The Big E Coliseum
Encyclopedia
The Eastern States Coliseum, better known as the Big E Coliseum, is a 5,900-seat multi-purpose arena
in West Springfield, Massachusetts
.
professional hockey team in the American Hockey League
, it was a part time home to the New England Whalers ice hockey
team
while the team was in the World Hockey Association
, as well as briefly being the venue for the Hartford Whalers
when the team joined the National Hockey League
, until the repair of the Hartford Civic Center
in January, 1980. In the 1940s through to the building of the Springfield Civic Center
in 1972, the Coliseum frequently hosted local showings of the Ice Capades
and the Ice Follies
.
Today, though the ice plant has been dismantled and hockey games are no longer played there , the arena is a venue for The Big E
, and hosts Shriner circuses, equestrian shows and other local events. The Coliseum has often been the location for the draft horse World Championship Finals, serving as such in 1998, 1999, 2002, 2003, 2004 and 2009.
3–1. In 1933, the parent New York Rangers
decided to pull the franchise out of Springfield, but the Indians were back in the Coliseum for the 1935–36 season when J. Lucien Garneau transferred his Quebec City club to Springfield. Since there were no more Canadian teams in the league, the circuit in 1936–37 became the American Hockey League. When World War II broke out, the franchise had to be suspended for the duration of the war due to the Eastern States Exposition grounds being commandeered by the United States Army for use as a quartermaster's depot. The Indians were back at the Coliseum for the 1946–47 season until 1972, when the team moved into the Springfield Civic Center in downtown Springfield at the start of the 1972–73 season.
Arena
An arena is an enclosed area, often circular or oval-shaped, designed to showcase theater, musical performances, or sporting events. It is composed of a large open space surrounded on most or all sides by tiered seating for spectators. The key feature of an arena is that the event space is the...
in West Springfield, Massachusetts
West Springfield, Massachusetts
The Town of West Springfield is a city in Hampden County, Massachusetts, United States. It is part of the Springfield, Massachusetts Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 28,391 at the 2010 census...
.
History
The Big E Coliseum was built in 1926. The longtime home of the Springfield IndiansSpringfield Indians
The Springfield Indians were a minor professional ice hockey franchise, originally based in West Springfield, Massachusetts and later Springfield, Massachusetts. The Indians were founding members of the American Hockey League. They were in existence for a total of 60 seasons from 1926 to 1994, with...
professional hockey team in the American Hockey League
American Hockey League
The American Hockey League is a 30-team professional ice hockey league based in the United States and Canada that serves as the primary developmental circuit for the National Hockey League...
, it was a part time home to the New England Whalers ice hockey
Ice hockey
Ice hockey, often referred to as hockey, is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use wooden or composite sticks to shoot a hard rubber puck into their opponent's net. The game is played between two teams of six players each. Five members of each team skate up and down the ice trying to take...
team
Team
A team comprises a group of people or animals linked in a common purpose. Teams are especially appropriate for conducting tasks that are high in complexity and have many interdependent subtasks.A group in itself does not necessarily constitute a team...
while the team was in the World Hockey Association
World Hockey Association
The World Hockey Association was a professional ice hockey league that operated in North America from 1972 to 1979. It was the first major competition for the National Hockey League since the collapse of the Western Hockey League in 1926...
, as well as briefly being the venue for the Hartford Whalers
Hartford Whalers
The Hartford Whalers were a professional ice hockey team based for most of its existence in Hartford, Connecticut, U.S.A.. The club played in the World Hockey Association from 1972–79 and in the National Hockey League from 1979–97...
when the team joined the National Hockey League
National Hockey League
The National Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a major professional ice hockey league of 30 franchised member clubs, of which 7 are currently located in Canada and 23 in the United States...
, until the repair of the Hartford Civic Center
Hartford Civic Center
The XL Center, formerly known as the Hartford Civic Center, is a multi-purpose arena and convention center located in downtown Hartford, Connecticut, USA. It is owned by the City of Hartford and operated by Anschutz Entertainment Group under contract with the Connecticut Development Authority...
in January, 1980. In the 1940s through to the building of the Springfield Civic Center
MassMutual Center
The MassMutual Center is a multi-purpose arena and convention center, in downtown Springfield, Massachusetts, USA. Built in the city's Metro Center across from Court Square, the facility opened in 1972 as the Springfield Civic Center and was at that time considered to be the largest arena in the...
in 1972, the Coliseum frequently hosted local showings of the Ice Capades
Ice Capades
The Ice Capades was a traveling entertainment show featuring theatrical performances involving ice skating. Shows often featured former Olympicand National Champion figure skaters who had retired from amateur competition....
and the Ice Follies
Ice Follies
Shipstads & Johnson Ice Follies was a touring ice show featuring elaborate production numbers, similar in concept to Ice Capades. It was founded in 1937 by Eddie Shipstad, Roy Shipstad, and Oscar Johnson, who also skated in the show. In later years, Olympic skaters such as Donald Jackson, Barbara...
.
Today, though the ice plant has been dismantled and hockey games are no longer played there , the arena is a venue for The Big E
The Big E
The Big E, also known as The Eastern States Exposition, is billed as "New England's Great State fair". The Big E serves as the de facto state fair for all six of the New England states: Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont. Each of the New England states is...
, and hosts Shriner circuses, equestrian shows and other local events. The Coliseum has often been the location for the draft horse World Championship Finals, serving as such in 1998, 1999, 2002, 2003, 2004 and 2009.
Indians and The Coliseum
The first game played in the new arena was on December, 1, 1926. Boxing promoter Tex Rickard dropped the ceremonial puck drop. The Indians lost to the Providence RedsProvidence Reds
The Providence Reds were a hockey team that played in the Canadian-American Hockey League between 1926–1936 and the American Hockey League from 1936 to 1977, the last season of which they played as the Rhode Island Reds. The team won the Calder Cup in 1938, 1940, 1949, and 1956...
3–1. In 1933, the parent New York Rangers
New York Rangers
The New York Rangers are a professional ice hockey team based in the borough of Manhattan in New York, New York, USA. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . Playing their home games at Madison Square Garden, the Rangers are one of the...
decided to pull the franchise out of Springfield, but the Indians were back in the Coliseum for the 1935–36 season when J. Lucien Garneau transferred his Quebec City club to Springfield. Since there were no more Canadian teams in the league, the circuit in 1936–37 became the American Hockey League. When World War II broke out, the franchise had to be suspended for the duration of the war due to the Eastern States Exposition grounds being commandeered by the United States Army for use as a quartermaster's depot. The Indians were back at the Coliseum for the 1946–47 season until 1972, when the team moved into the Springfield Civic Center in downtown Springfield at the start of the 1972–73 season.