Honolulu Stadium
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Honolulu Stadium was a stadium located in the Moʻiliʻili district of Honolulu, Hawai'i, at the corner of King and Isenberg Streets. It was opened in 1926 and demolished in 1976. It was the primary sports venue in Hawai'i preceding Aloha Stadium. Famous athletes who competed in Honolulu Stadium include Babe Ruth, Joe DiMaggio (hit a home run out of the park in 1944) and Jesse Owens. Irving Berlin performed at Honolulu Stadium in 1945. Elvis Presley performed in 1957 while Billy Graham inspired a sold out crowd a year later. It was the home of the University of Hawaii Warriors football team, the Hawaiians of the World Football League and the Hawaii Islanders of the Pacific Coast League. The stadium was also the venue for the Poi Bowl and Pineapple Bowl, and a number of world championship fights. It hosted Hawaii Islanders' home games 1961-1975. It also served as a venue for stock car racing and high school football. During its final years, the stadium could hold about 25,000 fans.
The stadium, nicknamed the "Termite Palace," was considered outdated in the 1960s and was replaced by Aloha Stadium. A public park, Old Stadium Park, now occupies this location. There is a plaque at the corner of King and Isenberg commemorating the stadium. Some of the property wall which stood behind the first-base stands still remains.
