Stratton Park Message Board

My nieces and nephews finishing up the school year makes me think of all the summers back in Stratton Park. The summers seemed endless back then. Playing Ring-o-levio and freeze tag in the fountain at 102 Park and R.C.K all though the streets. Building "clubhouses' in the lots on Beach Ave, hours and hours spent riding our bikes. Watching the guys play softball and stick ball and getting thrown in the hydrant on Archer St.

When we belonged to Castle Hill Beach Club - my girlfirends and I would often walk there in the morning and on the way we'd [i]have[/i] to stop and get a cookie from Pakula's bakery on Starling Ave. The walk was always a little "dangerous" when we passed the Castle Hill projects on the way - but that added to the enjoyment and of course we were fueled by the sugar in our cookies in case we needed to run

Does anyone remember the games "Hot beans and butter" and "Johnny on the Pony"?

Eddie

Sure do- they're right up there with Red Rover and Monkey in the Middle

I too remember those games but Julie I have to say that was some walk you made to the pool.I went by bus I think it was the no.thirteen went along Union Port and onto Castle Hill.In the last post Cathy remembered the High Tide outside with the great french fries and ices for the ride home.Those lazy,crazy,hazy days of summer.Remember that song?An oldie but goodie.

Hi Linda,
It was a long walk but the walk was 1/2 the fun. I recall my girlfriends and I would meet at Eileen White's house to start our journey. We would yak the whole walk. I think we may have walked home only 1 or 2 times but we usually took the bus. And of course we had to have fries or ices for the ride home! For some reason I remember the meatball sandwiches from High Tide as one of my favorite lunches.

I know the song you referred to. Music was always such a big part of hanging out. Looking at all the little Ipods and MP3 players there are now can you believe the size of the stuff we used to lug around!?!? 8 track players, big radios with cassettes (generally with 2-4 D size batteries to add to the weight ) but someone always had to have a radio with them!

Julie

My family also belonged to Castle Hill Beach Club in the mid sixties. I remember the ladies with beehive hairdos sitting around the pool playing marjon, careful not to get their hair wet; the men playing racquet ball or canasta, all of us slick and shiny, smelling of cocoanut oil and looking like tomatoes in the beginning of the season, walnuts at the end. Radios and Cousin Brucie blasting Four Seasons, laying in a lounge chair, working on my tan, before the days of summer jobs. LIFE WAS GOOOOD! Can you smell the sun tan lotion, can you hear Frankie Vallie? Sheeerrie, Sherrie Baabbyyy!!

I have a publishing question but "PM" is disabled. Can you drop me an e-mail at IMFIFTY@AOL.COM?

Eddie Acunzo

Hi Julie and Eddie I have been thinking of the post all day.I started up the block this morning thinking of you Julie and the girls walking to the pool.That must of been alot of fun for you guys.I did get flashbacks of the projects and thought of you guys walking through there and could actually hear you laughing as you ran.Well I had a boon or was it a boom box myself a monster radio I still have it the sound is awsome.I remember all the tapes and eight tracks.We come a long way baby.I also remember Eddie the smell of the suntan lotion it was so nice.A summer memory for sure and the music back then was the best.Some songs today are good but not like our oldies of yesterday.There were so many great ones.Well thanks for the memories.

Mayor Rick and Buggsy and I will be seeing Frankie Vallie and the Four Seasons on Sunday night at the Paramount Center for the Arts in Peekskill. The music brings back such good times in the neighborhood and thoughts of Freddie Pellet and Thurston Delaney who were the biggest 4 Seasons fans in the early 60's. In fact, Freddie named his first child Dawn.

Cathy thats sounds like so much fun I wish I knew about it.They were one of my favorites.I have a CD with all the greatest hits BIG GIRLS DON'T CRY,WALK LIKE A MAN,BABY BABY,BABY GOOD BY,LETS HANG ON,WORKING MY WAY BACK TO YOU,I'VE GOT YOU UNDER MY SKIN,CAN'T TAKE MY EYES OF YOU,MY EYES ADORED YOU,AND A FEW OTHER FAVORITES WERE TELL IT TO THE RAIN ,WILL YOU LOVE ME TOMORROW AND RAG DOLL YES AND DAWN AND MY FAVORITE SILENCE IS GOLDEN.That was easy Frankie Valley and the Four Seasons were like you said a sure sign of the times back then.I hope you all have a good time say hello to the mayor for me and your bugs.

Cathy...I remember Thurston and Freddy Pellet singing Four Seasons tunes in the 102 school yard on Friday nights...the more Thunderbird consumed the more they sounded like Frankie Valli...

JohnT

I remember throwing a few of those albums out the WINDOW.

[quote="claire scanlon"]:lol: I remember throwing a few of those albums out the WINDOW. [/quote]

Well Claire I'm sure those albums became airborne for good and suffcient reason...


JohnT

Thank you John for your understanding of my past record throwing. haha Tell Charlie a few of you Archer St gang members need to visit New London. Big T as we call him now would love to see you all.

Claire...tell "Big T" to come to the picnic...

I know I'm going to try and be there but I don't know about my brother Charles unless they move the picnic to The Bronx...


JohnT

How about stup ball, moon's up, punch ball?