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Hungry Hill
<p>Cheltingham Avenue in the Hungry Hill section of Schenectady isn’t much of a destination these days, but on a cold January night in 1946 the Royal Roller Skating Rink on the south side of the city was definitely the place to be.
A City Mission warehouse and storage facility for the past 11 years, the building was a popular skating rink during World War II. But on that Thursday night, Jan. 10, nearly 65 years ago, it was turned into a raucous sports arena. A standing-room-only crowd of 2,500 boxing fans squeezed into the place to watch Schenectadian Marty Servo take on Stanley “Baby” Sims in a 10-round welterweight fight.</p> Posted on October 31, 2010.
Schenectady welterweight Marty Servo pounds away at Stanley “Baby” Sims during their 10-round fight at the Royal Roller Skating Rink on Cheltingham Avenue in January of 1946. (Gazette file photo)
The City Mission warehouse at 11 Cheltingham Ave. in Schenectady was a popular skating rink during World War II and once hosted a professional boxing match between Schenectady’s Marty Servo and Stanley “Baby” Sims. (Photo by Bill Buell/Gazette Reporter)
The boys of “Hungry Hill” got together for this photograph from 1952 just outside the Royal Roller Skating Rink on Cheltingham Avenue. From left are Bruce Donadio, Sal Madelone, Ed Greene and Leonard Dariano. Kneeling is Michael Madelone.
Pastor Dan Craman talks about the City Mission’s clothing warehouse on Cheltingham Avenue, once a popular skating rink during World War II. (Photo by Bill Buell/Gazette Reporter)
Andrea Costanzo/Gazette Page Designer
