Liz, Just reread your…
Original author: Ed Rosenthal (ejrosenthal) [e-mail]
Liz, Just reread your post in which you state your dad grew up in Newark. Ignore the question at the end of my post, DUH!
Category Archives: Spaldeen games
Liz, Yup, I played this…
Original author: Ed Rosenthal (ejrosenthal) [e-mail]
Liz, Yup, I played this game in Laurelton, Queens during the early 60s with the EXACT rules as you described them. Had a catchy name: “Catch-a-fly-he’s-up!) Where did your dad grow up?
“Spaldigns are way better…
My father, who grew up in…
Original author: Liz [e-mail]
My father, who grew up in Newark, NJ, in the 1940s and 50s taught me a game that he called “stickball” but is very different from the descriptions of stickball rules I’ve found, so I’m wondering if anyone else has heard of this game, maybe with a different name. We played in the street with a long, thin, wooden bat and a tennis ball. One player is the batter and the other players spread out down the street. The batter tosses or bounces the ball and hits it towards the other players. If one of them catches it before it bounces, he/she becomes the batter. If the ball is fielded after it bounces, then the batter lays the bat down and the player who fielded the ball rolls the ball from the spot where the ball was fielded and tries to hit the bat. If the ball misses, then the batter hits it again. If the ball hits the bat and bounces up in the air and the batter is able to catch it before it bounces, then he/she remains the batter. If the ball hits the bat and either doesn’t bounce up in the air, or the batter doesn’t catch it, then the fielder becomes the batter. We didn’t have a system for keeping score; we just played until we got tired, or dinner was ready, or it got dark.
Played stick ball at PS…
Original author: Allen Ringler [e-mail]
Played stick ball at PS 46 in Bayside (Queens) N.Y. from 1960-1967. The ‘field’ consisted of the fence (used for the handball court) behind home plate (that was drawn on the ground), a fence from home plate with a distance of approximately 125-175 feet (it ran on a diagonal) and a fence (that was the foul pole) that ran down the right side of the field until it met the other fence in the right corner of the field. The foul pole on the left side of the field was a post on the fence approximately 175 feet from home plate. The pitcher stood approximately 50-60 feet away from home plate. There was no running. The batter would hit the ball and the result would be as follows: 1. A grounder caught by the pitcher was an out. 2. A grounder not caught by the pitcher was a single. 3. A fly ball caught by the pitcher was an out. 4. A fly ball that landed between the pitcher and the fence was a double. 5. A fly ball that hit the fence was a triple. 6. A fly ball over the fence was a home run. I used a number of bats that I purchased for 59 or 69 cents at the local candy store. These bats came in a variety of colors, were regulation size and width and of course they had the unmistakable black tape wrapped around the upper portion of the bat. The ball used was either a Spaldeen or a Pensie Pinkie. What a great game.
Hey everyone, I grew up…
Original author: joe hosking [e-mail]
Hey everyone, I grew up around 165th and Gerard. School at PS 114. Then we moved to Jersey. Eventually I came back, to Knox Pl, just off Mosholu Pkwy. But left again.LOL. I remember playing stickball, curb ball and stoop ball all over the neighborhood. Some friends were Mike Gearty, Joe Marsicano.
A big shout out from Jim…
Original author: Jim Marino [e-mail]
A big shout out from Jim Marino way out in Chicago. Do you remember the Broadway Movie, Colonial, Savoia. Gone but not forgotten. I alway try to get to Geno’s for a cheese steak when we get back for a visit. Ever try to explain what and how you play halfball. Not very easy. This site is great. Other games. How about war games with bottle cap/top guns. Those guns made from clothes pins, sticks and rubber bands. Lots of epic battles on the streets of South Philly.And also lots of “you’ll shoot somebody’s eye out. Although I remember a few scrapes and cuts, no eyes were ever shot out. Also when we really had no money we plaed a game called Kitten and stick. Sometimes using a 6 inch piece of hose or a 6 inch stick sharpened on both ends. The object was to hit one end of the stick and cause it to bounce in the air, then hit it while in the air. Distance made the hits or scores. All of these were great. Stay in touch. Kitty where are you?
I grew up in philly in the…
Original author: patti
I grew up in philly in the 60’s we had a game you played by yourself or with friends it was called mimseys. You threw the ball and sang a little song. Mimseys to clapseys tworl my hands to bapseys my right hand my left hand as high as the sky as low as the sea touch my knee touch my hell touch my toe and under we go each time you threw the ball against the wall and did a trick… mimseys was just throwing and catching then you threw and clapped and then caught the ball then you threw the ball and rolled your hands and then cought the ball.for bapseys you touched both of your shoulders and then caught the ball next you threw the ball and caught in your right hand and then the left next you threw the ball as high as you could and then catch it after that you threw it the tiniest that you could and caught it. then you threw the ball and touched your knee and caught it then your heel then your toe then you threw it under your led to the wall and caught it. IF you made all this perfectly you started all over but you must clap and the new skill for every catch Ex. clap and catch in right hand then clap and catch it in your left hand. This whole game was played off the wall with a pink ball
I just found this site and…
Original author: Mike Doherty [e-mail]
I just found this site and it’s great.We played skully for hours on end on 189th St.in Manhattan.In between,we’d play stickball,off the point(curbball)or Johnny ride the pony.Also,I noticed someone mentioned “slugs”.We called this “Chinese” which I found out was short for Chinese handball.How about that,a bottlecap,a broomstick,and a “spaldeen” was all the equipment we needed for fun from March to November.Who needs Playstation?
I love everything fried,…
Original author: Leonard Salvo (lenny) [e-mail]
I love everything fried, even my spaldeens!!! Just kidding,there are ball restorers now that can be bought in a sporting goods store, that they didnt have then. Also, you can inject them with 3 or 4 cc`s or more if needed of air with a diabetics needle on a syringe.