Brisbane Stadium, corner of Charlotte Street and Albert Street, Brisbane, Queensland, during WW2

BRISBANE STADIUM
CORNER CHARLOTTE & ALBERT STREETS,
BRISBANE, QLD, DURING WW2

Photo supplied by Bill Bentson

The Brisbane Stadium during WWII. Note the military vehicles and
a person in uniform and the Bulimba Beer truck to the left
of the photograph with Wilson House in the background.

The original Brisbane Stadium was built in 1910. The first drawing of the Queensland Casket was held at the Brisbane Stadium on 14 June 1917.

Boxing Matches were held in the Brisbane Stadium every Friday night at 7:45pm. It was mainly a boxing and wrestling stadium.

Picture from Sadie Lewman Jan 2012

Ticket to the boxing matches at the Brisbane Stadium on 13 December 1943

Brisbane Courier Mail Tuesday
14th December 1943

Article on the boxing matches on evening of
13 December 1943 at the Brisbane Stadium

One of the boxers that fought at the Brisbane Stadium on the evening on 13 December 1943 (see above newspaper article), was US Army negro soldier Corporal Alston James Hoosman. At that time he was considered to be the best heavyweight fighter in Australia. The evening was the Finals of a boxing tournament for US servicemen. About 5,000 American and Australian service personnel attended the boxing matches that night. The Governor of Queensland Sir Leslie Wilson was in attendance at the matches and US Navy Commander Gene Tunney, the world heavyweight champion, was the referee.

Al Hoosman went on to fight Joe Louis in an exhibition match in Oakland, California on 19 Dec 1948. Joe Louis won with a KO in Round 5. Al Hoosman was also apparently Joe Louis' sparring partner at some stage.

Festival Hall was later established on the site of the Brisbane Stadium in April 1959.

FESTIVAL HALL CLOSED IN 2003