Thursday, February 12, 2009

February 12, 1939

What were folks doing seventy years ago in Los Angeles?

Well, ten thousand of them crowded into the Gilmore Stadium to watch a stunt show put on by the Riding Actors and Hollywood Stunt Women Associations. The best news? Only one performer out of the hundred in the show was hurt--a man who broke a rib in a car crash.

Men threw knives and sharpened shovels and bathing beauties. Motorcycles flew threw burning hoops. Cars crashed into brick walls. Whoopee!

This picture of Gilmore Stadium was taken in April, 1939, when a crowd of 3,500 (ouch!) watched the Hollywood Stars defeat Portland. It's from the Los Angeles Public Library's Herald Examiner Collection.

Gilmore Stadium, btw, stood bounded by Beverly, Curson, Third, and Fairfax. It was torn down in 1952 so that CBS Television City could be built, but until then it hosted football games and other sports shows.

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