regarding the 3 sewer question vs. 4 sewers:
i played stickball in Holliswood Queens NY in the late 50s and I was taught by my late father. he once took me back to the South Bronx where he played in the late 1920s and early 1930s. 3 sewers
was the furthest for a homerun and the ball had to pass three full sewers. he never mentioned 4.