pro wrestling
boardwalk hall
from wrestlemania, wwf posted in pro wrestling by pete_nice
On April 2, 1989, Wrestlemania V was held again at Boardwalk Hall (promotional materials list Trump Plaza as the location since they were the sponsor and are adjacent).
The main event featured Randy Savage vs Hulk Hogan. The two had a tag team for much of the year as The Mega Powers, but the honeymoon ended at the fifth Wrestlemania. Hogan defeated Savage after hulking up and executing a brutal leg drop.
boardwalk hall
from wrestlemania, wwf posted in pro wrestling by pete_nice
Boardwalk Hall (formerly known as Historic Atlantic City Convention Hall) began construction in by 1926 Lockwood, Greene & Co. and opened in 1929.
It was the site of the 1964 Democratic National Convention, 9 months after John F. Kennedy was assassinated.
On March 27, 1988, the World Wrestling Federation held Wrestlemania IV at this location (often incorrectly attributed to the Trump Plaza and Casino, who sponsored the event).
The main event featured a match between Randy Savage and Ted DiBiase: Randy Savage won (with help from Hulk Hogan).
los angeles memorial sports arena
from wrestlemania, hulk hogan, king kong bundy posted in pro wrestling by pete_nice
Wrestlemania II was a pay-per-view event that was held on April 7, 1986 at three separate locations: Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum (Uniondale, NY), Rosemont Horizon (Rosemont, IL), and Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena (yep).
Each location had a main event with a major undercard. The main event in Los Angeles was Hulk Hogan vs. King Kong Bundy in a steel cage match. Hogan won the match after climbing out of the top of the steel cage and reached the floor to retain the title.
Celebrity guests at the L.A. location include Ricky Schroder, Tommy Lasorda, and Elvira.
madison square garden
from wrestlemania, hulk hogan, mr. t posted in pro wrestling by pete_nice
The first Wrestlemania was held at Madison Square Garden on March 31, 1985. In the main event, Hulk Hogan and Mr. T fought Roddy Piper and Paul Orndorff.
Wrestlemania was an exercise in showmanship. Muhammad Ali was a guest referee. Jesse "The Body" Ventura was a color commentator. At one point, Cyndi Lauper hit a professional wrestler with a purse (planned after Lauper met Lou Albano on a plane to Puerto Rico).
The event was shown on closed-circuit television at arenas around the country, including the Civic Arena in Pittsburgh, PA where fans threw garbage at the screen when technical glitches ended the screening (the WWF later rebroadcast it on a local affiliate there for free to make up for it).
The good old days...
pontiac silverdome
from wrestlemania, hulk hogan, andré the giant posted in pro wrestling by pete_nice
On March 29, 1987, Wrestlemania III was held at the Pontiac Silverdome. With an attendance of 93,173, the wrestling event was the most highly attended sporting event until the NBA All-Star Game of 2010. The main event featured Hulk Hogan vs André the Giant, and also starred wrestling luminaries like Randy Savage, Junkyard Dog, Rickey Steamboat, Jake "The Snake" Roberts, and more.
The event was considered one of the high points for 80s wrestling. Since then, the Pontiac Silverdome has fallen on hard times. It's currently the home of the Detroit Mechanix, the city's ultimate frisbee team, when it's not being repaired from various damages.