Grew up at West Fordham Road (Tolentine parrish) in the late fiftes and early sixties. Played outside all day. Skelly was a favorite, also box ball (each player took a box on the sidewalk, a total of four in a square), stoop ball and stick ball. Kept busy all day. No electronics, but plenty of fun. Fond memories!
>>>> Hi Steve… I was playing Skellies up in the Bronx (Tremont & Fordham Rd areas) in the late 1960’s through the late 1970’s. If I had known about prescription caps back then, I would have been the undisputed KING OF SKELLIES. Here I am thinking I was doing my thing with the metal caps (taken from the bottom of the chairs in elementary school) with wax, the penny and the whole nine. Next time I will remember. Joe Bronx, NY<<<<<< That’s how I did it, the silver metal caps from the bottom of school chairs, with melted crayons.My chair/desk would be missing 4 caps after the first week of school. LOL
What an incredible site!! I was born in and lived in the Bronx from ’39 to ’51, near Fordham and Grand Concourse, across the street from what was then the Bronx High School of Science (I think it’s an intermediate school now, I was back there 2-3 years ago.). Reading about the games, environment, and culture is like taking a visit back to my childhood. I’m a grad of PS 33. Since I left, I
Hi Steve… I was playing Skellies up in the Bronx (Tremont & Fordham Rd areas) in the late 1960’s through the late 1970’s. If I had known about prescription caps back then, I would have been the undisputed KING OF SKELLIES. Here I am thinking I was doing my thing with the metal caps (taken from the bottom of the chairs in elementary school) with wax, the penny and the whole nine. Next time I will remember. Joe Bronx, NY
Hi nynmary, Joe Rivera here. In my teen years, I grew up on Grand Avenue just off Fordham Road. That was from 1976 through 1980. We used to shop at Alexanders on Fordham Road. I enjoyed the Valentine Theater along with the Paradise Theater on the Grand Concourse. That may be before your time perhaps? Joe
Played the game in the Bedford Park section & Grand Concourse in the Bx. Got our chestnuts from Riverdale, St. James Park (Fordham area)and the Bx. Botanical Gardens. Everybody had their own “secret” formula for hardening them (boiling in vinegar, nail polish, etc.). I don’t think any of them really worked. Never had a real name for the game.
Born & raised in the Bronx and current resident. I was born at St. Francis Hospital on St. Ann’s Avenue. I grew up near Tremont Ave & Southern Blvd area as a child. My teen years were spent on Grand Avenue off Fordham Road. My high school years and current residence is White Plains & E 233rd Street. We played alot of stickball when I grew up on Fordham Road. We’d play in the summer time on the street if we weren’t at a the Stadium sitting in the bleachers. In high school, my love for the game lessened as I found out I could croon a little bit. I met my first (late) wife singing ‘My Girl’ on the first day of school my soph year at Bronx Science (class of ’81). 15 years later after high school I wind up singing with Earl Lewis & The Channels Joe Rivera
I grew up on 181 St. and Creston Avenue, right across the street from PS/JHS 79 (Creston JHS). The Concourse was a block away, which meant the D train was a block away. Jerome Avenue and the #4 was all of 3 blocks away. Fordham Road was in walking distance. And the Paradise was simply heaven. The schoolyard was everyone’s main hangout, regardless of the season. Punchball, stickball (mostly fungo), softball, hoops and two-hand touch all year ’round. When we were just hanging out, we copped some time on the stoop across from the yard. When I was 15 my family moved to Decatur Avenue and Gun Hill Road. My mother worked at Montefiore Hospital, so this was a good move for her. Turned out to be a good one for me, as the guys I met there have become my friends for life. We hung out on the stoop of my friend Errol’s apartment building. It was the perfect place to check out what was going on on the block. Great memories, and two great places to grow up in. Steven Springer 2101 Creston Avenue 3539 Decatur Avenue