Russell Sage Rink

The Russell Sage Rink in Clinton, New York, is an indoor, artificial ice rink owned and operated by Hamilton College. The venue was the first on-campus rink built in the United States, predating the Hobey Baker Memorial Rink by a year.^[1]

Russell Sage Rink

Location	198 College Hill Road Clinton, New York, 13323
Coordinates	43°03′13″N 75°24′28″W
Owner	Hamilton College
Capacity	600
Surface	210' x 85' (hockey)
Opened	1921
Tenants
Hamilton Continentals (1921–Present) Clinton Comets (??–1949)

History

Hamilton founded its ice hockey team shortly after the end of World War I. In its third season, the team finished with a perfect 10–0 record. In response, head coach Albert I. Prettyman convinced the school to allow a permanent indoor rink to be built. A donation from the Russell Sage Foundation was used to fund the project and, in honor of the gift, the new arena was named the 'Russell Sage Rink'.^[2] The building allowed Hamilton to both practice and play on a consistent ice surface years before most other teams had access to similar facilities. This helped the Continentals flourish throughout the 20's and 30's.

In the decades since its completion, Hamilton continued to use Sage Rink as its home and the arena was renovated in 1993. The rink is a non-standard size, being 10 feet longer than the typical 200' x 85' dimensions.^[3]