Yankee Stadium: Not Just for Baseball

The final baseball game has been played at Yankee Stadium, but The House that Ruth Built was far from a "baseball-only" facility. Yankee Stadium also hosted football, soccer, three Popes, concerts and lots of great boxing. From 1923 to 2008, Yankee Stadium was the site of no less than 49 boxing cards! The first was on May 12, 1923, with a card that featured Luis Firpo and Jess Willard in separate bouts. The final fight card at Yankee Stadium took place on Sept. 28, 1976 with Muhammad Ali retaining his heavyweight title via a controversial 15-round unanimous decision over Ken Norton. The undercard included Earnie Shavers and Mike Rossman.

Over the years, the list of fighters who competed at Yankee Stadium reads like a who's who of boxing history: Benny Leonard, Harry Greb, Gene Tunney, Jack Sharkey, Jim Braddock, Jack Dempsey, Max Baer, Jersey Joe Walcott, Rocky Graziano, Tony Zale, Billy Conn, Lou Ambers, Henry Armstrong, Kid Gavilan, Willie Pep, Sandy Saddler, Jake LaMotta, Joey Maxim, Ezzard Charles, Rocky Marciano, Archie Moore, Carmen Basilio, Sugar Ray Robinson, Floyd Patterson and many more.

However, the most significant fight in Yankee Stadium history took place on June 22, 1938 when - with the world on the brink of World War II - a crowd of 66,277 witnessed Joe Louis take the heavyweight title from Max Schmeling via a devastating first round knockout.

Credit Joe Louis with biggest save in Yankee Stadium history
The Canadian Press