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The very mention of Orlando these days evokes mental images of over-crowded theme parks and sunburned tourists wearing goofy hats and knee-high black socks. But, to those that saw wrestling in this Central Florida hamlet, the Orlando Sports Stadium, later renamed the Eddie Graham Sports Complex, is held in high regard. The city's promoter for over twenty-five years was Milo "The World's Strongest man" Steinborn.
Steinborn had come to Orlando in the early 1950s, buying the promoting rights to the city from Cowboy Luttrall for $1,000. Steinborn held his shows every Monday evening at the American Legion Arena on the shores of Lake Ivanhoe, pulling in little more than a couple of hundred fans per card. But by the late 1950s, with Central Florida's major interstate, I-4, opening and allowing fans easier access to the city, Steinborn was drawing standing room only crowds. When the Orlando Sports Stadium opened in 1967, Milo made the move to the new arena on Econlockhatchee Trail, and became the first "permanent" tenant of the Stadium. In the early 1970s, Orlando switched nights and began holding its shows on Sunday evenings. By the late 1970s, Milo, after disagreements with the building's owner, Pete "The Marlboro Man" Ashlock, as well as those in the CWF front office, retired from promoting. In 1980, Ashlock had deeded the stadium back to an Orlando bank, where a group headed by Eddie Graham, of which Graham owned fifty percent, quickly purchased it. The Orlando Sports Stadium was renamed the Eddie Graham Sports Complex, and CWF continued to promote shows there until 1987. By 1993, the building was closed by the Orange County Building Department because of code violations. In 1995, an Orlando based developer bought the land from Prudential Realty for $800,000, which included the building as well. Prudential initially tried to sell the Stadium and the land for use as a facility, but the area had changed and was now surrounded by homes and apartments. Those who owned houses in the area were against the Stadium being re-opened, fearing traffic and noise problems. The Stadium, which had housed wrestling and boxing for twenty years, as well as concerts by Led Zeppelin, James Brown, and Elvis Presley, was marked for demolition and sadly, put to rest in November of 1995. The land is now home to a "cookie-cutter" housing development with all traces of the historic building gone.
Matches 1 to 20 of 109 |
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January 13th, 1964 Clipping |
February 14th, 1966 Clipping |
February 28th, 1966 Clipping |
August 1st, 1966 Clipping |
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February 5th, 1968 Milo's Mat Card |
February 5th, 1968 Milo's Mat |
February 26th, 1968 Milo's Mat |
February 26th, 1968 Milo's Mat Card |
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March 18th, 1968 Milo's Mat |
March 18th, 1968 Milo's Mat Card |
March 25th, 1968 Milo's Mat |
March 25th, 1968 Milo's Mat Card |
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August 5th, 1968 Milo's Mat |
August 5th, 1968 Milo's Mat Card |
September 23rd, 1968 Milo's Mat |
September 23rd, 1968 Milo's Mat Card |
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October 7th, 1968 Milo's Mat Card |
October 7th, 1968 Milo's Mat |
November 4th, 1968 Milo's Mat Card |
November 4th, 1968 Milo's Mat |
Matches 1 to 20 of 109 |
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© Copyright 2004-2006, Barry Rose,
