On The Sly

Foxy:
While I check the Press-Republican obits daily to make sure my name isn't listed, I just started to check out the blogs and discovered to my delight many of your recollections of "the good old days". Your story of not wanting your ball to land in my parents yard was most amusing - they only got upset if a stray dog wandered back there. Dad managed to stay around until 2000 when he passed just days after his 97th birthday. I grew up on "the hill" too and can remember when there were no houses behind where you grew up. When I was in your Dad's scout troop, Joe Prenoveau, Leo Lefebvre, the Froelich brothers and I used to practice putting up towers in that field using the lashing techniques that we learned at the scout meetings. After you were born we used to refer to your Dad as "Big Ray" and you as "Little Ray". Those certainly were memorable times.
BTW, I still have 'the ball'. Keep up the good work - "Big Ray" would be proud.

(Foxy's note: Yes, indeed, Alex and Mabel Turbide were great backyard neighbors, and hopping to fence to get a stray baseball was never a problem with them.
They always had a neatly groomed backyard, and maybe some of those chores fell to you, Ron. I hope you'll be a regular at On the Sly!)

In all the blogs about old time places, I have not heard even one mention of Johnny Wilsons down at the bottom of Broad St. I can still remember the hot dogs he sold for 10 cents. For a quarter, you could get two hot dogs and a soda. What a deal!!!!

Foxy, remember the city recreation basketball leagues (thanks to Mr Peter Blumette) I played at Monty Street.That's when they had three divsions. Every divsion would play for an hour. At the end of the season we would go to other schools to play. those were the good old days.

(Foxy's note: Yes, LB, I loved playing in those winter rec leagues and still have some newspaper clippings from those days. The Seymour boys, Bob and Fudd, were the coaches back when I played.)

As one of the old time Montcalmers I have to add the old Cozy Corner, later known as Arlene and Lena's. Great michigans.

Kern, I do remember broomball at MAI and the hockey games with the boarder students there. As far as the Super 87 goes, the jail now occupies alot of my time ( I am a CO) and the space doesn't feel as "homey" as it used to. Can't wait to see part 2 of fox's list.

How about Angelo's Bakery? The Children's Home Field? The Grandview Restaurant for the yearly sports banquet? And the old Nitzi's?

I also went to O.L.V.A.but many years prior to you, Sly. Sister Genny was there then also. the old school then. got out in 1943. I also miss frosties any one know how to make them? BILLY MCNEIL IS MY BROTHER IN LAW. I really like the stories although I am 80 now. lived on south peru street.

(Foxy's note: Great to hear from another OLVA boy! Hope you'll keep reading the blog!)

Foxy, here's one that the older dogs should remember. Corner of Cornelia and Margaret street was a drug store, Conners, I believe. They made the very best chocolate "frosties". So thick that the spoon wouldn't tip over when placed in the tall glass. Ice cold and delicious. Now that's something that brings back great memories. I've got plenty more too.

Foy's lot at the end of Palmer Court was our sandlot of the day. Whiffle ball, kick ball, basketball and the ever favorite "smear the queer"...(it was ok to say that back then!) I had the good fortune of living on the north end with a grandmother who lived on the south end... days spent on a wooden raft in the quarry pond behind Bailey, sliding on Fox Hill, walking downtown to spend your allowance at Woolworth's or Fishman's. As a teenager, the Y dances were the place to be! How about pizza at Arnie's where everyone chipped in to split a cheese pie 12 ways... the waitresses sure loved us!! I must say my favorite adventure as an almost 18 year old was trying to get into the bars... Branson's, Filion's, the Egg & Machine Shop, Brodi's. Even if I got past the bouncers, somehow my older cousin Bill would get wind of it and give me a talkin' to. Ah...those were the days!

I am sorry that I am not as 'experienced' as many of you here. I truly appreciate the modern history of Plattsburgh and as I grow older, only hope to revel in the fine memories of growing up in Plattsburgh.

Like Chris, I also remember the ‘old park’ and bleachers at Bailey Ave. and the quarry and sledding hills off Boynton Ave. And the Orange Julip! How cool was that place. A drive-up food joint shaped like a basketball! I know it was an orange, but when you're young and athletic, it's a basketball!

The parks in the 'Burgh were awesome. We used to spend hours at Bailey Ave. playing kickball; West End and Oak St. hitting baseballs; and won a few trips to the dentist after afternoons of hockey or broomball at MAI (Remember that Chris?) I think the only times the north-end kids would go to the south-end, or vice versa, was to play in the little league all-star and playoff games.

I vaguely remember the Super 87 (where the County jail now sits). I think I saw 'Chitty-Chitty Bang Bang', 'Lady and the Tramp' there and the 'Fox and the Hound'! Does anyone recall the name of the old soda fountain shop that was on Brinkerhoff St, downtown? I think it was Nick's. And the trips to the Ma and Pa stores; still one of my favorite blog topics yet!

Foxy, we have to get Sue involved in this blog, I bet she would have some wild stories!

(Foxy's note: I'm sure Sue was a regular at the YMCA dances and there's some story about how she met this big guy who was a bouncer at Filion's!)

I think you would like to know that while walking by your homestead in the 80's, we saw the pool that had just been installed, and we modeled our own pool after it, knowing that it would provide many hours of fun and memories for our family. It also inspired our daughter to join the swim team at the middle school where she made many great life-long friends. Now, our granddaughter is continuing the fun. Small connection, but pretty cool, huh?

(Foxy's note: Yes, indeed, Miss D. Thanks for sharing!)

Foxy,
Again you have hit the spot with this blog. How can any Fox Hiller not miss the games and joke telling behind the old Monty Street school? The fields there used to be the biggest it seemed. Playing baseball and touch football, kids of all sizes. Of course, OLVA was the scene of many great memories and learning experiences. Remember the Athletic Association made up of all those men who volunteered their time to raise funds and work for the school to have teams. Most of them from the "Greatest Generation" As I recall Mr. G was a big part of that group. Third, was Fox Hill itself, whether playing ball, skating, sliding or just rolling down the hill for fun. Like the "Old Timer and the Carver", Plattsburg(h) was a great place to grow up no matter what generation.
Bullett

Old timer was right on about St. John's and the myths about the nuns and everyone who attended OLVA or MAI can attest to the same, the teachers were tough, there was plenty of discipline but we all learned and had fun.

I forgot one "big memory" or place to go back to. Larios, on the corner of Margaret Street and Clinton Street. Lots of conversation over a Cherry coke, hot chocolate or a hot fudge sundae. And don't forget the Creamy B or Altamont on South Catherine Street, just down from Broad Street School.

Foxy,
I saw that our old school was gone in 2003 when we had our 40th reunion there. However, I was surprised to find that the two base houses that we lived in, one on Nevada Oval West and the other one on Nevada Oval East were still standing in 2003. I think they are torn down or have been remodeled for condo living by now.
Did you know Jeff Bombeck who I think still teaches there at Stafford? He is a retired Air Force pilot who I ran into several times during our careers plus we both played football together for old PHS.

Paul

(Foxy's note: Yes, Jeff is a great guy and an excellent teacher at Stafford.)

Oh if we could only go back and start over. I guess I would start with our neighborhood, the west end. We had a terrific ball field with pretty good players. I think every one in our group played college ball and a couple went on to the professional level. The field was unique in that is was somewhat slanted and there were two large lilac patches in the outfield, one a double the other a triple. Over the hedge was a home run. When ever we got bored we would go to St. Peter's, Sailly Ave., Broad St. or behind PHS for a game in those neighborhoods. We could always get good competition. The second place I would like to return to is St. John's. At the time we had the pleasure of being taught by nuns. Most were fantastic teachers and contrary to public opinion did not use straps, rulers and whips on us all the time. Sisters Electra. Louis, Geraldine, Bernadine, DiPasi and Purification were demanding and fair. These were all elementary teachers. It seemed that we all had a lot of fun plus we learned. The third stop would have to be the Y. Where else could we play basketball on an inside floor, then take a shower (most of us did not have showers at home) and go for a swim. I can still hear Yockie yelling at LeRoy and Popcorn (they were always in trouble) for something. This was always leading up to the Friday Night dance. Don't believe Popcorn, no wall flower was he. We will see where the Fox goes next with this but as one can assume places and areas in the North country are near and dear to the hearts of many many people, both natives and the people that came here for various reasons and learned to love it. How's that for a run on sentence Mr. Gagnon.

(Foxy's note: Hey, we can throw sentence structure and proper grammar out the window at "On the Sly." I'm retired!)

I agree with Chris on his top three and I have a couple more to add that I really miss. First was the sub sandwich (lots of mayo and onions!) you could get down town (I forget the store-Kreskies? (sp)) during lunch at old PHS. Second would be to turn back time and revisit (old PHS), especially the senior home room on the third floor which was one large room that held all 100 of us. And third probably "walk" one more lap around the old track area behind the school. I'm sure I would hear echos of Coach Kimball and Coach Williams shouting at us for messing up a play!

Paul

(Foxy's note: Great memories, Paul. The old high school you refer to is now the site of Stafford Middle School, the place where I taught for 35 years. The old buidling was torn down and around 1975 the new building was constructed. But the track is still there! And the old hill you guys used to run behind the school now houses the bottom and middle floors of Stafford Middle School.)

Wow Chris, you took the words right out of my mouth...
the green monster at bailey ave with floyd chasing us for fooling around behind the bleachers

the orange Julip with tony longe .... and the A&W's rootbeer

super 87 and seeing how many people we could smuggle in, in the trunk!

others might include the bus that used to ride around town and take us to the city beach

pickin night crawlers around the neighborhood

bringing our RC bottle back to fountains or murrays store and buying cherry humps with our profits

and the 1st, 2nd and 3rd quarries (2nd and &3rd were off limits for me! think it was based on age.. ages 8-10 1st. 11-13 2nd, 13-older 3rd)
now all houses...1st quarry was basically just behind bailey ave field, 2nd was prospect ave and 3rd was probably your house foxy!

(Foxy's note: I never got to the quarry side of town when I was a kid. It was like it was a foreign country to go that far! )

Places to remember, Old Bailey Avenue and the Green Grandstand with the locker rooms and concession stand underneath and pro wrestling in the summer along with some great semi-pro baseball games back when the Plattsburgh Majors and the Plattsburgh Falcons played their games at the old park.

Any neighborhood playground where you gathered as many kids as you could get to have a pickup baseball game, doesn't matter if it was Fox Hill, Broad Street, Bailey Avenue, St. Peters or even down behind Georgia Pacific or along Cumberland Avenue, just some friendly competitive baseball games.

Finally, high school sports and the local intercity rivalries between PHS, St. John's, MAI and OLVA, always fun times and many outstanding athletes to play with and compete against. The kids today have no idea what they are missing and sadly enough, they don't like listening to the old stories. Oh well, as you say Foxy, events of years ago. Thanks for the blog and the chance to remember!!

Places of days long gone. My top 3 would have to include Bailey Avenue Park with the green bleachers, the Orange Julep near GP and the Super 87 drive in. Spent lots of time at all three and enjoyed them very much.

(Foxy's note: Good ones, Chris!)