Stabbing: At The Olympic Auditorium

By kiki

If you have attended boxing matches at the Olympic Auditorium for as many years as I have, you most likely have witnessed a riot or two after an unpopular decision, most likely the decision going against a beloved Mexican National fighter. I have seen riots and, more than that, a stabbing!

If you know the Olympic, Auditorium, you know that a ‘catwalk’ wraps around all 4 sides of the auditorium. One time circa 1959, Connie and I were walking around from the west side of the walk to the north (18^th Street side) side, and as we rounded the corner, we noticed a commotion down the walk by the vast freight doors. As we hurriedly made our way down the walk, people started scattering to the four winds. By the time we made it to the commotion spot, all that was left was a guy lying on the floor, bleeding from a stab wound to the gut. Soon a couple of ushers came to render first aid. Connie and I left the Olympic shaken to the core that night and ensured that we never wanted to go back. But of course, we did go back many times after that; our boys even fought the main event there a time or two. But that was one incident that I tried to lock up in the back of my mind, but every now and then, it will rear its ugly head up...I never found out if the stabbing victim made it or not.