Back in Philly we played…
Back in Philly we played stickball much the same wall, but we had an additional variation. We would find an old mop or broom handle. (sometimes it wasn’t that old). But we used the cheap rubber balls that had pimples (that’s what we called them) and we cut them in half. (old tennis balls were the best). Our game was called half ball. The same rules applied as stickball (distance determined postion on base, etc). We had no strike box, we would play against a wall or just on the street, much like streetball. We also had variations of the way the half ball was thrown. You could pitch the ball, mostly underhanded, like softball sometimes with an arch or fast and straight , so that the ball appeared to be whole as it approached the batter. Or it could be pitched sideways, so that the ball came at the batter like a flying saucer. A pitcher could actually make the ball rise or drop. The games usually ended whenever all the balls had been hit for homeruns and were on the rooftops. From time to time whenever a roof repair was being made in the neighborhood, the first thing we would ask the guy on the roof, was if there were any balls that he could throw down. My step-dad was usually the guy on the roof. So I always got first choice. As I got into my teens, and helped out I became the guy on the roof and would thrown the balls down to the younger neighborhood kids.
Brooklyn- 1950’s. Punchball…
We’re I live not too many…
We’re I live not too many kids enjoy the game of baseball, and the adults despise the game of “Pepper.” Don’t even think of playing stickball, thats a mortal sin. What is this world coming to? Baseball America’s national past time is now like committing a federal offence. I think that this should upset everyone that played the game of stickball in the street with their friends and played sandlot ball at the broken down park in the middle of town. Look at what we’re doing to our children, its no wonder why drugs are taking over and sports are nothing but a business now. Thanks for your time, Gary “Hardball”
Now your really going back…
Now your really going back some.!…. Flushing N.Y…..(1951 or 2).. Got my first “two wheeler” for a quarter and some “Wings” picture cards. Ah yeah,…”A 28inch Columbia with no fenders, chain-guard,.. and most of one pedal missing…..” Could`nt wait to get home from school so I could push it,….. (without loosing my balance along the way and falling over)…. to a deep depression in in the street,…(usually alongside a sewer) on one of the four street corners…After three or four attempts and some “skinned elbows” you could (push off) enough to get started. Could`nt reach the seat and pedal`s at the same time so ya just…. “pumped” …..up and down the street for hours till Mom called for supper..By that time,…… those Dad`s who had cars were home from work,… it was real hard to find a “high curb” to get off,.. most of the time ya found a grassy area, (that the neighborhood dog had`nt found) and just laid it over..trying to hop off before you hit the ground. Sometimes it worked…… then there were the other times…. You were in such a hurry you completly `forgot` about changing your “New School pants”,. no matter how high ya had em rolled they always managed to get caught and ripped in the “Greasy Chain”….Another nite with no supper…How I missed the Tomato soup and toasted cheese Sandwich`s!!
Wow, what great memories.!!…
Wow, what great memories.!! Guess from the time I could swing a bat we played stickball,punchball,running bases ect. Grew up in Flushing,(P.S.22)..The game then was “strike-out” played mostly in the school yards with the “box” painted or chaulked on the wall. Another great “stadium” when you had fewer players,(or when it rained) was under the overpass`s of the L.I. Railroad. (158st). Can always remember playing center field (behind the 3rd manhole cover) and “Big Frankie” connected with a monster shot to center…With my back to the plate I was on my “Horse”…Had it all the way…Never taking into account the 1956 Buick which had parked in left center the end of last inning. Yup, hit that baby in “full stride” and paid a dear price.! Think “Big Frankie” cleared the bases on that shot.! Later on I had three of my own boys….Some of the greatest times we ever had together was playing “Strike-Out”! Where has the time gone.?? Thanks to all who contribute to those memories and for a few minutes take us back to the best days in our lives.!
In the Bronx in the early…
Girl games… we used to…
Girl games… we used to sit in the vestibule of someone’s house and play “jacks” for hours and hours. Growing up in Pittsburgh, right in the city, not in one of the cleaner suburbs, we played in the streets everynight. Red Rover, Cigarette Tag, Freeze Tag, Can’t cross the Mississippi unless you have(a shouted color) on, then everyone would run across the street if you had that color on. Anyone remember that one?
this game was almost universal….
this game was almost universal. i think it was for kids who had outgrown skelly. basically it involved throwing heels at lines on sidewalk boxes versus other players. now that i think about it, heels had lots of the feel of shuffleboard with tossed of slid heels. the rules – now mostly forgotten by me – could get quite complicated. things like heavy heel with tacks embedded in the bottom for sliding, ladies’ high heel heels to avoid being hit, giant heels to avoid being covered, and all kinds of variations. we would be trying to get all kinds of heels from shoemakers – without paying of course. i’m sure others can supply lots more than i have. as i said, it was so universal in our turf that i had no idea until college how local it was.
My parents were really great…
My parents were really great with me. I was allowed to go to Steeplechase myself at an early age. And though my folks gave me some money for the admission I would always try to scrounge up some extra. This was easy for me because I lived right by the beach in Brighton Beach. I would either collect soda bottles for their deposit returns ($.02) or I’d sell old comics to the kids going to the beach. At Steeplechase I was always hitting the trash cans. Here I would always find those big round tickets with holes to punch for each attraction with at least one or two holes left in it. This made sure my day at Steeplechase Park would be a long one. My favorite rides were the giant slides. My favorite attraction was the clown stage. Here rider coming off the steeplechase horse ride would have to confront a clown. As they exited the ride they would have to walk across the stage. The clown if he was good would get the women to stop over an air hose in the floor and when the clown would activate it their skirts would fly up