Readers Report
Bath Beach, P.S. 163—from 1953 through 1960, great times. Mrs. Carroll with her wooden leg, our teachers Mrs. Gotlieb, Mrs. McNickle, Mrs. O'Kiefe (da hook nose), Mrs. Levech, Mr. DePaola, Mr. DeGiocamo, Mrs. Lagamasinna (a teacher who put the toughest kid in his place many times). My home was on the corner of 17th Ave. & Cropsey, a nice four-story apartment house, with 48 families and they all knew ya. I remember walking down to the bay, over the 17th Ave. Bridge, which spanned the Belt Parkway. We fished, watched the Tuesday night fireworks, walked to Bay 8th and down to Bay Parkway. It seamed so simple then—I guess when you're a kid, it is. Moved to 81st & New Utrecht in 1960 and attended New Utrecht H.S. Had many good friends, miss them and the old days. I'm a grandpa now, but when I think of my Brooklyn I'm a kid again. We always played on the street: triangle, stickball, kick da can, catching lighting bugs. We had quite a few amenities back then: the fruit man with his old horse and wagon; Knickerbocker, the old ice cream guy; freezer-fresh Dugan's cake, delivered to our door. The neighborhood, 86th Street, Bath Ave., 18th Ave. with all the little stores and bakeries. I live in Las Vegas now for many years. It's a lot like Brooklyn and we have many Brooklynites here. There are so many that we even started a club, called—what else?— The Brooklyn Club of Las Vegas.
24 May 1999
I just can't stay away from this site. A funny story: First of all, I grew up in Boro Park on 10th Ave. and 44th Street. My father Harry had a luncheonette on 10th Ave.—sold it in the early 60s and bought himself a taxi. Years later while I was living in Houston, TX, my parents came to visit and we all visited a local NY-style Jewish deli. We were sitting at our table (I have to mention here that my dad was about 5'3 at his tallest) anyhow we're at out table in the deli and this Huge guy comes along, booms out "Harry!" and picks my father up like a little puppy and gives him a huge bear hug. He says, "I used to hang out in your store when I was a kid!" He was a businessman in Houston for his job.
24 May 1999
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