Dave Was Here

On July 20, 2016 the Cincinnati Gardens was sold.  It was my signature on the closing documents that sealed the fate of this Cincinnati icon. With the deal done, the building born in 1949 sat dark, silently awaiting execution as the new owners proclaimed their intention to repurpose the property. More plainly put, the 67 year old building would soon face the wrecking ball.

I didn't give much thought to signing what amounted to a death sentence for the Cincinnati landmark.  As an officer of a community bank, it's not unusual for me to attend a real estate closing and sign closing documents.  Often these are highly charged emotional events where buyers and sellers meet and navigate the formalities of a sale. But this wasn't a typical closing. It was just me and a singular attorney in a small room signing a series of documents. It was a seemingly non event;  no pomp, no emotion and in less than five minutes it was over and I was back to my regular routine.

Although I am the president of the entity that owned the Cincinnati Gardens, the truth be known, I had little to do with the Gardens.  I maintained an office in the building having worked for Jerry Robinson since his purchase of the building some 36 years ago, but my business was always elsewhere. I took the place for granted. For me, the Gardens was nothing more than a physical location from which to do my work and on occasion snag some free event tickets. Having no emotional attachment to the facility, it may not have been an accident that those involved in managing the Gardens weren't available to attend the closing. Surely it would have been a difficult endeavor for them.

That evening, I reflected on the day's events and the magnitude of the transaction. The destruction of the Gardens is a big deal, I thought to myself.  The Cincinnati landmark touched the life's of millions of people and holds a special place in Cincinnati History. I bet one day the Gardens will be sorely missed and folks will talk about it nostalgically, like they do the Albee Theatre and Crosley Field.  "It's a shame they tore it down," people will say.  Sadly, that's how I felt.

Originally named singularly as The Cincinnati Garden, it was envisioned with hockey in mind. It was modeled after the Maple Leaf Gardens in Toronto and the resemblance is obvious.  That hockey palace was home to the NLH Toronto Maple Leafs for 68 years and because of its prominent downtown location was redeveloped in 2009.  It stands today as a Canadian national historical site.  

When the Garden opened on  February 22, 1949, it was a major event for the City of Cincinnati. The opening of the seventh largest arena in the United States was witnessed by dignitaries from around the country who came to town for its debut; an NHL exhibition game between the Montreal Canadians and the soon to be Cincinnati Mohawks.  Later that week Garden events included UC Baskeball, Xavier Basketball and a heavyweight boxing match that saw Cincinnatian Ezzard Charles beat Joey Maxim of Cleveland.  The Garden was a big hit and ushered in a new age for entertainment for the Cincinnati metro area.  Never had the traffic been so congested on Seymour Avenue reported the Cincinnati Enquirer.

Over its first 25 years, The Gardens was the place to see an indoor event in Cincinnati.  The building hosted hockey, basketball and most every popular concert and show of the time. Thousands of events played the Gardens to millions of patrons.  As a child I remember strolling through the travel and boat show with my parents and attending a hockey game with my uncle from Canada.  As a teen, I saw the band Creedence Clearwater Revival.  It was the summer of 1971 and my first rock concert.  I think it would be tough to find a person in the greater Cincinnati area under the age of 50 who doesn't have personal memories of  the Gardens. Books will be written.

Everything changed in 1975. Riverfront Coliseum opened and seemingly marked the end times for the Gardens.  The Coliseum booked all the big shows and popular opinion had it that there was no place in town for a so called "second rate" arena.  By 1979 the Gardens was viewed as a white elephant. It was shuttered and for sale.  As they say in today's vernacular, it was ready to be repurposed.

Along came Cincinnati real estate developer Jerry Robinson, who had a vision for the facility.  He saw a large parcel of land in a central metropolitan location with a humongous structure having high ceilings and clear free span.  With commercial-industrial development in mind, he moved forth to negotiate a real estate deal with the anxious out of town owners.  Jerry bought the building and surrounding land for $825,000.

As Jerry patiently waited for his real estate strategy to evolve, something else happened; he received calls for booking the facility. Why not book an event, he thought?  First he booked a local wrestling show and shortly thereafter an opportunity presented itself to host a national closed circuit boxing match featuring Sugar Ray Leonard vrs Roberto Duran.  The promoter included a live match showcasing a local boxer, a rising star named Aaron Pryor. 

I remember that night.  It was Friday, June 20, 1980 and the Gardens was jammed pack with a highly energized crowd exceeding 10,000.  It was the first major event at the reopened Gardens and with the Who tragedy (December, 1979) fresh in their minds, city officials were closely monitoring activities. The lobby was still packed and only a couple hundred tickets remained when Mayor Blackwell gave Garden's management the order to halt ticket sales.  

I recall a very congested main concourse. Looking into the arena I saw a scene out of  an old black and white movie with a few splashes of color.  Center court prominently displayed the boxing ring shrouded by dimmed lighting and a heavy smoky haze. When the bell rang, the action was short and sweet. Aaron Pryor took just 2 minutes 15 seconds to KO his opponent in the first round. Unfortunately, that left way too much idle time awaiting the start of the closed circuit feed and the main event.  People milled around, packing the hallways and concession areas.  There was a buzz in the air and I sensed edginess.  Folks paid $20 bucks for a seat and wanted more action.  To me it was like a pressure cooker, simmering.  I had no ticket and no seat, so I didn't linger.  Thankfully, the evening concluded with no major problems and the Cincinnati Gardens reaffirmed itself as a viable venue. Its revival would continue.
    

Around that time, Jerry relocated the offices of his real estate management company, Kenko Corporation, to the Gardens.  Kenko moved into the office suite on the second floor, in the front of the building, directly above the lobby. I was relatively new to the organization and was delighted to have an office with a window overlooking Seymour Avenue.

Jerry Robinson in 1983

More events were to come to the Gardens and in 1983 Jerry Robinson landed an anchor tenant, Xavier University basketball. The Musketeers called the Gardens home court for 17 years, accumulating an impressive 215 wins and only 25 losses. When Xavier left the Gardens in 2000 for their new arena, The Cintas Center, they were a nationally recognized basketball program. Without question, the Gardens played a role in Xavier's rise to national acclaim.  Along the way the Gardens also hosted University of Cincinnati basketball from 1987-89 and Cincinnati Cyclones hockey from 1990 to 1997. When the Cyclones relocated to Cincinnati's Riverfront Coliseum Jerry Robinson brought the Cincinnati Mighty Ducks to town. The Ducks skated the Garden's ice from 1997 until 2005. 

In 1997 Jerry opened Spring Valley Bank, a community bank in Wyoming, Ohio. He left his office at the Gardens and relocated to the bank on Springfield Pike.  Jerry continued his regular attendance at Gardens events, but over time he distanced himself from the Gardens operation. I can still picture Jerry walking through the arena prior to a Mighty Ducks game accompanied by Lily, his white bichon.  After the Mighty Ducks disbanded the Gardens continued a slow decline. Times had changed again. The Gardens faced competition from newer arenas like Shoemaker, Cintas and Bank of Kentucky Center. And due to the high costs of touring, a mid-sized indoor concert became a rarity. Moreover, the Garden's had no anchor tenant to provide a steady stream of revenue and lacking air conditioning, it was shuttered during the summer months.  Jerry enabled the Gardens to continue for another decade, albeit operating on "life support".

In 2013 the Gardens was put up for sale.  There was some interest, but few serious buyers. Ultimately, a quasy government agency known as the Port Of Greater Cincinnati Development Authority appeared and in the summer of 2016 purchased the Cincinnati Gardens and the 19 acres of adjacent land for 1.2 million dollars.  Their objective; to promote economic development in the region.

On a hot July afternoon, in a matter of hours, I took what I wanted from my office of 36 years. I said my goodbyes and left my mark on the black plastic covering the drafty old casement windows and my view of Seymour Avenue. In retrospect, I have come to appreciate the Cincinnati Gardens for what it was; a unique and special place with an unpretentious charm and a rich history. It was the house of the common man with a lingering aroma of popcorn and beer in the air.  There was nothing fancy about the Gardens, no boxes or club seats, but it was a fine entertainment venue for an ice show, a circus, a rodeo or a concert.  Over time, I think the Gardens will be best remembered as a great place to watch a hockey or basketball game. Every seat was a good seat. You sat up close to the action and were drawn into the excitement of the game. And there were many exciting games played at the Gardens.

Jerry Robinson through his entrepreneurial spirit provided a tremendous community service to the citizens of greater Cincinnati.  He gave a second life to the Cincinnati Gardens;  a revival of 36 years that provided many lifetimes of memories.  "I think there's a lot of love for the Gardens in this community, " Jerry told the Cincinnati Enquirer in 1984. And right he was. 

 

The Cincinnati Gardens 2016  Not at all looking ready for demolition

Garden's Grapplers

The Cincinnati Garden opened during the first Golden Age of professional wrestling, a time when Gorgeous George was a national phenomenon and people honestly debated whether or not wrestling was a sport.  The exploding growth of television propelled the popularity of pro wrestling and once WCPO and WLWT TV began studio production and broadcast of local wrestling shows, no longer would Music Hall or Parkway arena satisfy the local demand for live action.  The new Garden fit the bill and during its first month of operation  hosted two wrestling shows. Attendance was a meager 810 for the first show, an NWA World Heavyweight Title Match, but two weeks later 4,500 came to a Thursday night show and watched The Great Bolo, Al Lovelock and Lou Thesz win the night.

Locally, wrestling was supervised by the Cincinnati Boxing and Wrestling Commission.  As  pro wrestling evolved, the commission wasn't at all prepared for the antics and escapades of the promoters and the men and women grapplers they employed.  Referee's were roughed up, wrestlers fined and sometimes suspended. At one point the commission considered a complete ban on women's matches. City politics and behind the scenes drama was only surpassed by the theatre in the squared circle.

Promoter, Jim Barnett, played a major role in developing pro wrestling in Cincinnati when he met with Cincinnati Gardens General Manager, Alex Sinclair and Executive VP, Tom Grace.  He explained the success he was having with shows in other markets and sold them on his promotional ideas. Garden's management agreed to work with him and Barnett didn't let them down. The Garden's profited nicely from the arrangement and thanked Barnett who also acknowledged the importance of the WCPO wrestling show. Sinclair told the publication Wrestling Life, "We have to thank the televised studio wrestling every week for the big wrestling boom at the Gardens."

By1959 wrestling shows at the Gardens were so popular that the numbers of fans paying to watch favorite grapplers such as Cowboy Bob Ellis and Dick the Bruiser eclipsed those attending Cincinnati Royals basketball games.

Gardens favorites of the 60's and 70's included Flyin Fred Curry, Haystacks Calhoun, Andre The Giant, Bobo Brazil and The Sheik.  Cable TV ushered a new cast of characters to the Gardens in the 80's and 90's including Dusty Rhodes, Rick Rude, Rick Flair and Sting.  The last major wrestling show at the Gardens was November 7, 2013 and was broadcast on Spike TV.

Shows Remembered

1953 - May 16th. The third annual Crosley Tournament, sponsored by WLW Television set an attendance record at the Gardens.  The official count of 14,164, topped the prior record set by the Ezzard Charles/Joey Maxim fight. The event was so popular that thousands were turned away at the Garden's gate. The tournament was heavily promoted on WLW-TV which included broadcast of  weekly studio elimination matches. Interest grew steadily over a three month period as sixty participating grapplers were reduced to two finalists; Frankie Talaber and Buddy Rogers. They were the top of the card for show at the Garden's with the winner taking two of three falls. The tournament was televised live over WLW stations in Cincinnati, Dayton and Columbus and for the first time included lady wrestlers.

Nell Stewart from Arkansas and Ida May Martinez of Mexico topped the women's card. When the bell rang, the enthusiastic crowd watched a hard fought battle eventually won by Stewart, a southern beauty known as the Marilyn Monroe of Women's Wrestling. She won the last fall with a sleeper hold.

Action between the two heavyweights, Frankie Talaber and "Nature Boy," Buddy Roger was fast paced and began with Rogers drop kicking Talaber. The crowd went wild and Rogers ended up winning the first fall with a series of crotch and body lifts. The second fall went to Talaber by way of a grapevine leg scissors. In the end, Nature Boy, Rogers won the men's title taking the third fall by default after Talaber twisted his leg. Both Champions, Buddy Rogers and Nell Stewart were awarded a trophy, a sapphire studded belt and a cash purse; $3,000 to Rogers and $2,000 to Stewart.

1959 - March 7. Legendary promoter Jim Barnett drew a record wrestling crowd of 15,299 to the Garden's. The main event featured a tag team match with Yukon Eric and Wilbur Snyder besting Angelo Poffo and Bronko Lubich. Also on the card, Cowboy Bob Ellis defeated Baron Gattoni, Dick the Bruiser defeated Paul Bunyan, Johnny Weaver defeated Jack Allen and Shirley Strimple defeated Betty Hawkins. It was the fourth largest event in Garden's history.

1959 - April 25. A Saturday night crowd of 8,127 watched the tag team of Dick the Bruiser and Angelo Poffo defeat Yukon Eric and Wilbur Snyder. Ultimately Bruiser was the loser when during the match he leaped from the ring and pulled the wheelchair of a spectator, giving fans the impression that he might hurl the chunk of metal at his opponent. Catherine Brown, a polio victim said she suffered a bruised leg, fear and shock when she was bowled from her wheelchair. She filed a suit for $25,140 in damages against the Cincinnati Gardens, Jim Barnett, the promoter and Dick Afflis, aka Dick The Bruiser. She claimed Afflis is a person of uncontrolled temper and violence and the other defendants knew or should have known because he previously assaulted or threatened other spectators. The suit was settled out of court. Although the Bruiser apologized, the Cincinnati Boxing and Wrestling Commission revoked his license and suspended him indefinitely from making local appearances. In September, The Bruiser told the commission he had learned his lesson and his license was reinstated.

1961 - August 18. Buddy Rogers took the first and third falls from The Sheik to retain his recently-won NWA World Title. For many who were there, it was the first time they had seen The Sheik lose. Ironically, the attendance for this Friday night card was less than half of capacity. The card included grapplers Bobo Brazil, Johnny Barend and the tag team of brothers Art and Stan Neilson.

2013 - November 7.  TNAW Impact Wrestling took over the Gardens. This polished production for Spike TV saw full metal mayhem and featured Dixie and Ethan Carter III, Bad Influence, Aces and Eights. The woman's knockout match featured OBD, Brooke and Velvet Sky. Kurt Angle and Austin Aries faced off in the Heavyweight Quarter Final. Cincinnati Bengals players Dequin Evans and Pacman Jones joined a brawl against Bad Influence.