Americans are being asked to choose the greatest moments in the history of New York's landmark Madison Square Garden.
NEW YORK: In a battle that pitches Muhammad Ali against late pope John Paul II, Americans are being asked to choose the greatest moments in the history of New York's landmark Madison Square Garden.
Since opening its doors at its original location in the late 19th century, the venue has hosted rock concerts, presidential birthday parties, mass weddings and some of US sport's most memorable moments.
Among the favourites for the top 50 historic events are the "Fight of the Century," when Muhammad Ali faced off against Joe Frazier in 1971 and "Smokin Joe" managed to deal Ali his first professional loss.
Also in contention are Elvis, who sold out four shows in the arena in 1972, when he cut two live albums and the late John Paul II, who as the newly elected pope, held a rally for 20,000 young people at the Garden in 1979.
In one of its previous locations, then president John F. Kennedy celebrated his 45th birthday at the Garden in May 1962, with some 15,000 people, among them Marilyn Monroe, on the guest list.
Monroe's sultry and breathless rendition of "Happy Birthday" immortalised the event.
One of the arena's most emotional evenings was the Concert for New York, held just over a month after the September 11 attacks in 2001 to raise funds for the families of police officers and firefighters killed in the atrocity.
The night featured a host of rock and roll hall-of-famers including Paul McCartney, Elton John, The Who, David Bowie, Mick Jagger and Keith Richards.
The full line up of the Rolling Stones had made their first New York appearance by playing to a sold-out stadium in late 1969, a year after the Garden opened in its present and fourth incarnation.
For New York sports fans, though, one of the stadium's finest moments remains when Knicks shooting guard John Starks pulled off a left-handed dunk in the last minute of play in 1993, stealing victory from the Chicago Bulls.
Two years later, Michael Jordan returned after an 18 month retirement and set the stadium alight with a 55-point performance for the Bulls.
Voting is due to end on Tuesday.
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