Category Archives: Bronx
New York: The Way It Was (The Bronx)
Hi Grape, The WLIW documentary “New York: The Way It Was (The Bronx)” has brief footage of a 9-boxed skully board. As I recall, it was like the board in the rules I’ve written, but it had 1-2-3-4 in the corners, 5-6-7-8 along the edges (between the corners), and 9 in dead center, surrounded by some circular thing which, I presume, serves as the skull. If you have any further insight into “9-box Skully” (my new term!), please post them here! -Hugh M. McNally Skully Central discussion moderator
This past week’s competition…
A quick note about a small…
A quick note about a small story related to the Semi-Finals. The field was on Vanderbilt Ave, next to Grand Central Station. THere were pedestrians strolling in and out. I saw one lady, walking with a cane and told her that we might need it for a bat. She stopped and handed it to me, saying “take it.” I was stunned but she insisted, saying it was meant to be. We received the following note about it today – Thanks “Stamstar.” I showed & told a lot of people about it. – Mick so this is the story…slipped on an acorn going down the stairs outside my house and tore a ligament which required surgery. after four wonderful weeks of peace and quite my boss said get back to work or else. my doctor said take the cane. it will give you balance. since i live in commecticut and work in new york i must be unbalanced anyway. however the cane became a pain and was really getting i n my way when i saw your game being played. It brought back a bunch of memories of my old neighborhood on Loring Place in the Bronx. It was mostly the boys that played ball. Richie Hoffman had the best stoop. Girls played potsy or jump rope. we were pretty tame back then. Anyway it seemed that there was a calling from above for me to donate my cane to your cause. I hope by now it hase been used many times and given many people pleasure. sincerely, stamstar
The Latinos defeated the…
Wow. Much thanks to Hugh…
Wow. Much thanks to Hugh for inviting to this outstanding site. Just read through the discussions and glad to see so many remember the game. I played in “Da Bronx” in the seventies. I took a picture in ’94 of the old scully board we played on as youths in the Bronx Park near 219th Street. The URL is: http://www.geocities.com/Hollywood/Studio/2561/scullpic.jpg While some used the sodatops with wax, the cap of choice was the “Push-UP” which we filled with clay. I had various caps (some heavy for blasting, others lighter for traveling great distances) but my primary cap was the “king checker.” The king checker was made of gold/yellow clay with a small plastic crown. We kept records and I was #3 on my block with a pair of Jamaican brothers as the two best. I once had the eldest trapped in ‘scully’ and would have easily beaten him but alas I was too kind, knocked him out of scully, and he came back to beat me. Every once in a while, like a habit that won’t die, I throw down a cap on the ground and see if my accuracy is up to par. I would certainly like to see in the future, an event of sorts where old time players could come together and compete. Maybe someday an Olympic sport? Okay, I’m reaching — but a competition would be very exciting.
Looking for aluminum stickball…
I grew up in the South Bronx…
I grew up in the South Bronx on E 142nd between Willis and Third Ave, back in the early 50s. I was the smallest kid on the block. Whenever we played stickball, the ball would inevitably end up going downhill into the sewer on Third Ave. The big kids would remove the grating, give me a coat hanger with a loop at the end of it and lower me down head first holding me by the ankles. I’d reach down with the coat hanger get it under the ball, scoop it up and toss it to the guys. Sometimes there would be other balls in there for awhile. you could tell because the submerged half would be a different color than the top. This was considered a real good thing by the guys cause we wouldn’t have to go and get 10 cents for a ball. My mom didn’t like it cause I’d come home smelling likt the sewer. One time when I was about 8 or 9 she really got disgusted, she stripped me down, threw me in the tub and beat the sh** out of me while scrubbing me down and yelling. Even that didn’t stop me. Being part of the boys was more important.
Results of the San Diego…
Results of the San Diego “Champions of the West” Labor Day weekend tournament held in San Diego’s Little Italy: 7-inning games, 8 players per team, fungo hitting Round Robin: 1. Bronx Knights 6-0 2. San Diego Knights 4-2 3. Barrio Gentlemen (NYC) 4-2 4. Florida Kings (Miami) 3-3 5. North Park Trophy (San Diego) 2-4 6. Minotaurs (NYC) 2-4 7. San Diego Police Dept. 0-6 Playoffs: Quarterfinals: #4 Florida Kings def. #5 North Park Trophy #3 Barrio Gents def. #6 Minotaurs #2 San Diego Knights def. #7 San Diego Police (#1 Bronx Knights drew a bye) Semis: #3 Barrios Gents def. #2 San Diego Knights #1 Bronx Knights def. #4 Florida Kings Finals: #3 Barrio Gents def. #1 Bronx Knights (2 to 1, 8 innings) Congrats to the Barrio Gents!