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Wembley Park, Boxing Match between Tommy Gibbons and Jack Bloomfield, 1924 Pictured on 9 August 1924, Wembley Stadium is the somewhat unexpected venue for a boxing match between the American heavyweight Tom Gibbons and his British opponent Jack Bloomfield. The stadium was constructed earlier that year as part of the British Empire Exhibition and was described in glowing terms by the official guidebook: There is not in all England a modern building that can compete with the Empire Stadium in the effect it creates upon the mind of the spectator
In a world that has developed so great a devotion to sport there is no arena that can compare with Wembleys. While the bout which was won easily by Gibbons drew a crowd of 50,000, this experiment with boxing in the stadiums wide open spaces was not considered a success. The press reported that the combination of ringside standing room and distant seating failed to create a compelling spectacle or atmosphere, and the fights promoter, Major Arnold Wilson, had to file for bankruptcy immediately afterwards. (Photo by US National Archives via “A History of Britain From Above”)
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