In the 1950s and 1960s, the Hempstead area -- particularly through venues like the Island Garden Arena in West Hempstead -- served as a key stop on the NWA and later WWWF regional touring circuits; the Island Garden Arena also notably hosted the New York Nets of the American Basketball Association from 1969 to 1972. A WWWF event on May 3, 1963 featured Buddy Rogers defending the heavyweight title, for example. Iconic tag team and singles matches, including bouts involving the Fabulous Kangaroos, Bruno Sammartino, Bobo Brazil, Baron Mikel Scicluna, Angelo Savoldi, and Curtis Iaukea, underscore the consistent draw of professional wrestling in the area.
Prior to that 1930s cards reportedly took place at the Hempstead Bowl, as promoted by Jack Curley Promotions. A 1972 Hempstead Bowl newspaper advertisement for the bowling alley establishment can be seen here.
However, there is often frequent confusion between Hempstead Village (a distinct municipality) and the larger Town of Hempstead, which encompasses many villages and hamlets. Many events quoted as being “in Hempstead” actually occurred in West Hempstead or other villages -- an important distinction for historians honoring the precise locations and local contexts of these shows. This geographic mislabeling has also led to wrongly attributing live events or notable residents to the Village of Hempstead itself, when they belong to broader areas within the town. Furthermore, the Nassau Coliseum are sometimes billed as being in Hempstead, rather than Uniondale.
Fast-forwarding to the modern era, the area’s wrestling legacy continues with independent promotions. One such example is a 2019 New York Wrestling Connection (NYWC) event held in Hempstead at Hofstra University. This event's card included current WWE ID signee Bryce Donovan, AEW stars Max Caster and John Silver, Jaden Valo, and former NXT star Bull James.
Researched by Darren Paltrowitz on June 18, 2025.