A Story of Buffalo’s Memorial Auditorium By Suzanne K. Taylor Buffalo, New York
Copyright © Suzanne K. Taylor Cover photo copyright © Jeffrey Wieczkowski Sports Memorabilia courtesy of the John Boutet Collec
To our Veterans, to whom the War Memorial Auditorium was dedicated. To Dad, for taking me to The Aud, and to Mark, for making h
Acknowledgements “I’m always doing the things I can’t do. That’s how I get to do them.”–Pablo Picasso My inexplicable enthusias
C O N T E N T S I BUFFALO’S FUTURE .2 I I WHAT MADE HER OUR ROCK .10 The Building .14 The Fans .22 The Concerts .28 The Moments
9/11/39 The behemoth is now reduced to rubble. For months mechanical dinosaurs had torn at her insides, hunting for beams whose
ERIE CANAL HARBOR DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION 9/11/09 She was left as though we expected to return. Desks still had papers in drawe
BUFFALO STATE COLLEGE LIBRARY
I BUFFALO’S FUTURE In 1927 the Peace Bridge had just been built, and Mayor Frank Schwab suggested that a new convention hall co
STEVE MANGIONE COLLECTION The “Convention City of the Future.” 3 The steel trusses that defined the roof of The Aud also define
A layer of Indiana limestone dresses her as The Aud we all knew. May 29, 1940. BUFFALO & ERIE COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY Although no
Even when its population was 575,000 and the city of Buffalo was booming, civic pride was still incredibly modest, as illustrat
BUFFALO & ERIE COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY The very first event held at The Aud was a political rally on October 15, 1940, the day af
The brand new Kleinhans Music Hall, dedicated on October 12, 1940, just two days before the Aud. In 1943 the Courier-Express re
BUFFALO SPORTS GOLDEN AGE JOHN BOUTET COLLECTION Ilio DiPaolo Hank O’Keefe Canisius College Poster The Aud’s days as a conventi
BUFFALO STATE COLLEGE LIBRARY
I I WHAT MADE HER OUR ROCK What made the building so special? What made her such an icon that when the Sabres played the first
1 1 Game on! BUFFALO STATE COLLEGE LIBRARY COURIER EXPRESS COLLECTION
Like his father before him, Larry is also good with people . “I just love people, especially the kids. They really touch my hea
A local button company created these buttons but failed to get the rights to use the Sabres’ logo. That’s why the logo is white
The Building At The Aud you could see someone you hadn’t seen in years. From the opposite side of the rink. Players talk about
By the time demolition began, spray paint was common at The Aud, used both by workers for directions and by taggers who had som
SUZANNE K. TAYLOR “The fans felt like they were right on top of [the off-ice officials], just being so close to the ice. The Or
1 7 The peeling Sabres logo in the old weight room was one of the saddest–but most-photographed– sights of the demolition. The
SUZANNE K. TAYLOR Sunlight comes through the “Elephant Door” at the south end of The Aud. An empty, dusty Sabres’ locker room,
Even though we loved The Aud, we weren’t always impressed with her. She had Magnetic Schedule Night, she had Fan Appreciation N
From hockey to basketball in a matter of hours BUFFALO STATE COLLEGE LIBRARY “We played more ‘cup hockey’ than anybody on the p
2 1 JOHN BOUTET COLLECTION
The Fans Sabres fans kept the stands filled, almost exclusively with season ticket holders. For years it was such a tough ticke
The once-coveted Golds I sneaked in to exactly one game at The Aud, and I had accomplices. A friend who worked concessions brou
SUZANNE K. TAYLOR After being unceremoniously cut from the ceiling, the beloved scoreboard left The Aud in pieces as trash. Fan
Thank You, Sabres Director of Communications and practical joker Paul In fact, Buffalo fans embraced all players, both real and
Some favorite signs from the Phantom Signmakers: “Remember Bill’s novel relatives, ‘The Wuthering Hajts.’” “Bobby Orr has bad k
2 7 In 1972, Elvis had entered the building. BUFFALO STATE COLLEGE LIBRARY
The Concerts Concerts are harder to quantify than sporting events. There’s no final score, no playoffs, no MVP. But there are t
Steczewski also remembers more legitimate offerings. “We drank Boone’s Farm Apple Wine. They used to allow you to take wine ski
What concerts were you at? Perhaps you remember. • Lynyrd Skynyrd, in 1976, with the J. Geils Band as the opener, featuring Har
The Famous Photo Bob Smith took photos at the Elvis concert on April 1, 1957. When Smith developed his film, he found one photo
CITADEL BROADCASTING • The Queen concert in November 1978. Pure entertainment featuring scores of colored lights, a surprise ac
3 3 A player coming at you on a breakaway through the fog is much more intimidating when they’re on their feet. JOHN BOUTET COL
The Moments We Shared For Game 3 of the Stanley Cup Finals against the Philadelphia Flyers, The Aud had its own weather. Having
Most of all, and right to the end, there was hockey. The Aud drew hockey fans right away to watch the American Hockey League’s
COLLECT ION Milt Ellis walked around practicing pronouncing their names from phonetic spelling on index cards. Meanwhile the So
3 7 Bisons tickets from 1940, programs from the 1940s and 1950s, and pennants from the 1970s and 1980s JOHN BOUTET COLLE CTION
JOH Pocket schedules from every decade of hockey at The Aud prove one thing; pockets never change. N BOU TET COL LEC TIO N And
“The first game I ever went to was the game after Tim Horton died. Buffalo was playing Atlanta. I don’t remember who won, but I
SUZANNE K. TAYLO A familiar Orange seat peeks out of the rubble. Another favorite sound at The Aud was the Canadian national an
4 1 Seemingly bowed in reverence, these machines are actually lined up to pull apart more of The Aud. SUZANNE K. TAYLOR
When I returned home reeking of stale beer and cigar smoke, my Mom was angry at my Dad for taking me to such a crude event and
Once people got over the newness of HSBC Arena, their hearts and minds went back to The Aud. Remember the fried bologna stand a
the loudspeaker. Then there’d be about twelve of us running to the phone. They wouldn’t page troopers, but they would page a do
Dad’s Last Game “The Sabres’ penultimate season at The Aud was cut short by the NHL player lockout. When the game was finally b
The Aud Braud “After my Dad died The Aud made me cry every time I saw it. I didn’t think I could ever go there again I was so h
4 7 The old grey mare ain’t what she used to be.
Farewell, Old Friend “I was one of the last ones off the ice after the last game,” recalls Cliff Smith, awash in nostalgia. “In
HARRY F. SCULL, JR. 4 9 The final Sabres game at The Aud on April 14, 1996.
“After 56 years, the time has come to say goodbye to an old friend, because the old grey mare ain’t what she used to be. It’s h
SUZANNE K. TAYLOR
I I I DEMOLITION “You remember and dream in ‘living color.’ The place was a dump on the best of days,” Michael Powers says fran
5 3 The corner closest to the Skyway was demolished last.
After the bids were in, and Ontario Specialty Corporation was awarded the demolition contract, the price for scrap steel plumme
Demolition companies don’t hire photographers to document their deconstruction projects. “The DEMCO contract to demolish The Au
SUZANNE K. TAYLOR The familiar interior of The Aud, subjected to weather, birds, and graffiti. the Hamburg drain and had main u
5 7 If you’ve got seats in Row E, don’t forget your sunblock. MIKE HEALY
SUZANNE K. TAYLOR And if your seats are here, duck. 5 8
5 9 Once the asbestos abatement was complete, demolition began. SUZANNE K. TAYLOR
seat in the press box was at the locker room end, in the gondola suspended over the Oranges near section 27. Because the press
6 1 Project Manager Mike Healy gives Colleen “Sam” Rein some management. SUZANNE K. TAYLOR
SUZANNE K. TAYLOR Sections 15 through 25, on my beloved west side of The Aud. 6 2
6 3 From the old to the new. HSBC Arena is revealed as the wall of the Sabres’ weight room is demolished. SUZANNE K. TAYLOR
SUZANNE K. TAYLOR The crashing action of a truss pull. hole was opened up, the main level–including the rink f loor–was collaps
6 5 DIANE HEALY
DIANE HEALY The stone-relief City of Buffalo seal and the Aud eagle were both preserved. 6 6
6 7 Lest you wonder why all of the seats couldn’t be salvaged… SUZANNE K. TAYLOR
Once the ninth truss was pulled, the east wall followed. All that remained of the seating area were the section numbers painted
6 9 Smoking is the least of our worries. SUZANNE K. TAYLOR
SUZANNE K. TAYLOR Like grazing animals, heavy machinery cleans up the debris. 7 0
7 1 Remember when the dirtiest things on the seats were beer and footprints? MIKE HEALY
Demolition of the northwest stair tower and elevator shaft revealed just how tough the ladies room could be. That left only one
7 3 “Um…a little help here?” SUZANNE K. TAYLOR
SUZANNE K. TAYLOR Among the twists on familiar sights was this cloud of dust, evoking the Fog Game of the 1975 Stanley Cup Fina
7 5 The pull of the first truss really broke it. SUZANNE K. TAYLOR
Demolition is a bit surreal. “No matter how much time I spent at The Aud as it came down, I was still always struck by the way
7 7 Somebody put a Skyway next to the southwest corner of the Aud. SUZANNE K. TAYLOR
SUZANNE K. TAYLOR Didn’t get a rock? Don’t worry– The Aud won’t be far away. Mike Healy reports that about 90 percent of the st
7 9 View of the demolition site, cleared to the basement with only the southwest corner still standing. SUZANNE K. TAYLOR
SUZANNE K. TAYLOR Not everything could be salvaged. The terrazzo buffalo in the lobby would have been too costly to save. The b
8 1 SUZANNE K. TAYLOR
As huge slabs of limestone drop from above, one can’t help but think that perhaps the trucks turning in 500 feet is the least o
8 3 The well-attended pull of the 11th and 12th trusses took down the last of the recognizable shape of the roof. SUZANNE K. TA
BRIAN PICKARD When little of The Aud remained, the early bird crew posed for a picture with Ron Friend’s “Farewell Old Friend”
8 5
SUZANNE K. TAYLOR The crowds grew as the Aud disappeared. 8 6
8 7 Another brick out of the wall. SUZANNE K. TAYLOR
SUZANNE K. TAYLOR Those stairs that seemed to go on forever? They didn’t. 8 8
8 9 No street lamps were injured in the unmaking of The Aud. SUZANNE K. TAYLOR
SUZANNE K. TAYLOR The same cannot be said of the steps at the east entrance. 9 0
9 1 Are you looking for City Hall? That’s in section 5.
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JEFFREY W
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A Story of Buffalo’s Memorial Auditoriu
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Copyright © Suzanne K. Taylor Cover photo copyright © Jeffrey W
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To our Veterans, to whom the War Memorial Auditorium was dedica
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Acknowledgements “I’m always doing the things I can’t do. That’
Page 7:
C O N T E N T S I BUFFALO’S FUTURE .2 I I WHAT MADE HER OUR ROC
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9/11/39 The behemoth is now reduced to rubble. For months mecha
Page 9:
ERIE CANAL HARBOR DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION 9/11/09 She was left
Page 10:
BUFFALO STATE
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I BUFFALO’S FUTURE In 1927 the Peace Bridge had just been built
Page 12:
STEVE MANGIONE COLLECTION The “Convention City of the Future.”
Page 13:
A layer of Indiana limestone dresses her as The Aud we all knew
Page 14:
Even when its population was 575,000 and the city of Buffalo wa
Page 15:
BUFFALO & ERIE COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY The very first event held
Page 16:
The brand new Kleinhans Music Hall, dedicated on October 12, 19
Page 17:
BUFFALO SPORTS GOLDEN AGE JOHN BOUTET COLLECTION Ilio DiPaolo H
Page 18:
BUFFALO STATE
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I I WHAT MADE HER OUR ROCK What made the building so special? W
Page 20:
1 1 Game on! BUFFALO STATE COLLEGE
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Like his father before him, Larry is also good with people . “I
Page 22:
A local button company created these buttons but failed to get
Page 23:
The Building At The Aud you could see someone you hadn’t seen i
Page 24:
By the time demolition began, spray paint was common at The Aud
Page 25:
SUZANNE K. TAYLOR “The fans felt like they were right on top of
Page 26:
1 7 The peeling Sabres logo in the old weight room was one of t
Page 27:
SUZANNE K. TAYLOR Sunlight comes through the “Elephant Door” at
Page 28:
Even though we loved The Aud, we weren’t always impressed with
Page 29:
From hockey to basketball in a matter of hours BUFFALO STATE CO
Page 30:
2 1 JOHN BOUT
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The Fans Sabres fans kept the stands filled, almost exclusively
Page 32:
The once-coveted Golds I sneaked in to exactly one game at The
Page 33:
SUZANNE K. TAYLOR After being unceremoniously cut from the ceil
Page 34:
Thank You, Sabres Director of Communications and practical joke
Page 35:
Some favorite signs from the Phantom Signmakers: “Remember Bill
Page 36:
2 7 In 1972, Elvis had entered the bu
Page 37:
The Concerts Concerts are harder to quantify than sporting even
Page 38:
Steczewski also remembers more legitimate offerings. “We drank
Page 39:
What concerts were you at? Perhaps you remember. • Lynyrd Skyny
Page 40:
The Famous Photo Bob Smith took photos at the Elvis concert on
Page 41:
CITADEL BROADCASTING • The Queen concert in November 1978. Pure
Page 42:
3 3 A player coming at you on a breakaway through the fog is mu
Page 43:
The Moments We Shared For Game 3 of the Stanley Cup Finals agai
Page 44:
Most of all, and right to the end, there was hockey. The Aud dr
Page 45:
COLLECT ION Milt Ellis walked around practicing pronouncing the
Page 46:
3 7 Bisons tickets from 1940, programs from the 1940s and 1950s
Page 47:
JOH Pocket schedules from every decade of hockey at The Aud pro
Page 48:
“The first game I ever went to was the game after Tim Horton di
Page 49:
SUZANNE K. TAYLO A familiar Orange seat peeks out of the rubble
Page 50:
4 1 Seemingly bowed in reverence, these machines are actual
Page 51:
When I returned home reeking of stale beer and cigar smoke, my
Page 52:
Once people got over the newness of HSBC Arena, their hearts an
Page 53:
the loudspeaker. Then there’d be about twelve of us running to
Page 54:
Dad’s Last Game “The Sabres’ penultimate season at The Aud was
Page 55:
The Aud Braud “After my Dad died The Aud made me cry every time
Page 56:
4 7 The old grey mare ai
Page 57:
Farewell, Old Friend “I was one of the last ones off the ice af
Page 58:
HARRY F. SCULL, JR. 4 9 The final Sab
Page 59:
“After 56 years, the time has come to say goodbye to an old fri
Page 60:
SUZANNE
Page 61:
I I I DEMOLITION “You remember and dream in ‘living color.’ The
Page 62:
5 3 The corner closest to th
Page 63:
After the bids were in, and Ontario Specialty Corporation was a
Page 64:
Demolition companies don’t hire photographers to document their
Page 65:
SUZANNE K. TAYLOR The familiar interior of The Aud, subjected t
Page 66:
5 7 If you’ve got seats in Row E, do
Page 67:
SUZANNE K. TAYLOR And if yo
Page 68:
5 9 Once the asbestos abatement was comp
Page 69:
seat in the press box was at the locker room end, in the gondol
Page 70:
6 1 Project Manager Mike Healy gives Colleen
Page 71:
SUZANNE K. TAYLOR Sections 15 through 25
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6 3 From the old to the new. HSBC Arena is revealed as the wa
Page 73:
SUZANNE K. TAYLOR The crashing action of a truss pull. hole was
Page 74:
6 5 DIA
Page 75:
DIANE HEALY The stone-relief City of Buffalo s
Page 76:
6 7 Lest you wonder why all of the seats
Page 77:
Once the ninth truss was pulled, the east wall followed. All th
Page 78:
6 9 Smoking is the least of o
Page 79:
SUZANNE K. TAYLOR Like grazing animals,
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7 1 Remember when the dirtiest things on th
Page 81:
Demolition of the northwest stair tower and elevator shaft reve
Page 82:
7 3 “Um…a little help h
Page 83:
SUZANNE K. TAYLOR Among the twists on familiar sights was this
Page 84:
7 5 The pull of the first truss r
Page 85:
Demolition is a bit surreal. “No matter how much time I spent a
Page 86:
7 7 Somebody put a Skyway next to the sout
Page 87:
SUZANNE K. TAYLOR Didn’t get a rock? Don’t worry– The Aud won’t
Page 88:
7 9 View of the demolition site, cleared to the basement wit
Page 89:
SUZANNE K. TAYLOR Not everything could be salvaged. The terrazz
Page 90:
8 1 SUZANN
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As huge slabs of limestone drop from above, one can’t help but
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8 3 The well-attended pull of the 11th and 12th trusses took do
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BRIAN PICKARD When little of The Aud remained, the early bird c
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8
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SUZANNE K. TAYLOR The crowds g
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8 7 Another brick out of t
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SUZANNE K. TAYLOR Those stairs that se
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8 9 No street lamps were injured in the
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SUZANNE K. TAYLOR The same cannot be sai
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9 1 Are you looking for Cit
AUDieu - Buffalo Says Goodbye to The Aud
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