I WAS BORN IN THE BRONX AND DELIVERED AT THE OLD LINCOLN HOSPITAL ON JACKSON AND WESTCHESTER AVE IN 1935. AND LIVED ON UNION AVE.BETWEEN 155 AND 156 ST. AS I GOT OLDER (6YRS) THE GUYS ON MY STREET AND THE GUYS ON UNION BETWEEN 156 AND WESTCHESTER AVE.WE WOULD ALWAYS COMPETE AGAINST EACH OTHER MOST OF US WENT PS#52 AND THOSE THAT DIDN’T WENT TO ST.ANSELMS CATHOLIC SCHOOL.WE WERE ALWAYS ON THE STRETS PLAYING STICKBALL, HIDE AND SEEK, RINGALEVIO, COPS AND ROBBERS, PUNCHBALL, FLYING KITS OFF THE ROOFS WITH RAZOR BLADES ON THE KITS TAIL TO CUT THEIR STRING. WE BECAME VERY CLOSE IN ALL THOSE YEARS GROWING UP NO ONE EVER SEEM TO MOVE AWAY. WE WOULD HANG OUT AT A COMMUNITY CENTER CALLED THE MELAROSE HOUSE OR ON THE STREET CORNER AT 156 AND UNION AVE. WE STARTED TO BRAKE UP WHEN WE LEFT FOR THE ARMED SERVICE OR GOT MARRIED. IN OUR TEENS WE FORMED ONE STICKBALL TEAM THE “LANCERS” AND PLAYED GREAT STICKBALL ON THE WEEKENDS FOR MONEY. THE LOCAL BOOK MAKERS AND STORE MERCHANTS WOULD BE THE HEAVY BETTERS. WE PLAYED TEAMS LIKE THE LUCK 7’S, THE NIGHTS THE ROCKETS NAMES I DONT REMEMBER FROM WALES AVE AND LONGWOOD AVE. THOSE WERE GREAT TIMES.