Category Archives: Stickball

I WAS BORN IN THE BRONX…

Streetplay Discussion Archive Posted on by
Original author: CHARLIE DANGELO [e-mail]
 

I WAS BORN IN THE BRONX AND DELIVERED AT THE OLD LINCOLN HOSPITAL ON JACKSON AND WESTCHESTER AVE IN 1935. AND LIVED ON UNION AVE.BETWEEN 155 AND 156 ST. AS I GOT OLDER (6YRS) THE GUYS ON MY STREET AND THE GUYS ON UNION BETWEEN 156 AND WESTCHESTER AVE.WE WOULD ALWAYS COMPETE AGAINST EACH OTHER MOST OF US WENT PS#52 AND THOSE THAT DIDN’T WENT TO ST.ANSELMS CATHOLIC SCHOOL.WE WERE ALWAYS ON THE STRETS PLAYING STICKBALL, HIDE AND SEEK, RINGALEVIO, COPS AND ROBBERS, PUNCHBALL, FLYING KITS OFF THE ROOFS WITH RAZOR BLADES ON THE KITS TAIL TO CUT THEIR STRING. WE BECAME VERY CLOSE IN ALL THOSE YEARS GROWING UP NO ONE EVER SEEM TO MOVE AWAY. WE WOULD HANG OUT AT A COMMUNITY CENTER CALLED THE MELAROSE HOUSE OR ON THE STREET CORNER AT 156 AND UNION AVE. WE STARTED TO BRAKE UP WHEN WE LEFT FOR THE ARMED SERVICE OR GOT MARRIED. IN OUR TEENS WE FORMED ONE STICKBALL TEAM THE “LANCERS” AND PLAYED GREAT STICKBALL ON THE WEEKENDS FOR MONEY. THE LOCAL BOOK MAKERS AND STORE MERCHANTS WOULD BE THE HEAVY BETTERS. WE PLAYED TEAMS LIKE THE LUCK 7’S, THE NIGHTS THE ROCKETS NAMES I DONT REMEMBER FROM WALES AVE AND LONGWOOD AVE. THOSE WERE GREAT TIMES.

I was born in the Bronx…

Streetplay Discussion Archive Posted on by
Original author: David Klein [e-mail]
 

I was born in the Bronx in 1947. 29 west 181st St between Burnside Ave and Davidson Ave. Went to PS 91 near University Ave then Creston JHS and De Witt Clinton. Played stickball, punchball, PBC(Pitcher, Batter Catcher) Grand Concourse was the greatest- Lowes Paradise, Krums, Alexanders. Love to hear from anyone!!

I used to play stickball…

Streetplay Discussion Archive Posted on by
Original author: mike fiveson [e-mail]
 

I used to play stickball with both spaldeens and pensie pinkies. I preferred the pinkie as it seemed I could do more with it. when I was 15 I used to be able to throw a curve ball that would make the batter duck out of the way, just as the ball broke over the middle of the box. I was a stickball king. a God of sorts. I still play at age 52 and can beat most kids. Those were golden times and the pensie pinkie was part of it. I could also hit that ball into orbit. Like Mickey Mantle, my hits were high and far. Many times the balls were lost, presumed to be in orbit over the earth. So if you ever hear of a UFO and it is described as pink and round, please let me know.

I just read all the messages…

Streetplay Discussion Archive Posted on by
Original author: abe
 

I just read all the messages and most apply to me. First at 108 street Manhattan east side, then 89th Street West side. When I returned from the army my first thought when walking home was how empty the streets were. No Ball Games. I had played them all and great fun. Cops to watch out for, Hide sticks, two sewer hitters were rare but after all claimed to be. Older guys played for money, not me. Balls on roof and balls in basement..watch out for the Nazi who lived there… and pepsi for 5 cents were all part of it. Stopping when parent called and the game went on for those remaining. So many memories. Thanks I told my sons abourt these and they were impresses, not having known stickball..

On April 28 and 29, 2001…

Streetplay Discussion Archive Posted on by
Original author: Bennie Brugman
 

On April 28 and 29, 2001 we had our 6th annual Oldtimers Stickball Tournament. We dedicated the weekend in memory Raul Delgado and Louis “Chickie” Santiago both passed away in the year 2000. Raul was instrumental in starting the oldtimers tournament in Miami. Chickie played with us from the first year till he passed away. We miss them very much. We had players from Tampa,Deltona,Orlando, and from Miami. As usual we had a good time.

In Bayside, Queens, during…

Streetplay Discussion Archive Posted on by
Original author: Bob Strauss [e-mail]
 

In Bayside, Queens, during the early 1950s, there was a game played at PS 41. It was called “double wall” and was a variant of stickball. Two players, batter and pitcher, and the batter had to hit a ball that bounced between the two walls. The more the better. We also played punchball, and I always wondered if this game originated, or was popularized during WWII, with limited space/only one spaldeen required. Bob

Growing up in South Philly,…

Streetplay Discussion Archive Posted on by
Original author: John Naimoli [e-mail]
 

Growing up in South Philly, the pimple ball was indispensible. You couldn’t play the street games without it: Stickball (aka Fastball), Halfball, Hit the Penny, Chink, Wallball, Wireball, Babies in the Air. I find it difficult to explain to my kids just what a pimple ball was. I wish I had saved one to show them. The thing I found most interesting about it was when you pressed your index finger hard on the top of the ball and throw it hard releasing it so that it’s trajectory was toward the ground, it would almost float as it sped toward it’s target. I’ve seen guys throw them almost the length of a city block where the ball made the entire trip 6 inches off the ground.

Anyone know where I can…

Streetplay Discussion Archive Posted on by
Original author: Fred Valis [e-mail]
 

Anyone know where I can get a real Pensie Pinkie? I have the official NYC “factory” stickball bat (the one you bought in the corner candy store with the black grip tape around one end) and a spalding but I need a Pensie Pinkie to complete the set. Thanks Fred

Many things come to mind…

Streetplay Discussion Archive Posted on by
Original author: Frank Davis [e-mail]
 

Many things come to mind when I think of skelly. Here are a few: 1)New Jersey, 1964. We stopped at Tony’s Hot Dogs near lake Hopatcong on a Sunday as I recall. I asked the man behind the counter, actually my dad asked the man, if we could have some bottlecaps. I guess some meant all because he filled up a couple of paper bags full. It was a great ride home as a 7 year old digging out all of the cork and couldn’t wait to show my friends my motherlode of caps. 2)I can still remember the smell of melted crayons in my friend’s garage as we readied our bottlecaps for action. We lived in the Canarsie section of Brooklyn and if it wasn’t stickball or Spud it was all day skelly marathons. 3)About 1970 or thereabouts during my last glory days as a pre-teen and the end of skelly as a pasttime, I pulled one of the biggest miscues of my life, to that point. My dad had just bought me a new pair of Pro Keds and I proceeded to wear out the sides in a matter of days due to several skellythons. Needless to say, it was back to discount sneakers for me. I wish this generation could experience all of the great street games that I grew up with in Brooklyn and Queens.