Page 4 THE MALDEN ADVOCATE–Wednesday, November 25, 2020 Malden Today, Tomorrow and Yesterday... All roads lead back to Suffolk Square By Peter F. Levine T he late, great Bill Mini was a prolific human being. Husband, father, author, educator, photographer, veteran, painter and proud MHS graduate. The man did it all. A guy with many friends and incomparable raconteur is where Bill Mini sits in my consciousness. Bill was the original “Boss of Bosses.” I would SNOW BLOWER SALES, SERVICE & REPAIRS Pickup/Delivery Available 1039 BROADWAY, REVERE 781-289-6466 781-289-6466 WWW.BIKERSOUTFITTER.COM WWW.BIKERSOUTFITTER.COM Lawrence A. Simeone Jr. Attorney-at-Law ~ Since 1989 ~ * Corporate Litigation * Criminal/Civil * MCAD * Zoning/Land Court * Wetlands Litigation * Workmen’s Compensation * Landlord/Tenant Litigation * Real Estate Law * Construction Litigation * Tax Lein * Personal Injury * Bankruptcy * Wrongful Death * Zoning/Permitting Litigation 300 Broadway, Suite 1, Revere * 781-286-1560 lsimeonejr@simeonelaw.net The Malden Y.M.H.A. Hoop Team: Front row, left to right: Lou Krinsky, Carl Forman, Dowie Swartz, Lou Harris and Eddie Wartell; center: Hawkie Weiner; top row, left to right, includes Rusty Brodsky, Eddie Weiner, Abe Goodman, Nuke Levine (no relation) and Lou Ludmersky. (Photo Courtesy of Bill Mini) watch the “Chairman of the Board” hold court on Saturday mornings at the old Schopel’s in Malden Square as if he were Keith Lockhart conducting the Boston Pops. He went to his great reward in 2009 but not before leaving us a treasure trove of the written word to remember him by. He wrote a column for the Malden Evening News called “Then and Now” and one for the Malden Advocate called “Reminiscing with Bill Mini” that were pure pleasure and an essential read. It is from these columns that I gained much knowledge of everyday life in a Malden long gone, and mostly forgotten. It is also with great pleasure that I bring you one of my favorites. It appeared in the Malden Evening News June 14, 1993, simply titled, “All Roads Lead Back to Suffolk Square.” “They all played ball… “If you remember Zadle, Doody, Yosell, Yankel, Snootsie, Gorilla, Mustard, Shikie, Speed, Rusty, Natie, Apples, Cherry, Pickles, Pinky, Twisty, Pippy, Mugsie, Spinach, Ubie, Tiger Jack, Small Man, Buffle Carp, Putzil, Abie Gordan, and others too numerous to mention, then you can say you came from the old Suffolk Square. “All the above-mentioned guys at one time or another hung around Mrs. Gordon’s store on Cross Street. It was the only place where you could get a ‘2 cent plain’ and the chance to win a prize if you picked the chocolate candy that had the pink filling. Many a fingernail scratch could be seen on the bottoms of the candies. “They also had a target practice game. Today the machine shoots small steel balls. In those days it shot the penny that you put in the machine. If you got it in the hole the penny would return, and you’d get another try. Although there is no official record available, I have been told by Mike Golomb himself that he held the championship for the most wins. “Mrs. Gordon’s store was a meeting place for the boys. She thought highly of my good friend Jerry ‘Dowie’ Swartz and he was the only one allowed behind the counter. It was here that the guys would hang out and discuss their dates, basketball games or maybe a dance that was coming up. The dances were usually held after basketball games at the Lincoln Junior High gym. “There were several basketball teams in those days, namely the Bisets, Y.M.H.A., Rangers, ALCOAS, Macabees, Missions, and the Diamonds. The ‘Personality Kid,’ Putzil Glick, was the guy who booked all the games, dances, and events back then. They called Putzil the ‘Personality Kid,’ not only because of his popularity but because he used to wear a white suit made by Personality Clothes Company. When he opened his jacket, there covering the entire front of his vest were the 48 states. He was given a lot of attention when he came on the scene in those days. He is still the same today, personality busting out all over especially when he starts talking about the old days. “In those days we had a semipro baseball team in Malden. It was called the Malden Athletics. This was long before Babe Perrigo and the Twi-City league started in Malden. Hawkie Weiner played for the Athletics and Twister Nager was their star pitcher. “In those days pro teams would travel to various cities and put on exhibition games. One day the Boston Braves came to Pearl Street Stadium (now Macdonald Stadium) to play the Malden Athletics. Wally Berger of the Braves hit one over the tanks that were locatMALDEN: TODAY | SEE PAGE 13
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