coming up in just a few weeks, the 79th anniversary of the Game…..where did it start?
This is the historic Chicago Coliseum.
It was built in the late 1800s, constructed largely of the bricks from the terrible civil war Libby Prison in Richmond, Virginia, and was located at 1513 S. Wabash St.
For a long time it was the main exposition and gathering place for Chicagoans: The 1896 Democratic convention was held here, and events from sporting goods shows to basketball and horse shows utilized the building.
And on August 13, 1935, Leo Seltzer put about 20 men and women on roller skates in order to skate a marathon the distance of the US from coast to coast for a prize money of $500
A team was one man and a woman, and they would alternate, and rest on view in the infield in between skating times. The event started each day in the morning and lasted until about midnight. The admission was 10 cents, and…
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