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Lot # 945: Detroit's Olympia Stadium Seat

Category: Hockey

Starting Bid: $200.00

Bids: 7 (Bid History)

Time Left: Auction closed
Lot / Auction Closed




This lot is closed. Bidding is not allowed.

Item was in Auction "Summer Classic 2022",
which ran from 8/28/2022 7:00 PM to
9/17/2022 10:00 PM



Presented is a seat from Detroit's Olympia Stadium, an arena that opened in 1927, and was home to professional hockey, the Detroit Pistons basketball team, as well as many appearances by the Harlem Globetrotters, and many noted boxing matches, including fights by Detroit's own World Heavyweight Champion, Joe Louis. The offered seat was installed at Olympia Stadium in 1966, when the stadium seating was expanded, and new seats installed throughout the arena. The seat remained in Olympia Stadium until the arena was closed in February 1980. The seat has been through numerous events from its installation in 1966 to the last event in Olympia Stadium, the Detroit Red Wing Old-Timers game on Feb. 2, 1980. In August of 1966, this seat was in the house for The Beatles when they performed one of their last concerts on the Fab Four's last real tour. Other musical events witnessed by fans in this seat included Eric Clapton with Cream, Led Zeppelin, The Who, Frank Sinatra and five concerts by Elvis Presley. The Red Wings were going through a down period when this seat was in Olympia Stadium, but they still had great NHL Hall of Famers that performed in front of fans sitting in this seat: Skaters - Gordie Howe, Alex Delvecchio, Andy Bathgate, Leo Boivin, Marcel Dionne, and Norm Ullman and goalies - Terry Sawchuk, Roger Vachon and Eddie Giacomin. Visiting Hall of Famers, to name just a few, included Bobby Hull, Jacques Plante, Jean Beliveau, and Bobby Orr. Olympia Stadium was nicknamed "The Old Red Barn" mainly for its red bricks, but the offered red seat fits right in. The seat is all original and it has a cushioned seat and back. It is 20.5 wide, including the wooden armrests, and the seat itself is approx. 15.5" wide. It is about 33" in height. The seat shows great wear. The wooden armrests show various scratches and places where the red paint is worn. The metal parts of the seat exhibit small paint loss and chipping. There are some small abrasions on the cushioned seat and the cushioned backrest. Despite the wear from the repeated use of the seat in Olympia Stadium, the seat is in very good condition, and it makes a fine collectible from an iconic sports arena.

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