The Legendary Blue Horizon

Venue Enshrinement

The Blue Horizon has the reputation as one of the best places to hold boxing matches in Philadelphia, the USA, or anywhere else, ever.

However, it took time for the intimate fight club to attain this standing. With a modest 1,300-seat capacity, the "Blue" was merely a local fight club geared toward smaller bouts. Bigger fights happened elsewhere. The Blue was the place where young careers began and old careers ended.

Through the years, the venue compiled a dizzying list of events and participants and became an integral part of Philadelphia boxing. In the mid-1980s, when it stood alone as an example of a classic old-fashioned fight club, its discovery by the USA cable network helped the Blue's reputation soar. After being featured often on Tuesday Night Fights, live boxing in this unique setting suddenly became a hot ticket. A "new" boxing star was born.

Built in 1865, the Blue Horizon was originally a ritzy residential property. It became a Moose Lodge around 1912 and used was for meetings, cabarets, and other events. It hosted one boxing card in 1938, but did not become a major fight location until 1960 when Jimmy Toppi Jr. purchased the building. Originally called "Toppi's Auditorium," Toppi later changed the venue's name inspired by the song "Beyond the Blue Horizon."

After Steve Tomassi presented the first show, Marty Kramer became the venue's first house promoter. During his twoyear tenure, Kramer ran more than thirty cards featuring George Benton, Len Matthews, Dick Turner, Ike White, and Sweet Pea Adams.

Super-promoter Herman Taylor used the Blue three times in the mid-1960s for nationally televised bouts: Jose Stable vs. Dick Turner, Harold Johnson vs. Henry Hank, and in the best bout ever held there, Kitten Hayward vs. Curtis Cokes. After Lou Lucchese promoted Gypsy Joe Harris vs. Johnny Knight in 1966, the venue went dark for three years.

However, a new era began when twentytwo- year-old upstart promoter J Russell Peltz launched his own Hall of Fame career at the site in September 1969. His first event featured Bennie Briscoe and set an arena attendance record (1,606). Peltz programed two seasons that included thirty-one bi-weekly shows featuring Sammy Goss, George Benton, Cyclone Hart, Willie Monroe, Boogaloo Watts, Leotis Martin, Tiger Williams, and Richie Kates. After Peltz left to promote bigger events at larger arenas, former world champion Bob Montgomery promoted three shows in 1971. Afterward, the venue again went dark.

By 1974, Peltz was Director of Boxing at the Spectrum. He often returned to the Blue and used the venue as a virtual farm system for the Spectrum, developing new talent for the larger arena in South Philly. Between 1974 and 1981, Peltz ran more than thirty shows at the Blue.

Harold Moore and a few other promoters ran a handful of shows from 1982 to 1984. When his Spectrum series finished in 1984, Peltz again returned and consistently ran shows until 2001. Other promoters (Greg Robinson, the DePasquale Brothers, Rob Murray, Mike Maltepes, Eddie Woods, Tommy Frazier, Datom Promotions, Frank Gelb, Pro Vantage Boxing, Ring Warriors, Fred Jenkins, Don Elbaum, and Pete Lyde) shared the venue.

In 1986, the USA Network recorded a Peltz card for delayed broadcast. It was the start of something big. Broadcasters, network executives, and fans all over the country fell in love. Suddenly, everyone wanted to see a fight in the little venue on North Broad Street. Bernard Hopkins, Arturo Gatti, Tim Witherspoon, Robert Hines, Fernando Vargas, Anthony Boyle, Rodney Moore, Nate Miller, Tony Thornton, Calvin Grove, Junior Jones, and Bonecrusher Smith appeared at the Blue during this era. In 1997, the Blue Horizon hosted its only world title fight when IBF super middleweight champion Charles Brewer defended his belt against Joey DeGrandis.

Veronica Michael purchased the building in 1994 and eventually transitioned from proprietor to house promoter. With support from Rob Murray and Don Elbaum, promoter Michael's bouts dominated the Blue's remaining schedule. At Michael's urging, the Blue became an official historical site and a permanent marker was placed on Broad Street in 2000.

In 2010, due to a license violation, the Blue's glorious run of nearly 400 events ended after the June 4th show. Fans who left that night had no idea they would never be back. Despite occasional rumors of a comeback, the building was shuttered and fell into disrepair. But even if the Blue Horizon never returns, it will forever remain one of Philadelphia's most important, unique, and best-loved boxing venues.

By John DiSanto