Readers Report
I lived in Bensonhurst from 1942 to 1963. I went to P.S. 226, Seth Low J.H.S. and Lafayette HS. I remember all the street games such as punch ball, stoop ball, stick ball, box ball (10 versions), hit the penny (many types) off the wall, king, chinese handball, heels, scully and dozens of other games played with a minimum of purchased equipment. We were never bored. The Marboro theater was a great Saturday all day baby sitter with two movies, 10 cartoons, and usually a chapter of a serial. We took the trolley on McDonald Ave. to Coney Island where a dollar or two would last the whole day including food. On rainy days, the corridors and the lobbies of the apartment houses were "entertainment arenas." Everyone played, no one in the building got upset and there was no vandalism. Today there are locks on all the doors including the entrance. My father and my uncles owned Ritchie's on New Lots and Alabama in East New York. That was a hangout for many of the teenagers during the 50s. I would like to hear from old friends from either neighborhood.
23 March 1999
My Brooklyn is 17th Street between 8th and 9th Avenue . . . you know, the street that had all those kids and was turned into a "play street" back in the late 40s and early 50s after Packy Ryan got hit by a car one summer afternoon. I am one of ten kids and everyone in our building had a handful of kids (481 17th St.). It was one of those cold water flats which was cold during the winter. Mom had a pot belly stove in the kitchen and the secret was to get out of bed in the morning and not hit the floor until you were in the kitchen which was three rooms away. She always hung the clothes we were going to wear right on a line strung across the kitchen so we could jump into warm clothes and not freeze our you know what off. I went to Holy Name and then on to St. Michael's High School and graduated in 1955. I still remember all the good times we had as kids growing up and walking to Ebbets Field to see "da bums" play. We hung out on 9th Avenue, went to the Sanders movie house, sipped egg creams and ice cream soda at both soda joints on 9th avenue. Paled around with George Cox and Herb Hogan and use to go to the roller ring every sunday to look for the girls. Hung out with a few girls in my day as well, the Strappe sisters (Joan and Peggy) and Pauline Goldberg and others.
Moved away in 1955 but a little piece of me still belongs and things of those good old days. Love to hear from anyone from the old neighborhood.
23 March 1999
Winthrop St. in 1941; 1193 Rogers Ave., 1943-1963; 2415 Newkirk Ave., 1963-1965; 3420 Newkirk Ave., 1964-1970; & 4155 Kings Highway, 1970-1973. Farragut Woods, toasting the most delicious "mickey" (potato) ever. Farragut movie theatre on Saturdays (2 main features & oodles of cartoons for a quarter). Blizzard of '47 when snow was so deep mom feared that I would drown in it (heartbroken watching "big" kids romp in snow on Rogers Ave.) Swimming at Farragut Pool (when we could afford it). Playground at 40th St. & Foster Ave. where I walked my younger sisters in the summer. P.S. 89 that had the unique distinction of housing an almost olympic size pool. Barbra Streisand as a classmate in both 89 & EHHS. Confraternity at St. Jerome's on Friday evenings. Empire rolling skating rink on Sunday afternoons. ABC candy store on Rogers Ave. & Ave. D. We laughed and listened to the best 45's around. Egg creams, pretzel sticks, malteds, and tuna fish sandwiches. Neighbors who seemed more like parents. Go Brooklyn!
23 March 1999
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