Milwaukie Arena
The Milwaukie Arena was located in Milwaukie, OR, USA, which is south and adjacent to Portland. The Milwaukie Arena, was the brainchild of Portland businessman George Moore, who was an African-American.
After Oregon legalized boxing with commissions based in municipalities, Moore convinced Milwaukie city leaders to organize a boxing commission, to stage bouts. Moore chose a car barn in Milwaukie to convert into his arena, spending betweeen $8,000 and $9,000 of his own money to construct an arena that would seat around 5,000.
Since Oregon did not have actual promoters, Moore's official title was "manager". He chose Frank Kendall a retired local Heavyweight to do the matchmaking, with the intention of bringing in first-rate bouts. At this time California was limited to four-round fights, and boxing in Washington State was limited to bouts with "club memberships", at no more than four (later six) rounds.
All told, four World Champions would appear at Milwakie during it's 46-show run, as well as Hall-of-Famers; Tommy Gibbons, Harry Wills, and Sam Langford. Other nationally known fighters appeared in the main events, as well as fighters from California looking to catch a break. Two of the notable California fighters, to catch a break in Milwaukie, were future contenders Dave Shade and Babe Herman, who both attracted their first attention nationally while boxing in Milwaukie.
Moore would stage his most infamous bout on January 2, 1922, Bill Tate's contoversial disqualification victory over Harry Wills. The bout drew a sellout, and a gate of over $17,000, which was a record in Oregon till the 40's. In March 1922, Moore left for New York with his fighter Danny Edwards, and left the promotional duties up to Kendall. Kendall after a six-month dry spell, tried to revive boxing, but had little success. After failing to bring Harry Greb to Milwaukie to face Jimmy Darcy in November 1922, he staged one more show featuring Jess Willard, before closing in February 1923.
After the closure of the Arena to the fight game, the Milwaukie Arena was converted to a dance hall.
Main events at the Milwaukie Arena
- November 25, 1919, Frank Farmer D 10 Boy McCormick
- December 16, 1919, Tommy Gibbons W 10 Jimmy Darcy
- January 1, 1920, Boy McCormick KO 9 Frank Farmer (semi-final Charley White KO 1 Muff Bronson)
- January 28, 1920, Boy McCormick W 10 Bob Roper
- February 11, 1920, Boy McCormick D 10 Tommy Gibbons
- February 24, 1920, Heinie Schumann KO 2 Jimmy Marshall
- March 17, 1920, Willie Meehan D 10 Hugh Walker
- April 7, 1920, Fred Fulton KO 2 Ed (Gunboat) Smith
- April 21, 1920, Fred Fulton TKO 6 Jack Thompson
- May 12, 1920, Johnny McCarthy W 10 Frankie Murphy
- June 24, 1920, Mike O'Dowd D 10 Battling Ortega
- July 9, 1920, Mike O'Dowd vs. Battling Ortega (Ortega refuses to enter the ring due to the selection of Denver Ed Martin as referee.)
- September 15, 1920, Alex Trambitas D 10 Johnny Tillman
- September 29, 1920, Alex Trambitas D 10 Harvey Thorpe
- October 27, 1920, Lee Anderson W 10 Terry Kellar
- November 3, 1920, Andy Palmer W 10 Jimmy Darcy
- November 24, 1920, Boy McCormick W 10 Willie Meehan
- December 8, 1920, Boy McCormick WDQ 7 Battling Levinsky
- December 22, 1920, Joe Benjamin W 10 Heinie Schumann
- January 1, 1921, Frank Farmer TKO 2 Harlan Bunker
- January 26, 1921, Frank Farmer W 10 Bob Devere
- February 9, 1921, Billy Miske W 10 Lee Anderson
- February 23, 1921, Babe Herman W 10 Bud Ridley
- March 17, 1921, Dave Shade W 10 Frankie Murphy
- March 30, 1921, Dave Shade W 10 Frankie Murphy
- April 8, 1921, Lee Anderson W 10 Tiny (Jim) Herman
- April 21, 1921, Joe Gorman W 10 Young Sam Langford
- May 6, 1921, Johnny McCarthy D 10 Frankie Murphy
- June 3, 1921, Jack Britton D 10 Dave Shade (Britton retains the World Welterweight Title)
- July 1, 1921, Billy Mascott W 10 Danny Edwards
- July 15, 1921, Danny Edwards W 10 Georgie Lee
- August 3, 1921, Frankie Murphy D 10 Battling Ortega
- September 7, 1921, Denver Ed Martin KO 2 Young Hector
- September 21, 1921, Denver Ed Martin KO 4 Tiny (Jim) Herman
- October 19, 1921, Denver Ed Martin KO 3 Ray Smith
- November 2, 1921, George Ingle W 10 Harry Casey
- November 18, 1921, Harry Wills KO 1 Denver Ed Martin
- December 16, 1921, Danny Edwards W 10 Babe Herman
- January 2, 1922, Bill Tate WDQ 1 Harry Wills
- January 6, 1922, Harry Wills D 10 Bill Tate
- January 17, 1922, Harry Wills W 10 Sam Langford
- February 17, 1922, Floyd Johnson W 10 Battling Savage
- September 26, 1922, Jack Josephs W 10 Otto (Young) Wallace
- November 1, 1922, Jimmy Darcy D 10 Tom King
- November 14, 1922, Tom King W 10 Battling Ortega
- December 19, 1922, Jess Willard exhibitions against Scotty Messer (2) and Jim Borden (1)