Tag Archives: Pennsy Pinkie

I never found out if there…

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I never found out if there was a law against playing stickball but if the cops droveby a game, they would confiscate the stick, stick it in a manhole cover hole in order to break it, or throw it in the squad car. They never bothered us if we were playing curbball or punchball. I guess the offense was playing with a stick. The Leader was a cheaper ball, white-gray in color, and without the bounce and resiliancy of a Spaldeen. I never heard of Pennsy Pink in the late Thirties and early Forties.

Spalding were the rejected…

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Spalding were the rejected inerds of the elite used tennis balls. We inner city kids were, in a way, also societal rejects. No leagues, no lessons and barely any grass on which to play. But when the rejected balls were paired with the rejected kids magic arose from the mix. This special bonding of two of the worlds cast-offs could never be matched by anything called a Pensie Pinkie.

“By Bruce Deitchman on…

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“By Bruce Deitchman on Wednesday, May 26, 1999 – 12:05 am: Please allow me to share my views on the subject. IMHO, Spaldeens (as they are pronounced) are the proper tool for games such as stickball, however I have found Pennsy Pinkies more appropriate for Chinese handball and boxball.“ I gotta agree with everything the guy above me here says. Additionally, the Spaldeens were great for the game of Steem. Where a few guys choosed up sides and ya pitched the ball to the batter as if it were a hardball. A box for the strike zone was drawn on a wall with chalk behind the batter, and the pitcher paced off (I forget how many) several yards to the chalk drawn pitchers mound. Regular balls and strikes added an more action. Ground rules varied depending on how many players were in the game. This was one of my favorites when I was a young teenager. We usually played in the school yard courtyard. Spaldeens were the ball of choice because of their liveliness bouncing back to the pitcher when the batter missed your pitch. 🙂

Cat’s Cradle was a complicated…

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Cat’s Cradle was a complicated game. A game that required its players to be coordinated and somewhat expert in the art of string. To play Cat’s Cradle, two pairs of hands and a long string were needed. (Bakery Box string was always best)The game was started with the first player looping the string around her hands to create a specific design. The second player was required to remove the string from the first players hands, in such a way, that she created a second design. Players took turns until no more designs could be created. I never figured out how to remove that last design. It had to be removed with your pinkies!

The Spaldeens would break…

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The Spaldeens would break more easily, but they were real. The Pennsy Pinkies? They bounced great, but we couldn’t afford them–Phil’s Candy Store on 36th St & Clara sold plain ol’ “pinkies” that were pink, yellow, or blue! They were 15 cents when the Spaldeen was 25 cents. But the pinkies were awful. Where can I buy a Spaldeen? I swear, I have taught 5 kids in Vermont to play stickball (we pitch in against my brick chimney), and they love it! With a tennis ball, no less! Help–we need a real Spaldeen!!!!

Spaldeens had a better feel…

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Spaldeens had a better feel to them and were much more lively. When playing punchball and the outfielder was playing deep I would hit the ball between the infielder and the outfielder and hope that the ball would bounce over the outfielders head. Couldn’t do that with a pensie pinkey.