In my opinion, they always had the best Sicilian pizza around (consistent at all 3 locations) – and when I was last there it had not changed (must be an old family recipe still in use) Do you know if all 3 locations are still open?
Jack McCue was, indeed, a varsity hoops stand out at SFP – I believe he graduated in 1971.
I am anxious to know how DABOC’s “return to Ridgewood” trip turned out – did you get back to Norman Street? What’s it like over there these days? I was last in the ‘hood about 6 years ago and went past my childhood home and other places important to me like PS 68 playground (home of countless stickball games for me), Corrato Pizza (the one on Myrtle near Fresh Pond – there is also one on Fresh Pond and the original on Myrtle close to the Ridgewood Theatre) Things seemed pretty good back then
John Dafgard was ALWAYS known to me as “Rocky”, a name that apparently came with him from St. Brigid’s to SFP – perhaps you can shed some light on the origins of the nickname
I don’t think I ever met a more serious or intense student than Bob Dominiani – he was driven from the first day at SFP to become an MD and ultimately became one (a medical doctor, not a Maryland resident :)). I never thought he enjoyed school at all and missed out on a LOT of fun…and he was so uptight about academic success that he would literally make himself ill around tests and schoolwork – but a most brilliant guy with an incredible work ethic.
Any idea as to what became of Bill (not Billy) Joel? Wasn’t he also a St. Brigid’s guy?
Peter – I rarely, if ever, walked from Myrtle/Wyckoff to Glendale so I did spend a lot of time on (and even more time waiting for) the B-55. Sometimes I would go upstairs and take the Metropolitan Ave “el” to Fresh Pond Road and walk from there or stay on the LL to Halsey St and walk from there. You do have a great memory for detail, with some misplaced punctuation! – Joe Graif married Vicki Craft who was from Maryland (MD) – she was not an M.D. :)
Joe and I first met when we were in the 8th grade and competed in a Catholic School spelling bee at the Knights of Columbus on Fresh Pond Road and Catalpa Ave. There was about 20 competitors and he and I wound up being the two finalists. He won – I went down on “fundamental” (I put an “e” where the first “a” should have been) which was a fundamental error, I guess. Anyway, when I reported to SFP on the first day of freshman year, there was Joe in the same class (like you, we were in that year’s scholarship class) and in the locker next to mine (we had 3 guys to a locker, assigned alphabetically – so I shared with Mike Daley and Roberto Dominiani) with Joe, Bob Genalo and ? next to us.
Peter K – another blast from the past – Joe Kuceluk! In my high school days, I spent most of my hanging out time in Greenpoint, since my main buds, Mike Daley, John Gryzanka and Wally Winkowski lived there (spent many late nights “dazed and confused” on the GG and LL going back and forth to Glendale). Joe K was also a Greenpoint guy, and was a grammar school mate of John & Wally’s at St. Stan’s. One thing I remember about him was that he had a crush on Mike Daley’s younger sister Rita (and may have dated her) and always referred to her as “Rita – La Dolce Vita” I also remember him as a major Bob Dylan fan.
Peter – funny you should mention John Kiely – Earlier today, when I stumbled across this site, I sent him the URL. He and I lived in the same house growing up(a two family)on Cooper Ave as noted in my earlier post. I was just at his 50th birthday party this past weekend (also attended by Bob Genalo, a classmate of mine at SFP and SFC)– John now lives in Allendale, NJ and his mom (who was at the party) splits her time between Florida and Glendale, where she continues to maintain a residence on 64th St., just off of Cooper Ave. Mike Daley now lives in Florida, having recently re-located there from upstate NY. John speaks to him regularly and I played golf with him last September in NJ. I played golf this past Sunday with another SFP alum who you may know, Walter Winkowski – I am the godfather to his son.
You are right in that Ridgewood, by mass transit standards, is on another planet if one is considering coming from Bay Ridge, Sheephead Bay, etc. (“You can’t get there from here”)
Someone earlier mentioned having seen the Dave Clark 5 at the Madison – I lived on Cooper Ave (near 64th St)in Glendale and remember one evening playing outside the house when the Dave Clark Five tour bus drove by with the band on their way to the Madison – my sisters, who are a few years older and were teenagers at the time, went crazy at the “glimpse” they got right outside our door.
Peter K – I remember Action Records very well – on Myrtle across from Woolworth & Kresge 5&10 stores – there was a “John’s Bargain Store” on that block for a while as well
My unlce worked for many years in the Home Federal Savings & Loan on Forest Ave, across from the Ridgewood Savings Bank, also a very nice bank building
Hi – I stumbled on this site quite accidentally and noticed my name being taken in vain :)
Hello to DABOC and Peter K!
Peter K – “John” referred to by DABOC is John Gryzanka (from Greenpoint), a classmate of mine at SFP and at St. Francis College – he died in a car accident in 1975 when we were in college.
As to the theatre – I remember seeing “The Longest Day” with my mom when I was about 10 years old and the original “Parent Trap” with Hayley Mills
The Madison Theatre was right across the street from the Ridgewood but I do not know of that exists anymore (I haven’t been back in the ‘hood in a while)
Anyway, this was a pleasant surprise – I’ll check back from time to time and look forward to hearing back! (DABOC – give my regards to Phil)
Peter
In my opinion, they always had the best Sicilian pizza around (consistent at all 3 locations) – and when I was last there it had not changed (must be an old family recipe still in use) Do you know if all 3 locations are still open?
To DABOC and Peter:
Jack McCue was, indeed, a varsity hoops stand out at SFP – I believe he graduated in 1971.
I am anxious to know how DABOC’s “return to Ridgewood” trip turned out – did you get back to Norman Street? What’s it like over there these days? I was last in the ‘hood about 6 years ago and went past my childhood home and other places important to me like PS 68 playground (home of countless stickball games for me), Corrato Pizza (the one on Myrtle near Fresh Pond – there is also one on Fresh Pond and the original on Myrtle close to the Ridgewood Theatre) Things seemed pretty good back then
Peter –
John Dafgard was ALWAYS known to me as “Rocky”, a name that apparently came with him from St. Brigid’s to SFP – perhaps you can shed some light on the origins of the nickname
I don’t think I ever met a more serious or intense student than Bob Dominiani – he was driven from the first day at SFP to become an MD and ultimately became one (a medical doctor, not a Maryland resident :)). I never thought he enjoyed school at all and missed out on a LOT of fun…and he was so uptight about academic success that he would literally make himself ill around tests and schoolwork – but a most brilliant guy with an incredible work ethic.
Any idea as to what became of Bill (not Billy) Joel? Wasn’t he also a St. Brigid’s guy?
Peter – I rarely, if ever, walked from Myrtle/Wyckoff to Glendale so I did spend a lot of time on (and even more time waiting for) the B-55. Sometimes I would go upstairs and take the Metropolitan Ave “el” to Fresh Pond Road and walk from there or stay on the LL to Halsey St and walk from there. You do have a great memory for detail, with some misplaced punctuation! – Joe Graif married Vicki Craft who was from Maryland (MD) – she was not an M.D. :)
Joe and I first met when we were in the 8th grade and competed in a Catholic School spelling bee at the Knights of Columbus on Fresh Pond Road and Catalpa Ave. There was about 20 competitors and he and I wound up being the two finalists. He won – I went down on “fundamental” (I put an “e” where the first “a” should have been) which was a fundamental error, I guess. Anyway, when I reported to SFP on the first day of freshman year, there was Joe in the same class (like you, we were in that year’s scholarship class) and in the locker next to mine (we had 3 guys to a locker, assigned alphabetically – so I shared with Mike Daley and Roberto Dominiani) with Joe, Bob Genalo and ? next to us.
Peter K – another blast from the past – Joe Kuceluk! In my high school days, I spent most of my hanging out time in Greenpoint, since my main buds, Mike Daley, John Gryzanka and Wally Winkowski lived there (spent many late nights “dazed and confused” on the GG and LL going back and forth to Glendale). Joe K was also a Greenpoint guy, and was a grammar school mate of John & Wally’s at St. Stan’s. One thing I remember about him was that he had a crush on Mike Daley’s younger sister Rita (and may have dated her) and always referred to her as “Rita – La Dolce Vita” I also remember him as a major Bob Dylan fan.
Peter – funny you should mention John Kiely – Earlier today, when I stumbled across this site, I sent him the URL. He and I lived in the same house growing up(a two family)on Cooper Ave as noted in my earlier post. I was just at his 50th birthday party this past weekend (also attended by Bob Genalo, a classmate of mine at SFP and SFC)– John now lives in Allendale, NJ and his mom (who was at the party) splits her time between Florida and Glendale, where she continues to maintain a residence on 64th St., just off of Cooper Ave. Mike Daley now lives in Florida, having recently re-located there from upstate NY. John speaks to him regularly and I played golf with him last September in NJ. I played golf this past Sunday with another SFP alum who you may know, Walter Winkowski – I am the godfather to his son.
You are right in that Ridgewood, by mass transit standards, is on another planet if one is considering coming from Bay Ridge, Sheephead Bay, etc. (“You can’t get there from here”)
Someone earlier mentioned having seen the Dave Clark 5 at the Madison – I lived on Cooper Ave (near 64th St)in Glendale and remember one evening playing outside the house when the Dave Clark Five tour bus drove by with the band on their way to the Madison – my sisters, who are a few years older and were teenagers at the time, went crazy at the “glimpse” they got right outside our door.
Peter K – I remember Action Records very well – on Myrtle across from Woolworth & Kresge 5&10 stores – there was a “John’s Bargain Store” on that block for a while as well
My unlce worked for many years in the Home Federal Savings & Loan on Forest Ave, across from the Ridgewood Savings Bank, also a very nice bank building
Peter K – Rich Danderline – SFP 72
St. Matthias graduate and Glendale resident (now living in Montclair, NJ)
Hi – I stumbled on this site quite accidentally and noticed my name being taken in vain :)
Hello to DABOC and Peter K!
Peter K – “John” referred to by DABOC is John Gryzanka (from Greenpoint), a classmate of mine at SFP and at St. Francis College – he died in a car accident in 1975 when we were in college.
As to the theatre – I remember seeing “The Longest Day” with my mom when I was about 10 years old and the original “Parent Trap” with Hayley Mills
The Madison Theatre was right across the street from the Ridgewood but I do not know of that exists anymore (I haven’t been back in the ‘hood in a while)
Anyway, this was a pleasant surprise – I’ll check back from time to time and look forward to hearing back! (DABOC – give my regards to Phil)