Category Archives: Street Lifestyle
Our playing field was sandwiched…
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Our playing field was sandwiched between a five-story Catholic school and a six-story tenement. At the base of the tenement building our concrete stoop was located, protruding about four inches from the sidewalk and about three inches back toward the building; it was no more than a foot in length. Practice and precision were the key elements. Hitting the point of the stoop with that gum-colored spaldeen produced nasty line drives that were extremely difficult for the infielder to handle. However, not ever hitter found the point that easily; one had to master the stoop to constantly catch the point–striking the point with the ball was an art in itself. The field was cobblestone blocks (the old city streets before the tar paving), and the grounders were tricky. Infielders developed good hands and good instincts staying with those hard grounders that could shoot upwards toward your face anytime, scooping those grounds off the cobblestone was another skill in itself. The Catholic school was across the street from the stoop and hitter. When we would play with only one or two guys on a team (Not running bases), we’d use these rules: a line drive to the first floor of the school was a double; a drive to the second floor a triple; and, a shot to the third floor a home run. However, if the fielder caught the ball as it ricoceted off the school BEFORE it touched the ground, the hitter was out. But, when we had enough guys to play running bases (usually about five players on a team), we had to resort to the regular rules of baseball. The most beautiful thing about our stoop, though, was that it was next to the corner candy store. A spaldeen, a few kids around, fifteen cents in your pocket, a Saturday–you couldn’t ask for anything better.
Lenny Milhazes, do you remember…
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Lenny Milhazes, do you remember Andy’s candy store that was on Pioneer St. in Red Hook? My brother-in-laws family owned it. They lived in a house on Richard’s St. right next to Visitation Church’s Convent. Do you remember the Public Library that was there before they built the Convent. I lived in the Red Hook Projects on Centre Mall. It was great growing up in Red Hook and I never forgot all the good times I had there.
I’m back again. I can’t…
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I’m back again. I can’t seem to stay away from this site. The one place that comes to mind when I think of the Lower East Side is Mott Street. Little Italy to most of you. We had a large group of kids that hung around together. At most we were around 15 boys and girls who ‘stayed together’. In the summer months we could be found at the corner of Mott and Broome Streets. Just hanging out on the front stoop.That’s what we called it. Just hanging around. We sat around and talked and there was always singing and dancing to someone’s radio. This was way before hand held recorders for tapes. CD’s weren’t even invented yet. (Gee, how old am I?) On Sunday we attended church and then later on took in a movie. Always a group of us went. Maybe a local movie house (Delancy or Canal Theaters) or if there was something good happening uptown – either at Radio City Music Hall or any of the other big theaters. Does anyone remember ‘The Dumps’. Also known as the Universal Theater. It was a little movie house at the corner of the Bowery and Hester Street. In the later years, it always smelled like the inside of a liquor bottle. That’s where the homeless (to be politically correct) hung out and kept warm. But I remember it when we could spend an entire Saturday there for 15 cents. We would get 20 cartoons and two full length features. Plus the Newsreel. My father would drop me off in the morning with a friend or two and then pick us up in the late afternoon. Can you imagine we were entertained for several hours for 15 cents! Try and get this now. Well, I think I’ve rambled on and on for long enough. It would be soo nice to see some replies on my posting. If you remember some of these places, maybe you were one of those kids. Take care…Jeanne from Forsythe Street
One of the many joys of…
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One of the many joys of life back in the 50,s was to hang out on the street corner and sing Doo Wop. While living in East New York Brooklyn I would sing till my throat was sore.We would sing when we got up till we went to bed at night. In the subways or hallways were always the choosen place to capture, THE ECHO. From the streets of Brooklyn to the Boardwalk @ Rockaway Beach the air was filled with harmony coming from groups like,The Bob Knight Four,The Star Fires,The BelAirs,The Capris, The Admirations,The Chalets,The Five Discs and many many more. From dances @ St. Michaels to St. Fortunata,s,from the candy stores that line the streets ,to many a pizza place,groups could be heard telling their story with the human voice. From the driving beat of the Bass singer to the high tenor float of the Falsesetto to the SHO DOP DOBBIE DOO of the Background singers to that crystal clear voice of the Lead singer,Doo Wop was king. Found memories of a time when things were easy. I Remember In The Still Of The Night, fond thoughts to all, Frank Iovino presently still singing Doo Wop in Florida with my present group called,WHAT ELSE,The Five Boroughs. Visit our web site @ angelfire.com/la/fiveboroughs and please sign our GUEST BOOK to show if you Remember In The Still Of The Night.
The best place to play and…
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The best place to play and grow up and everybody had a nickname from Nuggie to Espo to Cooch Big and Little, also Big and Little Bud, Juggie just to name a few. Dont forget Brunos Candy Store and the Summer Center. Games of stickball, softball, football, basketball, asses up, ringalevio, 3 feet over germany (an original), hot peas and butter etc……..
hey! lookin @ this brings…
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hey! lookin @ this brings backso many memories! i was wonderin if anyone remebered a song it was like “down down baby down by the roller coaster sweet sweet baby never gona let u go..then what comes next?” and also… how do u guys remeber the song “down by the banks” this is how i remeber it… down by the banks of the hanky panks where the bullfrogs jump from bank 2 bank signin eipps ippes opps oops chillie willy ding dong i pledge alligance to the flag micheal jackson makes me gag..coca cola brought him up now we’re talkin 7up..7up has no caffeine now we’re talkin billy jean..billy jean has no butt now we’re talkin pizza hut , pizza hut has no bread now we’re talkin really dead eippes ippes opps oops chilly willy ding dong- i know theres more but ijst cant rember! *xoxo* -Christine
I never kept up with which…
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I never kept up with which designers were en vogue, but I found that staying in shape and having good clean hygiene makes you stand out in a crowd. Nowadays with so many people doing drugs and pan-caking their faces with makeup to hide surgeries and drug abuse, basic self-hatred, etc. Seeing a clean bright face is a breath of fresh air. My friends always said that what they liked about me most is that my skin was like sunshine. Drink plenty of water, and be happy with who you are, ethnic traits and all !
Okay I am a sixteen year…
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Okay I am a sixteen year old clothing designer and whatever is your style and you like it..THEN FLAUNT it…I have many different styles for many different occasions and it all depends on my mood..Mostly when I go to parties..I like to dress sporty with like throwed-back hats..jersey dresses…or whatever..You don’t want to look like you’re trying too hard to look good..Many guys will try to talk to you as long as you have confidence!!At school I was picked as “best dressed”…ALso be sure whatever you wear you have much confidence(as I said before)..and if its something you wear like “WOW” then be sure to handle comments with pride..Everone is beautiful in their own way and if you feel good about what you wear than 9 times out of 10 people will respect your personality..If anyone needs words of wisdom or advice email me at Babyd51501 [at] yahoo [dot] com God Bless!!
Playing bottle cap ball…
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Playing bottle cap ball in a narrow gravel driveway next to a small store in Missouri, we’d stop for a refreshment–a Pepsi and a nickel bag of Planters peanuts. We’d pour the peanuts in the bottle of Pepsi. When we really got the craving, we’d buy a bottle of Grapette, which was only about 7 ounces of soda. But a bottle of Pepsi got you more for your dime. D.K. in Missouri