100 years ago today: The completion of the LA Memorial Coliseum
Today mark's a special day in Los Angeles' history.
On May 1, 1923, after 16 months of labor, crews in Exposition Park finally put down their tools and completed the construction of the legendary Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. The stadium didn't open its doors right away, waiting for another month for its grand opening.
"We are absolutely ecstatic to celebrate 100 years of storied operations," said Dan Stimmler, Vice President, USC Auxiliary Services and COO of the Los Angeles Coliseum.
The Coliseum hosted its first game four months later on Oct. 6, 1923. While the stadium carried a capacity of 75,000 people, only about 13,000 people showed up for the inaugural football game. The matchup featured the University of California and Pomona College with the Trojans routing their opponents 23-7.
Since then, it's been the iconic home of the USC Trojans while also hosting two Olympics, a pair of Super Bowls and one World Series.
"From being the home turf of the incredible USC Trojans to hosting endless awe-inspiring events, our historic venue has seen it all," Stimmler said. "We are thrilled to continue celebrating diversity, creativity, inclusivity and artistic excellence as we come into this great milestone and welcome in the next 100."
The landmark is also in the record books, garnering a world record attendance for a 2008 exhibition game against the Boston Red Sox and the hometown LA Dodgers. However, the crowd of 115,300 is not the Coliseum's all-time record. That distinction goes to the evangelist Bill Graham and the 134,254 people that stuffed the stadium to hear the man speak in 1963.
Apart from sports, the Coliseum has hosted concerts from Bruce Springsteen, Rolling Stones, Pink Floyd and many others. It's also played a part in world history, hosting of the first-ever Papal Mass by Pope John Paul in 1987 and marking Nelson Mandela's return to the United States after his release from prison in June 1990.
The iconic torch above the Coliseum's facade was lit all day until sundown to honor the stadium's centennial.