Category Archives: Spaldeen games

I grew up in the Bronx from…

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I grew up in the Bronx from 1950-1964. For some reasons I thought if you couldn’t afford a Spaldeen you got a Pencie Pinkies. Remember you used to call out a word (maybe tibs) if the ball was yours and it got lost, over a roof or in the sewer, they had to buy you a new one. What a blast those times were. I loved growing up in the Bronx. I lived on Noble Avenue from 1950-1960 and then the Castle Hill Projects from 60-64. On Noble Avenue we had a stoop and we would play stoopball and all the other games you guys mentioned. All great memories.

Hi everybody In Dennis…

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Hi everybody In Dennis Lehane’s “Mystic River” I came across this sentence: “They had never been friends. They had never played stickball and kick-the-can and 76 on Rester Street.” Does anybody have any idea what kind of a game “76” might be? If you have the answer, please email me : weber [at] univ-nancy2 [dot] fr Thank you MW

We used to play Off the Wall,…

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We used to play Off the Wall, which we called Flies Up, in East New York, Brooklyn in the ’80s. We also had a very mean version called suicide. In this version, if you touched the ball but didn’t catch it you had to run to the wall and yell “SUICIDE” before someone picked up the ball and threw it at you. If you got hit by the ball before you touched the wall, you had to take your lumps. You had to stand nose to the wall while each player took turns throwing the ball at you. The meaner kids would take a running start and throw the ball as hard as they could either at the small of your back or your butt. Once each player got a chance, play resumed with with you being the new “it” and throwing the ball.

We played on 108th Street…

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We played on 108th Street facing Central Park back in the 1940’s . Naturally a home run had to go over the park wall. This presented a special challenge to the outfielder who had to stand on the white line on Eigth Avenue and dodge the traffic which was two ways back in those days.

I never met steve or any…

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I never met steve or any of his family or friends. I only know what i’ve read here about him. My message is to his children… We are all terribly sorry for the burden 9/11 has placed on your life. Try not to forget, most people in the world are good…the world is good. Anonymous Brooklyn, NY

It was Cornelia Street between…

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It was Cornelia Street between bushwick and Broadway. Stickball was king unless Mrs. Grillo (2nd floor #24 on the block) called the cops at the 81st Precinct. Mostly they just told us to quit. a few mean ones would drop the bats down the manholes. if they did that, we’d just swich to punchball. Do something about that, Mrs Grillo! When it wasn’t stickbasll or punchball it was triangl;e, stoopball, Ace-King-Queen, zig-sag-tag, johnny on the pony or ringelevio. Boxball was also popular and every so often someone would get those wooden paddles with the little ball attached. When the rubber string broke, we’d use the paddles to play a sort of tennis. Lots of fun until the guy who was losing took his paddle and hit the ball as far awy as possible. Oh well, time to play stickball again. Bill Mahan

Its funny how it was then….

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Its funny how it was then. we couldnt wait to grow up and get a car and our own place,and not have all our parents rules and school would be gone. I’ve dreamed of those wonderful days in Queens 1950’s and 1960’s. We tend to remember all good times when thinking of those days. I did some deep thinking about it,and remember alot of boring days too. I think the lack of responsibilities of childhood is the key to it all. I dont think the 1960’s way is gone,the inner city and poor sections still have that look and feel of outdoor streetplay. Im sure someone is still playing ace,king queen or Skullie somewhere. Saloogie!

I grew up in the area 10th…

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I grew up in the area 10th st, ave a in manhattan. late 50s to late 60s. All those games, mostly street stuff. from puchball stickball, stoopball, spaldeen was the only choice. Ace king queen, nyc, what memories, i would trade everything i own. for one game, with my old pals.

I just watched Sonia Gonzalez’s…

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I just watched Sonia Gonzalez’s documentary on Stickball last night and got the chance to see and hear Steve, and it really hurts that he was taken from us. He was a hero, a true lover of the game, and a good person. It is touching to read all the comments on this site. I played stickball in the north Bronx in the 50’s and am so glad it was kept alive and strong by new generations. I felt close to so many of the people who appeared in the film and the spirit they showed. Soon I’ll make a journey back to the borough of my birth and childhood days, to Stickball Boulevard (Steve Mercado Way).