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Last weekend the town that I grew up in began a yearlong celebration of it’s 100th birthday. I took the opportunity to revisit some of the things about my town—my home town that I cherish

RINGWOOD AVENUE-The main thoroughfare of the town so much more traffic now than ever before. I remember this avenue as we marched many times as kids either through the Little League or the great Memorial Cadets in what were real parades—they started at the A&P and continued all the way to Memorial Field

POMPEO’S FIELD-We could almost see it from our house on Greenwood. This was the place of our great 4-man softball team, Steve played the left side, Greg played the right, Keith played first and I pitched. We never lost—or at least I don’t remember losing

NATIONAL BERYLLA CORP-Right across the street, a kind of man made arena for great stickball and street hockey play. I could never sneak my tennis ball fastball by Steven even if the count was 3-0 and I gave him my best Don Gullet high hard one…….Bang it is high it is far………

BACK BEACH PARK-The place where my abbreviated baseball career began. Keith and I played for coach Joe Roberto, a team that was sponsored by Tony’s American gas station that used to be on the corner of Doty Road and Ringwood Avenue. The place where we played is now called Steven M. Platt field, a fitting tribute to my cousin Steve who left us way too soon. Back Beach Park is also the place where my dad hit a long home run for the AC in fast pitch softball. Sadly, it is also a place where a grammar school mate of mine drowned.

HASKELL SCHOOL- will always have a place in my heart, my elementary school. My dad, brother, and I all had the same teacher for fourth grade—Mrs., Van Waggoner. Sadly, Haskell School is also the first place that I experienced racial discrimination at the hands of some teachers and some students.

THE HASKELL SCHOOL PLAYGROUND-hosted many hours of fun for me as we played kickball during school hours, softball on lunch hour—who could ever forget the 8/5 machine. Our select 9 players would play against any pick up team that dared to play us during lunch, I don’t remember ever losing. I do remember when someone stole the girls’ softball team aluminum bat however. My most prominent memories of the playground were our streeethockey games usually after school or on weekends. Thanks to Jack Carfello for introducing us to street hockey, what fun we had

MEMORIAL FIELD-As I alluded to earlier Memorial Field was the termination of the annual Memorial Day parades but also hosted Little League Baseball and Football games. That was the place where winning football was played weekly beginning with Steven and Bo

LAKELAND REGIONAL HIGH SCHOOL-The place where my preparation for college took place. We made more friends there had fun playing freshman and sophomore football there too. It was here that I began to consistently write and express myself even if some people weren’t happy about what I wrote

I’m glad to be back home now after a 25-year hiatus soooo much has changed now the 287 etc., but yet sooo much has stayed the same----and for that I am grateful, they say that time passes and no doubt it surely does but I’m glad that every once in a while we can still slow things down sometimes and think back and remember a place called

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