by Duke Doering
On June 25, 1937 at South Dakota National Guard’s Camp Rapid, there was boxing at Kennedy Stadium.
Kennedy Stadium was built in 1936 at a cost of $4,700. It was built on a hillside east of the Adjutant’s General house and nearly on the site of the present Coyote Den. The stadium, often called the “boxing arena”, had seating for 2,600 people. Electric lights illuminated the stadium. Large crowds attended the evening boxing matches between unit members at Annual Training.
The evening’s entertainment at the arena started with a band concert at 7 p.m., followed by the boxing matches at 7:30. Boxing was the main athletic event at annual training. Most companies and batteries had boxers for each of the weight classes. Boxing elimination programs were held each night of the last week of the encampment culminating in the championship fights on the last night. Large crowds attended the evening boxing matches.
The stadium was never used after 1940 when the South Dakota National Guard was federalized. The sun-bleached and warped structure was torn down shortly after World War II. However, boxing continued to be a popular event at Camp Rapid after World War II. Garrett (Corky) Williamson joined the National Guard when he graduated from Sturgis High School in late May of 1948.
Annual Training began the first week of June and because of the short time frame there were no uniforms available for issue, so without a uniform he was told he could not attend Annual Training in 1948. Williamson remarked, “But the Commander told me he would like me to volunteer to fill my weight class for the boxing team”. He said, “So I came to Camp Rapid in the evenings of the second week, without pay or any official status, with my corner man Ray Murray”.
Retired Colonel Marland Richard, was an active boxer who fought in many venues throughout the state, but Kennedy Stadium was gone before he was old enough to join the National Guard.
