WHAT EVER HAPPENED TO

[Deleted]

ALL THE GREAT POSTINGS ABOUT, TREMONT AVE, BATHGATE AVENUE, WASHINGTON AVE, THIRD AVE, LAFONTAINE AVE, MONTEREY AVE, ARTHUR AVE, HUGHES AVE, BELMONT AVE, AND CROTONA AVE, AND CROTONA PARK STORYIES, AND PICTURES IN FRONT OF THE FOUNTAIN IN THE PARK.
HANGING OUT IN THE HORSESHOE REST AREA UP BY BORO HALL IN THE PARK.
WAITING FOR THE NEWS AND MIRROR AT 'HAPPY'S' NEWSTAND.
THE NEWS AND MIRROR WERE 2CENTS WHEN I WAS A KID, THEN THE CROOKS RAISED THEM TO 3 CENTS EACH. HA HA HA. WHAT A BARGAIN, GETTING THEM AT NIGHT TO SEE THE BASEBALL SCORES FOR THE YANKEES AND THE STANDINGS.

OR CRAWLING OUT OF THE 'GOLDEN ORCHID' BAR ON THIRD AVE OFF TREMONT AT CLOSING TIME. HANGING OUT UP THE SQUIRES CLUB ON THIRD AND 176ST.
RIGHT DOWN FROM SYNHEARTS BARBER SHOP. (75 CENT A HAIRCUT)
I SWEAR!!!.

THE GREAT MOVIES OF OUR NEIGHBORHOOD THE CROTONA, THE DELUXE, THE FAIRMOUNT MOVIE.
ST JOSEPH'S CHURCH AND SCHOOL AND THE PRIESTS AND NUNS THAT WE ALL KNEW.

JHS 118 MY FAVORITE SCHOOL, ALLIE AND PHIL HORNSTEINS CHICKEN MARKET, THE CRAP GAMES IN THE 'SUN LAUNDRY' GARAGE AT LUNCHTIME, AND HIDING CIGARETTES IN THE GARAGE,

CUTTING SCHOOL IN THE AFTERNOON HANGING IN THE GARAGE OR IF WE HAD A FEW BUCKS SNEAKING ON THE SUBWAY AND GOING DOWN TO THE 'PARAMOUNT MOVIE' TO SEE THEIR WONDERFUL STAGESHOWS,
THE LIGHTS DIM AND THE MUSIC IS MAGICAL AS THE STAGE RISES UP FROM BELOW, I SAW THE GREAT BANDSOR ORCHESTRAS OF THE DAY, COUNT BASIE, DUKE ELLINGTON,GENE KRUPA MY FAVORITE DRUMMER AND HIS BAND, BUDDY RICH ALSO ONE OF THE GREATEST DRUMMERS OF MY TIME.
ALL THE TOP COMEDIANS, SINGERS ELLA FITZGERALD, 'SASSY' SARAH, VAUGHN, GEORGIA GIBBS, THE FOUR ACES, MR 'B' BILLY ECKSTINE, (ONE MY FAVORITES).

BACK TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD PAYING SOFTBALL IN THE SCHOOLYARD OF JHS 118, SWIMMING IN THE BRONX RIVER, SWIMMING AT NIGHT IN CROTONA POOL
(SOMETIMES NAKED AS A JAYBIRD) AFTER SNEAKING IN, THE PARKEE WOULD SOMETIMES HOLLER TO GET OUT , BUT HE WOULDNT COME OUT WHERE WE WERE.

PLAYING BASKETBALL IN ST JOES HALL, GOING TO DANCES UP IN THE GYM OF JHS 118 FRIDAY NIGHTS WITH CARLO FROM THE FUTURE 'BELMONTS' BAND, HE WAS AN EXCELLENT DRUMMER ALSO.( OF COURSE WITH JEANNIE).

HANGING OUT DOWN IN 'JOES POOLROOM' WHEN HE ONLY HAD FOUR BOWLING LANES.
WATCHING THE 'IRON DUKES' BEAT SOME HEADS IN BECAUSE JUST FOR EXERCISE. ( THEY GOT A LOT OF EXCERCISE).

BOPPIN ALONG TREMONT AVE LIKE WE OWNED THE WORLD, THE GREEKS RESTAURANT MADE THE BEST HAMBURGERS SMOTHERED IN FRIED ONIONS WITH CHEESE MELTED ON THE JUICIEST BURGERS YOU EVER ATE, A SIDE OF HOMEFRIES, APPLE PIE AND COFFEE.
VIEBROCKS ICE CREAM PARLOR, HAVING A HOT FUDGE SUNDAE IN THE CANDY PANTRY.
THE CROTONA PIZZERIA WHERE MY BEST FRIEND AS KIDS JUNIOR DAO WAS THE PIE MAN, MMMMMMMM GOOD.

NEXT INTO BROWNS MENS WEAR SHOP BUYING CLOTHES ON TRUST. $2.00 OR $3.00 DOLLARS A WEEK
IF IT WASNT FOR BROWNS I WOULD OF BEEN DRESSED IN RAGS,
(NOT QUITE) BUT THANK GOD FOR MR BROWN.

HANGING OUT AT ABIE AND JOE RENERTS GROCERY STORE ON THIRD AVE.
I STILL OWE FOR SOME HEROS I TRUSTED.

HANGING OUT AT THE ANVIL GARAGE ON THIRD AVE AT 179 ST
LISTENING TO SMOKIE TELLING STORYS AND ALL OF US SMOKING DI NOBILI ITALIAN CIGARS.(STINKERS).

PLAYING STICKBALL AND TRYING TO SHOW OFF FOR THE GIRLS. (IN MY CASE, MY LOVE JEANNIE SINCE 1950) HOLY MACKERAL ANDY THATS A LONG TIME TO LOVE SOMEONE.
LOVED EVERYDAY OF BEING WITH HER.
(FEB.WILL BE 51 YEARS. WOW.)
GOD BLESS HER SHE IS A BEAUTIFUL SOUL.

WHEW IVE BEEN GOING ON .

ANYONE REMEMBER ANY OF THIS STUFF.
JUMP IN WITH BOTH FEET.

JIMMY, FEELING NOSTALGIC AND BLUE.

[Barry]

Well I'm not from that neighborhood.

[Preacher Mike]

Jimmy I was right there with you....a year or two behind but rigth there...yep I was there the times and people that molder us and our future, I loved every one of them.And like you have never forgotten any of them even if the times, places and people get mixed up in my dreams now..But thank God we have memory's and for the most part they are good ones... and I thank the BCS for bring them all back.

[CQuinn]

Same here Mike...I remember all the the same places and good times. And the funny thing is many of the guys Jimmy hung out with became my friends the Ace, Sniper and Bobby LaDuca. I also remember marching with St. Joe's Drum and Bugle Corps when Mike was the Drum Major. What stories there after the parades we would sneak beers out of the affairs that were going on.
Mike remember the Johnny On The Pony games with 15 guys on each side...surpised no had their back broken. Charlie White was one of the smaller guys; but, probably one of the strongest.

[Preacher Mike]

He was a Marine the last time I saw him, it was also the last time I saw Father O'Hara..in fact it was O'Hara night honoring him..because he was so sick, he saw us in our uniforms and said"I never would have believed it ". Stanly Mularz was in his Air force uniform, Johnny Griffin was in his Navy uniform..we were all home on leave...funny how that came about!!!! I hear he die a week or so after that.

[Deleted]

Thanks Jimmy for the memories of our beloved Bronx.

[CQuinn]

Mike,

Charlie White passed away in his early fifties from a heart attack. He went out to work one moning and had a flat tire in the driveway he was changing the tire when he died.

[carjoh5]

Jimmy,
I was not from your area in the Bronx, but not far. And I also have to add that I enjoy hearing about your part of the Bronx. I LOVE it..THANKS JIMMY! <3

[Deleted]

Jimmy, I too enjoy hearing about the Bronx of the 40's and early 50's

[Deleted]

PIKES PEAK IN CROTONA PARK WAS OUR BEST PLACE TO RIDE A SLED.
TROUBLE WAS I NEVER OWNED A SLED AND HAD TO BORROW SOMEONE ELSES.

BUZZY KROWITZ HAD THE BIGGEST SLED I EVER SAW, A FEW OF US WOULD RIDE DOWN AT ONCE.
BUZZYS FATHER WAS A HARD WORKING CAB DRIVER AN BUZZY HAD A FIRST BASEMANS MITT FOR A LEFTY, WHICH I ALWAYS BORROWED AND WORE IT AS A RIGHTY OF COURSE, IN THE SCHOOLYARD OF JHS118 PLAYING 'ONE A CAT'
WHO REMEMBERS THAT SOFTBALL GAME.?

YEARS LATER WHEN I WAS A PTL IN THE 42 PCT I USED TO GET THE BANK POST FOR THE BANK AT 155ST AND THIRD AVE AND HARVEY LESTER 'BUZZY' KROWITZ WAS THE VICE PRESIDENT OF THE BANK. STAY IN SCHOOL KIDS.!!!
A REAL GREAT GUY.

HOW ABOUT THE UNITED CIGAR STORE AND BICKFORDS RESTAURANT W/TWO ENTRANCES TREMONT AVE AND THE OTHER WAS ON THIRD AVE.
I ATE A LOT OF THEIR CHICKEN PIES WITH A BIG GLASS OF ICE COLD MILK. MMMMMM.

WHAT A GREAT TIME IN MY 'YOOT" GROWING UP IN THE BRONX TREMONT AND THIRD AVE SECTION.

HOW ABOUT 'HENRYS HALL' UPSTAIRS FROM THE GREEKS RESTAURANT, I WENT TO MANY WEDDINGS THERE.
LORBERS BAR WAS NAMED HENRY'S THEN AND HENRY OWNED THE DANCEHALL UPSTAIRS.
PITCHERS OF BEER AND ALL THE SMALL 'SANGWICHES' YOU CAN EAT.
2 CAPACOLA AND 3 HAM AND CHEESE PLEASE.

JIMMY

[Joan]

:)Jimmy..............I am not from that neighborhood, but I do enjoy hearing about "things from the Bronx"!!! It was a great time for me. Love looking back and reminiscing!

[Barry]

I have 2 flexible flyers in my basement. We used to ride down 166th street between Carol Place and Grant ave (4 blocks)

[Deleted]

THIS IS PART OF ANOTHER OF MY POST TODAY AFTER BEING REMINDED ABOUT
THE KIDS FROM THE 'DOMINICAN SISTER' HOME FOR HOMELESS KIDS IN SPARKILL N.Y. COMING AROUND TRICK OR TREATING
ON HALLOWEEN.
**************

GOING 'BEGGIN' 'ANYTHING FOR THANKSGIVING' IN THE LATE 40s BRONX.
********
WHEN WE WERE KIDS IN THE BRONX IN THE LATE 40s WE USED TO GO 'BEGGIN' ON THANKSGIVING DRESSED LIKE RAGAMUFFINS AFTER THE 48PCTs RAGAMUFFIN THANKSGIVING PARADE, IT WAS RUN BY PTL WILLIAM HOPKINS 48PCT.
WHO ALSO RAN THE P.A.L AND THE P.A.L. BOXING GYM UPSTAIRS ON TREMONT AVE. BETWEEN PARK AVE AND WEBSTER AVE.
NEVER HALLOWEEN.
WE WOULD FILL PILLOWCASES UP WITH OUR TREATS FROM PEOPLE.
WE WOULD GO ON THE THIRD AVE EL, SOME KIDS WOULD DO A LITTLE DANCE OR WE WOULD SING SONGS AND ASK 'ANYTHING FOR THANKSGIVING.
THEN WE'D GO 'BEGGIN' IN ALL THE APARTMENT HOUSES ON THE BLOCK AND IN THE AREA OF OUR NEIGHBORHOOD UNTIL WE ALMOST HAD OUR PILLOWCASES FULL, THEN LATER WE'D TRADE STUFF.
SOME PEOPLE WOULD GIVE YOU COINS, SOME WOULD GIVE FRUIT
AND SMALL CAKE TREATS.

WONDERFUL MEMORYS.
THAT WERE TRIGGERED BY YOUR REMARK ABOUT THOSE WONDERFUL DOMINICAN SISTERS.

'THANKS FOR THE MEMORIES' AS BOB HOPE USED TO SAY.

JIMMY AND JEANNIE

[Deleted]

DIDNT ANYONE FROM THE TREMONT, BATHGATE, WASHINGTON, LAFONTAINE. ARTHUR, OR MONTEREY AVE EVER GO TO THE
48 PCTs 'RAGAMUFFIN PARADE' ON THANKSGIVING DAY.
THEN AFTER GETTING A PRIZE FROM PTL BILL HOPKINS PAL CHIEF,
DIDNT ANY OF YOU EVER
GO 'BEGGIN' 'ANYTHING FOR THANKSGIVING' ALL OVER THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
DIDNT YOU FILL UP YOUR PILLOWCASE WITH GOODYS LIKE CHANGE, CANDY, FRUIT, PIES, ETC.?
AND AFTER TRADE WITH YOUR FRIENDS.?

HOW OLD ARE YOU KIDS ANYWAY???

JIMMY

[Preacher Mike]

I had a brown paper bag......I didn't have to pretend I was a ragamuffin I was one, just went the way I was...... dirty face and all. holes in my knickers and holes in my shoes...I didn't beg one look and they all felt sorry for me. PTL Bill sent me to PAL camp one summer I love it.

[Fran Gyomory]

I am not from your 'hood" and things were more quiet where I grew up. During my "youth" I lived within a 20 block area, starting out near Yankee Stadium on Gerard Avenue; then to Wythe Place and 172nd street and then to Morris Avenue between 181st and 182nd Street. Mose dare I ever took was a few sips of beer in the schoolyard at Creston JHS at age 16. Back then legal drinking age was 18 so I guess my beer at 16 was no big deal. Of course, I did start smoking at 13 which I will regret to the end. Thank God I don't smoke anymore but I really wish I hadn't started.

[Deleted]

I can't remember anyone... boy or girl who did NOT smoke in HS. At St Helena, the students had a designated smoking area on Brush Ave behind the school. Hey Joan, do you remember Elvis the Pretzel guy? ;D

[Joan]

:)Mike........................I sure do remember him!!!

[Joan]

:)Jimmy.................glad I triggered off some "good memories" for you about the Dominican Sisters at Sparkhill in New York. They, as I recall, were a great order. liked their habits too. Was so glad we had them. According to what I heard when I was a kid, at the end of the neighborhood where I lived was St. Raymond's and they had the Sisters of Charity and they were TOUGH!!!

Now you triggered off something for me................one of the nuns at the High School (St. Helena's) was Sister Paula. I remember when I was in the 8th grade and knew I was going to St. Helena's the kids would say "you don't want to get Sr. Paula"!!! She was tough so they told me.

When I arrived as a freshman, I had my first encounter with Sr. Paula. We were being measured for sweaters, and "out of the blue", she said to me "I want to see you after you're measured"! I thought "oh no, what did I do already"? Anyway, after I was measured I went up to her and she said "you are my namesake -my name was Joan Carey before I became a nun. I expect great things from you"! Since my name was Joan Carey, I thought "now I'm targeted"! She'll always be watching me.

As it turned out, she always said "hello" to me. Even when I had her for geometry in my sophomore year (was petrified), she very rarely called on me and I did well in her class. As it turned out, she was always very nice to me but to this day, I will never forget that day when she wanted to see me!!! Wonder what ever happened to her and if she is still alive. Anybody remember her???

[Deleted]

HEY MIKEY, WE WAS A PAUPERS TOO, HOLES IN MY SNEAKERS, HOME RELIEF KNICKERSONCE IN A WHILE, AS A KID IN SCHOOL I WAS ALWAYS ASHAMED BECAUSE I WAS POOR I WAS A RAGAMUFFIN ALREADY.

MY LATE WONDERFUL MOTHER, ALWAYS HAD WHATEVER CLOTHES I HAD 'SPOTLESS' ALL THE TIME.

WE WERE THE SUPERS UNTIL I GOT INTO 7th GRADE,
I HAD TO CALL FOR THE GARBAGE EVERY NIGHT.
I HAD A TREMENDOUSLY BIG BURLAP BAG TO PUT THE PEOPLES GARBAGE IN, I HAD TO KNOCK ON EVERYDOOR AND YELL "GARBAGE', I WAS ALWAYS ASHAMED WHEN A GIRL I KNEW "YELLED ITS THE 'SUPERS KID' FOR THE GARBAGE" SO I WAS A RAGAMUFFIN ALREADY.
I HAD TO DRAG THIS BIG BURLAP BAG LOADED WITH SMELLY GARBAGE DOWN TO THE FRONT OF THE HOUSE.

I WAS ASHAMED THEN BUT I WOULDNT TRADE ONE SECOND
FOR ANY AMOUNT OF MONEY.
'IT WAS THE SCHOOL OF HARD 'AND I GOT THROUGH ALRIGHT.

BY THE WAY 'ANYTHING FOR THANKSGIVING'.

JIMMY "THE SUPERS KID'