My Brooklyn

Readers Report


Irving Cohen

In my Brooklyn its always summer. The warm breezes in front of the bike path on Ocean Parkway, the trees which were always so so green, the Good Humor truck, calling to my Mom on the third floor of 510 Ocean Parkway for a dime for an ice cream pop she'd always wrap it in a napkin although I could catch anything, slapball, softball, basketball in the schoolyard at P.S. 154 on 18th Avenue, the Culver Theatre on MacDonald Avenue, Ebbets Field, Ebbets Field with my Dad, I miss those moments with my Dad, perhaps the only connection we truly had, Bob's Candy Store, where I stole a Spaulding Hi-Bounce and Bobby Bernstein called me a juvenile delinquent, and Fred's candy store with all the comic books and baseball cards, where I threw up with Bob Angel after chewing tobacco as dessert to a vanilla malted, Dad at the Parade Grounds, once maybe once, not enough. Please watch me play. Ditmas J.H.S., Erasmus Hall H.S., Hebrew School, Fishel Katznelson expelled me from Hebrew School and I cried, even though I hated it. Jerry Blaine, Barry Erber, Milt Fatt, David Silverstein, where are you now David Silverstein. Out West. No more soul. The Loew's Kings where I worked in the candy stand while Dave and the boys went to Brighton Beach Baths for the summer. Why?

28 February 1999


Joe Turner

I lived at 33 Stoddard Place, between Bedford and Rogers and Sullivan and Montgomery—a stone's throw from the old Ebbets Field. I went to P.S. 161, Lefferts J.H.S. (the old Carvel on Empire Blvd.) and Erasmus Hall ('64-'67).

I remember getting on my bike and going to "Pigtown"—Brooklyn Avenue near Maple, and Midwood Streets—for a real Italian ice (pronounced "icey"). Getting up for a good game of stoop ball (5, 10 and "killer" points).

Those were the days my friend.

28 February 1999


Norman Reisman

Coming home from P.S. 99 in the early 1950s and stopping for Charlotte Russes on the corner of J and Coney Island Ave. Dinner at either Cookie's (under the el at Ave. J) or Coney Island (Lundy's, of course)

28 February 1999


Mark Gilligan

I am a westerner who recently spent three and a half years in Brooklyn (Windsor Terrace). I have mixed feelings about brooklyn but would like to comment on the status of Brooklyn as a city. Your web page notes that it is the 4th largest city yet this seems at odds with it being part of New York City. Obviously this causes confusion. After thinking on this question I have come to the opinion that New York City is not a city but is really a regional government. Or to look at it another way NYC is a scam, but then New Yorkers like a good scam.

This position is based on the reality that when you send a letter to Brooklyn the address is Brooklyn, NY and not NYC, NY. For every other place in this country the city name corresponds to the mailing address. Why not in Brooklyn? Since when does a city (NYC) encompass several counties? So in conclusion Brooklyn is a city, but NYC is not (unless by NYC you mean Manhattan).

Based on this interpretation the population of NYC should be compared to other regional governments which might result in Los Angeles County being recognized as larger than NYC.

28 February 1999


Readers' reports continue . . .

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