By Brian P. Wallace
A few weeks ago I wrote an article about my memories of Broadway, and I want to thank all those people who sent me a card or a letter telling me how much the article meant to them. I ran into a Southie guy last week. He was a retired firefighter, and we began to talk about the article. He was older than me, and his memories of Broadway were different than mine. But, that is the whole point. Not everyone has the same memories or even sees the same thing in the same light. Memories are as mutually exclusive as fingerprints. What might be special to me, might mean absolutely nothing to the next person. The same holds for this article. It deals with some of the people, places, and things that I miss. I hope some of them hit home for you.
Any article about me must always start with my parents Helen and Bubby Wallace. They were the best and let me do and explore my first loves, sports and the Boys Club. I will always appreciate them for that.
- I miss a very special friend who died too early in the line of duty. His name was Tommy Connolly and he was a great basketball player who taught me a lot. RIP Tom.
- I miss Dorgan’s on Friday afternoons, the Broadway Show and Mrs. Gagin’s tubby’s.
- I miss Kelly’s Landing. I miss Abe’s and tuna spuckie’s from Pete’s at E and 5th and John’s on Old Colony Ave.
- I miss the big three of Bobby Thompson, Stretch and Bobby Nichols at the L. I miss Knocko. I miss the 4th of July fireworks down the stadium.
- I miss Southie Day. I miss going to games at White Stadium and the Arena. I miss Doc Reid, Charlie Ray and Jimmy Poor.
- I miss Mike Pano and Satch Crowe. I miss all the old bars/taverns, Churches and schools. I miss the clock on St. Augustine’s steeple that was my compass.
- I miss knowing everyone at Castle Island. I miss the Quarry’s. I miss Tuffy O’Hare and Vinny Trasky. I miss Jimmy Condon’s farm.
- I miss Tom Gailunas and the gang down F Street. I miss the druggie and Boob and Weed. I miss Del’s pizza truck.
- I miss playing stickball, halfball and bar ball in the Gavin Schoolyard. I always wondered what happened to Bobby McGuire, Ronnie and Bobby Patterson.
- I miss Kenny Franco. I miss listening to “The Boston Mass” I miss the incredible telents of Leo Stapelton, Bobby Guitar Dunlap and Cat Morris.
- I would give anything to hear Louie Sasso, Leo McCarty, Casey and DL sing again. I miss watching Dom Gentile, Pat Flaherty and Wally Quigg carry the football.
- I miss the quarterback wizardry of Teddy Cunniff, Frannie Coughlin and Eddie Walsh. I miss watching Tommy Connors, Danny Long, Peter Welch and the Shea twin’s box.
- I miss the legendary drives to the hoop by Leo Mahoney, the dribbling of Satch, the shooting of Ray and Paul Flynn and the coaching of Injun.
- I miss the passing of Chrissy Aylward and the speed of Gerry Etro. I miss Brian Coughlin scoring on a pass from Richie Fowkes and the defense of Bobby Fowkes. I miss Paul Wilson and Brian Walsh in the nets and their coach Tom Apprille.
- I’d love to see a Jimmy Barrineau or Bob Cat Dooley fastball one more time or a curveball from Billy Paulsen and Jimmy Higgins. I miss Park League Football and George McCarthy. I miss Bobby Lerro.
- I miss watching Chicka Noonan pitch and Hoppa catch. I miss watching the towering drives by Bobby Dunkle, Jackie Farrell, Nino and Jimmy Ridge.
- I miss the Quietman, the Cornerstone and Todda. I miss the Chippewas. I miss Gorins, the 5&10, and the old bowling alley on West Broadway. I miss Blinstrub’s, and Kostik’s Deli…
I miss all my dear friends who never returned home from Viet Nam, as well as all the others who passed away too early. I miss a place I grew up in called Southie which was our own private Camelot.
