1-Who was toughest in neighborhood? 2-My Balabam story

[Eddie Acunzo]

There was a guy in our grammar school class who may not have been the toughest, but he he was pretty tough for his size. He was fearless, and he had fast as lightening boxing skills that would surprise his opponents and usually find them on the seat of their pants before they knew what happened. His name was John Devito(a?). John was very intelligent, one of the smartest in our class, but had a heavy accent because he was Italian-born, and consequently had a heavy stutter, about which he was very self-conscious as a kid. When we got a little older, we'd venture out of the neighborhood to other high schools or other Bronx neighborhood dances, and those that didn't know him may pick on him, or make fun of him because of his stutter. They'd soon find out they had grabbed a tiger by the tail! My friends or I would run into John at a St. Nick of Tolentine or some other Catholic school dance and back him up in a fight on principle because he was from the neighborhood, but John would need very little backup. He could routinely dispose of two or three guys with that hand speed and skill. He was something!

John Tell, remember him? Does anybody know what what became of John DeVito(a)?

Eddie Acunzo

[JohnTell]

Eddie...I do remember John DeVita very well...you're right he was a tough kid...he had an older brother named Mike and they lived on Tremont Ave up near REILLY's...

What I remember mostly, even though he was the smartest boy in the class he wasn't in the "Goody-Two Shoes Club"...IMHO Kathleen Kelly was the smartest girl...<:~)

John was also an excellent ballplayer with great speed...really good baseball player and had excellent ball handling ability with a good outside shot in basketball...

I don't know what ever happened to him...maybe he's one of the "hundreds" of "lurkers" we have on here...like Dorothy M....<;~)

JohnT

[Kathleen]

John Tell,

First of all, I don't agree with you that I was the smartest girl in the class, but I do appreciate the compliment. Secondly, were you indirectly saying that I was a member of the "Goody-Two Shoes Club"? If so, I would have to agree with you on that statement. Actually, that was a club that all of us Kellys aspired to belong to and I believe we eventually all did reach that goal.

I do remember John DeVita well, and have spoken of him often over the years when telling stories of the "good old days". I did not know how tough he was but I always did say he was the smartest in the class. You came in a close second, John.

Take care, Kathleen

[JohnTell]

Kathleen...as the old saying goes, "...if the Goody-Two Shoes fit...."<:~)

And if you weren't the smartest girl in the class you no less than second...we had a lot of smart girls in our class, a few that come immediately to mind are Geraldine Hackett, Roseanne Scordo, Mary White, Nancey Kenney, Patricia Rielly, and Theresa Skelton...I'm sure I left a few out...but CRS is always in play lately...<:~)

Gotta agree with you that ALMOST all the W.P.R. Kelly's were "aspiring" for membership in the aforementioned "GTSC", but there is no way that HAROLD could even be remotely considered for memebership...<:~)

Glad to hear you've kept in touch with John DeVita and that he's doing well...he was a good kid and I'm sorry he wasn't able to make it to St A's 100th...<:~(

As far as me being a "close second" that's a bit of a stretch to say the least....I think it was a toss-up between me and Danny Cunningham(God rest his soul) for who was bringing up the rear...

Danny Cunningham was one of the funniest kids I knew growing up....he used to do an imitation of all of Red Skeltons characters(FreddyThe Freeloader, Gertrude & Heathcliff etc) and he would have me cracking up uncontrollably in class....needless to say the nuns would seperate our desks after the first week of school...I forget which year it was but one of the good Sisters put my desk right under the Blessed Mother's statue, hoping she would help me...<:~)

[Kathleen]

John,

I was right, you were calling me a "Goody-Two Shoes"! I don't know how I feel about that. You are wrong about one thing though, in addition to being a member, I think Harry was actually an officer of the club, I believe it was Secretary. All those girls' names brought back memories, I wonder where they are now.

And just to clarify, I haven't spoken to John DeVita over the years, I have spoken of him. But I do hope he is well. I'm just surprised he is referred as one of the toughest in the neighborhood, I never knew!

I do love your stories of you and Danny Cunningham, they make me laugh. Keep them coming.

[JohnTell]

Kathleen....no need to fret about your status as a "Goody-Two Shoes"...there were a few different varieties of "GTS"...

One type of "GTS" was the honor student who never gave the good Sisters any trouble what so ever...they had their homework assignments done on time, sat at their desks with hands folded and maintained their 99.9% average with the greatest of ease...but they never looked to get us "non-Goody Two Shoes" type people in trouble...

Then there was the other type of "GTS" who were not happy unless they WERE getting us "non-Goody Two Shoes" types in hot water...doing things like raising their hands at 2:55 and saying in that whiney shrill voice they all had; "SISTER, SISTER YOU FORGOT TO COLLECT THE HOMEWORK"...grrrr

The latter type were the ones who I had a problem with (I have since forgiven them, for they knew not what they did)...so Kathleen you were most definitely in the former category, just a nice well mannnered kid sailing along maintaining that 99.9% average...

As to HAROLD "aspiring" to be a "Goody-Two Shoes", it must have been before he discovered Schaeffer Beer....



JohnT

[C. McLoughlin]

The Balabam I remember was a plummer, Lived on Theriot ave, across from the PS 102 playground.

[Andrew DeStefano]

I once told Donald Diehl that my friends and I used to sit in Sam's candy Store and ~~ the fight of the century:


DONALD DIEHL VS. NEIL KNOX


Our slections were as follows:

1) Donald Diehl

2) Neil Knox

3) Mike the Greek

4) Joey Broderick

5) Lance Ricci

6) George the Greek[size=50][/size]

[Don D]

Thanks Andrew! Remind me to give you the $20 the next time I see you.

DD