Hello Ballfolk I have Jack Russell Terriers and I bought a Spalding Hi Bounce for my favorite one to play with. She will fetch as many times as I will throw it. When she brings it back she bites it hard and shoots it from her mouth like a bulletand sometimes I can even catch it like she is throwing it. From a 55 year old man to your youth be brave and strong seek power and wisdon
I had thought the I had gotten over with no one I knew. Then I hear the sad news. I had the pleasure of playing with Steve in the Bronx. My memories of him are of a person full of energy and always smiling, My condolence go out Steve family and to all the have lost loved ones. May God Bless you……
Hey, MConroy! A wall of the Holy Cross cemetery abutted my backyard on E. 42nd St. near Snyder Ave. We lived on a dead end with yet another wall of Holy Cross at the end of the block, which was our stickball backstop. Yeah, we played “Chestnuts” all the time. Heck, I’ve still got a 10,068 Killer in my freezer from back in the 1960’s. Now, you didn’t want a fresh chestnut, it needed to be somewhat hardened from laying around on the ground for a while. You poked a hole in it with a long carpenter’s nail. Then you took your long shoelace and knotted one end and slipped it thru to anchor the chestnut. The defender held their chestnut straight down on the long string and the offender wrapped their string around their fingers with enough left to strike held through the index and middle fingers. No laquering allowed!!! From reading all the posts here, it seems like this game has it’s roots in antiquity.
I played Hard Ball with Steve when I was 13 years old and He was 15. Steve showed me how to throw a curveballl and how to play shortstop. I watched everything he did because he did it so well. Even at such a young age, he had such great leadership qualities that looking at the other notes, he touched many more lives with those same qualities. Most of all, He brought that great Stevie Mercado smile right at you, razzing you a bit sometimes but saying… hey man.. you can do this. We can do this… we can do something great… and he did… for many. All these years later, I am touched by him in this tragic event but in looking at the notes and how he touched others, he is still showing me how to play the field. My heart goes out to the Mercado family.
Thanks for the rules and pictures. I am 36, female, originally from the Bronx. Just recently I have been thinking alot about the games I used to play in the streets. I lived on Decatur and 211th. We played stoopball, stickball, skullies climbed the cemetary walls, made motion potions.. whatever we could do. Kids now a days, I dunno, too many toys, no imagination. We live in the country now, I just purchased a nok hockey game, like I used to play at The Oval Park. A simple game and my 5 year old daughter loves playing. I would like to teach someone to play skullies with me, I miss that stuff. It was nice finding this website.
Steve didn’t invent the game of stickball nor did he establish the Emperors league. What he did though was take a game, turned it into tradition, a Bronx tradition and elevated it to new heights. He was a man with vision. He’s always been that way, in every endeavor. Me and Louis looked up to you although we never let you know it. We’re missing you. This is a wonderful tribute by Streetplay, thank you.
Dear Steve, I have known you for 12 yrs now and I did not know how much you really changed my life. When you read that poem out loud (Our Game), it touch home because for 12 yrs now, I have been playing stickball with my dad and I look forward to playing every Sunday with him. It is a tradition for us and will stay that way for ever. I will miss you very much and send my condolences to your family. I personally will make it my goal to keep the game of stickball alive. The Columbus Day tournament we played was dedicated by us to you. We (the Manhattan Bad Boys) will miss you very much and will never forget the good times we share. Love always, Angel (Dusty) Quinones Jr., Angel (Q) Quinones Sr.
As I sit here and read all the tributes to this wonderful person I thank God that He BLESSED me by allowing Steve to come into my life.Of course we met through stickball, how else would God have it.As my passion grew for the game I knew it wouldn’t be complete unless I went to New York. Thats how I met Steve, I’m up to bat and this guy is raggin on me “hey what do you know about stickball your from San Diego” then after the game Steve comes up and is already thinking of how can we get stickball to San Diego. I knew this guy would be in my life forever because of the passion he had for stickball.However, the fondest BLESSING I have from Steve came during the “World Series Of Stickball” hosted by Manhattan.During the rain delay of the championship game my teamates and I are handing out Bibles, as I go to give my brother Steve one he says,”Willie I have my own it would be better if you gave it to someone who doesn’t have one.” That showed me how much this man cared for people.Steve was just out here in San Diego for our tournament and one day while were out at the pool my wife Sherry makes the comment to me,”you can really see how much Steve LOVES his family.” As I try to make sense of Semptember 11th I’m reminded of what God says in the Bible in the book of ST. James chapter 4 verse 14,”whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow.For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away.”I know that Steve’s life was a BLESSING to me and all of you that knew him. You see, I’m also a fireman like Steve and as I contemplate of what my brother might have gone through one thing I know is that he was eager to use the GIFT that God had given him, which was helping others.Joviana, take comfort in knowing that our awesome God always had your wonderful husband in the palm of His hand,(Jn.10:27-29).Skylar and Austin your father is a very respected and honorable man.Like I said, God put Steve in my life forever he’s just playing stickball on streets of gold instead of asphalt.Yo Steve! you can’t have Moses and Jesus on the same team. I Love You Bro, I’ll see you up there in Gods time, Willie
A banner hangs above the spot Steve Mercado slid into home in Little Italy, San Diego. It says “Termi Solo Dio, ” fear only god.” Father Granchini requested it be displayed following the news of the tragedy and the loss of Steve Mercado. On October 21, at the Little Italy Festa, we’ll be playing the “Mercado” tournament to honor the Steve and the other firemen, police officers and EMT’s who gave their life to save others. We’re with you in spirit Steve. Your family and your brothers will always be in our prayers. Rest in peace
To Steve’s family and friends, my heartfelt condolence. I wish I could say I knew him better. I talked to Steve a few times on the phone. I had e-mailed him for help on my stickball league in Bensonhurst, Brooklyn, and he was such a gentleman, having called me back right away and give me advice on many things. I was truly impressed and knew this was a good man, for anyone that goes out of their way for a stranger truly is good people in my book. Little did I know he was a fireman and not till today did I know that he went out of his way for 30,000 people the day of Sept. 11. I guess my hunch that he was a good man and gentleman was understated to say the least. Just makes me so mad and sad to know that these people, if you can call them that, took more than just the buildings away from N.Y.C. They took Steve, a very special man. All my sorrow to his family and friends. -Vinny Ponzo from Bath Beach Stickball League, Brklyn