A few items that come to mind now that
I am thinking "not so long ago", the 1930s.
To go to the Newark Bears games, we had to have a "knot hole
gang " ticket. To get to Bears Stadium on Wilson Ave, Down
Neck, we took the #4 trolley. Mc Quinn, Keller, Porter and especially
Yogi Berra were a few of the "names" that eventually went
from the "farm club" to the New York Yankees. At the game,
the BABY RUTH candy bar was only sold during the 7th inning stretch.
I recently learned that the Bears won the "little world series"
in 1932. It was also in that decade (1934) that the great Carl Hubbel
of the New York Giants, during the All Star Game, struck out 4 or
5 future Hall Of Famers in one game. [[Open for correction]] I believe
they were Ruth, Gehrig, Foxx, Simmons and Cronin.
That was also the time that I had my own business, shining shoes
at the famous Lincoln Statue in front of the Essex County Court
House. Five cents, both shoes. Busy times they were in that area,
the trolley tracks were being removed from the entire length of
West Market Street, down past the Court Theatre, near High Street
and we were all waiting for the arrival of bus service.
In High Schools, the rivalries were South Side, Weequahic, Central,
St. Benedicts in Basketball and in Football. I recall that at that
time Arts High had the greatest swimming teams in the state. Central
High or Barringer excelled in fencing.
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