A Visit to the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum

Another place which I wanted to visit while out in LA was the Los Angeles Coliseum. This was another stadium which was very rich in history. As you can probably tell by the entrance, this place hosted the Olympics, both in 1932 and again in 1984. It also used to to be the home of three NFL franchises at different times in it's history: the Rams, the Raiders, and the Chargers. Two Super Bowls were played there: the very first one, which was then known simply as the World Championship Game, when Vince Lombardi led the Packers past the Chiefs. Six years later, the Miami Dolphins topped Washington to complete the NFL's only perfect season from beginning to end. Currently, it serves as the home stadium for the USC Trojans. 

Those are the things which I already knew about going into this visit. But what was new to me was that John F. Kennedy gave his acceptance speech during the 1960 Democratic National Convention. This was also where Martin Luther King, Jr., gave a well-publicized speech. Many years later, Pope John Paul II held a service there. 

In the front of the stadium, you see the Olympic rings underneath the name of the stadium. And you see art work from another era in this country's history. There are two statues of nude torsos - one female, one male - which both look and feel as if they are from another era.

The most striking and memorable thing about the stadium is it's appearance, particularly the Greco-Roman styled columns. Fitting, since this was a stadium which was used not just in one, but two Olympic games. That, along with the torch and the Olympic rings, reminds you that at times briefly in the past, this stadium was the center of the sports world, almost literally.

And so it will be again, as a matter of fact. Parts of the 2028 Olympics will take place right here, as well as at the Rose Bowl. Glad that they did that, and did not allow these two historical stadiums to fall completely into irrelevance. Too often these days, a really decent stadium that seems more than serviceable for many years, even decades, to come is replaced by some seemingly impressive new stadium or arena with an enormous price tag. Here's one example: I still very much liked the old Giants Stadium. Maybe it did not have enough luxury boxes for the tastes of the powers that be in the NFL, but it had a lot more character and history than the new stadium does. For all the wonders that it's ultramodern appearance and perks like huge screens and very modern music which is constantly playing, squeezing in small little clumps of music in the few seconds in between plays to try and overwhelm people with sensory overload instead of allowing anyone to relax and, you know, enjoy a game it feels like maybe this is an example of less is more. Also, just when Giants Stadium really was starting to get some serious history under it's belt - and I know this was not the only stadium or arena like this - it gets torn down. Frankly, I miss the old Giants Stadium, and so I felt a connection, even somehow a nostalgia of sorts, for both the Rose Bowl and the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, two places which I had never been to before, and still have yet to see an event at. That was part of the reason why I wanted to go see both of these two stadiums.

My earlier visit to the Rose Bowl was a thrill because of the significance of the events, I actually prefer the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum in terms of aesthetic value. It is easy to appreciate the Greco-Roman influence with the columns in the front of the stadium, mixed with art that also clearly seems influenced by that era, while also hinting at what was at least then regarded as a futuristic feel to it. With this stadium, you catch more glimpses of the interior, of the actual seats inside, which itself makes a visit feel more complete. 

While I had known that this stadium in particular had played host to prominent events in the past, what I had known it to host was, in fact, only a fraction of the amount of truly significant events in history which it has played host to. After seeing completion of construction in the early 1920's, it hosted two Olympic Games in 1932 and again in 1984. In 2028, it will be the first stadium (along with the Rose Bowl) to host three Olympics. Major history for a sports arena. There was a victory celebration after World War II in this stadium in 1945. Also, the first ever Super Bowl was played here, and it was the first (and so far only) Super Bowl which was not a sellout. Years later, the Miami Dolphins completed their historical perfect season by winning their first ever Super Bowl here. This stadium also hosted a campaign stop for John F. Kennedy in 1960, and hosted a speech by Martin Luther King, Jr., for the Civil Rights movement in the mid-sixties. There have been World Series played here, and Evel Knievel performed one of hist stunts here, as well. In 1981, the Rolling Stones had a tour stop here, with a rising star known as Prince opening up for them. It was here that one of the culminating scenes in the it movie Jerry Maguire was filmed, back in the late nineties. Just a few years ago, before their current domed stadium opened, the Rams defeated the Cowboys in a playoff game en route to the Super Bowl.

Now again, I had been familiar with some of these things. But certainly not all of them. It took me aback, just how many prominent and historical events had happened here. Even more than with the Rose Bowl, I suddenly felt in awe of this place which I stood before, and in reverence for all of these historical things which had taken place right here, dating back now almost a full century. What a stadium! And it's aesthetically pleasing, to boot (at least in my opinion). 

Below are the pictures which I took during my admittedly too brief visit. The place was not open for tours or anything while I was there, which was unfortunate. Still, I was glad to have finally seen this place with my own eyes. It was a thrill. And the banners which showed off all of the biggest moments in the extensive history of this stadium, which surely has to be one of the most historically rich stadiums in the entire world. 

Enjoy.