On The Sly

Hi Foxy:

Your reminiscence of the neighborhood brings back great memories for me, too. From 8th grade on I lived on the west end on Beekman Steet and Olivetti Street. We have great memories of the Morrison Avenue gang where we played touch football in the street with Jim Gregory's house on one side and Jerry Freeborn's on the other. Clyde Lewis, Jr. and Johnnie Lewis would join us. Also, we played endless basketball games on the court behind Jim Gregory's. All this was about a decade earlier than your group.
Rick Tuttle Plattsburgh High School 1957.

(Foxy's note: Great to hear from Rick Tuttle, all the way from Los Angeles. Rick was a 2006 inductee into the Plattsburgh High School Athletic Hall of Fame.)

Welcome home from the hospital Mike Mannix - be well and know that you are definitely someone who makes the North Country such a great place to live!

Foxy:

I am home from the hospital and can think of no better blog than the one I am responding to. You, Bullet and Carver really hit everything on target. Sorry to hear about about the loss of Gordie, he sure left his mark on the City of Plattsburgh and the growth of many young men and women who played little league baseball in our city.

Being a "card-carrying" member of the Montcalmers I was surprised to learn that you "Fox Hillers" feared anything.

Growing up in Plattsburgh in the 40's, 50's and even the 60's, the kids were protected, like Bullet said, our parents, neighbors, coaches, everyone had our back and they let us grow up and have fun and spread our wings. I was before you guys BUT I was also to have a great role in watching kids grow up as I was able to broadcase little league games, high school sports and follow many kids all the way through school and even into and after college. As a youngster, I had the benefit of having John Flynn, Shorty Flynn, Barry Branon, Al Pajonas, Dutch Prochell in Malone, Pickles Proctor, Andy Simays, Wally Vanderhoof, Roy Raby, Peter Blumette, Sal Righi, Bobby Garrow, Jim Sears, Bobby Parker, Dud Bullis, Warren Tessier, Billy Flynn, Ray Holmes and Fuzzy Fesette and many more to look up to and help many of us grow up and establish ourselves into this community.

Thanks for an outstanding and thought provoking blog. One of your best, if not the best yet. Glad to be back reading it.

(Foxy's note: Hope all is well, Mike, and thanks for the insight into a few years before my time. Hope to see you soon. I'll buy breakfast!)

Wow, Foxy, you've done it again! I grew up on S. Catherine St, between Broad and Battery Sts. I knew lots of folks from the Flats. One of them was our TV repairman, Harold Brohinsky. We grew up without a dad and I remember hoping my mom and Mr. Brohinsky would hook up! LOL. The "West Enders" were, to me, the rich people. In fifth grade I used to walk home with two friends who lived in the West End, in the hopes they'd invite me in their home. Ok, honestly, I was "tagging along". One of them would usually invite me in. I'd dream I'd have a nice house someday. Well, that dream has come true. I now live in Cliff Haven and it's like a blast in the past. What a wonderful 'hood it is. There's a beach, lots of activities for the kids and folks walk around and visit and take care of each other. I feel very lucky.

Been a Montcalmer just about all my life. Finally moved out of the french quarters, which is what the Montcalm, champlain and lafayette street were originally known as. We had our own little community right on Montcalm. We had 5 grocery stores, a gas station, a couple of bars, a movie theatre and restaurant, a furniture and clothing store. Cab service, cleaners and two different gangs. The Cozy Corner gang and the north end gang on the other end of the street. We had our own baseball and football teams and would play anyone in the city. Once in awhile we would let a fox hiller visit, but not too long.

Foxy,
You continue to have the greatest blog in the country. Watch out for flying softballs.
Hope you don't mind me using this site to drop Al Ryan a note.
Al,
I need the site to chat with you. I got a new computer and somehow lost it.
Thanks Foxy!!!!!!!

Foxy,
Another great blog as usual. Being a semi young guy, similar to Kern I grew up on Lafayette Street. Bailey Ave was the place to go for sports. M&C Market and Fountain and Lucas for penny candy that cost a nickel. I remember being out all day and as Mr Staves said all your secrets were the talk of the dinner table. Things seemed so much easier then. I live on Palmer Street now and have a son at Stafford. I would like to think that he will have similar stories to tell his friends. Thanks for the memories.

Foxy,
Great blog going. Interesting how all of us saw the neighborhoods in different ways as we grew up in our fair city. One of the great equalizers was always sports. Whether it was Little League Baseball, Babe Ruth Baseball, Bailey and Monty St. basketball and later on High School sports, we had greater opportunities to really begin to know the other guys from the other "hoods". Think about the great friendships that were forged between a "mountie" and a "johnie" or Fox Hiller and a West Ender of which continue to this very day.The other thing that was always fascinating was sitting down at the dinner table and having your father tell you what you were doing all day when you believed only 2 or 3 of your friends were privy to your mischievious ways. Each neighborhood had their watches back then that's for sure. And of course there were all those great parents we had who coached, drove us, cooked and lived their lives in order to make ours that much better.
Lastly, a tribute to a fallen neighborhood buddy, Gordie Coryea. He was the ultimate friend, ready to help anybody, always up to have fun and a good time, an unselfish teammate and someone you would want to be next to in a foxhole. He's probably burying that patented long one hander from the corner. Too bad the 3 point line came too late for Gordie, it was designed for him.
Staves

Hey Foxy,,,,,,,,,,Very interesting blog as are most of them. Though Rouses Point was my stomping grounds in those days, did spend a lot of weekend time in Plattsburgh and it wasn't shopping (at least not the kind you do in stores). For example, shopped a lot in the Strand Theatre Balcony. The point is--The neighborhoods and many of the names I read, are very familiar to me.......................I think the thing that really jumped out at me at first reading of the blog is the use of the word "gangs" . Like so many other things, the use of the word "gang" meant something entirely different than it does in this day and age....Today, one immediately conjures up a mind visual of young people toting knives, guns etc etc and being involved in drive-by shootings. Back then it basically meant a bunch of neighborhood guys and gals that hung around together, played ball together and rarely got involved in as much as a scuffle over territorial "rights". We didn't rob stores, beat up everyone that came into the neighborhood that didn't look familiar, etc etc......What a difference a few years makes..............Rouses Point had a few "gangs" back in that era. For example there was the "Corner Gang" that held forth at the northwest end of the village in the Church Street-Pratt St.-State St. area. At the far northeastern end of the village was the Rose Avenue Gang. There were also a couple of "gangs" in the middle and southern regions of the village but I don't think any of them were even named.....I don't recall a serious incident that ever evolved......I never recall hearing of a major incident in Plattsburgh either. But, I guess it sounded real important and ominous for someone to proudly announce that they were a member of this gang or that gang and that's about as far as it went. Sadly, it's an entirely different story today in many places......I am very grateful for having been lucky enough to grow up in an area such as the Rouses Point-Plattsburgh corner of the world and I predict that scores of today's area young people, who may be whining about "nothing to do", "dead towns" and the like, will look back on their teen-age years twenty years from now and realize how fortunate they were as well..........Keep up the good work and regards to all (especially the Strand Theatre Balcony Alumni)..........Al Ryan

(Foxy's note: Thanks, Al, for sharing your memories about those great ol' days!)

Hey Fox, I had the best of both worlds!! I grew up on Palmer, so I guess we were considered to be the
"East Coast" Montcalmers. We had such a great neighborhood, Murrays, Kavanaughs, Garrows, Schmidts, Rabideaus, Keyes, Anderson's, Ryders Chapmans, Repas's, Foys, Deons, Reids, just to name a few! dogs running free (didn't need lease law). Ball games of all sorts at Bailey Ave or Foy's lot, Fountain & Lucas, Murray's and Yelles for our shopping pleasure!!... But it it was just as nice on the other end of town. My grandmother living directly across from Fox Hill, on So. Platt with another great bunch of neighbors, Staves, Brown's, Pelkey's, Corrow's, Stewarts, Burdo's and plenty of others.. Plenty of shopping spots as well, Burdo's, Richard's, Carmens, Bedard's and Ashlines .... Growing up as a kid
just didn't get any better than that!...Been pretty fortunate to have my kids grow up in our little corner on the West End , With many terrific neighbors ... thinkin I might run into some of those neighbors (new and old ) tonight at bloggers headquarters!! See ya there!

I am very proud to say that I married into the Fox Hill Gang. Awhile back Ken, Dubie, Hector, Gary L., Carl K., Bobby H. and their respective wives got together for annual parties (we called it the Yogi Bear Club - I don't know why) and I had the pleasure of listening to and re-living with them some great stories. Any memories that produce that much laughter are worth their weight in gold. I'm sure this Blog will produce great flash-backs for many to laugh about. Good Job!

My father, Gary Butler was one of those Montcalmers (he probably had left for college before you were roaming around on you bike) but..... had I known know his reputation maybe I would of been scared of him growing up.

(Foxy's note: Great to hear from Beth, one of my all-time favorite students!)

As a kid growing up, we lived on Cornelia St. at the end of Champlain St, the next street west of Montcalm. I used ride my bike to all the neighborhoods. Anywhere there was a pick-up hockey game (street or ice), or a baseball game I was there. We used to go to St. Peters, Bailey Ave., or Oak St. to play baseball. Or head-up to the west end or MAI to play hockey. Occasionally, we would wander over, across the bridges, to play ball against the Fox Hill or South Platt gang. Funny how you thought the Montcalmers were a tough group and we thought you all were the bruisers!

(Foxy's note: Yes, Kern, exactly the point! Thanks for the input.)

I read your blog occasionally, and this was the best one I recall. I live on Johnson Ave., just down from your Mom, and I'll have to say the neighborhood still has some of the qualities you remember affectionately. Kids ride their bikes up and down all day, hang around together in little clusters, visit RIchard's store and play ball over at Momot school. Neighbors know and like each other on Johnson, and I am very happy to report that there are a large number of younger folks moving in to keep Fox Hill a diverse, vibrant neighborhood. My wife grew up in the Flats and has spent most of her adult life in Fox Hill. She knows way more about the neighborhood than I do. Even though I am a transplant to Fox Hill, I still feel welcomed and a part of the community. Attention North Country: if you want a great place to live, move to Ward 2 and Fox Hill!

(Foxy's note: Great to hear that the street is doing well! Thanks for the input, Mike.)

Foxy,
Being brought up at 25 Peru Street our neighborhood was bounded by Peru Street from lower Bridge up to about Ma's Hut and down Hamilton St along the lake to Bridge again including McComb St. and MacDonaugh. There weren't as many kids but we did go sledding on Horn Hill which had a vertical drop of about 15'. We were never allowed to go to Fox Hill because of fear that we would end up in the river. It is so sad that never again have parents been able to just send their kids out of the house to sled or bike or just go to the store without the fear of harm coming to them. I must say that going by where Hamilton Street School was i can't imagine that a school indeed did fit in that little lot. The only other school I remember with the same looks was Elm St. When we moved to Cumberland Ave. in '58 I couldn't believe the number of kids in that neighborhood. They went to PHS, MAI & St.John's so we got to know kids at all the schools, unfortunately OLVA was pretty much, I think, a true neighborhood church school. Sad to think that they are all gone now. I heard that the accumulated trophies were auctioned off at some point, so there are only yearbooks and pictures left. Foxy, you do an excellent job of stirring up the memories, thanks.

Shame on you Foxy for never venturing into the "West End" in your childhood. Before you traveled the city on your bicycle or by foot the west end was a wonderful area to live in and explore. Prospect Ave. was a dirt road as was West Court Street. Off Broad St where Leonard Ave. is now was Art Leonard's farm . It abutted Tremblay's farm to the south. You had fields from Broad St. to Rugars Woods and the dam at Imperial Mill. Here we met with the Fox Hill group for swimming. To the north of Cornelia St. you had Strattons Woods where we could go, build lean-tos and spend the night. We had a very small number of children but had some great athletes in the neighborhood. We would more often than not travel to play the Montcalmers at St. Peters field, the Flats at PHS or the Sailly Ave. bunch behind the old Plattsburgh Dairy. This would be nice because we could always go in the dairy and the Pearl boys would supply us with chocolate milk. If one of the Bouyea boys was around they would go over to the cake shop (where the bakery used to be before it closed) and come back with cupcakes or cakes. Some of the friends that I made back then are still great friends. It was a great time to grow up in Plattsburgh where we had so many opportunities to explore and experience so many different things.