Long before LeBron James even thought about bouncing a basketball, the Cleveland Cavaliers franchise was busy being forged – not far from his hometown in Summit County – in a legendary 20,000-seat arena known as the Richfield Coliseum. The Coliseum was a place that was christened by the Chairman of the Board and where a player named Hot Rod crashed the boards. It’s a place where fans saw icons like Led Zeppelin and Ziggy Stardust help Cleveland claim its mantle as the Rock-n-Roll Capital of the World; where the Boss nearly blew the roof off and, in many ways, the legend of Rocky Balboa was born. The Force was strong in the Coliseum and sharpshooter aptly-named World B. Free resuscitated pro basketball in Northeast Ohio. But, most notably, it was a place where the forefathers of Cavaliers basketball made a Miracle – one that lives on in local lore to this day. Does the Palace on the Prairie sound like it was somewhere too good to be true? For those who remember – it was. As the Wine & Gold prepares for their next Hardwood Classics Night presented by Elk & Elk on Saturday night against the Spurs, cavs.com takes a look back at some of the most memorable moments at what was once known as Northeast Ohio’s sports & entertainment mecca.
David Bowie opens the first of two shows by walking alone into a spotlight and playing “Space Oddity” on an acoustic guitar – and ends both sold-out concerts accompanied by U2 frontman Bono to perform the Doors’ classic: “Gloria.”
The 1981 All-Star Game features Larry Bird, Julius Erving and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, but the Cavaliers lone representative – the late, great Mike Mitchell – steals the show, electrifying the crowd of 20,239 with 14 points in 15 minutes.
With the Cavaliers in New Orleans winning their third straight, Frank Sinatra christens the Richfield Coliseum as only he can – opening with “The Lady is a Tramp” and bringing down the (brand new) house with “My Way.”
In Game 7 of their semifinal series, the Cavaliers eliminated Boston, 122-104 -marking an end to Larry Bird’s legendary career. Brad Daugherty scored 28 points as the Cavs shot 59 percent from the floor – handing out an amazing 42 assists on 49 made shots.
The Coliseum’s first true rock concert is Led Zeppelin, and with fans rioting outside to gain entry, rock gods – Robert Plant, Jimmy Page and Co. – shatter sonic records, closing out the show with their iconic hit, “Stairway to Heaven.”
Bruce Springsteen and the E. Street Band blow the roof off the “Palace on the Prairie” with a pair of three-hour shows to ring in 1979, with the Boss rocking on despite taking a fan’s firecracker to the face in the middle of the legendary first gig.
After starting the season 2-19, the Cavaliers needed a win over New Jersey to clinch their first playoff berth in seven years. Trailing by 10 in the fourth quarter, World B. Free led Cleveland on a 30-9 run to seal the victory. The crowd stood and cheered until the Cavs came back out of the locker after the win.
The Coliseum hosts a nationally-televised heavyweight fight featuring Muhammad Ali and a ham-and-egger named Chuck Wepner – who lasts 15 brutal rounds with the Greatest. An unknown actor named Sylvester Stallone, watching the fight at home, is inspired to write the screenplay for “Rocky.”
In one of the greatest games in franchise history, the Cavaliers took the eventual NBA champion Lakers into quadruple overtime, claiming an epic 154-153 win as three Cavaliers – Mike Mitchell, Dave Robisch and Randy Smith – each scored 30+ points in the victory.
The 1976 WHA All-Star Game – pitting American vs. Canadian stars – is one of the widest hockey games in history, with the Americans overcoming an 8-2 deficit and eventually winning the game, 10-9, on a goal by the Crusaders’ Russ Walker with 10 seconds to play.
In the Game 7 slugfest that culminated the “Miracle of Richfield,” Dick Snyder blew past Washington’s Wes Unseld and kissed a runner high off the glass in the final seconds, giving Cleveland the 87-85 victory and the series win as fans stormed the floor and tore down the basket stanchions.
In a game as famous for the game-winning call as the game itself, Craig Ehlo hit a jumper at the buzzer to sink the Jazz, 113-112, with legendary broadcaster Joe Tait bellowing: “Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus! And he comes from Lubbock, Texas!!”
Just two days after the Chairman of the Board christened the building, the first-ever R&B show at the Coliseum featured one of music’s true heavyweights, Stevie Wonder – already trying out songs from his legendary album “Songs in the Key of Life” – with Rufus featuring Chaka Khan as the opening act.
A crowd of 19,106 packed the Coliseum to see Kai Haaskivi, Ali Kazemaini and Keith Furphy and Cleveland Force take on the Chicago Sting in the MISL playoffs — winning the series before falling to the Baltimore Blast in the Eastern Division Finals.
The King belted out 21 songs – including “Love Me Tender” and “All Shook Up” – in his final visit to the Coliseum. He closed the historic performance with “Can’t Help Falling in Love” before the PA announcer declared: “Ladies and gentlemen: Elvis has left the building.”
In Game 5 of the “Miracle of Richfield” – with Washington leading, 91-90 – Jimmy Cleamons snags Bingo Smith’s missed shot in mid-air and, with his back to the basket, lays in the game winner at the buzzer to put the Cavaliers up 3-2 in the series.
