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| Murray Fleck
- 2003 |
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I remember the baby parade of 1934,
my sister Nan was in it. I remember the Morro
Castle, the boardwalk collapse, and the beginning of
parking meters installed for the sight seers. I
remember going to Bond Street Grammar School, being a
safety crossing guard and getting in to see the Asbury
Park Blue Bishops football team for free. I
remember the Main Central hotel fire, and I remember the
Monterey Hotel, and the Drug Store at the Berkley
Carteret--My uncle owned it. I remember the tulips
in all the parks. I remember the St. James, the
Mayfair and the Lyric theaters as well as the Paramount.
I remember Steinbach's, People's Drug store and all the
wonderful businesses on Cookman Avenue.
I have many, many more beautiful memories of Asbury
Park, but seeing it 5 years ago on Memorial Day, I
remembered crying at the desolation. The movie
"City by the Sea" made the tears come again.
When will we ever see that marvelous little Jewel of the
Jersey Shore get back some of its former glory?
...and a follow-up snippet: Being only 42
(me) you really never did know the pre WW2 view of
Asbury. It was an unbelievable lovely place.
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Edward Russo |
My father worked with the late actor Vic Morrow at Skillo it
was a bingo parlor. My father and brother would tell me stories
how they met the Three Stooges on the Boardwalk. I remember the
greatest drink was those orange drinks but I cannot remember
the name (Kohr's).I can also remember the trolly car that
would take you up and down the Boardwalk. Or sneaking under the
railings and trying to get on the beach without paying.
Another interesting fact - I can when the actor Danny
Devito would cut my mothers hair! he worked for his sister in
a local beauty Parlor. Those where the days. I am 40 now and
it feels like yesterday I was a kid in Asbury Park.Oh before I
go My uncle worked the Merry-go-Round at the Palace. I remember
if you grabbed a gold ring you would win a prize. So what I
did that day at home I sprayed painted the metal ring gold.
But it did not work. They checked the rings with a magnet to
see if it was really a brass ring or metal! In any case I
cannot believe that someone cannot bring Asbury Park back to
life again Beachfronts are so valuable someone with a vision
can turn it around. Look at South Beach that was a hell hole
full of drugs and hookers. Now look!!!! I know one day it will
change!!!!
God Bless Asbury Park and all my great memories!!!
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| From John Stoneman - |
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You've got a great website on
Asbury Park ....... I have one page on my site about
"the circuit" you may want to check out.
US: Check out his
EXCELLENT view of the "CIRCUIT"
No mention of John Bass the
boardwalk artist? John Bass IS the Asbury Park
Boardwalk. Not only did he spend more time painting, and
performing on the boardwalk than any other person alive, but
he was a "main attraction" for may people for many
years. He still paints on the boardwalk (behind the
Howard Johnson's) when ever there is a crowd (like the
Springsteen thing a while back, and the Asbury Music Fest last
year). Actually John Bass and I were
"Boardwalk Performers (guitar) .......... In the late
70's ....... We played all night long, every night of the week
from 75-76 to about 1980. No mention or memory of
us? We played at the first bench north of the Casino, right
across form the guy who guessed your weight. We were a
"fixture" of the Asbury Boardwalk
..............besides the boardwalk, we also occasionally
played Mrs. Jays on slow days, or if a band canceled at the
last minute. PS- John Bass is a good source for detailed
information on the Boardwalk.
John Stoneman Be sure to visit my Stoneman
Guitars website at :
www.angelfire.com/pa2/STONEMANGUITARS
See the Guitar Shop cam
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