Hollywood Legion Stadium

03/19/2026

From Hollywood's Garden of Allah novels, by Martin Turnbull, possibly from 1981.

03/18/2026

Although "When's Your Birthday?" (1937) wasn't shot at Hollywood Legion Stadium (the boxing scenes appear to be a studio set), Joe E. Brown was a popular figure at the Stadium over the years. In this photo, he's posed with boxer Gene Tunney and holding a "Champion" belt, which appears to be genuine rather than a prop.

03/18/2026

Currently on eBay: a 1922 black-and-white photograph (reprint) of Hollywood Legion Stadium after the roof install but before solid walls enclosed the boxing arena. This was prior to the property being excavated in order to drop the boxing ring into a deeper pit, which improved viewing angles and provided patrons with improved seating options.

Frank Crowley was the matchmaker in 1921. Also pictured are boxers Mike O'Leary, Joe "Awful" Coffee, Alex McDonald, Young Carmen, Ted (one "d") "Teddy" Silva, and Eddie "Spec" Ramies.

03/18/2026

A 1923 paperboard/cardboard advertising poster for Hollywood Legion Stadium, Hollywood, California. The Sailor Ashmore - Bud Soules matchup was held on El Centro Boulevard on Friday night, March 23, 1923.

03/01/2026

Do you have anything in your collection related to the Hollywood Legion Stadium? or Hollywood Legion Lanes? Or "The Cauliflower Club"? Or Hollywood Legion Post 43?

Over the past 105+ years, the Hollywood American Legion has lost a lot of the published materials and items. We moved our clubhouse from El Centro to Hollywood Boulevard in 1929. Legion Stadium closed in 1959. The Post has undergone several cleanouts over the years. With each movement, items became stolen, lost, misplaced, or were simply thrown away.

The expense of gathering any related items now is beyond the Post's ability--we are still trying to recover from the $6M renovation project of the 1929 Clubhouse--but we would welcome any digital scans and photographs, along with whatever stories you have to go with them!

Feel free to message us via this page with images, and let us know if you'd like to share these items that you have, either publicly or privately. We'd be more than happy to post them here, and share your name/business in addition to whatever images or stories you've got! If you would like to help out fill in the missing pieces of our digital collection but want to stay private, we will respect your wishes.

03/01/2026

"The Los Angeles Times," December 29, 1922 - "ALL SET TO GREET HEAD OF LEGION - National Leader Arrives Tomorrow, Shown City"

"Plans for the entertainment of Alvin M. Owsley, national commander of the American Legion, who arrives tomorrow at 9:30 p.m., were announced yesterday... at 2:30 p.m., Commander Owlsey will be welcomed formally to the city by Mayor Cryer, at a mass meeting in the American Legion stadium in Hollywood, under direction of Harold G. Ferguson, past commander of Hollywood Post. The commander will respond.

"A concert by the Hollywood American Legion Band is one of the features of the program..."

02/21/2026

01/29/2026

This is a Friday, January 26, 1923 boxing poster (cardboard/heavy paper stock) advertising the upcoming bouts between Bert Colmina vs. Sailor Ritter, as well as Young Dick Hoppe vs. Joe Kane, with a "special event" between Ray Newman and Leo Matlock.

Worth noting is the "stadium comfortably heated" remark, as Legion Stadium began as an outdoor venue in 1921, then developed into a fully-enclosed wooden structure over the next few years.

12/16/2025

Jackie Wilson, "1st negro to box main event at Legion."

10/21/2025

In this article from the "Hope Star," April 25, 1941, the Hollywood Legion Band mentions some of the previously-unknown films that the band members performed in, according to drum major Pen Morrow:

1 - "Hold Back the Dawn"
2 - "Captains Courageous"
3 - "Mr. Smith Goes to Washington"
4 - "In Old Chicago"
5 - "Kiss the Boys Goodbye"
6 - "Caught in the Draft"
7 - "A Midsummer Night's Dream"

08/21/2025

"The Los Angeles Citizen-News," April 17, 1946.