Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-06-02
PLAY IN THE STREETS
Thoroughfares of New York
Utilized by the Children.
SOME GREAT STREET GAMES
cold Cat a Favorite With Boys of
the Metropolis.
VARIATIONS OF THE SPORT
Girls Hold Sewing Parties on the
Sidewalks of the East Side-Piec-
ing Together Torn Posters.
VARIATIONS OF THE SPORT
Written for The Star.

Written for The Star.
OF course, the streets OF New York were
never laid out for such a purpose. But
who among the several hundred thousand
boys and girls of the play age on the Is
land OF Manhattan cares? Parks and play
grodhds there are. but far away, and ma
ture never meant that young legs should
travel far 10 play. And here are the streets
running right by the doors--and into them
and almost under the horses hoofs the
children roll and romp and laugh and fight
and squabbIe. and go back 10 their homes
at night. dead tired and supremely happy.
The streets of Manhattan are no longer
passageways for traffic merely. They are
the narrowest and longest Fairgrounds IN
the world They are bounded by the high
est dwelling houses. And they are the most
dangerous Fairgrounds known. Yet the
accidents that befall children playing there
70 are amazingly few compared with the
great number Of children exposed to the
dangers.
No street OF Manhattan Island Is free
Of romping children. I have seen boys and
girls-Offspring OF the men who live In and
have charge of the downtown office build
tngs-playing tag on Broadway under the
shadow OF old Trinitys spire. The young
sters who are sheltered In the tenementS
bordering the wholesale drygoods district
delight to scramble over the great piles of
boxes and cases that block the sidewalks
OF this quarter every afternoon from
o'clock til dusk. Around busy Fulton War
ket, at whose water front the fishing fleets
tie up boys chase one another In tag after
plunge into the racing East river, from
the tops OF Ash cars showing level with
the waters surface.
Along West street where the great liners
load and discharge, and which, OF an after
noon. is a confused sea of grooming We
4. -.
sun. the fun-seeklng youngster is ubiQui-
tous. I have seen a group of boys seize a
space just cleared of great hOgsheads, and
with all the calm assurance OF youth. begin
a base bail game under the proud nose of
international commerce. On n summer
Sunday, when the huge maws of the cavern
Gus piers shut, and the thunderouS
rumble OF the truck Is silent, here and
there the entire length of the Streat, many
games of base ball are 10 be noted. Some-
times the players would easily be passed by,
except for their shouting. so completely are
they hidden by freight piles. Sometimes
but not often, the pleasure seekers are
found to be young men instead or boys
West Is very wide street whore commerce
Is heaviest and. therefore, well suited for
base ball contests. The players are not
reduced to the necessity of lamentably
shortening the distance between bases: nor
20 planning such a "squashed up diamond
or the pitchers box. Such makeshifts are
necessary in the crowded and narrow
streets OF the East Side Yet they do not
seem to diminish the JOY the amateurs.
In most cases little Yiddishers. who until
they were brought to this country did not
know there such a bully game as base
ball in existence
Rich Children Play IN the Streets.
In fine weather Riverside. She great
pleasure driveway skirthg the Hudson.
Is strung from one end to the other with
children. many OF whom improve the
sunny hours by diligently filing their
seashore tin buckets with gravel from
the bicycle and bride paths And the
workers OF the park department smile as
he,es are scooped into the even surface
OF the bicycle path. and later patiently
fill them UP. A man with gray streaking
his hair-a doting grandfather. maybe--is
not one TO rebuke sprlgs of humanity for
gaining a little pleasure at his own ex-
pense OF energy and time.
Even the children of the very weil-to-
do, indeed. who would be looked upon
as rich anywhere outside OF New York;.
and yes. children who win one day in