Category Archives: Spaldeen games

I grew up in the South Bronx…

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I grew up in the South Bronx on E 142nd between Willis and Third Ave, back in the early 50s. I was the smallest kid on the block. Whenever we played stickball, the ball would inevitably end up going downhill into the sewer on Third Ave. The big kids would remove the grating, give me a coat hanger with a loop at the end of it and lower me down head first holding me by the ankles. I’d reach down with the coat hanger get it under the ball, scoop it up and toss it to the guys. Sometimes there would be other balls in there for awhile. you could tell because the submerged half would be a different color than the top. This was considered a real good thing by the guys cause we wouldn’t have to go and get 10 cents for a ball. My mom didn’t like it cause I’d come home smelling likt the sewer. One time when I was about 8 or 9 she really got disgusted, she stripped me down, threw me in the tub and beat the sh** out of me while scrubbing me down and yelling. Even that didn’t stop me. Being part of the boys was more important.

Wiffle Ball We’d get…

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Wiffle Ball We’d get on a wiffle ball kick and start playing every day for awhile through the summer. You’d use a hollow white plastic ball, with vents on one side. You could throw great curves and sinkers. You’d have a yellow plastic bat that was kind of like a combination between a baseball and stickball bat. You’d play either one on one or teams, with a couple of guys on it. You didn’t run with wiffle ball. If they didn’t catch it, depending on how far you it would determine how many bases you’d get. You couldn’t hit the ball too hard, so a great shot would be 20 or 30 yards (depending on the wind). The ribs in the top of the ball could be pressed in and let you get a better breaking ball. It was great to pitch with, hard to hit and hard to field the ball. I don’t know why they called it wiffle ball, probably cause of the noise it made when as it sailed through the air.

I grew up in Greenpoint…

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I grew up in Greenpoint and we would play 4 corner slapball. We played in the middle of the street on the corner of Jackson and Leonard Streets. In the summer we’d play all day and during the school year we’d play as soon as we got homt. This was a major intersection so we had to be careful and to stop whenever the cars came. By 4:30 it started getting pretty hectic. We also had a sewer on one corner so we had to be real careful not to let the ball go down otherwise you had to fish it out. You couldn’t hit the ball on the fly – just ground balls. If you hit it over the infield you were out. Five guys or more could play per team. We’d play everyday using either the Spaldeen or Pensie Pinkie.

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I was just browsing thru the stories and came upon the one about Bouncer, I remember playing against him many years ago on East 115th Street between I believe it was Madison and 5Th or maybe Park Ave. The teams was called “The Devils”. We also played them on our field “Pleasant Ave and East 118th Street” I am sorry to hear that he passed on, he was a good guy and a very good ballplayer. We had many a good games in those days.

When I was in Jr. High School,…

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When I was in Jr. High School, I was a very manipulative kid. I always got the kids to follow what I wanted to do, but they ultimately came to despise me. I was really good at boxball (Chinese Handball), but one time I finally lost. We were doing booties up – the kids lined up with glee in the eyes and I realized how much they hated me. It was an epiphany. I realized I must be doing something wrong and I changed.

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In the East End of London we’d also play ball in the streets. Because we were in a crowded neighborhood you’d modify the ball games. You’d play football (soccer) in the park, but in the street you’d modify it to kick against a wall, which the other guy had to return. It was kind of like squash, but with a soccer ball. We’d play cricket by painting stumps on the wall, and then hitting only to the front or sides. We even had a game we called “Stickball” in which you’d use a broom handle to hit a tennis ball. We didn’t have bases, it was just for fun. We’d create all kinds of games against this one wall about 200 yards from my house. A wall, a ball and a parking lot was all we needed for hours of fun.

Just a correction….the…

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Just a correction….the Florida Kings are from Orlando, not Miami. San Diego was a fun time…..we met new friends… and new teams just introduced to stickball…they were great sports…learning from experienced ball players, not only the game but the sideline and field “participants” as well. Little Italy was a great place to eat…drink…and be merry.See ya.. “.

When I was a kid growing…

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When I was a kid growing up in Flatbush back in the 50s, my Dad would often bring my brother and me to Ebbets field to see the Dodgers. We’d take the bus down to the ballpark a few hours early so we could play a choose up stickball game with some of the other regulars. One day we’re just starting to play when out comes Willie Mays and a pitcher from the Giants asking if we mind if they join the game. We say sure and get it so Willie is on our team (hey even though we were big Dodger fans – this was Willie Mays!). We were playing slow pitch – one strike you’re out. Willie got up, watched a couple of pitches and then hit the longest stickball shot I’ve ever seen. I’m not kiddng you when I say the ball went a couple of blocks, 3 sewers – gone. Willie played for about three innings, batted twice (homeruns each time) thanked us and went back into the park. Back in the 40s and 50s, baseball wasn’t the big business it is now. Most of the players lived in the neighborhoods, and even had local winter jobs. I was a big Dodger fan, and had lots of occasions when I’d see these guys, but the stickball game with Mays was probably the greatest thrill of all.