Dick Dunn (sports promoter)

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Richard George Dunn [1] was an American sports promoter who was general manager of the Detroit Olympia and Boston Garden.

Contents

Early life

Dunn began his career at the age of 12, when he began delivering press notices for his father, New York City boxing announcer Jimmy Dunn. He then worked for bicycle race promoters Patrick T. Powers and Harry Pollock. During World War I, Dunn served with a machine gun battalion of the 77th Infantry Division. [2]

Career

Madison Square Garden

Dunn began his association with Madison Square Garden as a phone operator in the superintendents office. When Tex Rickard took over the arena, Dunn worked as an usher. He then rose through the ranks, working as a ticket taker, ticket seller, concession manager, time keep, assistant superintendent, and finally superintendent. [2] In addition to working at both the second and third Madison Square Gardens, Dunn, along with MSG vice president William F. Carey, supervised the construction of Philadelphia's John F. Kennedy Stadium. [2] [3] Dunn also promoted the July 3, 1931 Max Schmeling–Young Stribling fight at Cleveland's Municipal Stadium for the Madison Square Garden Corporation. [4]

Detroit Olympia

In 1928, Dunn became general manager of the Detroit Olympia. [2] In his first year as manager, Dunn's fights drew a total of $400,000 and the Olympia was one of a few boxing arenas in the country to be profitable during that time. [2] [5]

Boston Garden

In 1931, Dunn left Detroit to become general manager of the MSG-owned Boston Garden. [6] Dunn booked a wide variety of events for the Garden, including an Aimee Semple McPherson revival, a welterweight championship bout between Young Jack Thompson and Lou Brouillard, New England's first rodeo event, and a Reinald Werrenrath concert. [7] [8] [9] [10] He also promoted the Garden's events at Rockingham Park in Salem, New Hampshire, which included the New England States Fair, automobile races, and Grand Circuit harness racing stakes races. [11] [12] [13] Dunn was able to bring the Garden from a deficit to a $200,000 profit in his first year as manager. [14]

Independent promoter

Dunn resigned as general manager of the Boston Garden on August 2, 1932, to become a private promotor. [15] During the 1930s, he promoted motor races at Readville Race Track in Boston, Elsmere Speedway in Elsmere, Delaware, Sage Park Speedway in Windsor, Connecticut, and Woodbridge Speedway in Woodbridge Township, New Jersey and assisted in the promotion of midget car racing at Amherst Speedway in Amherst, New Hampshire. [16] [17] [18] [19] [20]

In 1932 and 1933, he promoted wrestling cards at the Olympia headlined by Gus Sonnenberg, Ed Don George, Dick Shikat, Sándor Szabó, and Karol Zbyszko. [21] [22] [23] [24]

In 1934, Dunn, Johnny Buckley, and Homer Rainault formed a fight syndicate known as the Sharkey Athletic Association. [25] The organization promoted fights at Boston's Mechanics Hall. Dunn hired Jessie Costello, who was acquitted of the murder of her husband at a highly publicized trial, to be the club's general treasurer. [26] The Sharkey A.A. also hosted a weekly boxing tournament at the Ritz Plaza ballroom. [27] Dunn attempted to lease the Boston Garden to host fights, but was turned down. [28]

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References

  1. ↑ "Boston Garden Shows Big Profit". Painesville Telegraph. May 11, 1932. Retrieved 25 January 2024.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 Dunkley, Charles W. (February 3, 1929). "Detroit Promoter Protege Rickard". Lundington Daily News. Retrieved 25 January 2024.
  3. ↑ Lawrence, Seabury (September 20, 1926). "Stadium Builders Busy All Sunday". The New York Times.
  4. ↑ "Schmeling-Stribling Bout Given to Dunn". The Boston Globe. April 14, 1931.
  5. ↑ Dawson, James P. (August 13, 1928). "Risko Now Sought For Delaney Bout". The New York Times.
  6. ↑ "Dunn, Detroit Promoter, Signed By Boston Garden". Meriden Record. January 14, 1931. Retrieved 25 January 2024.
  7. ↑ "Aimee's Revival Here Oct 10 to 18". The Boston Globe. September 23, 1931.
  8. ↑ Egan, David (October 24, 1931). "Lou Brouillard New Champion". The Boston Globe.
  9. ↑ F.H.D. (November 12, 1931). ""In Our Opinion"". The Telegraph. Retrieved 25 January 2024.
  10. ↑ "Werrenrath Coming To Boston Garden". The Telegraph. November 30, 1931. Retrieved 25 January 2024.
  11. ↑ "New England Fair to be Staged at Rockingham". The Boston Globe. December 20, 1931.
  12. ↑ "Rockingham Should Hum Very Soon". Lewiston Evening Journal. June 8, 1932. Retrieved 25 January 2024.
  13. ↑ "Announce Return of Grand Circuit to N.E. This Year". The Lewiston Daily Sun. January 15, 1932. Retrieved 25 January 2024.
  14. ↑ F. H. D. (December 2, 1931). ""In Our Opinion"". The Telegraph. Retrieved 25 January 2024.
  15. ↑ "Dunn Quits Post at Boston Garden". The Boston Globe. August 3, 1932.
  16. ↑ "Two 50-Mile Races at Readville Today". The Boston Globe. September 5, 1932.
  17. ↑ "First Auto Meet At Elsmere Soon". The Sunday Morning Star. May 28, 1933. Retrieved 25 January 2024.
  18. ↑ "Auto Racing". The Meriden Daily Journal. August 17, 1934. Retrieved 25 January 2024.
  19. ↑ "Star Auto Drivers to Race". The New York Times. July 24, 1935.
  20. ↑ "Dick Dunn Consultant At Amherst". The Telegraph. June 6, 1940. Retrieved 25 January 2024.
  21. ↑ "Gus Sonnenberg In Feature Bout". The Border Cities Star. November 3, 1932. Retrieved 25 January 2024.
  22. ↑ "Don George to Top Mat Card". The Border Cities Star. November 24, 1932. Retrieved 25 January 2024.
  23. ↑ "Dick Shikat Tops Program". The Border Cities Star. January 12, 1933. Retrieved 25 January 2024.
  24. ↑ "Szabo, Zbyszko Top Mat Card". The Border Cities Star. January 19, 1933. Retrieved 25 January 2024.
  25. ↑ "Bostonians Form Fight Syndicate". The Border Cities Star. February 7, 1934. Retrieved 25 January 2024.
  26. ↑ "New Boston Fight Club Treasurer is Mrs. Jessie Costello". The Lewiston Daily Sun. March 15, 1934. Retrieved 24 January 2024.
  27. ↑ Hurwitz, Hy (April 3, 1934). "From Pillar to Post". The Boston Globe.
  28. ↑ Hurwitz, Hy (May 24, 1934). "Garden to Drop Out of Boxing". The Boston Globe.
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