I know this is weak compared to real stickball (beyond weak), but I moved to the Jersey suburbs before developing the eye-hand coordination required to hit a pitched Spaldeen. We used the same standard equipment but the population density didn’t compare to the project and you could rarely get more than 4 guys to play. We hit the ball out of our hand either directly as in “flies up” or throwing it up and letting it bounce a couple of times before getting a “running” start and unwinding on it. We played in the street with home being online with a telephone pole. Everything was automatic (as in our form of stoop ball). Over the wires that crossed the street at the next telephone pole was a homer. Anything on the ground past the infielder was a single as was a liner past the outfielder (one that landed in front of him). Over the outfielder was a double and reaching the next pole but not over the wires was a triple. Great fun it was when most families had one car (if that) and traffic was rare.

Jim Mason