Category Archives: Spaldeen games
My brother and I play one-on-one…
Original author: Dr. M. Millman [e-mail]
My brother and I play one-on-one on a handball court in Queens. We chalk a strike zone on the handball wall and pitch as fast as we can throw. A ball hit over the court fence and over the roof of the 7-storey apartment building across the street is a home run. I am 62 and my bro 58. We hail from the Bushwick section of Brooklyn. It’s as much fun as tennis or racquetball and a hell of a lot cheaper.
Since streetplay is mainly…
Original author: Jay Friedman [e-mail]
Since streetplay is mainly centered around sports, I would just like to relate how great a baseball / softball player my Dad was. His name was Howard Friedman and he played on the baseball team at CCNY in the early 30s. He starred as a center-fielder, batted .310 over 3 seasons and was All-City. He had a beautiful, level left-handed swing. While I never saw him play regular baseball, we played on the same softball team when I was a teenager in the 50s. He could hit 300 feet line drives with a mushy softball even when he was older and could barely run the bases. While I never even came close to being as good as he was, he did teach me how to hit, which I put to good use playing not only softball (which I still do), but stickball as a kid in Queens. Jay Friedman Decatur GA
What is the name of this…
Original author: Bill Scott [e-mail]
What is the name of this game? Players stand in a circle and “pass” a small ball from player to player using only their feet. You lose if the ball touches the ground when passed to you.
is there a difference between…
Original author: mark siano [e-mail]
is there a difference between a pinky ball and a pensie ball. we had only two balls to chose from, one was pink and one was white pimple ball. someone said pensie pinky was rich mans ball, i thought white pimple ball was more expensive. was there three different balls. please e-mail me at my bus or call at my bus 1-856-468-7701. i am also trying to bring boxball back. sincerely mark siano
On behalf of my husband,…
Original author: Lysa Vattimo [e-mail]
On behalf of my husband, Joe Vattimo (formerly of the San Diego Knights), I am sending out this message. First and foremost, May God bless the Mercado family – our hearts reach out to them and we lift them in prayer. Joe, who most of you know as “Yo Joey V” was very ill for quite some time after his trip to New York several years ago. He is doing so much better now – Praise God! We moved to the Portland area of Oregon in July 2001 and are finally getting settled in. We would like to start up a Stickball Team here (with me working for the Fire Department here, we can generate a lot of interest!). We could use some help on how to get started, so any and all help is greatly appreciated. I personally, want to send Yo Joey V back out on the circuit! He misses all of you and spends alot of time in those “Glory Days” he spent in stickball. We look forward to hearing from everyone!
My sister was three years…
Original author: Robert Andrew
My sister was three years older than me. Although I was a good athlete, she was a great athlete and used to beat me in everything. While she would hang out with her friends, she would occasionally play in the neighborhood nightly stickball games, which were fungo style. I can’t remember her playing and not hitting at least one home run. On the night I hit my first home run and put my team up be about eight or nine runs, she led her team to a lop-sided victory, hitting four in a row in the bottom of the inning. As much as we always tried to get the best of each other, and as much as I hated to see her do well, I was disappointed when we ended the game because of darkness. She was up next and based on the zone she was in (and the fact that it was getting hard to see the ball) I was sure that she was going to hit her fifth home run of the inning. After her second home run, the outfielders were playing her pretty deep. Yet, she still hit the ball so far that the oufielders couldn’t stop her.
Hi, I grew up on Long Island,…
Original author: kathy [e-mail]
Hi, I grew up on Long Island, and I can still smell that new ball smell of the Pinkie. Spaldeens just didn’t smell as good. If anyone still wants to find any pinkies, (the spaldeens are now at Sports Authority, and Modells) I would suggest cruising the old neighborhoods and look for older run-down homes. Then ask permission and check those gutters!!
Just bought one in Sports…
I grew up in Brooklyn and…
Original author: OVER30
I grew up in Brooklyn and we called them pinky balls. At one point I remember inserting the ball into (god this will age me here!) tube sock, standing against a brick wall and whacking it against the wall between our legs and under our arms to the tune of “hello, hello, hello sir”. Does anyone have any recollection of this? Also, will the new principal at PS 236 please check the roof…there must be a zillion pinky balls up there…unless Mr. Rahinsky got them first!