the Century for its era.

        Madison Square Garden #2 (1890-1925)

This 1890 indoor venue on Madison Square could seat 8,000 and featured boxing, bicycle races, light opera …. and also the 1924 Democratic National Convention, where it took 103 ballots to nominate John W. Davis as the party’s nominee to run against Calvin Coolidge (in a losing effort). But this venue (like its predecessor) lost money and the next year: mortgage holder New York Life Co. decided to demolish it and construct its headquarters on the same site — with the Cass Gilbert designed New York Life Building considered a landmark in its own right, today.

      Interior of the second Madison Square Garden

Enter the Kansas City-born boxing impresario George “Tex” Ricard (having grown up in Texas) whose life story is a fascinating one. He had the boxing rights at MSG #2 and in 1923 — upon learning of NY Life’s decision to demolish that venue — he obtained the rights to the name MSG and purchased land on Eighth Avenue between 49th & 50th Streets, and in only 249 days(!) MSG #3 was built there.

No longer on Madison Square, it was an unromantic box-like structure— unlike Stanford White’s grand design — opening in the fall of 1925, and with a growing population, could seat 18,000 for basketball. At its opening, there was a New York Americans NHL team playing there. Rickard wanted a team of his own, and in a nod to “Tex’s Rangers” — the NY Rangers hockey club was born in 1926.

While no national political conventions were to take place at MSG #3, there were several political gatherings of note held here (including Marilyn Monroe singing “Happy Birthday” to JFK in May, 1962). In March 1937, there was a major Boycott Nazi Germany rally held there sponsored by the American Jewish Committee. Yet in 1939, here is what the marquee listed … when “Pro American” was really a pro-Nazi rally that gathered a crowd of 20,000 attendees, and was the subject of a 2017 Academy Award-nominated short documentary, A Night at the Garden. (I have this wonder in my mind ….. whether Fred Trump was one of the attendees, as he had been arrested a dozen years earlier after a Klan rally).

     February 20th, 1939 — very nearly eighty years ago

Inside, many complained of the poor sight lines (especially for hockey) and many have written of the cigarette smoke drifting up to the upper balcony portions. My brother has this vague memory of my father taking us to a game in early 1967 (when I would have been ten years old) yet my memory can’t conjure it up.

Side note: for thirteen years, MSG #3 had a sister facility: a 72,000 seat open-air venue in the borough of Queens, used for major boxing events from 1932-1945 (when it was torn down for a US Army Mail Depot). Three boxers won heavyweight titles at the Madison Square Garden Bowl: Primo Carnera, Jack Sharkey … and most famously Jim Braddock (as shown in the film Cinderella Man) who defeated Max Baer Sr. (the father of the actor who portrayed Jethro Bodine on the Beverly Hillbillies TV show).

Today, we see impressive looking sports venues torn-down seemingly fast … yet this venue (which seniors call the “Old Garden”) lasted only forty-three years.

The “Old Garden” (MSG #3), 8th Ave & 50th (1925-1968)

At the building of MSG #3 in the mid-twenties, Tex Ricard had plans to build MSG’s in other cities — yet his death from appendicitis at the beginning of 1929 meant that only one such venue was actually completed. And that was 200+ miles to the north: in 1928, the Boston Madison Square Garden opened, which obviously became known as the Boston Garden in a few years. Built adjacent to the commuter rail North Station (and also the Green Line subway) on Causeway Street, it was designed by Tex Ricard with boxing in mind: and so some of the sightlines provided an excellent angle.

While it was also designed for the Boston Bruins hockey team, the Boston Celtics were a post-war franchise, who became legendary for winning sixteen championship titles between 1957 to 1986 on its iconic parquet floor.

Yet it also suffered from structure poles blocking views, and its lack of air conditioning (in a building not meant to be used after April initially) led to its closing in 1995— lasting over twenty years longer than its role model.

The old Boston Garden (1928-1995) @ 150 Causeway Street

As noted in my previous essay, the plan to move MSG #3 to its present site was a controversial one to say the least. The air rights to build above Penn Station were sold by the Pennsylvania Railroad, and MSG #3’s last night was February 13, 1968. Note that — as late as 1968 — NBA double-headers (featuring out-of-town franchises) were still being scheduled there.

“Tomorrow — New Garden”, Feb, 1968

The present MSG #4 has lasted fifty years, and is frequently referred to as “The world’s most famous arena”. My first rock concert was September 19, 1970 when Led Zeppelin played a matinée (plus a night show) for their first shows there.

It is the oldest arena in the NHL and second-oldest venue in the NBA (the Oracle Arena in Oakland is two years older). Notably: it is the only  venue in the NHL and the NBA today … not to have a corporate sponsor name.

 MSG #4, between 7th/8th Ave, 31st-33rd St. (1968 — ?)

The successor to the Boston Garden (built next door) has had several names since its 1995 opening: originally it was to be titled the Shawmut Center (as one of the main construction lenders was locally-owned Shawmut Bank). Shawmut was a derivation of the Algonquin name for the peninsula on which the city of Boston is located …. and so, it was thought to at least have historical value. 

But just before it opened, Shawmut Bank was purchased by Fleet Bank — so Fleet Center  was the name bestowed upon its opening. Under that name: a famous moment was the 2004 Democratic National Convention, where a junior senator from Illinois gave a keynote address: his introduction to the American public.

In time, naming rights were purchased by the Canadian banking giant Toronto Dominion … and so it was re-christened the TD Banknorth Garden, which has since been shortened to the TD Garden (some still call it the Boston Garden).

TD Garden (“The Garden”): commuter rail exits to the right

Finally, as noted: MSG #4 has a special tax exemption (as long as the Knicks and Rangers play all of their home games there) which is scheduled to expire in 2023. The closing of the original architectural gem of Penn Station was believed to be due to the “death of rail” — but a venue which was originally designed to handle 220k passengers annually … now has 650k passengers, and the city is eager to free the space once again to expand rail capacity (even beyond the Moynihan Train Hall mentioned recently).

Negotiations on whether to/where to relocate MSG #4 are ongoing — and so it is safe-to-say that long after leaving Madison Square in 1925 …... this venue will have a complex future.

Let’s close with a song you all know … recorded at this venue ten years ago.

x xYouTube Video

Now, on to Top Comments:

(Nothing from the field this evening)

From Ed Tracey, your faithful correspondent this evening ........

In the diary by OwossoHarpist about the indictment of Paul Erickson — the ‘boyfriend’ of Maria Butina— on separate charges pertaining to himself (rather than the Trumpster), widely seen as a way to gain cooperation in other areas (and many speculated on just who) ….. Hinoema01 suggested a cross-link to a truly annoying winger you see on TV all the time. 

TOP PHOTOS February 6th, 2019 Next - enjoy jotter's wonderful *PictureQuilt™* below. Just click on the picture and it will magically take you to the comment that features that photo. (NOTE: Any missing images in the Quilt were removed because (a) they were from an unapproved source that somehow snuck through in the comments, or (b) it was an image from the DailyKos Image Library which didn't have permissions set to allow others to use it.)

And lastly: yesterday's Top Mojo - mega-mojo to the intrepid mik ...... who rescued this feature from oblivion:

1)  OMG she treated him like one of her kids. Ƕ … by Yoshimi +264 2)  Anyone remember the last time a Freshman House R … by Ugmo +239 3)  I don’t think that Northam should resign. Northa … by rssrai +183 4)  #5 should get especial priority. Corrupt and tre … by Fordmandalay +176 5)  Yes, Nunes should be referred to DOJ for obstruc … by SouthernLeveller +174 6)  Actually, not all Virginia African-Americans hav … by awcomeon +173 7)  Actually, the best tweet was this: That’s the ap … by Yoshimi +169 8)  She treated him like a red headed step child. Go … by art ah zen +166 9)  This probably isn’t even very coherent but then. … by Chitown Kev +160 10) I must say I love AOC’s comeback. by beaky +151 11) I’ve noticed she’s not afraid to use their own w … by ontheleftcoast +140 12) We always want our leaders to learn and grow and … by ruscle +126 13) He was also a Republican at the time, FWIW. by Pragmatic Left +123 14) [embed] by Jen Hayden +118 15) a not unfamiliar threat by POTUS* by annieli +117 16) Rather than Meisler’s move indicating that the i … by neonomad +113 17) “As its first act, the Committee has voted to re … by Mark Lippman +112 18) In the dictionary, under Obsequious: by dadadata +110 19) IMO, it’s more than that going on here. Remember … by ontheleftcoast +109 20) This image rules, and no doubt he now goes back  … by jqjacobs +104 21) Her facial expression in this clip should be the … by jqjacobs +103 21) If tax rates were properly explained to people,  … by LiberalCanuck +103 23) At this point, I think Northam should resign. I  … by Citizen Candy Cane +98 24) God forbid she simply show up & do her job w … by hcrawford +94 25) I think the "creating the FU clap" is so spot on! by coloradorob +93 25) This: … by CwV +93 27) She is schooling him as he should have been scho … by allm +92 28) Fabulous and she does it all in a skirt and heel … by Pule4Puna +89 29) Michelle Smash! I love it, and not just because  … by Hinoema01 +87 30) being non-violent, I still cannot help but feel  … by agnostic +86 30) That’s really scary. Scarier still is the threat … by polecat +86