ATHLETIC ASSOCIATION MEMBERSHIP CARD - TJ FISHER The championship bout was scheduled for 3:30 p.m. on Labor Day, Monday, September 4, 1916. Gates opened at 10 a.m. and people arrived early to purchase $3 general admission tickets for bleacher seats. Reserved seats varied in price from $5, $7.50, $10, and $15 box seats. Promoted around the country, people were arriving in droves to attend. The newly constructed wooden arena took up the better part of a vacant city block and was bordered on the north and south by Pikes Peak Avenue and Huerfano Streets (now known as Colorado Avenue) and on the east and west by Spruce and Walnut Streets. Today that block is home to City Glass, Emmanuel Missionary Baptist Church, Deep Rock Water, Ormao Dance Company and ProCycling. The newly organized Colorado Springs Athletic Club organized the match, hoping positive press attention would draw tourists, along with future residents and businesses. The members of CSAA were among the richest, most powerful men in town and included many familiar names such as: Penrose, Shove, Shoup, Howbert, Hayes Davis, Sharp, Carpenter, Hefley, Robbins, Tutt, Taylor, Lennox, Kaufman and Giddings. They hired local architect Charles E. Thomas of MacLaren &; Thomas to draw up plans, with Contractor William Farnsworth and Foreman W.E. Soley, both of Denver to oversee construction. Unfortunately, it was later revealed that Farnsworth set aside Thomas’ plans as too complicated and expensive. They instructed workers to take short cuts – after all the structure was not meant to be permanent. Local carpenter A.R. Hyde later testified that Farnsworth and Soley insisted on using poor lumber, two few nails and told workers to, “put it up (the arena) any way to get it up.” It is not hard to imagine what happened next. As 10,000 spectators filled the arena, small cracking noises were heard as the bleachers in the south section began to sway. As people moved down from the highest rows, the entire section collapsed. Over 500 men, women and children plunged 20 feet to the ground in a tangled mass. Authorities and bystanders moved quickly to remove bodies from the pile of rubble. All seven ambulances in the city and dozens of private automobiles began transporting victims to local hospitals. Injuries ranged from bumps and scrapes to broken bones, internal hemorrhaging and head wounds. St. Francis Hospital took in nearly a hundred patients with Beth El and Glockner a dozen or two each. At least 100 others were treated on the scene or taken to local homes. After several days, officials determined that 288 spectators suffered significant injuries. Tragically, in the weeks following the arena collapse, three spectators succumbed to their injuries: Albert A. Nostrum of Colorado City, Thomas Allen of Colorado Springs and George P. Rhea of Porter, Oklahoma. District Attorney M.W. Purcell pursued the initial investigation which soon turned into a Coroner’s Inquest. Dozens of witnesses testified and multiple parties were found negligent. Architect Charles E. Thomas was exonerated as his plans for the arena were never used. Most of the blame was placed on the contractor and foreman for their shoddy work. Members of the Colorado Springs Athletic Association quietly disbanded their organization and went largely unnamed in the local papers. Interestingly, outraged residents demanded enhanced building code enforcement and mandatory inspection of temporary buildings to prevent future tragedies. By the way, the champion won the bout by points after twenty rounds. FREDDIE WELSH MUSELETTER OCTOBER 2019| PG 7
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