St. Nicholas Arena

2007-09-19T23:24:14Z

Feron:

== Manhattan, NY, USA ==
[[file:StNicks.jpg|right|300px|St Nicks in 1962]]

*Located at 69 West 66th Street, on the northeast corner of 66th Street & Columbus Avenue, Manhattan.
*"St. Nick's" opened Nov. 7, 1896, exclusively as an ice hockey and ice-skating rink until 1906, when it began to offer boxing under the "membership club" pretense. At this time public admission prize-fighting was illegal under New York State law until 1911, when the [[Frawley Act|Frawley Law]] made such boxing legal, so boxers were introduced as "members" of the St. Nicholas club.
* A boxing venue from 1906 until May 28, 1962--the last main event. Upon its demise, it was reported that more than 30,000 fights had been staged here. (Others estimate 10,000, to 15,000, to 20,000.)
*Known as ''The Rink'' by the "old-timers." [[IBRO Journal Issue No. 77]], p. 117.
*Capacity: 4,000
*Monday night shows
*[[Bill Johnston]] was one of its more famous promoters, for about 25 years, along with his matchmaking brother [[Jimmy Johnston]].
*British-born Jimmy Johnston renamed the club [[Royal Windsor]] during World War II; the club later was briefly renamed the London Sporting Club.
*Other promoters during the club's last 30 years included [[Mike Jacobs]], [[Marty Cohen]], [[Dan Caplin]], [[Hymie Caplin]], [[Johnny Attell]], [[Tex Sullivan]], [[Teddy Brenner]], and [[Irving Cohen]]
[[file:StNicArena.Advert.1933.jpg|frame|right|1933 Advert]]
*[[Joe Silver]] was the manager for its final 32 years.
*[[Johnny Addie]] was an announcer here from 1948-1962.
*Only one title bout was ever held at this venue: the Oct. 17, 1938 Joey Archibald-Mike Belloise [[NYSAC]] World Featherweight match.
* Promoter [[Teddy Brenner]] estimated that the 4,100 fans who attended the 1958 [[Fight:133982|Jose Torres-Burke Emery]] bout was the largest St. Nick's crowd in its history.
*Five people had St. Nicholas "ring-deaths" during its 56-year history: former World Lightweight Champion [[Benny Leonard]], after officiating the first five bouts of the April 18, 1947 card, collapsed while refereeing the sixth bout and died of coronary thrombosis; [[Laverne Roach]] and [[Sonny Boy West]] sustained brain injuries which resulted in their deaths; [[Tommy Pacheco]] and [[Jose Rigores]] also sustained fatal ring injuries.
*Arena suspended operations for one month, approx. April-May, 1927. Re-opened May 23, 1927 with five bouts. Matchmakers at the time were [[Billy McCormick]] & [[Eddie McMahon]].
*''New York Times'' Jan. 9, 1952--''OLD BOXING CENTER ON WEST SIDE SOLD; St. Nicholas Arena Bought by Webb & Knapp; May Be Used for TV Sports Spectacles'': "St. Nicholas Arena, the old boxing center on the West Side of Manhattan, where many fistic champions got their start, has changed hands in a realty deal that also may mark a change in the character of the entertainment offered there."
*Dumont television network had a steady following, it broadcasted Monday night fights live from 1954 until 1956 to New York, Pittsburgh, Chicago and to other major cities in USA.
*Reprints of newspaper articles on the history and demise of this venue can be found in [[IBRO Journal Issue No. 77]], pp. 112-120.
*[[:Image:StNicksAcct.jpg|Ledger sheet]] for its final program.

[[Category:New York State Venues|St. Nicholas Arena]]
[[Category:New York City Venues|St. Nicholas Arena]]
[[Category:Manhattan Venues|St. Nicholas Arena]]

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St. Nicholas Arena