doris, doris. nice.

Grew up in bensonhurst in 50s on w.8th st near
marboro theatre. I loved living their so much I
bought a house near where I used to live just have a place to go back to when I want to remember the good times. I started putting a
script together so one day soon I can make a movie and tell the world how special bensonhurst
is.

My Brooklyn- I grew up in Bensonhurst lived on West 11th & Ave O, 1962-1992 since then I moved to the country - Staten Island, miss those days. I was 7 years old when we move from Manhattan to Brooklyn, I remember the first day we moved in July 1962, I got in to a fist fight with two boys Eric and Ray who simply asked me “What are you doing here” who soon after became my best friends. We lived in Seth Low Park, playing Hand Ball, Softball and Basketball, stick ball in the school yard, at night under the lights playing Spud the loser would get asses up, Roller Hockey and touch football in the winter, the verity of things to do was endless. We made our own fun, nobody really had any money we all came from middle income families. If you had a family car you were up one on the others. Survival was not how well you could fight or how fast you could run it was who you knew, when you wondered off your turf and was approached by neighborhood gangs didn’t know people they knew, you got your ass handed to you. Sometimes that’s how the gang wars started, but mostly over girls.

The Gangs as I Remember:
The Ave ‘O’ Boys
Seth Low Park Boys
The Falcons- 20th Ave.
The Kings Highway Boys
Louisiana Lanes -86th St.
Marboro Projects; (Everyone knew crazy Otto.)
Bath Beach Boys
Coney Island Boys
The Guys from Cropsey Park

There was nothing like Brooklyn in those days, I had over 150 friends within a 20 block radius, mostly Italians and Jews and a few Irish, every block had it’s own softball team 72nd street was playing West 11th in the tar field and 76th st. was playing 71stst. in the school yard. On rainy days it was a quick train ride to Coney Island, really hot days we’d take the F train to Ditmis ave and catch the 9th ave shuttle to Sunset Park pool or just open a Johnny Pump and cover up the sewer opening to keep the water from draining and flood the corner which made a pool or just hangout at IS 96 (Summer School is what we called it) with Mr. Chuck and Hairy Ronnie and play waffle ball or dodge ball. After that get lunch at John and Pete’s green house in the park and eat hot bagel pretzels with mustard and drink sunny boys.

My parents still live there and I visit them as much as I can taking the all the side streets where I used to play and hangout in stead of the more direct route remembering how simple life was and the dozens of friends I’ll probably never see again.

It’s hard to close an epistle like this one knowing there’s so much more about those days to mention, but having them as memories and web sites like this one help us to preserve and remember how we lived, the values we retained and the life lessons we earned.

Sounds like white trash paradise.

How old are you? who did you know from cropsey park? You might be able to get in touch with some folks... Truth.

I grew up and still live in Bensonhurst. My time was the 80s. I remember there used to be people hanging out on every corner. No cell phones people would call the pay phones on the corner to see who was hanging out. I knew alot of people on the west side. Some of the places, Kings hwy & west 10th st, Highlawn & stillwell, Ave. U & west 11th, west 5th streets, Ave S & west 12, 86th st & 20th ave parking lot, Cropsey Park just to name a few. I remember crusing up and down 86th st before they banned parking after 10pm. That used to be one of the highlites of Bensonhurst. On Friday & Saturday nights it looked like a car show. People would come from everywhere to cruise there before they went out. Alot of times I ended up staying there because it was better than a club. People cranked up good music guys & girls would hang out then later go to Uncle Bobbys for bagels. Today its like a ghost town. All the corners empty. 86th st dead on the weekends. I am glad I got to experience Bensonhurst as a teen in the 80s.

im 19 yrs old. im livin in bensonhurst in this day and age. the guy above said that its like a ghost town at night now. let me tell u it isnt. on 85 and 20th where i live its poppin. u have other areas also. u its honetly turned into the white ghetto. man how many fights have i been into. how many times ive gotten jumped and done it back. but the thing is i love bensonhurst. u know what the problem is now. gangs dont stay on their territory. now they migrate. i got 23rd ave comin to my corner. and then i got 24 ave. and they go other places. its unbeleivable. im pretty sure in other hoods if u were a gang u stayed where u chilled.i was also surprised about how many gangs there were that guy wrote on top. now its, (these are gangs that lasted for years)
2a(20 ave and 60's)
bath ave boys
23rd ave
24 ave
85 st boys (85 and 20th)
bay 46
bay 50
ave s
ave u boys
a.b.i(albanian boys inc.,seth low park)
a.b.b(albanian bad boys)
cropsey park
kings highway boys
bay pkwy boys

and then u have all these other gangs by the west sides that i dont know are cuz i dont go there.i dont know anyone there.

but like i said bensonhurst has become the white ghetto. its changed alot.

I remember the days when every guy wore a velour V-neck shirt to exhibit the fat rope chain with the Jesus-head charm, and tight Serio Valente jeans with white canvas loafers. The car of choice was the triple white Monte Carlo with some "hot' Blaupunkt stereo blasting some disco or some mix tape made by some local DJ. Wasn't everybody a wannabee DJ with the 2 turntables and a Gemini mixer. You had to go to the Funhouse at least once, just to buy the T-shirt; why the hell did we leave Brooklyn to go hang-out at this lousy overpriced disco.
I remember the cliques loitering on the street corners drinking an 8 pack of nips, hijacking a pay phone to beep each other. Going to bay 8 in Brighton Beach, I can't remember, and bringing a cooler and a fat JVC ghetto blaster. There was about a half-dozen or so movie houses. They had lines for the evening shows, and most of the time were sold out. Swapping ticket stubs in the bathroom to see other movies for free, or just straight up sneak in thru the fire exit. I don't think there is movie house running right now, or a video store, wasn't there one of those on every corner--what was behind that dark curtain?
As I drive through B'hurst, I can't find one street that has the 100 yds painted in the street to similate a football field. Every block used to have this. It was a rite of Spring to repaint the lines. Wow,have times changed!

whoever the hell thinks bensonhurst is poppin now is sadly mistaken and is way too old to be talkin bout avenue crews. grow up

I agree with Jerry. Bensonhurst is over. It started chaging drastically in the early 90s. Today you walk down 86th street nobody speakes english. I used to know everybody on my block. Now Chinese people buught houses on both sides of me and I hardly know anyone. Not that the Chinese are bad people, they keep to themselves. But the are everywhere, and they don't even speak english. Time to move to Staten Island.

i was born and raised in Bensonhurst, Bay Parkway girl and proud of it..still best friends with all the neighborhood girls, we're going on a 30 yr. reunion cruise in 2 weeks. would love to chat to someone..We are from the 70's,80's and early 90's we knew everyone !!!!! write back someone..i was there like 2 months ago to visit..man it has changed big time

Dorinne I am more from the 80's. The 90's things started to change for the worst. Then everyone started to move to Staten Island. Anyway, I used to hang out in the 20th ave parking lot on 86th st. Did you know anyone from there. I also knew a few guys that hung out on Bay Pkwy & 86th in front on the news stand, and people from Cropsey park.

Dorinne I am more from the 80's. The 90's things started to change for the worst. Then everyone started to move to Staten Island. Anyway, I used to hang out in the 20th ave parking lot on 86th st. Did you know anyone from there. I also knew a few guys that hung out on Bay Pkwy & 86th in front on the news stand, and people from Cropsey park.

I lived on Ave U in Bklyn, and played hockey for about 25 YEARS

Bensonhurst is not what it was even ten years ago,,,
I am lucky i see a few people i grew up with every so often,,, Seems like the chinese and russians have the neighborhood locked down

I like to here from anyone who I player with in the 60's an 70's, Hockey, I Coach High School Hockey on Long Island for past 21 years. Ambrose Michelino

Mac I hear ya. I live in Bensonhurst my whole life. I'm 39 years old. I dont understand why everyone just picked up and let it go. Staten Island is nice, but the commute no way. Its history. Its sad to say.

Hi everybody! I lived in Bensonhurst througout the 80's and 90's and then moved to Florida in 1997(which is where I am now) I will always hold B'hurst close to my heart. I loved growing up there. It was the best place to be. I lived on 76th St. and 20th Ave. I used hang out all over the place. I was always in P.S. 186 school yard playing handball and running around with the neighborhood kids. I used to go to Seth Low park too. I used to go shopping on 18th ave or on 86th st and remember Ceasars Bay ( i loved it there) It was always packed with people....and Mike's Pizza on 20th ave..always the best! eat a slice and have an italian ice afterwards.(rainbow was my favorite)And how could I forget the 18th and 20th Ave Feasts. That was the highlight of the summer! I miss knowing everyone in my neighborhood. Growing up with the same people, going to the same schools...it was like one big family! Now that I live in FL I can appreciate these simple things that made my childhood so great! I visit N.Y 3 to 4 times a year because my family is still there. But everyone i know moved out of Brooklyn. They are all in Staten Island and Jersey. Brooklyn did change! It's terrible there. The feeling just isn't there anymore. But I will forever keep the memories and wish that one day when I have kids ....they will grow up in such a great place!!!

i grew up in the late 60,70,8o i left in 93.i used to live on cropsey and 21 ave. i hung out at the cropsey park with all the neighborhood gang.i also remember the hippies they were lots of fun to hang with.i remember getting all dolled up and going to 86 street with my girlfriend helen,the cars would beep at us like mad.then you could walk around and be pretty safe,today you could easily get raped or killed. i have been married for 24 years with 8 kids,boy did things change.i will always love brooklyn the sights smells and memories that will stay with me a lifetime.nobody makes pizza like lennys or frozen bananas and caramel apples like coney island or the real nathans hot dogs,i have a tear in my eye.ps 200 ill remember you forever.

I left Brooklyn like everyone else. I'm now 33 years old. I live in AZ. When we move out to FL, CA or AZ...we all go for a better life. We all find it. Less crime, rain, pollution, traffic and cost of living. The problem is that we never accounted for the loss of the things we loved. The biggest problem is that we cannot go back. Someone from Dearborn, Michigan can leave his hometown - return 5 years later and not much has changed. This is not true for New Yorkers...especially people from Brooklyn/Bensonhurst. The place is a nightmare now. I grew up in the typical Italian family. I miss the neighborhood, the holidays and all those people I grew up with. I hung out on 20th Ave., went to the clubs in Bay Ridge, played in Marine Park, loved Spumoni Gardens - you know the deal. Now...I escaped all the things I thought I hated, but miss them everyday. I know I can't go back because there's nothing left. Russians and Chinese on my old streets. No one hanging out on the corners...just the memories of what it was. Who would want to live there now? It's garbage. Ex-New Yorkers are like refugees with no home to return to. I go back to visit a lot - all it does it make me realize how everything is over even though I feel nostalgic.

I have to say i'am the young guy here lol 27 to be exact. I love reading all your stories it was pretty damn amazing. If we all wrote a movie script people from other cities and states would be in complete shock lol of what it was like in that small little italian neighborhood. So many things went on it' ashame that it all changed i'am on SI now with all these little punk kids. I remember growing up in the neighborhood you looked at someone the wrong way you got your ass handed to you by someone older and you never did it again. Now these little punks just stare and stare. I have alot of great memories to share with you all i just wanted to say thanks for the memeories i really didn't have from the 70's and early 80's i was to young but have great memories of the late 80's and early 90's to bad it's all gone. The thing is there is no one leading the way to try and take the neighborhood back it all slipped away pretty sad.

I was raised between 71st and 72nd on Ft. Hamilton Parkway. Parents owned a German Delicatessen. Moved to Florida in 1969. I'm the dinasaur in this room. We had 1 block druggie back then. My parents got us out of town and moved to Sarasota. Oh well. Have fun

you people are outta ur minds, im 20 and live on west 10th at just about the borderline of gravesend and bensonhurst. theres over 100,000 italians living btwn the 2 neighborhoods and close to that number when u combine bath beach, marine park and overwhelmingly italian in dyker heights and parts of bay ridge. u talk aboud how things have changed well a new group has started among italian youths in brooklyn and staten island known as I.B.I.A ( italians back in action). we're a young generation of ginnys filled with pride and gettin ready to settle our many families throughout the neighborhood. in the last few months i've seen chinese businesses go out of business including the large T&H on 86th st and chinese families moving. italians are here to stay, new deli's and cafes are opening up along avenue t and avenue u as well as 18th ave and 20th ave, including Cousin Vinnys on Ave T, Caffe Azzurri on Ave T, Massimo's Pizzeria on 18th Ave and thats just in the last couple of months. there are suprisinly few chinks outside of 86th st, come back and discover for yourself that the blocks even that surround 86th st are filled with paesans. your generation wanted nothin more then to leave, our generation wants to stay and make these neighborhoods even stronger.

I grew up in the Marlboro projects and was in the Louisiana boys.I lived on bay 50th for a long time before moving out of state.My sister still lives on 17th and 86

hi this is tommy i lived in bensonhurst 29 years now i live upstate not the same as home and never will be. me i grew up around 86st all my life to bayparkway and 20th ave . i went back a year ago and its changes every time. always new stores and the old ones gone.

i got to say this everyone i know is either dead or in jail. i was a bayparkway boy. its not the same. we lost what was once called the best place to grow up for our kind of memorries and people.

I moved to 77th st.&20th ave in 1943.Went to 186,Seth Low,& Lafayette.(june 1949).Hung out at Famous& Dubrows.I remmber The Blue Coal C0.at the end of Bay Parkway, Korvet used to be.Hung Out at Bay 7 & later Bay 2 in the summer.The 1950"s & 60's were a great tme to be a teenager.We had a basement club room on West 6th st. & highlawn Ave.I'm retired & live with my wife,in Port saint Lucie, Fla. Drop me an E-mail if you care to.

my god some of you people it's so sad to read, are so racist. i've lived in brooklyn my whole life near bensonhurst, I saw what happened. lots of Italians simply got old and moved out. Lots of Italians had their own businesses, kept to themselves, and were in unfamilar position to work/live/do business with/beside people from other ethnic backgrounds. There was no attempt to put the effort to adopt. The choice was made just to leave.

Further, they didnt have new italian immigrants to help them buy their houses so 'non italians' did... what else can be said? would it have been preferred if the people that moved in had driven the property values down, and increased the crime? These things did not happen.

The real question is why haven't phone calls been made to Italy to send more of thier immigrants? They are welcome to come aren't they?

But it's just like Japan... life in Japan as the world's 2nd largest economy... is fine. They live in a first world metropolis. They only come to USA to shop and check out American culture. They have the powerful buying power of the YEN. As much, I doubt there are very many poor, slum Italians dying to run from Italy the past 20yrs to make a new home in USA as was the influx 100yrs ago.

For the Chinese, your talking about a land mass ruled by Communism for 50yrs, some people from there do seek a better life. You can't own your own land in China for decades when Communism swept. On the otherhand some cities within China have boomed for a decade. The Chinese that grew up in those cities mock other CHinese, and have no need to seek a new life in USA.

Now the Chinese came here 200 yrs ago and worked hard on the railroads for this country's backbone but heh, our USA government made it a Federal law to BAN Chinese from immigrating here. Imagine banning Italians?

It's appauling how some people forget they were from immigrant families as well... it's what New York city is about, we are a hub/magnet for the next wave.

America was built and partially only survives even now, on a wave of some kind of immigrant group every couple of decades because these immigrants take the bottom level jobs as 'we' the business owners have them as our workers.

You look at all the 'whites' from places like Iowa, Michigan, that have come into Parkslope / Brooklyn Heights... that's just another 'hood getting its cycle just as Bensonhurst got its.

Our lives on earth are so short, wouldn't it be better to try to evolve into a higher level of civility within this land America, try each other's foods and live at peace.

ABC, What the hell are you talking about? Your the 1 thats racist. We are just people who either live or lived in Bensonhurst talking about old times. Why does race have to come into this?

PEOPLE LIKE ABC IS WHAT TRUN OUR HOME INTO WHAT IT IS TO DAY!WE TALK ABOUT US AND GROWING UP SOME WHERE YOU CAN BE PROUD OF AND GOOD MEMORIES AND PEOPLE HATE ON STRONG ITALIAN GUYS CAUSE WE STOOD TOGETHER ALWAYS STRONG.YA THERERS ALOT OF BAD APPLES,RATS DRUG USERS ECT... BUT THE HURST WAS A PLACE GRANDMA COULD WALK WITH OUT GETTING HER BAG ROBED BY CRACKS HEADS... NOT YEARS AGO ... BUT TODAY THEY LET ANYONE MOVE IN AND WALK AROUND.. I REMEMBER WHEN THE RATS NEVER CAME OUT OF MARBO PROJECTS.....BUT EVERYONE MOVED AWAY,OR IN JAIL, OR DEAD!!! THE REAL PEOPLE ARE JUST GONE. I SIT UP AT NIGHT AND THINK OF THE PAST IM GLAD IM STILL ALIVE TO TALK TO OLD FRIENDS ABOUT THE GOOD TIMES WE HAD. NOW AND THEN I MEET A FEW FACES I KNOW FROM THE HURST AND THEY SAY THE SAME THING ,ITS NOT THE SAME ANY MORE TOMMY GO ON AND SEE MORE THATS OUT THERE BUDDY.YOU CANT BRING EVERYTHING BACK JUST BE GLAD YOU WAS THERE WHEN ALL THE GOOD STUFF HAPPENED....

i stubbled on this website as I hunt for property. My family is originally from the Bronx. We moved to Florida 16 yars ago to raise my kids...Florida is a great place in the winter but it has no tradition. My children are on their way to college in the next 3 years and my husband and I are ready to come home. We were thinking of Brooklyn something new to explore. No more family lives their, they are still in the Bronx, Staten Island and Jersey. Can anyone reccomend a area that is mostly Italian. I want to get a slice of pizza or a italian ice without any trouble. Any advice would help...Thanks

I LIVED ON AVE U AND WEST 7TH STREET. BOY DO I MISS IT.....I LOVED SPUMONI GARDENS AND THE MARLBORO PROJECTS......WENT TO PS 95, BOODY JH AND LAFAYETTE......MOST OF MY FAMILY HAS PASSED AND MY HEART STILL ACHES FOR BROOKLYN....FAE MART, KORVETTES, NELLY BLY, THE N TRAIN, THE HILL, KINGS HIGHWAY, I COULD GO ON AND ON...DROP ME A LINE IF YOU REMEMBER ANY OF THIS... I WOULD LOVE TO HEAR FROM YOU....I NOW LIVE ON LONG ISLAND.........

CAMILLE yes I remember all of that. I was kind of young when Korvettes was around though. I still live in Bensonhurst its defiantly not the same. You hear everyone on this board talking about how it changed and its really sad. The neighborhood is still a nice place to live, and if you go down some of the side streets there are still a lot of Italians. I used to hang out on Kings hwy & W10th street in the early 80's. Thats one thing you dont see anymore is people hanging out. Years ago there were people hanging out everywhere. Now at night it looks like a ghost town. 86th street is dead. Anyway, its always good to haer from someone that still remembers the good days.

Hi everyone, I used to live in bensonhurst 71st new utrecht ave lived there in the 80's and 90's my sister and our friends were the satellite park girls. miss those days. live in florida now :(

well i live up in albany now ,but lived in bensonhurst for 29 years bayparkway 86st like i said before its not the same as when i lived down there. now i moved away to see if theres more out there , but it will never be the same as the hurst.people up here get a kick out of the way i talk and act,and so do i of them. i"ll never change who iam or how i talk im proud of who iam and where im from theres no where like it .its my home and memorries of child hood.my mothers boyfriend had the candle light lounge years ago and in was on 86st bay 32th and the trains where the when it was the b train i miss that sound i miss the fruit stands where as a kid we have fruit fights at night and all the cars would drive bye all nice 86st was the place to be for me now at 33years old i sit back and think of all the good times we once had as kids. me and my boys.me tommy.gunnz.gallagher anton.jesse. joey.lips.pasquince. jose.darren ruben.chris.peter.riptommy snake.and all the guy from O.T.B who whrer older who raise me when i ran on those streets. i miss you all stay safe and all bensonhursrt your not forgotton but always deep in our hearts and mines where ever the family may be anywhere..

Lived in Bensonhurst from 1945 to 1967 - 85th Street bet. 23rd and 24th Aves. Went to P.S. 101 now known as the Verrazano School. Would like to hear from anyone who attended P.S. 101 in the years between 1950 and 1956. Want to write about my experience their and have many wonderful memories but need to fill in a few gaps. I still return to the neighborhood about once a year and exjoy the excitement of the place although nothing ever stays the same. How could anything compare to ones memories. Anyone recall the building the bank on the corner of 86th Street and 23rd Ave. After years of hearing the pile driver bang away the kids rejoiced in the wide smooth sidewalks surrounding the bank - just perfect for roller skating! Yes, I even visite the Spumoni Gardens and import their Sicilian pizza to upstate New York. Don't let the name fool you. I am half Sicilian. Hope to hear from many.

Tommy Gallagher, are you the same Tommy Gallagher that was the leader of the Seth Low Park Boys back around 1967? If so you must be in your late 50’s by now. This Tommy had so many friends they had to hang out in the Tar Field in Seth Low Park because they were about 150 people in this gang. I was about 10 years old at that time. If you are the same Tommy you should know what this means “Seth Low Park Boys DTKN” this was a trade mark written all over the Park and also a promise!

To reflect on the various reasons why most of the next generation of Italians left Hurst , my reason is the cost of buying a house, the homes on Staten Island were half the cost of homes in Hurst, beside the money you would need to upgrade the house and deal with the lack of parking. I’m sure if I really tried I may have been able to get something but it’s all timing.

Camille, did you remember Frankie Vitali or Peter , Joe-Joe, Cosco. from the Hill?

Harvey, I remember before EJ Korrvetts was built, I used to go fishing in the inlet which hit Shore Road.

Anybody remember Jahns on 86th st. ordering the kitchen sink ice cream plate if you could finish it you got it for free!

hey im 28 i was born on 60th and bay parkway then at 13 moved 2 east side ave u aub in the house my mom still lives there the days when i grew up in the hood it was great we used 2 hang in kelly park jungle juice with khb intensitys with the bay rd kids 52 park dont let me get started the good old days where hangin on ocean ave waiting for the girls from st edmonds when we were younger beepers where the shit and women from the tristate area would come down 2 hang in out parks yea im in nj for a while most of the kids we hung with and there where tons we used 2 have like 200 kids out in a 2mile radius are either dead or in jail im out in the real world im a banker with all the nice things that come along with it money houses cars u name it but i would trade it all in for the old days white t jeans cigs a 40 0z and ave u with my old friends...

no this is tommy gallaghers nef bye the way he is on his death bed as we write he had a heart attack a mounth ago. its sad cause i looked up to him like the rest of the old timers who raised me and other street kids.he was the leder of sethlow park boys and all my unclces as well who are dead now .bruce .rich.semendoff.im 33 and moved away cause the was notting left for me there alot is gone all friends dead or in jail. i have lived past so much in the years and so much has changed out there i have seen it all fade away.

Hi how you doing? My name is Richie i'm 100 percent italian. I'm about to move to bensonhurst from ridgewood queens. Ridgewood is a nice neighborhood but alot of spanish is moving in and its becoming bad. Everyone says bensonhurst is a great area to live in. I just want some peoples opinions on the neighborhood.

Bensonhurst is still a great neighborhood. I am moving their from Ridgewood queens and bensonhurst is very nice from what I see. It's not deceiving right?

eh yo man i grew up in brooklyn bensonhurst and alays stayed on bath avenue i grew up knowing the Bath Avenue Boys they were like fam to me i remember playin stick ball football baseball at 200 park shit thtas my home for life i moved 3 yrs ago but visit every year its runned down but who gives a fuck thats my home bath avenue boys 4 life

Hey everyone, Henry Red from 65th and Bay Parkway. Grew up in Bensonhurst in the 70's, always waxing poetic about Brooklyn. Live in Florida now, still come home twice a year for a reunion with the guys I played basketball with at St. A's. Still the best place in my eyes......Henry

This message is for Ambrose, I read your posts and was it was nice to read about my former teammate (in Kelly Park)and hockey buddy. I also have been coaching high school hockey for over 20 years for Mamaroneck High School in Westchester where i also am a dentist

Ricky Minoff

Ambrose, good to hear from you Ricky's brother Marc you can reach me at the Nevele Grande Resort 800/647-6000,ext.183. I will tell Lou Vairo where you are.

I lived on 82nd st between 19 and 20th ave for many years,, I worked at the farm as a lad in his 20s im 53 now great memories ,,, the farm ..any body buy there dungrees there??????

Hey !! I am an Long Island girl who use to hang in Bensohurst, with a giuy Tommy Bedetto (dont know if I spelled his last name rite) He lived on west 10th and avenue U. I met him on the belt parkway in the 70's with my girlfriend debbie, we were driving my 72 red camero at the time, Tommy and this guy Bob were also driving a blue chevelle I think it was. Debbie and I pulled over our car and got in the car with these guys, we went to a hamburger place, well the rest is history. But if anyone knows Tommy get in touch with me at Linc200@aol.com I would love to get in touch with him Thanks Anne

louisiana boys 1970s. me,billy bright,franky gangi,russo,jesse,sebby,billy hestra,jay green,franky nigreli,carlos,teddy schwartz, nathan schwartz,manny,mikey orfino, bolino and arty bop. j.h.s 281,p.s.200,lafayette high school.tommy snake,bay bar,jerry papa,the rampers,sammy bull,joey marino,old man frank,nicky shades,tommy spero,mike taromina,st.marys church,john franco,joe migliorato,jeffret sarachick,david yegelwell. the best times of my life,bensonhurst 1970s.dude,big bobby,clayton,bay 16th st boys. let me know who else remembers. angels91058@hotmail.com. hey tommy gallegher,i remember the night you beat up tommy snake in the bay bar.billy bang bang gave me the call.

my uncle own valenti;s meat market at stillwell and highlawn ave,i also cut meat there for 3 years.i am 64 now grew up at 31 highlawn ave then west 10th and highlawn.ave anybody rember this?

I also Grew up on Bay Parkway and 67st above the N train ...I went to Seth Low...were i met most of my buddies....we were the 205 boys....20th ave and 68st..we played roller hockey in the school yard until we joined the chiefs roller hockey and played in "p" park...where we won our first stanley cup back in 1987.....boy those were the best times....i graduted from John Dewey HS in Coney Island and went on to play Division 1a baseball at Brooklyn College...there weren't to many if any Noel's around town so if you know me please reply to this post or email me at nedelson@comcast.net.....

Valenti, I do remwmber that meat market on Stillwell & Highlawn. I used to wait in the doorway for the school bus, and my mother used to buy her meat there. I live on Stillwell & Ave. S. Now there is a dance school there.

abc,
so glad that there ARE people like you around...
i'm 38 yrs old, lived in Astoria for the past 10 yrs, moving to Bensonhurst next month. with husband and 6-yr old daughter. according to everything i've read here, bensonhurst sounds like a good neighborhood to live in and raise children. best wishes to all of you who lived there at certain point in your lives...

I grew up in Bensonhurst & hung out on 20th ave & 86th street acrooss from the Benson theater.I left Brooklyn a few years ago.86th st is Definately not the same.All Russian.Growing up there was a lot of fun.

Butch, I grew up next to Billy Bright

my cuz billy passed away a little over ten years ago. we miss him. bath beach and bensonhurst will never be the way it used to be.

heyy everyone calls me ESSHA cand im 16 yrs old...yea kinda young to be joinin your conversations..but im from Bensonhurst too and its great..yea my mom says it changed all the time but its truly still a great place...I recently moved to New Jersey and it sucks..yea its incredibly close by but its sooooo different...I used to hang out on
Bay 50th
Bay 46th
Bay 44th
24 ave
Marlboro
Cavallaro school yard
Big Cropsey
all these places are whats up...yea true most streets are dead at night...cause kids like open house moree...but not on the weekends...Im glad i stumbled across this website I really got to speak my heart ...it aint like I can ramble on to anyone here about how much I love B-hurst..so someonee write me back...thanks for listenin...

I grew up in brooklyn on bennson ave and bay 14th street. It was the late seventies and early eighties, great years, rememeber my old elementry school ps 163, Dyker heights. My best friends were michael abbate, pete, jhonny sparaccio, Augusto Zingaro. Remember hang'in out on benson and sixteenth ave, playing punch ball, skully, wiffle ball, football and when we used to get tiered of this we used to go roof climbing, or just play man hunt. Fantastic days, hope someone knows the buddies I mentioned and could come back and chat.
Carmine

hey butch, that rat gangi put away people for life

Cuz , how's Anthony & Bobby doing

Bensonhurst definitely has changed. But who can forget Alba's, the Feast, Morris (the guy who sold you your sneakers), Henry's Fish Market, Doris, DaVinci's, Berta's, Silver Rod, Woolworth's, the Walker Theatre, Cafe Mille Leuci, the Italian Record Store, Merry Toys, summer nights, block parties, stickball, stoop ball, punch ball....damn, I am starting to cry! Glad I had the opportunity to grow up in the greatest place in the world...Bensonhurst, USA!

Tony , Your last name isn't Delmaestro is it?

No, Jerry, its not

well

Hi there,

I'm an italian guy living in Brussels Belgium and I went to Bensonhurst 2 times. One time in 2001 and last summer. In 2001 I went to Gino's at 20th ave but I couldn't find it anymore last summer. Has it disapeared? Also I didn't notice any italian stores anymore at 20th ave...just 1 social club. It's so sad. But then again that's the only thing I saw when i went to Bensonhurst. This summer I'm coming again to NYC... so I will make a stop Bensonhurst 2. Can anyone tell me where to hang out - where there are lots of Italians... Think I'm gonna rent a bike and drive all the way through it.. Lemme know

I visited Bensonhurst with my wife about a month ago. Went to mass at St. A's, then for a piece of pizza and shopping. It was a Sunday so things were quiet. I'm an Arthur Avenue (Belmont/Bronx), sicilian/American. The "Hurst" is interesting to me but kind of scary too. Not that either place is safe nowadays but did not feel welcome on 18th Avenue at all, in fact, almost mixed it up with a pizza maker while ordering pizza! That would not happen in Belmont because the guy would be concerned about who you were or were with! I like the area though, I just wish I had visited in the old days. On the other hand, Belmont had everything you could dream of and I thought Brooklyn was another country!

Does anyone remember a guy named "Cheech" - he lived between 19th & 20th Ave. and hung out with a guy named Otto who used to like to spit alot.

Carmine,

I lived on 17th avenue, between Bath and Benson. P.S. 163 was my elementary school also. When I turned 14 in 1976 my parents were willing to let me hang out with the guys. Joe Lamantia, Pat Carestia, Alfonz and Anthony Gucciardo, Mike Emilio and Joe Cilento. Our softball team was the Babootsna Bombers. Ed and Kathy Conticelli ran the head shop called Babootsna on the corner of Bay 14th and Bath avenue. I remember Son of Sam and the day after he killed Stacey Moskowitz we went to 17th avenue park and saw all the blood.
How about the Spumoni Gardens, and the Shorehaven Luncheonette on Cropsey avenue. Me and my friends helped to rebuild it with Joe Moscola and his son Alfred after it burned and was gutted. I remember St. Francis Cabrini. I remember the Schirripas of Bay 16th street, one of whom made it big on the Sopranos. I could go on and on. If anybody would like to reminisce some more, let me know.

Bob

From Shore Haven in the 70's. Went to school with Billy Bright, Arty Bop and some. Played Football with the crew. Gus Garcia, jay Green, The Piazza brothers, Hung out at the corner store on Cropsey then owned by Speedy. Robert Martello. Wandered accross this site, Damn it brought back some memories.

Anybody out there that lived in Bensonhurst 68th st and 17th ave in the 1930 (maybe 1940s). Anybody know Micky Valentine, Tommy Pep,Victor Dapilido. It was a great place to live. I was there-Tom D, (posting with a little help from my son)

Hey, Tony Del, you sound like someone who may have grew up near me. I have lived in Hurst since 1969 and am in the process of movin to Jersey this summer (for the kids) but everything you mentioned is where I grew up, 60th and 21st,Alba's, the Feast, Morris (the guy who sold you your sneakers), Henry's Fish Market (still there), Doris (still there), DaVinci's(still there), Berta's(still there), Silver Rod(still there), Woolworth's (gone), the Walker Theatre (gone), Cafe Mille Leuci (gone), the Italian Record Store(still there), Merry Toys (gone). Times they r a changin.

hey Bob I also helped Alfred re-build the luncheonette. I grew up on bay 14 and 86th St. I was 20 when u were 14. What's yoru full name? Do u still live in Bensonhurst? Did u live in the apartment building on 17th Ave. We hung out in teh schoolyard of PS 163 we were the bay 16 boys.

I grew up in brooklyn early 80's.I lived on stillwell ave(marlboro houses).Iwent to seth low.Brooklyn was the best place to grow up in my opinion,the best neighborhood in the world.

Ray,

The guys I hung out with pretty much lived on Bay 14th and Bath Avenue. If you are talking about the apartment building on the corner of 17th and Bath, no I did not live there, I lived down the block. I did have a crush on a girl who did live there though. We were in the same grade together and I always thought we would end up together. There was another apartment building on 17th ave. down the block from me across the street from P.S. 163 that my best friend lived in.
Chances are that our paths probably crossed in that schoolyard because my friends and I all lived within a block radius. Do you remember the blackout of '77. We were all hanging out by the fence on the Bay 14th street side when it hit. One by one all the lights started out.
I do remember some of the guys who lived on Bay 16th, but not their names.
What a great time I had helping Alfred and his father rebuild that luncheonette. I actually worked there for awhile after it reopened.
I live in Westchester right now but I have been itching to go visit the old neighborhood lately.
This is getting kind of long. If anybody else wants to reminisce, let me know.

Bob

Hey Bob what was the girls name? I was back in Brooklyn after 22 years away. the buildings were the same the neighborhood looked the same I even saw some old neighbors still there. they mostly complained about the orientals that have taken over the neighborhood.

I grew up in the Marlboro Projects in the 60's. I went to P.S. 212, Joseph B Cavallaro JHS and graduated from Lafayette HS in 1972. Things were very different back then. My mother worked in Ebinger's Bakery on Avenue U. My father was a bus driver, working out of Ulmer Park depot. We used to walk to Coney Island to the beach with my older sisters and brothers. There were tons of people having fun on the beach and there was rarely trouble. Everyone was Irish, Italian, Jewish. My older sisters and brothers had a great many friends. They would come to our house and jam their music. I think the band they had was called the ClefTones. I remember it being loud and good. We lived on the 4th floor and people outside would stop to listen. The Marlboro Projects was a great place to grow up. We had L&B close by. It was the best place for pizza and spumoni and Italian ices. Now, I live on Bay Parkway and 65th Street. Its nice but its all different. Many of the people that I grew up with, have moved to other places. I never just run into people anymore. I feel like an outsider these days. I dont find anyone with a familiar accent. I hardly ever hear our beloved Brooklyn slang anymore. I do get a lot of people trying to speak Russian to me though....

I just want to make a correction to my last entry. The name of the group was not the Cleftones. The name of the group who played at our house was the Tritones. Johnny and the Tritones. Later, they changed it to the Rainbows.

Ray,

Her first name was Phyllis. Her last name started with an S. The last time I was in the old neighborhood it had to be around 1981 or so. Didn't realize just how long ago that was until now.

Bob

Peggy, I know what you mean. I have lived my whole life in Bensonhurst and my friends and I played ball in the St. A's BB Lg and we had hundreds of kids. Enough so that every age group could field 6-8 teams per age. Now my son plays for St. A's and they can barely field 1 team per each age group. They need to have other organizations join the league, just to have enough kids. Most of the families in the nieghborhood are Russian, Asian, Middle eastern, and Hasdic Jews and they don't play baseball. I remember as a kid, if I didn't get to the school yard early enough (P.S.226) I was screwed because there were too many kids there and you couldn't get on a team. Now the school yards are empty. No yard markers on the ground for football, no boxes on the wall for stickball, and no rims on the basketball backboards. It's sad to think about.

You said it Ralph. The school yard used to be loaded with kids. I remember lining up to go into school. The whole place was packed. But remember how orderly it was? When they would blow the whistle, everyone would stop. Now, they are not allowed to have whistles except for sport activities. I live right near St A's now. I am glad they still have the school. I went to St Brendan's school in the 60's and that school has been closed now for a long time. That was a grammer school and a high school.

Bob, the name is not familiar...do u stay in touch with anyone from the old neighborhood? How bout Al Moscola what's the last u heard of him?

I lived on W 3 st and Ave P from 1969 to 1982. This was a time period I consider as the good old days of Brooklyn when children ACTUALLY went outside to play and have a good time enjoying each other's company. We had no cell phones, internet, or anything really fancy in those yeras. Many of the residents were Italian and Jewish and have lived in the same place for over 40 years. The apartment building I lived in had many of the original tenants up until the day I moved out. I would visit there quite frequently but little by little, many of the original people became old and passed on. Eventually, the Russians and Chinese started moving into the area and today feels very foreign to me. I still enjoy L & B Spumoni Gardens though even in today's times. I miss the memories of the really big boom boxes, roller skating in the streets, flipping baseball cards, Jordash and Sergio Valente jeans and so many other memories.

I am doctor doing my residency training, Can some one please answer my question. I want to moveinto an apartment near Bay 50th street (near the subway D), My question is, is it a safe place to stay for a family? My wife and me are in our late twenties and expecting a child. Is it safe to take walks in the evenings etc.. I am basically from India, will that be a problem? we mind our own business but Iam concerned as I saw some racially discriminating remarks here. I really like ths place but want to live in a safe area too. Please some one write back. Thanks a lot.

bob, st. frances cabrini is closing down this year. its heart breaking for me because i went there. all the catholic schools are closing down...finbars might even. cabrini was always small..but there's just no more catholics around.
on another note, you can still find kids hanging around...but they mostly venture into bay ridge now or they hang inside friend's houses.
also, even spumoni gardens has changed. mexicans make the squares and burn it all the time.
reading stories on here, i wish i grew up back in the 70s/80s...i'm growing up now here...its a lot different. i'm 16 and when i walk home from the bustop from school on 86th st...i get hit on by 40yr old mexicans. flaws & all, however, even though my parents want to move really badly, i refuse. i love b-hurst.

Toria are there still gonna be masses at Cabrini? What street do u live on? I wanna know if the Italian boys still hang out on Bath Ave.

Hi All. Thanks for sharing with me about brooklyn...this is camille kelly...please email me with more memories of brooklyn and ave u.......my brother, dennis kelly, used to stay on the Hill, he was five years older than me.....I did graduate from Lafayette in 1967.. I used to hang out in Tonys Pizzeria right next store to REO dry cleaners on Ave u and West 5th st......If anyone wants to chat about bensonhurst, please email me....I would love to hear from you.....thanks, camille

I lived in Bensonhurst from 1956-1974. Went to St. Mary's Mother of Jesus on 23rd Ave from 1962-1970 and went to Lafayette High School 1970-1974. I remember the B train at 86th and Bay Parkway, it took so long to get to Manhattan. The stores I remember Jahn's, Hot Bagels, The Pizza Stop, Spinners, White Castle on Stillwell ave. Roll a Rama, The Farm. At Mayflower we used to catch the bus to Manhattan Beach. We hung out at Seth Low Park were we played paddle ball and basketball on sunday. We also hung out at Crobsy Park. We played Baseball and Football down by Korvettes. We used to sneak into Dyker Park and find golf balls. also we would sneak into the JCH on Bay Parkway and go swimming. It was a fun time growing up in Bensonhurst. There was always something to do. I was also in the Boy Scouts Troup 297 we had our meeting at PS 97 on Stillwell Ave. I lived at Bay Parkway and 81st Street. There was alway a stick ball game going on in the street or a football game. Your friends were just like your family.

Well I'm from Bensonhurst, But back in the day. Were taking 1968 1969. Now that was a time. I was raised on 70th and 18th ave. My family still lives on 70th street and 18th ave. But it's not like it use to be. 90% of the italians have moved on. And in there place Chinses have taken over.No one speak Italian much less english there anymore. Even the good pastry shops have moved. Remember Alba's? And the pork store across the street? Now gone. And so are the good old days.

What a great "find" this website was! AAh, Bensonhurst mid-80s. . . . Cropsey Park, Bath Ave., my boyfriend played stickball every sunday . . . i'd be there smokin weed and drinking (and whatever else ) with the police station right across the street....like it was legal! I was about 16. God was it fun! Some names that come to mind right now as the memories are slowly coming back to me are Billy and Anthony Bright, Blind Bruce, Deaf Pasquale, Paulie Galino, Eric Saldano, Herbie, Adrian, Scarlet, Michele, Frankie Caruso, Mikey, Barry, Joey EF, Willie, Greg, Peanut. . .. . goin to the Esplanade, double-barrel purple. . .oh yeah, and that kid Joey Something who was in the "Yo Little Brother" video (and I think Jungle Fever. . .) anyway. . . yeah, it was great. Fucking love brooklyn. . . aint the same but everytime I leave, I long for it. I just made the big "move" west . . .to Bay Ridge!!!!

Hi LB

I remember those guys, unfortunately some of the guys you named aren't there anymore as you probably know. Went to school with some of them back in the 80's, remember Georgie Adamo? Joey C.
what could you do it's life.

I also lived in Marlboro projects back in the early 60s 70s I went to 212, 281, Lafayette H.S I remember getting a slice of pizza from a pizza shop on Harway& Bay 50th, for 20 cents, can any one tell me the name of that pizza shop. I know it was not the spumoni Garden.

Anyone from old Bay 16 boys?

looking for anyone around 50 years old from 86th St and 17th Ave

I grew up on 20th ave and Shore Pkwy, went to St. Finbars. I moved when I was 15, so I was just a kid, but I remember hanging out at Cropsey park, or up on 86th st. I've been back a few times and it is different. Chinese, russians etc. Funny thing is I didn't want to move in the first place, until the whole Yusef Hawkins marches started. Now I really miss how it was back then.

I don't know where to start...It definitely cuts to the heart hearing all the memories. This is my story. I moved to Bay 22 between Benson and 86th in 1965. PS 200...it was a privelege lot long after moving in having Clayton "after me." I was just one of the guys who went to PS 200 and played stickball, softball and basketball in the schoolyard. I was 13 in 1968, and there was a big grafitti painted on the handball court wall:

BATH BEACH BOYS KILL ALL

And I didn't know anyone who doubted that at that time. From around 1965-66, the 'Big Guys' then were Jimmy Emma, Vinny Mook, Papa Bear, Louie Ox, Louie Bop, Jerry Amore, Freddie Batman, Big Eddie, Matty Spero, Lenny...as my mind goes blank. The guys closer to my age were Ralph Martello (who painted the thing on the wall), Dominic Lips, Tony Eyeballs, Clayton, Joey Savella, Danny Pucciarello, Ricky, Giuiseppi, Georgie P., Franky Tat, Tommy Cow, Joey German...

Then my friends (the guys from the block, Bay 22) started the Louisiana Boys; Vinny (VeeVee), Billy (Red) Santino, Patsy, Tommy Foot---the guys from my block. I didn't want to hit people for no reason, so by 1970 I was growing my hair and heard about the legendary 'crazy hippies from Cropsey Park.' It was ironic I met some at Lafayette in 1971---and in early 1972 I was a regular: Bobby Pease, The Elf, Ray, Big John, Big Mike, Ralph, Tobes, James, Richie Ears, Joe Beno, George, Lucille, Judy, Judy, Liz, Liz, Liz, Michelle, Linda, Roe, Camille, Camille, The Goat, Scotty Ludes, Andy Schwartz, Dennis, The Wildman, Leebo, Timmy and Billy Cusack, Johnny Quinto, Howie the Cosmonaut...and the Ba Ba's( some of which hung out at 86th and 25th ave.---if you were around then you know the rep that place had, and could guess what the 'Ba Bas were into: Jimmy Monk, Fat Nicky, Richie Katz, Mickey Duck...etc...

I hope that doesn't bore everyone, I just thought throwing out a whole bunch of names like that, would stir up some memories. I did all the stuff already mentioned, Brighton Beach Bay 1 and Bay 2, L&B's, Lenny's, Maxie's on 20th and 86th (great Egg-Creams), Hy Tulip next door, the Benson Movie theater, Jahns, Famous Cafeteria...JHS 281, Lafayette...but CROPSEY PARK WAS HOME! We always started out or ended up there---or just hung out forever...Roland Lugo lived in the Park the hole summer of '72---we 'were' a bunch of crazy hippies, best way to put it---but after awhile, we were pretty well known to other areas, people would come from many of the hangouts already mentioned, seeking various natural medicinal plants and man-made chemicals. It was a great, great time---great people, the neighborhood was safe (heck, you didn't screw around in a Mob neighborhood), BEST music ever---it was a historical period, and Cropsey park, and Bensonhurst, definitely put its own little stamp on the greater scheme of things...most of my friends were Italian, Jewish, and Irish.

Been in Florida since 1993. I could Not Believe the changes I saw from '95, untill I went back just before 9/11...where did everyone go? Where did the places go? A bunch of Chinese kids playing soccer in the Park, Russian and Chinese stores ALL over 86th street...I couldn't believe it. That's the end of that, I thought. Until through the magic of the internet, certain terrific people made the effort of making contact in '03 and '04. Many people by this time were scattered all over the country---but there I was in June '04---back in Brooklyn with a bunch of people I grew up with and loved, some of which I hadn't seen in 30 freaking Years! So there was a renewal, and various get togethers have happened since---with more and more people being 'found.'

I have no regrets at all about growing up in an amazing time of change, in a place where not everyone was ready for the change---but it was cool to see some of the heaviest hitters of them all---sitting with us on a Park bench passing the weed around. At least we all have the memories of those days---growing up in Brooklyn was the best, each neighborhood like a small town---ask your fathers, your grandfathers about it, the '40s, '50s---"Stoop Life", on summer nights all the ladies sitting on the stoops or folding chairs; the people on the street, peddlers selling fruit or trucks that sharpened knives, stickball in the narrow streets ( I broke a few windows in my day), everyone friendly, of course there were millions of gangs, but there was never anything like little kids dying in machine gun fire like in the crack wars in the 80s...

Oh well, all things must change, but It was great while it lasted...

Danny 'The Lorp'

I hung at cropsey park sometimes. Played handvall and basketball...who was the old guy that played basketball? always pissed everyone off.skinny white hair.... the Puerto Ricans played handball. I remember Ralph he became a mailman. I knew some louisianna boys...definately knew of Clayton he was killed outside the bar I hung in on 18th ave called Oliver's

My dad is "Joe Alba" from Alba's poolroom on 86th St. He is 86 years old, is as sharp as a tack, and is doing well. I know that he would LOVE to hear about any memories "his boys" have of the poolroom.

I haven't thought about that poolroom in years. I used to hang there even when I was too young (I think there was an age limit wasn't there?)anyway i didn't realize how good a pool player I was till I went into the military, everyone played pool in B'klyn and they were all good . I played in the Air Force and beat every body but in B'klyn I wasn't even one of the top players. There was thois guy who thought he was really good so he was gonna give me a break and play left handed. I beat him . Then he played me right handed and almost lost. I hadn't played in a while and he was the best around in Mississippi go figure.

Hey Tommy this is your cousin Theresa. I can't beleive my daughter found this web site with you on it. I am sorry about Baby Tommy death. No one even told me he was sick and I did not find out about his death until a week after he died. I hope you are doing well Please tell mom I said hello. Try and email me at my daughters email which is tanya12794@yahoo.com. I do not know how to get a hold of anyone. I miss you.

PS THERE IS NOTHING LIKE BENSONHURST. (THE OLD BENSONHURST ROCKS)

Hey this is Tanya (Tommy Gallaghers Cousin) I live on Bay Parkway and 69th Street. I was born and raised on 68th Street and 20th ave. Lived next to the school yard for 25 years. I am 32 years old now. I am gladly moving to upstate NY. I loved living here but I have to say that this neighborhood has gone to the dumps. If you look on Bay Parkway there are more stores that are chinese than american. Forget about Italian store or restaurants. Torres has closed. The streets smell horrible.

I used to hang out on Bay Parkway in the 80's and hung out on 20th ave in 90's. I dated Jimmy Nek from 20th ave back in early 90's. I always think back to when this neighborhood was awesome. Loved to go to the feast's. The 20th ave feast is on now and it SUCKS!!!!!!! My kids do not beleive me when I tell them how it used to be. Well I will say when I move I will miss this place.

Cropsey park! Shorehaven crew ... tough bunch of kids come out of there. Hope a few of you made it out alive. Dom Bat!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Does anybody remember the Shorehaven Lucheonette. My friends and I helped Alfred M. rebuild it after it was gutted back in '78 or so. Fun times.

I helped Alfred build it the first time. I worked with AL on many jobs and have know him since we were teenagers. Did u know the guys from Bay 16th St/ also hung out on Bath Avenue and 17th Ave Al lived on Bay 14th St.Name some people u knew.....

You probably knew Al when he lived on bay 19 and Shore Road and was married to Susan . We hung out at Oliver's bar back then I was in the military when AL's placed burned down... came back to B'klyn hung out worked and started a family lost touch with all the guys and girls tell me who u know or tell me your name and I'll tell u mine. We must know each other but u guys are so secretive ....just kidding.. If we know each other maybe we can catch up on stuff I been away from B'klyn for 20 years

I think you guys are before my time although I do remember when they put the video games outside on the side of the lucheonette... I remember the tailors next door, key food, gulf across the street...

Hey anyone remember 4th of July's down there? Now that was a war zone. Good fun :)

Hey Tanya, and everyone else,

I used to live on Ave. O between West 9th and West 10th from 1969-1988.

One of the advantages of living where I did was that I was right around the corner from the Marboro theater. We used to climb the tree in my yard, go over the roof of the garage, and into the back alley of the theater. Someone would leave the door open and in we'd go. I remember when Jaws came out. I was too young to go, but I remember hearing people talking outside my house. I looked out the window and saw the line for the movie stretch around the corner and right past my house! It was still one theater then. I saw Snow White with a class trip on my sixth birthday; we sat in the front row. I remember seeing "ET" where they gave out Reese’s pieces. Later I would go see Rocky Horror at midnight. Sad to say, the Marboro closed down. You can look here if you want to see some depressing pictures, or maybe just remember a little: www.hopetunnel.org/ue/marboro/ Check out the stained glass Firehose sign! Remember Jack's Luncheonette next to the theater (before they named it Sally's Place when they made "Over the Brooklyn Bridge" with Elliott Gould and Shelley Winters. I was in the crowd trying to see them when they were filming. I understand Elliott Gould lived just up 69th St.) I used to go in there and buy the candies on the counter because I could get a bunch of stuff for a quarter (not quite penny candies, but nickel candies!) Kraft caramels (look for the dark ones!) BBBats taffy lollipops, ice cubes (7 cents) and Joyva jell rings! Am I the only one who liked the Necco wafers?

My mom used to shop at Key Food mostly. Remember Pioneer? Remember when it burned? My sister went in there afterwards and brought home a bunch of groceries, canned goods and Rice-a-roni. My mother made her throw them out. Then there was MET foods, where my neighbor used to say, "I'm going to ET" because as far as he knew, there was never an M on the sign.

Remember Schwartz' Toy Store, later Schwartz' Variety Store on Bay Parkway? It was on the corner of 69th before it moved across the street and Rimini bakery took over the corner. I used to get candy there all the time. He was always a nice man; his wife scared me. I remember getting school supplies there, loose leaf paper, a ruler, those damn pencil/ink erasers that ripped through the paper. Spaldeens, blue balls. We played on W 9th on the side of the Avenue O Jewish Center. There were little metal signs that read "No Ball Playing. Violators will be prosecuted to the full extent of the law." I used to think it meant electrocuted. Remeber when the front of the Jewish center had those huge plate glass windows! They finally bricked them up after they kept getting broken (wasn't me.) I spent a lot of time on W 9th St. We played manhunt up to Ave. P until after dark.

Walk down W 9th St to Bay Parkway, and there's Baskin-Robbins across the street! Paul's hardware, Torre's (baked clams, stuffed mushrooms, and a giant square ravioli!) Queen pizza- thinly sliced onions on a round pie. Johnny's on Ave. O was more authentic. Remember Johnny? Later it became Gary's- I worked there one summer. I think the Electrolux store is still on Bay Parkway. Rainbow, Scorpio Realty with the funky gold and white doors. Roma furniture. And the subway station. Why couldn't the newsstand on Bay parkway ever stay open for long? OB car service.

Hey, I graduated from Seth Low at the Walker theater!

I played on the St. A's Dodgers in 1981- we had the dinner at Micali Terrace on 86th St. I got Neil Allen and Mookie Wilson's autographs.
I communed and confirmed at St. Dominic's (there was a controversy over which parish I lived in) but I went to church at St. A's with my Aunt Terry. Those little narrow stained glasss windows in the front; you could tilt out the bottom of one in the bathroom! There was a pizzeria on one of the corners on the way to church where sometimes I would go instead. Played pinball and the jukebox, and this funny game where you would win peanuts (it was cheaper so I'd play if I had less than a quarter left.) Hey, we passed Lou Ferrigno's gym on Bay Parkway and 63rd St.- there he is painted on the wall! And there was Barricini candy on the corner- I bought my first Lego set with my own money from that store.

Ganin tire on 65th St. Tang Fong- great Moo Shoo! Yin Ting, however was the best. Great spare ribs and if you ate there, you could see the lanterns made from puffer fish! Of course Philip's Dance Studio on W. 7th St. where John Travolta did Saturday Night Fever. Do you remember the Magic shop off Bay Parkway, I think on W. 8th? I bought a bunch of stuff there, my first marked deck (alright my only marked deck.)

The drug store on the corner of W. 8th and Ave. O. And that vertical sign- Really Chinese Food. The restaurants came and went, but they never stayed for long.

I hope some of my memories mean something to you. Though I now live in New Jersey, I will always be from Brooklyn! I still go back, to see my Mom and hey, Monte's sandwiches on Ave. O and W. 5th St.! Get the potatoes and eggs w/ mozzarella!

Hi everyone:I was born in Coney Island Hospital.
I lived on 23rd Ave between Bath & Benson until I was 14 then we moved to Bay 35th St between Bath & Benson, right down the block & on the same side as PS 101, which my 3 sisters and I attended. For middle school I attended JHS 128 (later my sisters went to 281 which replaced 128)
I went to Lafayette from 10th through 12th & graduated with a great crew of people in 1968.
If there is anyone out there from around that "era" please email me at Countonmom@aol.com.
I got married in 1972 & 2 years later bought a house in Huntington, LI. I felt like we were moving to another country; what culture shock, after coming from the "block", the "stoop", the "park", etc.
In LI there was no real Italian bakeries, no real bagel shops & at that time, no real detergent, except for suds-free. I used to "smuggle" it in from Brooklyn on my weekend trips there to visit the family. The regular detergents were banned in Suffolk County at that time. I eventually had two beautiful children, a son & a daughter who are grown & on their own. My son & his wife blessed me with a beautiful baby granddaugher Sofia Marie, who just turned 1. She really is the light of my life. I have been divorced now for 4 yrs & living further east in Lake Grove, LI & love it here though I will always be a Brooklyn girl at heart. In Bensonhurst our idea of a weekend away was visiting the grandparents in Coney Island & cousins in Marine Park. The beach was our playground & we didn't worry about skin cancer or eating veggies without washing them. Our grandparents had real organic gardens, home-made wine & other liqueurs.
On Palm Sunday if we were good our grandfathers would weave crosses, baskets & other shapes from the Palms we brought them.
Respect was not forced on us; it was engrained & there was no answering back. We had big extended families & nobody minded their business, nor were they expected to by our parents. Everybody knew everybody & you knew by the look when you were caught.
The boys smoked Camels & Lucky Strikes (no filters) & the girls Marlboros & Tarryton's. No sissy menthol for us. (I quit at 21)
Spinners was the only Supermarket then, right on 86th St. The best bread was at Reliable & Rex. We only bought it fresh & hot right out of the oven. Who can forget the original "diamond", "scalita" (Sicilian)& the twisted one, most with seeds. I used to eat most of the hot inside dough of one loaf before I reached home. That's how I got the nickname Mousie. It looked like a mouse had eaten through.
On the corner of 23rd ave. & 86th st. was the hardware store called Bandel's (this was before all the Home Depot's & Lowe's even were a thought).It was a family owned store & you could find almost anything there.
The big Williamsburg bank was in the old architectural style & very imposing for a little girl. My dad, who worked in a bank in the city, would take me there & explain what the tellers were doing & let me go up to the window with him.
My mom was a hairdresser & went from home to home at night & on weekends to help make ends meet. Sometimes entire families of women would be at our house for haircuts, rollers, smelly perms & styles. Remember those big domed hair dryers? You couldn't hear a thing under there. Remember Dippity Do, that thick gel?? & Brylcreme for the boys?? Kercheifs over the rollers on Saturdays??
My mom also was & still is a great cook & she passed that art to me. I love to cook, but don't do as much as I used to, now that the kids are on their own.
A few memories:
Hy Tulip - best Jewish Kosher deli
DeFilllipe's - best homemade Italian ices & pastries
Lenny's - best Pizza
Reliable &/or Rex- best Italian bread & 2nd best pizza
New Parkway - best Chinese Food
Louisiana Lanes - best place to go bowling & have fun (met my ex-husband there when I was 16)
Lafayette - best high school - Where is everyone from 1968?????
Bay Parkway (near Korvette's) best place to "make out" & watch the sun set
Verrazano Bridge - tied with Bay Parkway for best place to "make out" & count the cars going to SI
Barricini's-best chocolate
Gertrude & Phil's - best candy store/hangout
86th St. - best shopping & hangout
Rollerama - best place to spend Saturdays with friends (I have many bruises to prove it)
L & B Spumoni Gardens - best Spumoni, gelati & also great pizza & just a great place to hang out
Coney Island Steeplechase - best place to have fun & cut school & the Wonder Wheel was the best place to go up with your boyfriend & make out
Nathan's - the original - best hot dogs & definitely best fries ever - can't find anything comparable
Custard place near Nathan's - best frozen custard I have ever had & also can't find any better
Jahn's - Best place to bring a date, best giant ice cream concoctins with great ambiance & the best chicken/shrimp salad club sandwiches I have ever had.
Best bagels on Bay Parkway & 86th st. (don't remember the name)
Best egg cream - right under the el in the walk-up cigar store I think ???
Best cheap lunch - Corner of 86th st. Chock Full O'Nuts (cream cheese on walnut bread???)
I'm sorry this is long. I'm sure I've missed a few. Feel free to add to it.
Hope everyone has had a good life.
Stay well & God bless
With Love
Linda Perrone (mousie)
PS - After 32 years on Long Island I still have the Bensonhurst/Brooklyn accent.

Dom Bat,
How's your brother Joey doing? I hope he is well?

Someone here knows Dom and Joey V ... and make P too....

That's maybe P too. P being the initial of another V.

I know Dom and Joey Venezia but P?? I'm confused now?

Wait maybe Pete your dad? Limos? Correct?

Does anyone know if Peanut or his brother Greg are still alive??

Here's one for youse guys. How about Skully. I remember making our own caps by melting down crayons on the radiator. The more colors you could squeeze in the more funkier it was. Does anybody know if the game is still played today. On Bay 14th street in front of my friend Mike's house we spray painted a board. I'm talking about thirty years ago. No chance that it survived the ages of time I guess.

try living in f.t meyers florida for over 2 years after spending 24 years in bensonhurst ... theres nothing like bensonhurst or should i say now russian hurst but ya know what ya gotta love it any way....

mike

Bob,
Nothing like Skully. I doubt the kids in the hurst play it today. I drew many a board and melting many a crayon(I used matches) although after a year of playing I realized using the cap off of the push-up bars and forces in a rock to weigh down was the way to go.

I grew up on Bay 14 closer to 86th St. 1960's. Where on Bay 14 were u Bob? I'm 50 y/o how old are u?

Hi guys,

I am 44. I lived on 17th Ave.between Bath and Benson, but the guys I hung out with lived on Bay 14th St. across from PS 163 between Bath and Benson.

Does anybody remember the tall ships back in '76 over by the Verranzano on this very day, July 4th?

Ray,
I remember Al's father and mother living on Bay 14th a couple of houses down from Bath Ave. My friends and I helped Joe M. on many small jobs when we were teenagers. He always made us get him 2 cold six packs (make sure the tops were clean) from Max's or maybe it was Leo's deli on the corner of 17th and Bath, at 9am in the morning before the day's work started. Can you tell me if he is still alive or if you know the whereabouts of Alfred and what he is up to.

Looking for anyone who grew up hanging out on Shore Parkway between 20th and 19th avenue in the mid 80's to early 90's. There were a bunch of us. Drop a note if you have had the privilige of finding this site.

Looking for anyone who grew up hanging out on Shore Parkway between 20th and 19th avenue in the mid 80's to early 90's. There were a bunch of us. Drop a note if you have had the privilige of finding this site.

Bob
I haven't heard from Al in years. He was so heavy into drinking his whole life was steady going donhill. He really was a good guy at heart and he taught me a lot of skills in the trades so did his father. I can't believe u were still buying him beer because i remember him drinking beer every day also. I remember the tall ships I had a hotdog wagon at the bridge on 17th Ave and shore pkwy. Stayed there for the entire 3 days , slept on a beach chair. Alm plumbing's daughter Dolores was my partner she ran back and forth bringing supplies I manned the cart. I'm six years older than u so u can figure we never crossed paths growing up did u have any brothers or sisters my age?

I grew up in the bushwick section of brooklyn were theres alot of puerto ricans and african americans, I can relate to most of you from the bens, thangs changed were I live also, everybody in every block was like family in the early 80's to the 90's now everybody is strangers, most of the ppl I grew up with moved out of state, most of my friends got married and have kids and taking care of things, doing what there suppose to do, but yea, wow things aint realy did change, it aint what it use to be.

Does anyone remember The Mumps? They lived between 19th & 20th ave. I think. What about Joey Dogs, Fat Joey, Little Joey and the guy who used to sell fireworks in his basement every year during the Fourth of July (he used to give away a free BIC lighter with every $50 purchase!)And do they still have the 18th Avenue feast there?

Louie G,
Yes the feast still takes place as far as I know. The Mumps were where between 19th and 20th aves? I think the guy your talking about who sold firewarlks was on Bay 28th street. Where were you located?

The 18th ave and 20th ave feast still take place as a matter of fact the 20th ave feast just ended 3 weeks ago. These feasts are horrible now. They are at least 2-3 blocks shorter than they used to be in the 80's and 90's.

Also the people that go to the feasts are boring. No one fights like they used to either. I truly miss the days when Bensonhurst was fun.

Tanya,
I was in one or two of those fights; but I hope thats not all you miss from those feasts when they meant something. How about the sausage and peppers or the white skippies.....

I stumbled upon this site and read all of the comments which brought back so many memories. I am 41 and living in Virginia but I grew up on the corner of 19th Avenue and 70th St. Yes, right up the block from Alba's (I bet they are still there). What I would give to be able to turn back the clock 25 or 30 years - waking up on a warm mid-summer's day and going outside for stoop ball or stick ball, then in the afternoon, going to get a square from DaVinci's (Hope they are still there). There was a Good Humor man named Max who used to push his ice cream cart around all day (I can still hear him ringing those bells). It was thirty-five cents for a Good Humor bar. We used to have block parties which were the best! Everyone participated and there was always live music! I can still see all those people walking down 18th avenue. The women were about four feet tall, wore black dresses every single day, had their hair tied in a bun and had these huge moles on their faces! And who can forget "La Festa di Santa Rosalia?" That was awesome! Thanks for bringing back the memories....Ciao, tutti!

Hey Anothony you would probably know my step sister Angelique. She lives on 70th street and 19th ave. She is 42 years old.

Tanya, the name Angelique sounds familiar. But I am 12 years older than she is. Ask her who some of her neighbors were, I may know them. Did she also have an older brother who was a Mets fan?

yes she does and his name is Dennis. Her sister is Maureen.

HEY DOES ANYONE REMEMBER A GUY BY THE NICKNAME "THE HILT" FROM BENSONHURST IF SO WRITE BACK TELL ME A LITTLE ABOUT WHAT U NO OR HEARD

Italian Boy Born and Raised BABY!!! ....I'm 33 and lived on Bay 16 and 86th, 17th ave and Cropsey and 21st Ave bet Bath and Benson....I bought a house out on STATEN ITALIAN 2 yrs ago :(....I miss the late 70's and 80's in Bensonhurst!

I remember vividly...
Tolins, Punkins, Jahn's Ice Cream, Alba's, Korvettes, Cesars Bay Bazzar, More Fun, Alexander's, Lowe's Oriental (saw Star Wars in 1977 there) & the candy store on the corner of it, A & S, The Benson, Something Else, L & B, Lenny's Pizza, Pizza Den, Da Vinci's, the 17th ave and 86st candy store before the Arabs, Mr. Card, Chess King, The Wiz (not the big one on bay pkyway but the one in the begining of the el) The Bike Shop across the street from The Oriental Mannor, Odd Lot, Sugar, New Dynasty, Hy Tulip and it's flashing yellow bulbs, The Fun House magic store, Mar Lumber, Fantasy Headquarters, Toys and Things, Ave I Flea Market, Leisure World, Bertas 86, Mamma Turry's, Roll-a Ramma, Consumers, Roll a Place, St. Finbars, Books and Comics, S & J, Ricchielu Diner, Nut's and Candy, Photo Mat in the 20th ave parking lot, Music Stop, PANTRY PRIDE before Waldbaum's took it over off of 18th ave and 84th, Maggio Music, I remember Ray Boom Boom Mancini signing autographs at the video store (forgot the name) across from the 86st library.

Ugggggg there are so many more places but I just can't think about it anymore....I wish we all could jump in a time machine for just one day.... :( Anyone know what the name of the store that used to be Tasty Bagles was? How about the pastry shoppe on Bay 16th and 86st? Also the store that sold candy and toys a few stores from that pastry shoppe (late 70's)?

Unless you lived it you'll never know the MAGIC!!!

Alba's pastry shop ....remeber club 1717 bar across fromt he candy store on 17th ave and 86...also the fruit store on the corner under the apartment building? The candy store was Morris's and after that it was Red's after Red's it was wonde by gansters ...I think Spero who is now doing time with Mikey scars also from 17th ave and 86th st. Sal Valenti's barber shop...th butcher shop the fish store Rinaldi's grocery store.... does that jar a fe memories?

hey i would like to ask anyone again if they remember "the hilt" from 13th ave if so please write or email me a boomz321@aol.com

Hey Tanya I do remember Dennis, the Met fan. Here's how - sometime in 1973 he threw away some Mets yearbooks from 1965, 1966, 1967, 1968 and 1970. Just getting to like baseball and also following the Mets, I took those yearbooks out of the garbage can (I was 8 or 9 at the time). Anyway to make a long story short, I kept those books for 30 years. When I moved to Virginia in 2001, I couldn't take everything with me so I sold the books on Ebay. Funny how I remembered that! Anyway they lived right next door to Tony and Roxanne, right??

I also grew up in Bensonhurst 1960-1998. Miss it. Lived on 65th st and 21 Ave. Went to St. A's PS 205, Seth Low and FDR. Site bring back many many found memories.

Yes that is him. He still lives at the same house. It is so hard to beleive he threw anything out. his basement is filled with tons of things.

Hey Tanya
I just came across this site. I used to hang out with Angelique. Did you live in the same building as Gary? If you did then I think I remember you. You were a little girl. lol My name is Joyce. If you ask Ange, she will know who I am. Do you remember Chrissy? She lived across the street from you in the apt bldg.

Hey Joyce I do remember you. My parents were Terry and Joe we lived right next to the PS 205 school yard on 68th. How are you???

Tanya- Yes, I remember your parents. How are they doing? I'm doing ok. I live in Staten Island. I'm in Brooklyn almost everyday because I work here and my mother still lives here. She lives on 19th Ave & 69th St. I'm sure you remember Chrissy. I still keep in touch with her. She just bought a house in Jersey. I read on one of your postings that you moving upstate. I wish you all the best. Do you remember Candy Hut on 20th Ave across from PS 205?

I was talking about their (joey and dom's) brother Paul V. Hey, anyone want some Uncle Bobby's Bagels?

Wow....reading these messages really bring back some great memories. I lived in Bensonhurst from 1965-1974. Went to PS 205 on 20th Avenue. Does anyone out there remember Joe Scro, Little Joey, Fat Joey, the Arthurs, the Mumps, Cheech, Otto, Jimmy (I think he got hit by a car twice but survived both times), Meatball, Jerry, Eric, Vito. What about "The Pink House"? And wasn't there a kid on the block (I forget his name) who went on to become an actor? And then there was Max the Good Humor Man, and an old guy who owned a shiny new mint cream colored Buick. If anyone knows any of the above, we were definitely neighbors! I wish I could go back in time and re-live one day during the Summer of 1973. That was awesome. Take care, fellow Bensonhurstians!

Frankie- I know an Otto but i'm not sure if it's the same one. Did Otto have dirty blonde hair? He used to hang out with Mark. I also know a meatball, was his real name Frankie? I don't think i know you because i moved there in 1975.

Joyce-Otto did have dirty blond hair, sort of like a mop-top, but I didn't know any Mark. Not sure what meatball's real name was, he was just a fat guy that everyone called Meatball.

You guys are the 75058 best, thanks so much for the help.

Frankie- Yes, that had to be Otto. Mark was a short skinny kid with braces and dark brown hair. Do you remember the pool room on 20th Ave and 73rd Street? That's mostly where Meatball hug out. What street did you live on?

Joyce- I vaguely remember a pool room on 20th ave. I lived on the corner of 19th and 70th. Do you remember an old, heavy guy that only had one leg? And did Meatball ever get hit by a bus? I seem to remember a rumor about that

Frankie- I don't remember the old guy with one leg, and I'm not sure but I think Meatball did get hit by a bus. My friend, Angelique lived on 19th Ave and 70th Street.

Joyce-I don't know your friend but she must have lived right up the block from me. We may have even crossed paths about 30 years ago?? How old are you? I am 40 and live on Long Island since 1975. I'm curious if I know you or not. Would love to meet you and discuss the "good old days"

Grew up (born 1948)in Bensonhurst...Bay Parkway and 84th St. Hung on 86st by Famous. So many sweet memories...but the people, they made it live. It still lives in us including the sadness of way too many who didn't make it. Stenza, Nadal, Big Louie and his sis, A Steiner, Krieger, Plotkin, Tabole, London, Billy and Bobby B, Albert and Peter C, Elliot G, Jo Jo J, Pernicone, Harvey Aa..., Richter did it, Bertelli, Ricobono, Danny F, so many more...from all circles, mixing with each other but not actually together...some kind of narcosocial melting pot. Wiseguys and hippies. RIP Izzo. So many more. And the girls....they were special and sweet. God...Who got out?

Frankie- I'm 43 and I didn't move to B'hurst until 1975, so I don't think we knew each other. Although I'm sure we knew alot of the same people.

anyone from lafayette high school 1977-1978 grad.
Lived at 24 bay 31 street and use to go to all the italian dances and also went to Jays lounge- looking for a long lost friend Debbie Rossi- Wonderful Memories!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I just wanted to thank all of you for bringing back such great memories. I lived in Bensonhurst all my life. Im 31 years old and just moved a year ago. My parents owned Alba Pastry Shop on 70th And 18th Avenue. After my dad Luigi owned it for 42 years about 2 1/2 years ago we sold it and my parents moved to SI and opened Luigi's Dolceria on Hylan Blvd. It was a big and sad move and change. Times have changed and after a lot of thinking the decision was made. I along with my husband and kids moved to Jersey it something we had to do for our kids.Please don't get me wrong but I do miss Brooklyn but things changed & people changed. I still go back often for doctors, my grandparents, some italian shopping (sausage). I don't miss the parking and the mess. I remeber sitting outside on my bench with my guy friends because we were not allowed to go to the corners. I was always at the feast because of the pastry shop. Just the little things that we did like sitting in our yard jaring tomatoes. Life changed in Bensonhurst. A lot of stores are gone, houses are going down and large apartments going up. I would never move back but I miss it everyday and thank my parents for all the great memories we had on 64th Street b/w 24th Ave & Dahill. They waited till we all married and had kids before they decided to make this drastic change in there life. I went to PS 177 for kidergarten, St. A's till 8th grade and Fontbonne for highschool. I miss the days outside with Frank LaPeruta (Yez), Jerry DeVito, James DiPietro, Brian Cardella, Lea Fiore, Josephine DeAngelo. We had good times just hanging out being kids. If anyone is reading this and knew Frank LaPeruta, sad to say Frank passed away (God rest is soul). Well, let me go just sitting around thinking now and pulled out some old pictures. Good NIght to everyone. Lets keep this up and writiing about good old time in Bensonhurst.

Antonietta

Does anyone remember a guy Tommy Biteddo, he hung with a guy Bob (red) they use to call him. Tommy lived in Bensonhurst on ave U and west 10th!!If you know him or his where abouts contact me at Linc200@aol.com

Antonietta, I lived right up the block from Alba's. Moved to SI in the seventies (I'm actually about 5 minutes away from Luigi Alba's) Your dad's pastry shop was the best. Everytime I think about the old neighborhood, I can see in my mind that big scripted Alba's sign with the round yellow lights that used to bring back so many memories.

let me tell you reading all these memories really brings back good ones,like hangin out on 86st next to your car weather it be a el dorado ,riviera,or coupe those were the days pastels,the vegas diner,we used to go to manhattan beach all day then criuse ceasars bay then hit 86st who could forget uncle bobbys bagels what about the music,native love,she has away anyway anybody wanna chat email me for all these fond memories i im still here but this time im married and have a family but i would not mind to chat about those days so let me know by the way i went to madison hs and am 37 years old hung out in a red bonnevile with simon and mike and i had a silver fleetwood again im still here i live on west 5 street

I stumbled upon this site looking for info on my elementry school, PS 177. Iwent to Seth Lowas well for 7th, then moved to Fl in 85. I hung out with Andrea, Charlotte, Alyssa, Cia, Suzie. At Seth Low with Connie, Tanya, Cheryl. It was nice reading about everyone's memories. Some familiar to me too. It's got me all nostalgic. If anyone knows these people let's hear from you.

Hey Deena, I was wondering what happened to you. Didnt you live on Bay Parkway? How is everything going? If you want to email do so at Tanya12794@yahoo.com. Ciao

looking for anyone from Bay 16...17th ave area off 86yh st to Bath Ave. Around the age of 50

Hey People,

Unreal the memories you all have bought back. Im actually crying a bit..Alot of names i remember, some i still even see and unfortunately some are passed. Peanut, Paulie.G Im still in bensonhurst.Yes the neighborhood has changed but i still love it. I can pass certain blocks with my daughters and tell them a memory. I hung out on 85th and 20th..umm cropsey park, played handball a lot. Knew the Bath Avenue Boys among other groups. Those were the days!! Any questions about people from back then i'll try and answer.

What year did the cruising on 86th Street end? I remember it vaguely in the early 80's, it was just like American Graffiti, except every other car was a Monte Carlo or a Cutlass :)

I think it was 83 BB

Cruising stopped around 1991. How do you remember Peanut? Is he still alive? How about his brother Greg? This message is to B'hurst

I stand corrected peanut is alive as far as i know though i havent seen him around nor greag. I knew them from Cropsey Park. They lived in Shore Haven. Chestnut is the one that died, different crew.

91 huh seems like it was way longer than that.

Yes Chestnut passed he was from Bath Ave. I went to school with him and Anthony Ponzo who also unfortunately passed as well.P.S. 200 was the school what area in Bensonhurst were you from? Message is to B'hurst.

Bensonhurst was definitely an awesome neighborhood to grow up in. I definitely remember the cars on 86th street. It was a ritual. I went to FDR and we used to hang out on 18th avenue from the park below 65th to 86th and on to the Bath avenues. I actually lived there again about ten years ago now and it was already changing, but there were still a lot of hold outs from the old days. I lived on 80th between New Utrecht and 18th avenue.

I was three blocks from ps200.

Three blocks anyway can be 19th ave and Benson could be 20th and Benson. I lived on 20th ave between Cropsey and Shore Pkwy did you know anyone from there? Message to B'hurst.

I dont remember i think willie lived in those buildings but im not 100% sure. If you name names i'll remember.Did you live in the private houses or the shore haven buildings with the little square in the middle with benches?

I lived in a private house. How old are you?

39

I grew up on bay 23rd & bath.Greg , Peanut & their sister Rosemary actually lived on cropsey between bay 23rd & bay 22nd.But that was many years ago

Thats right they had a sister, I forgot that. Bay 23rd. So you hung out with AAron, Lance,Maddog, adrienne, Scarlett and all of that group?

Name some of the handball players down at cropsey park if you could. Really great memories...

Tony,
I'm so glad Alba's brings back some good memories. Everyone says the same thing about the Alba sign. Anyway, hope you visit our store (Luigi's Dolceria) in SI if you haven't already. Try before the summer ends they have entertainment outdoors on Fri & sat nights. Speak to you soon.
Antonietta

Hey Tony Glad to hear that Alba's brings back good memories.... who could forget the yellow ALBA sign... see you have been speaking with my sister Antonietta... lets keep this page going

Hi everybody, I lived in Bensonhurst from 78 to 85 on the corner of bay 14th and benson ave. hung out with Louis carpino, Augusto zingaro, Michael Abate, Peter, Johnny Sparaccio. Went to ps 163 and dyker heights. Great old days, miss the guys. If anyone remembers the names please keep in touch.

hmm i remember a few older guys ralph, jerry, ray, younger ones mark, chaz, willie, armondo, javier, vinny, thats a few i remember. some of the bath avenue guys..Mario, tony, turk, chevy or something like that..lol Ahh the memories.

Carmine how old are you?

wow, i cant beleve im doing this. stick ball 200 sy every sunday still some things never change come down all welcome

I see these pictures every morning first hand, I live here.Every morning I drop my wife off at the 18th ave train station. I remember when Ebinger's was open, they had pretty good doughnuts... That place has been closed for many years now. I use to think I owned the streets down here when I was a kid, now I sell real estate in my beautiful neighborhood called Bensonhurst. I hope everyone enjoys the feast this Labor Day weekend. I'll be out there on 18th Ave. Saturday night even if it rains. Hey Vinny! I love stick ball!!! When can we play?

I grew up on the Bensonhurst/Boro Park border 1962-1977. Did anyone go to Holy Ghost? I was in the Class of '76. I'm trying to find a guy named Dean. He used to live on 48th St, went to PS 192, Montauk, and FDR; he'd be 44 yrs old now.

anyone remember me Bobby Caddy or bobby v? I went to Madison was nuts over my car back in the day and still kinda am now. Things have changed but thoes where the days!

I happen to land on this website and I am so excited I did I literally started my way from the top all the way down! I grew up from 3rd grade to high school on Bay Parkway bet. Bath and Cropsey moved to Dyker Heights during 2nd yr of high school and moved away for a few yrs to Fla. but I missed NY so much I moved back. (Parents never left)I am now 33 and reading all of this reminds me how I was so much younger than everybody then but never realized it. 86th was the shit when I graduated from St. Mary's in 86 I didn't want to celebrate graduation!! I wanted to go to Jahn's smoke cigs and hangout in front of burger king! Thru the years you always run into someone you knew and to answer the question about Greg and Peanut... Last I heard Greg was doin well he had a few business' he even had a tire store on bath across from John the Tailor(remember him)but,his brother was doing time. Many of the Cropsey boys even the rockers have all grown up and married and have children. Some never really did anything also with themselves. I loved going to Ceasar's Bay. I still call it Ceasar's Bay!!

I loved those silly cropsey guys. I had fantastic times with them, i was a little older i believe. 2 years or so pfft maybe more. I remember drinking and smoking pot in the basements of shore haven..good times!!!

Ray I'm 36, sorry if I didn't answer to you earlier but i had some problems with my laptop, so I read your message only now. If youre on line please don't go away. I'll wait for any information you can give me.

Hey, Anyone remember people on 85th and 20th, John D. John B. Denise few others i cant remember..umm Marcello and anthony..wonder how they are doin.

I remember the older guys from 85th & 20th ave .Billy S., Peter,Ciro.I acually hung out for years on 20th ave& 86th st.I remember Anthony & his brother Teddy from Lenny's,Tony who ran the Benson movie theater,Steve from the candy store,Deborah Charles,Hy tulip, record Hut.The best was in the summer getting a cup of large Lemon ice from Lenny's & spikeing it with vodka & hanging out on 86th st.Remember when they did Midnight Madness on 86th?Or getting Mai Tais to go from Hunan Wok on 14th ave & 86th st, they used to put the drinks in wonton soup containers.Or hanging out eating fried rice out of the container from New Dynasty.Is New Dynasty still there?

I grew up in a house on the corner of Quentin Rd. & Stillwell Ave in the 50's. Moved to Howard Beach in '63...saddest day of my life. Bensonhurst is so firmly etched in my heart that my first novel, For Jennie which was just published by Port Town Publishing is set in Bensonhurst in 1957. It is a tender love story amidst the closeness and hilarity of an Italian American Family. For all of you who wear Bensonhurst close to your heart, please consider buying it. It is available on amazon.com and barnesandnoble.com Any book store can order it although it is not totally in their files yet...you have to give title, author and possibly publisher which is Port Town Publishing. It is NOT a self published book, but Port Town is a small publisher so things move slowly. Everyone has been giving glowing reviews and are absolutely nostalgic and exhilarted by the memories. I was on this site researching YOUR memories for the current manuscript I am working on which is also set in Bensonhurst. Thanks for all your help. Drop me a line if you read For Jennie and tell me what you think.

I remember a few of those things you mentioned and i remember Billy. S he was a cutie!!lived on 82 or 83rd i believe.

Hey Carmine I'm 50 so we probably never met I grew up on bay 14 between 86th and benson. was there still a little store called Bono's on the corner of benson? There was John Risatti and his brother mousey. real short guys. The Calco family probably had someone your age they lived across from the school on bay 14. Was the boche court still there?

Lived in Bensonhurst most of my life. Grew up Bath Ave & 17 Ave from the 50's to the 70's. At the intersection was Herbie's Candy Store. Remember going there for newspapers and Mello-Roll ice cream. Right across was Glatter's Grocery Store, later Nat's, now something else.
At the other corner was Dolinsky's Drug store. It's still going strong after 90 years. It's owned last 30 years by the kid who used to deliver for old man Walter Dolinsky. My grandfather owned the buidling that housed the West End Citizens Club on Bath Ave - a bunch of old Italian guys. Most of the old shops are gone. I watched them build the Verrazano Bridge and the Korvettes Shopping Center, long before it was Casears Bay. There used to be a Wessons's hamburger jointthere. Went to PS 163, Dyker Hts JHS, Lafayette HS. No metal detector back then - didn't need them. Belonged to St. Finbar's Parish. Had a lot of friends at New Utrecht HS and Brooklyn Tech. Remember the old theatres - Loews Oriental on 86 St, Walker on 18 Ave, Deluxe on Bath Ave and The Benson on 86 St. Loved going to 86 St for toys from John's Bargain Stores, Carvel, Jahns, Lenny's Pizza. Later when I got a car, to Spumoni Gardens and the old White Castle at Stillwell & 86 St. Loved cruising down 86St Friday and Saturday nights. Most of my friends were Italian or Irish, then Jewish when I went to Lafayette. Occasional rumbles with the guys from the Marlboro Houses, but no one really ever got hurt. I'm sure we weren't the only ones to sunbathe on those flat. black asphalt roofs or go on the roofs to watch the fireworks from Coney Island. Touch tackle football in the parks. Biking along the Belt Parkway. Catching porgies, eels and a lot of sea robins off the rocks by the bay. When I was older we went to the bay to "watch the submarine races" - hey use your imagination. Took the West End B train to Coney Island for Nathan's hot dogs, the Wonder Wheel and the beach. Now it's the D line. As Coney went down we started to go to Brighton Beach. Then Manhattan Beach - there you'd find the prettiest girls ever. Then and now the prettiest girls came from Brooklyn - hope my wife doesn't see this! Five years away for college. Came back to 75 St in the early 80's. In OL of Guadalupe Parish. Checked out the Italian feasts on 18 Ave in the summers. World's best Zeppolis and Expresso - but then I'm Polish so what do I know! Hung out at the Irish bars in Bay Ridge and Randazzo's Clam House in Sheepshead Bay. Stayed through out the 80's and halfway through the 90's. Got married, had a few kids and now the last 15 years exiled to Staten Island. Still come back to Brooklyn about once a month. In some ways it's changed totally. A lot of Russian and Chinese, still some Irish, Jewish, some Polish and a lot of Italians -but what does that matter. People are people.In other ways it hasn't changed at all. Brooklyn is eternal!

Ray,
Just saw your post after I wrote mine. If you're about 50 and lived on Bay 14 and Benson, do you remember:
Mr Kane, the principal of PS 163. The church in the basement - St Frances Cabrini, the 19th Hole, the old mob hangout at 86 St and 14 Ave. The twotoughest guys in the neighborhood, Greg A. since he's my best friend's cousin, I'll leave out the last name) and Mikey "Animal", fireworks on Bath Ave during the Fourth of July?

Hi Paul.....this is camille kelly from bensonhurst.......I wrote on this fabulous website also......I just read everything you wrote and lordy, do I remember.....I also graduated from Lafayette, 1967.......Do you remember Mitchells drive-in? I cant remember if it was on 86th street, but I think it was by the VA hospital....All I know is that chicken in the basket and fried was $1.25, the most expensive thing on the menu......Do you remember Fae Mart on Ave U and Bohacks, before it became Packers...........God, it seems like an eternity.....If anyone else remembers any of this, please email me....thanks, camille

Paul I was Mikey Animal's best man at his wedding and knew Gregory Albi when he was a little fat kid and watched him grow into the biggest guy in the neighborhood. Know who I am yet? Remember the only Puerto Rican in the neighborhood? I remember when they built St Francis. How bout Fuffy's pancake house on the corner of 16th ave and 86

Paul and Ray,

I remember P.S. 163. I lived on 17th Ave about 5 houses away from the schoolyard. Mr. Kane and even Greg's names bring back some recognition. I am 44yrs old. I went to CCD at St. Francis as well as my confirmation and all that stuff. I remember the 19th hole and Oliver's with their shuffleboard.

Paul, I hung out with the guys from Bay 14th. Joe-Cy, Alfonse and Anthony G., Mike E. although I am a few years younger than you guys, maybe the names ring a bell. I remember the West End Citizen's club. Do you remember the name of the restaurant on the corner of I think it was Bay 14th or maybe Bay 15th street and Bath. I remember walking by there when I was real young, around 8 or 9 maybe and seeing the bullet holes in the window. I remember hearing that it was some kind of a hit.

I remember going crabbing with my friends behind the old Korvettes. Used to get up at 5am on a Saturday and hang out all day eating and reading girlie magazines. How about the Spumoni Gardens, is it still there? There was also a luncheonette on Bath between 17th and Bay 14th where we used to hang out and get our chocolate egg creams and Italian ices.

Does anybody remember a place called Two Tom's. I don't remember it being in Bensonhurst but they were a family style restaurant with great food.

I remember hanging out by the Belt Pkwy's grassy area over by 17th ave park drinking with the guys. Back then we were into Boone's Farm and quarts of Miller. I'm sure if I go back ther