Stratton Park Message Board

Games we played when we were kids:
Yesterday I took my 2 hour trek to the Bronx to set up arrangements for our Archer Boy Luncheon on May 21 at 12PM., at Fiddlers Elbow on Tremont near Randle. All are invited.
In fact we are trying to get more of “younger” older guys to get involved as age is taking a toll on the older group who started the luncheon more than 15 years ago. It is a fun tradition.
Then I went to Rory Dolan’s in Yonkers to meet some old friends for dinner. We meet every 2-3 months and as usual we had a great time with many laughs. As I said previously it is great to have friends from old neighborhood who in many cases we have known more than 50 years.
When I got home I checked my e-mails and logged to SP website. I enjoyed some replies on recent posts. Keep up with posts.

This one is about “How about all the great games you could play as a kid/and one did not need to do by your self? These games were more sociable and not watching TV or new games on PC’s etc. Following are some memories of these.
1.Marbles. How many of you played a lot of games with marbles. All you needed some dirk, a bunch of marbles, a few friends to compete with and some free time. We used to play by the old Taylor lots. We would draw a circle, and each player would contribute 5-10 marbles. Then you would shoot your “prized” shooter to into circle and try to knock a marble out of the circle and you would be yours. When all the marbles were knocked out of the circle the game would be over, taking home what you won. Of course there were usually many games till one won all the marbles. Some of the marbles included: “carbollers” (spelling?)-a very large marble that was a special prize; “purees clear marble that was also prized; and others. (Do you remember any other names?) Another game that was played with marbles involved a shoebox with narrow chutes cut out. This was played in the street with the shoe box against the curb. You would try to roll a marble into one of the chutes from a distance of 3-5 feet. If you were successful you won a marble shoebox owner which was not easy due to narrow chutes.
2.Skully-This was played on pavement (we played it in the alley of PS102) with bottle caps filled with wax. It was played on a large square with boxes drawn on the inside of square and numbered 1-10. To win you had to shoot your cap into each of the boxes before your opponents. You were safe if you were in a box. However if you were out of a box your cp “fair game” for another to knock your cap out of the square.
3.Ring-o-levio-This game was usually played in the summertime. There would two team; one team would protect their den while the other team tried to avoid “being captured” and free other team mates who were “captured” and put in “jail”. This “game could get pretty rough.
4.Johnny-on-a-pony-This “game” would entail 2 teams, one lining up as “ponies” with an anchor, and the other team would jump on the ponies and hold on and avoid “being thrown” off the ponies. This game usually got very rough. It was easy to get thrown off onto the pavement of even into the wall.
5.Yo-Yo’s In the early 50’s there were tournaments in Park Chester by Woolworths. The Duncan Yo-Yo man would come around 9 Am on Saturday. Maybe 10 -15 kids would line up and work their Duncan Y0-Y0 according to the instructions of the salesman. Doing “tricks” like waling the dog, over the falls, rocking the cradle, around the world, etc. according. If you won you would win a new Yo-Yo with diamonds on the sides. Hey this was a job for the Duncan man and it was great fun for the kids.
6.Rope Jumping-While this game was mainly played by the girls don’t knock it. Games like “Double-dutch” required a lot of stamina and agility while jumping between 2 ropes.
7.Community Center Games. What about t e games we played there like Knock Hockey, Checkers, Ping Pong, etc. from what I read in a previous post I understand that Pat G. played a mean game of knock-Hockey.
8.Slug-all you needed was a spaldeen and a few friends and a wall. And then you used the boxes on the sidewalk. Could be a very energetic game.
9.Cards-Many of us youngsters were “introduced” to game of cards by older “friends” and were “taken to the cleaners” in learning the games Of course one could always get into a brutal game of Knucks and end up bloody knuckles.
10.Shuffleboard-You play in he Park or in the Community Center. When older how many of you were “introduced” to the game of board shuffleboard at Sullivan’s by the “older “Irish Men” who were always available to "teach us" younger one for a “round” of beers. Someone was always looking after our welfare.
And after you got a bit older: Pool, Bowling, Cards but more intensifive. Being older, the Play Drone was for many of us a Rite of Passage. Someone was always ready to a friend to help you learn pool, etc there: “Hey kid/want to play a game?” Of course at a cost as they “taught” you as one the pigeons laid on the altar of sacrifice to the benefit of the “fleecer.”
While I was looking up the spelling on Google of some of games like “Ring-O-Levio” I found my way to the Bronxboard which listed many of these and many more games.
What are some your thoughts you may have on Games we played as a youngter?
Les

Hi Les,

Here's a few additional ones I recall, maybe not as clearly as I wished. One was not violent, meant for boys and girls: "Redlight, Greenlight".

The next was very familiar to all, was very fast, and I thought was a lot of fun. It looked violent and intimidating, but it didn't really really hurt at all, unless you counted hurt feelings. It was Dodgeball! We'd play it in a small space where there was very little room to run, so you had to be very quick to evade the ball.

The last one could get very rough, depending on the mercy, or lack of it, of the person in control of the game at the moment. For reasons unknown to me, the game was called "Hot Beans and Butter." As I recall, the object of the game was to find a particular hidden garrison belt in the game area by one of the players. Once the round commenced and a player found the belt, he/she would yell "hot beans and butter." That would prompt a mad scramble towards home base by the rest of the players who didn't have the belt. The belt possessor would beat any people close to him until they reached the base, which was safe. Then there would be another round and so on. Many of us also played variations of this game at home with our fathers!

Eddie

Eddie
That was funny but I don't remember the game "Hot beans and Butter". However I did remember the "taste" of a belt most like inflicted by my father. owever, I don't think that it dented to my pycho to any harmful measure.
All the best.
Les

my brother ricky and i were just talking about red light green light, when i came in to check email on the computer.however i learned to play pool in PS 102 "summer school" and still love to play. Hot beans and butter brought back memories of inside and outside of my house. ha ha. i just have to say tht when i get off this web site me and brother are roaring becuse of all the memories that come to mind. can't help but smile and continue smiling and feel good. kinda smaltzy but it works. everyone enjoy mother's day next week. regina

Hello old & new friends,

I have been laughing while reading about the games we played. I have to add one of my favorites.
"May I", or as we called it for sure "giant step". We had to ask permission to take giant steps, or ballerina, frog & umbrella steps. I, also loved red light, green light. we played stick ball in the street. I recall rushing through dinner, so that I could get back outside & spend every available moment with my friends. Does anyone remember the name of the game, where you put an ice cream stick in a box,on the sidewalk? you would stand opposite your friend & compete, throwing the spaldeen and hitting the stick. During the late 60's we had some really strange objects to play with. Does anyone remember the ring with the cord & bell on the end. you put the ring on 1 ankle
and tried skipping over the rope. without the bell hitting you in the ankle. Or what was the point of those clanker ball things? they clanged together then went up & over. i can't tell you how bad i hit my hand with that stupid thing. my sister & her friends had the "hoola-hoop". I had more fun throwing a frisbee. Just had to mention these wonderful memories i have of growing up in "The Bronx". stay safe dear friends.

Hi Les
I use to play curb ball on St. Lawrence & Merrill St. Home base was the corner were the Strattonpark club house use to be. My sister told me about this site, I lived in this neighborhood from 1969 to 1988 & didn't know it was called Stratton park. It's a great site & I'm glad I found it.

Hello Dear Friends,
thought I would share something I received from one of our own. Patsy Abbamonte, sent me a cute fwd. "Youtube", has a "New York Street Games" ~~. There is a documentary, coming soon. This way I can show my sons what I have been talking about for years.
Recently, I have been participating in gym with my students. there was some teasing,(we won't tell my ortho doc about this!) but most were impressed that I could play stick ball, kick ball & dodge ball. (my favorite is volleyball) I told them it's because I'm a Bronx kid. That even if you couldn't catch or run. There was always a team that was short a man and would put you on their team. I explained thats how we all learned good sportmanship. Unlike today, where sharing the controls for the ~~ games is always the start of a fight. So I had an idea. Next time you hear the kids playing outside, this summer, skip cleaning out the garage or tinkering with your car. Get away from the computer. Go outside and go play a game with your kids, grandkids or neighbors kids. A few years ago, a few of my neighbors/girlfriends and I taught hopscotch and red light green light, to the grandkids of my friend. We had as much fun as they did. I love playing with bubbles with the little ones. How easy, a $1 bottle of soapy water. can bring a smile to a bunch of little kids. We are always complaining that life is passing us by. That we are always too busy. Instead of missing the street games of our youth, we can pass them on. After all our older brothers and sisters taught us how to play street games. Like other traditions, that we struggle so hard to pass on to our kids. If you do attempt to do this. Please keep in mind that you are Not 12 anymore, that you may feel a bit sore the next day. Also laughing while playing street games not only helps burn calories, but is good for the heart. stay safe dear friends,

I remember during the winter months when we had a lot of snow, going to 102 park on the Thieriot Avenue side, sliding down the steps on a metal garbage can cover or cardboard. If the gates were closed, we went to Leland between Guerlain and Archer facing Archer and sleding down the hill right across Archer. Some how we are still here.

I also remember playing stickball (along with stoopball) on either Thieriot or Leland and if you hit past a certain number of sewers it was an automatic home run. the stoop ball was played on the lower end of Leland toward Wood since they were the only houses with stoops.

Jo Rizzo

That brings back a memory! I specifically remember my brother playing "sewer ball." Haven't thought of that in at least 30 years.