Category Archives: Bronx

I grew up in the South Bronx…

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I grew up in the South Bronx in the early 1950’s, on 146th Street and Brook Avenue. When we played stickball a sewer was home plate and since cars were usually parked on the street we painted bases in the gutter next to the cars. If the cares were not on 1st and 3rd we had bases painted near the curb. Brook Avenue was center field, so the outfielder not only had to play the field but look out for cars. Any ball hit on the roof of the five story buildings was out and usually time was called until we could send someone up to the roof to retrieve the ball. We used the standard “Spaldeen” (Spalding)that we purchased at the local candy store. We would collect 5 nickels and go to the candy and hold two balls against another at about head height, drop them at the same time and pick the one that bounced the highest and then compare that on with another from the box of balls that the candy store owner had. We would go through the entire box until we buy the one ball the bounced the highest. If the ball went down the sewer we would fashion a wire coat hanger and try to scoop the ball out. Things were easier those days, we made our own fun out of the simplest things.

Like many of you, this site…

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Like many of you, this site definitely brought back a lot of memories. I’m 41 and living in California these days but back in da day (’65-87), the Bronx was my world. I lived in the same apt on Stratford Ave for 21 years. My friends on the block all did too. As a child I remember it as a mostly jewish/italian community. As I grew up more latinos moved in but it was still a mix of Puerto Ricans, Ecuadorians, Dominicans, Costa Ricans, etc…The nice part was…we all got along. Don’t ever remember any racial tensions…not as a kid…maybe later in my teens years but nothing crazy. Yeah, we were poor as hell, but back then, we didn’t realize it. It’s was only after leaving that I realized, “man, I was poor!”. But I was rich when it came to what we made of it. I tell my family (raised in California) about my life in NY and they shake their heads sometimes, thinking, this guy is insane with all his stories…but they’re all true. It’s a different generation now. It makes me appreciate everything I have today. I wish my kids would understand that sometimes. We had no nintendo/xbox, cell phones, or 300 channels of HDTV. We had channels 2/4/5/7/9/11 and 13. That was it. That was enough for me back then. I was never home…I was always outside with all of my friends. Sometimes I wish I could just go back for just one day, to see all my friends, laughing, running around, playing. I’ll always cherish those years. Luckily most of my friends made it out alive and we still keep in touch. To those who didn’t, r.i.p. (Victor “Lil Vic” Maldonado, “Kendo”, Nelson “Lil Tito” Rivera, Frankie Vasquez, Tuto’s brother Johnny, “Kolo”, Darnell “Perk” Perkins-TC5). I always pour some beer out to these guys. peace, Pook

Pook, from 1154 Stratford…

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Pook, from 1154 Stratford Ave (bet Watson/Westchester) here. Born and raised in the Bronx, lived in the same apt until I was 21 and we moved to Puerto Rico (’65-’87). Son of Sam used to live on my block as a kid. The summers were the best…lots of good memories as a kid, playing all the street games there were. The old Ward Theatre was where we’d go watch all the Bruce Lee flicks (it later became Roller World skating rink then a furniture outlet of some type). Carvel and Hebrew National deli was down the block on Westchester across from the original Yankees Pizza. Man, a slice with extra cheese and a Carvel shake???!!! That was heaven. Went to JHS 123 (or as we called it, “The Rikers Island Annex” heh heh). We’d all go check out Bambaataa at the Zulu Nation jams in Bronx River projects. Hanging out in front of the stoop with all my friends, rapping to all the girls or snapping on each other. I’d bring my box and we’d chill out listening to 98.7 Kiss/92 KTU/BLS. Red Alert/Chuck Chillout/Mr Magic. Then we’d get 25 cents and get a “piragua” down the block (or a “coquito”). It was cool ’til the mid 80’s when crack took over and messed EVERYTHING up. Before that, it was a cool place to live and grow up. After I left, i lost a few friends who were killed in front of my old building. I went back in ’98 and ’04 but everyone I knew (except for a few old ladies like my boy Pedro’s grandmother) was gone. Although a mural of one of my boys that was killed is still there (on Stratford, near Westchester). Very sad going back to the block. Sandra, you said it right, those were the days…peace.

“Round Up” was a variation…

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“Round Up” was a variation of ringolevio that we played on our block in the Bronx (Soundview area); In Round Up, 1 person was “it” (the hunter)and everyone else was the hunted. Once you find/catch someone, that person is now a hunter and joins you in your search for the others. Like ringolevio, the game was pretty straighforward…as we got older, it became tougher as hiding spots would include building courtyards, roofs, and sometimes even the next block! I’m trying to contact some of my old friends to see if I’ve left anything out…it was a LONG time ago that I last played But it was one of the long list of games we’d play in the days before Nintendo and cable tv, when all the kids on the block were outside, having fun (sigh).

Grew up in Clason Point/Soundview…

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Grew up in Clason Point/Soundview section of South Bronx in the 60s’. Played stickball at P.S. 69 (Beat that P.S). We played stickball in the street, open fields, and fast pitched against the wall against a chalk filled-in box(No strike disputes “see the chalk on the ball.. shut up”)At old 69 we would “chip in” and get as many Spaldeens as we could to get up a good game. We would stick em in a fence and line em up, no more in the fence no more game. Pensie Pinkies were for girls, sorry. No self- respecting stickball player would be caught dead with a “pinkie”. We also played Ace King Queen, stoop-ball and box-ball(My house had the best stoop and wall on the block. Also played booties up, skully in the street or on the sidewalks. Crack top, Johnny on the Pony,Ringoleaveo…Wouldnt’trade those memories for anything…..

So, I read the July 1 article…

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So, I read the July 1 article in The NY Times on the joys of streetgames, and was immediately transported back to the Bronx, circa 1958. We used to play a spaldeen game called “Captain.” The essentials included a high, smooth wall (we had one located next to the entrance of the now defunct Salvation Army Training School), cement “boxes,” and of course, the ubiquitious spaldeen (purchased from Moishe’s Candy Store, natch!). One kid would be the “captain” and stand in the first box, one box away from the wall. The rest of us (no specified number…as many kids could play as there were boxes) would form a line alongside the captain, one player per box. A reverse form of “handball” would ensue, with the ball bouncing in the box and THEN hitting the wall. The ball would then bounce into any other box, and the kid owning that space would slap the ball onto the pavement, having it hit the wall, and fall into another player’s box. If the player missed the ball, or hit it out of bounds, he/she would have to go to the end of the line, the rest of the players then moving up one box, closer to the “captain.” The goal, of course, was to get the “captain” OUT, so that you could attain that golden position. Gentler than handball, “Captain” nonetheless promoted similar skills in strategizing, strength (slapping the ball with greater or lesser energy) and dealing with serendipity (not seeing a pebble on the ground could cause your well placed shot to go seriously awry). Most of all, it was great fun. And for the few moments that you were “Captain” a kid from the Bronx learned the basics of power…gained with some skill and effort, and lost because of a lousy pebble.

Oh my God. I completely…

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Oh my God. I completely forgot this one. But, yeah, used to be completely spontaneous, someone grabbing an object from someone — a ball, cap, glove, whatever — and yell “Salugee!” and start to toss it about. Usually ended when the kid relieved of the item started to cry. From The Bronx

Totally true. I played this…

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Totally true. I played this growing up in The Bronx. We’d yell “Hot Peas and Butter-Scotch”…. and invariable one kid who spied the belt’s hiding place would lure the other kids close by playing possum and then grab it swinging. No hitting with the buckle, no at the face and no “double-strap” folding it half. But God help the kid who was blocked off from the stoop.

Just read the article in…

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Just read the article in the New York Times (Sunday July 1st) Jackson Projects representing: 156 Street and Courtlandt Avenue. Skelsies was the game of the day along with Hot Peas and Butter. Wow, what great times. I’m down for a reunion challenge and make it official, the Bronx Crew are the best! Bottle tops were okay but we in Jacksons knew how to create the best spin top for skelsies. Can’t tell you all our secrets, just set up the games and let the fun began!