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Director
Site Admin
Joined: 24 Feb 2007
Posts: 1352
Location: Kings Park, New York
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 Posted: Thu Jan 29, 2009 3:59 pm Post subject: Who is Russ Savatt |
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Who is Russ Savatt?
Pictured above at a Kings Park Fire Department Clam Bake in the late 1940's, Russ Savatt after who the Savatt Park in Kings Park is named, was a true old school Kings Parker in every sense of the word. Russ was a Marine Corps Judo Instructor in World War II, member of the American Legion, founded the Kings Park Boys Athletic Club which focused on Boxing, was an active member of the Kings Park Volunteer Fire Department and owned and operated a barber shop for the better part of 40 years, just footsteps away from the Main Street Park which now bears his name.
King Pedlar recalls - "Russ was the kindest, folksy person you would ever want to meet. You could walk by the shop, sit down and he would talk to you for hours, never losing that smile for a second. Russ was a very strong man although he only stood about 5 foot 4; In many ways he was one of the tallest men I have ever had the pleasure meeting. He was originally from Pennsylvania and although he never totally lost that Mill-Town accent, he was a true Kings Parker in every way."
All the best
Steve
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KPSHMRU
Level 5
Joined: 07 Apr 2007
Posts: 496
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| Posted: Thu Jan 29, 2009 5:13 pm Post subject: |
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My dad knew Russ Savatt when he was growing up in McKees Rocks, PA back in the 1930s. Russ was once an accomplished accrobat and toured Europe in his younger years. He played semi-pro football in the 1930s with one of my dad's cousins. My dad once showed me a large team photo and pointed out his cousin and Russ, who was the smallest, but one of the toughest, players on the team. I don't remember him saying when Russ left McKees Rocks, but it was probably just before or during WW II.
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Director
Site Admin
Joined: 24 Feb 2007
Posts: 1352
Location: Kings Park, New York
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| Posted: Thu Jan 29, 2009 5:29 pm Post subject: |
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What a wonderful note of history, thank you! Do you know what Russ did for a living in McKees Rocks?
Any chance you have that picture?
For More information on Savatt Park:
http://kingsparkmuseum.info/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=834
Thanks
Steve
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Kevin
Level 4
Joined: 01 Oct 2008
Posts: 165
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| Posted: Thu Jan 29, 2009 6:29 pm Post subject: |
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Great story, thanks for sharing!!
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KPSHMRU
Level 5
Joined: 07 Apr 2007
Posts: 496
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| Posted: Fri Jan 30, 2009 9:01 am Post subject: |
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Steve, my dad died last September and all the old photos were distributed amongst my siblings and me. I will try to look for the photo. It has been some years since I saw it.
Sometime after we moved to KP in 1957, my dad started getting haircuts by Russ. My dad was probably still in elementary school when he last saw Russ in the 1930s, so he did not recognize him in the shop. He told me that their conversation went something like:
"Where are you from?"
"Western Pennsylvania"
"Oh yeah, me too. Whereabouts?"
"Outside Pittsburgh."
"No kidding. Me too. I lived in McKees Rocks."
"Well, I'll be..."
"What's your name?"
And from there, they realized that they actually knew eachother from many years before. Russ asked about some of their common associates and my dad filled him in, especially those that went to war. Russ, it turns out, also knew my dad's uncle Hank, who was a Master Sergeant bombardier on B-24s in Europe. Russ was saddened to learn that Hank was killed in 1943.
It really is a small world. I'll see what I can do about locating the photo.
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Director
Site Admin
Joined: 24 Feb 2007
Posts: 1352
Location: Kings Park, New York
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| Posted: Fri Jan 30, 2009 9:40 am Post subject: |
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Just a wonderful story, I can't wait to tell Leo Ostebo, the founder of the museum, he just loves those type of small town stories. I'm sure he will want to publish in the next issue of our News Letter - Light and Lively.
All the best
Steve
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NYCHEF
Level 4
Joined: 10 Apr 2007
Posts: 112
Location: Northport, NY
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| Posted: Fri Feb 06, 2009 5:20 pm Post subject: |
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| Director wrote: Just a wonderful story, I can't wait to tell Leo Ostebo, the founder of the museum, he just loves those type of small town stories. I'm sure he will want to publish in the next issue of our News Letter - Light and Lively. |
How does one go about receiving the News Letter-Light and Lively ?
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Director
Site Admin
Joined: 24 Feb 2007
Posts: 1352
Location: Kings Park, New York
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| Posted: Sat Feb 07, 2009 1:38 pm Post subject: |
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Gil,
Copies are available at the museum. I have been working on Leo to allow us to have subscriptions which we mail out, but so far no.
all the best
Steve
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