BASEBALL in the 40's

We certainly had our variations of baseball. Box ball to hose ball. Actual bats to broomsticks. A half ball, piece of hose, pimple or tennis ball, a hard ball that was probably wrapped for the 2nd or 3rd time with tape.

We played almost anywhere. A public playground when the field was open; a vacant lot with tin cans and broken bottles ( tho I don't recall anyone sliding into a base). Mostly there were no baseball gloves, bare handed hardball was it.

There was an organized league called "The Babe Ruth League", but I never knew anyone who was in it. The public playground was a field of black cinders but they had real bases and we could slide into a base with little damage.

A bathhouse was part of the playground and of course there was girl's day and boy's day. To enter you had to have a dry bathing suit. The swim time was about 45 minutes. We went for the early swim, about 11 am. Played some ball 'til our suits dried then went in for another swim. On saturday we still had time for a matinee at the movie. On Sunday, the church dance and pizza at Fiore's afterward or a malted milk shake and cheese steak at a corner store. When we felt like walking, it was Pat's Steaks on 9th and Passyunk for a special treat.

At that time Philadelphia had 2 major league teams, Phillies and Athletics. My uncle Reds took me to a Phillies game and they won. Thanks uncle Reds.

My uncle Reds (Levino DiLiberato) was a unique individual of many skills. He road the rails as a vagabond, crossing the country many times in railroad box cars. He played the violin, mandolin and was a National Checker Champion and competitive  as a National Chess Champion.

DonofCooking: FOOTBALL in the 40's

DonofCooking: FOOTBALL in the 40's: "Football in the street; two hand touch. Our ball was rolled up newspaper wrapped with string. We dodged a pile of manure here and there, but..."

FOOTBALL in the 40's

Football in the street; two hand touch. Our ball was rolled up newspaper wrapped with string. We dodged a pile of manure here and there, but it was still fun.

When someone came up with a real football we went to Columbus Park and played tackle. We never had a full team on either side, but we could mix it up.

The only time I was ever injured is the one and only time I wore equipment; helmet, shoulder pads and knee pads. One play is all it took. It was the kick off. The ball went sailing over my head, I turned to see where it was going and the damned thing bounced backward, landed in my arms and the whole team hit me. I only went down on one knee. The ankle of that leg was where half the tacklers ended up.

I limped to the sideline and my vision turned purple. The whole world was purple. I passed out for about 10 or 20 seconds. For the next 3 weeks as I limped about, the guys called me elephant ankle. Never again wore equipment and I never lost my appetite for football or food.