The Olympic Club of New Orleans: Epicenter of Professional Boxing, 1883-1897

Established in 1883, the Olympic Club catered to the booming immigrant population in New Orleans’ Third Ward. By 1893, there were 1100 members engaging in a variety of pursuits from target shooting to billiards to boxing—the most popular sport in the city, despite legal prohibitions. A revised city ordinance and a vague state statute permitting boxing sponsored by chartered athletic clubs were frequently tested at the Olympic, making it theepicenter of boxing in America. Between 1890 and 1894, the club’s 10,000–seat arena hosted six world championship and seven national or regional title bouts. The 1892 Fistic Carnival featured three world title fights on three consecutive days, culminating in the heavyweight championship between John L. Sullivan and James J. Corbett. With legal challenges and shifts in public opinion, prizefighting in New Orleans fell into precipitous decline, hastened by several deaths in the ring, notably that of “Louisiana Tornado” Andy Bowen. By early 1896 the Olympic went into liquidation, experiencing a brief revival before burning to the ground in 1897.