Comments from our neighbors…
“The story about Steve Buschemi is true as can be. It was a Saturday night. Later in the evening …it was myself, Steve Bushemi, Duffer, Danny Quirke hanging out at the bar by the phone booth drinking containers. Buschemi lives in Park Slope. When you bump into Eddie Mills…ask him about the time Walter Matthau walked into Farrell’s. And MaryAnn is right about Robert Urich. He was filming Turk 182 at the time.”
-Mike Purdy
Isn’t it amazing how many famous people have walked through the doors of Farrell’s?
Hey guys i still remember the day i was in Farrells and lo and behold when i opened the door to the ladies room there was Jimmy Breslin in all his glory LOLOL I never will forget that !
-Diane C.
Jimmy Breslin, now there’s a solid journalist. I met his daughter a few years ago – she was real cool; a friend of a friend you could say…
Gerard
Glad you enjoyed Kathy’s party. It is always good to see everyone.
I love reading this blog it brings back so many memories of growing up in Holy Name.
Have a good day
Maryann Brunton
Lets go back a few year, 1960’s, without a nickle in my pocket I bet you I saw more games in Bishop Ford’s gym than most people who paid. I can remember standing in the hall and looking through the windows, watching warm-ups until someone would approch me and say ‘Hey Red go ahead on in and watch the game” later on he would address me as “hey Trapp”
I saw plays and games in that GYM that even some players forgot all about. It never failed Brother Fabien would always open the doors for us kids to go watch the games… Last year I actually called Bro Fabien who I believe is a priest today at, I think, Marist College, and I said to him I said Father I want to take to you back to the 60’s and he said, Ok that would be Bishop Ford High School. I said yes. The reason I called him was to thank him for letting me in to watch those games all those years..When I thanked him I told him I was the Little Red Headed kid in the lobby who he would on many occasions tell me to go on in and enjoy the game, at that time he also told me I was the first kid out there to take my shots at half time… He then went on and asked where I went to school and how was I doing. He told me that if he didn’t leave Bishop Ford I would have been able to attend, he said he would have figured something out…You see, living right across from HNS I was not use to a long commute and you can understand Bishop Ford would have worked out just right. I did make the waiting list for Ford,I think I was 22, if I would have waited I would have gotten in but it was to chancey, and I didn’t really want to take the chance of not getting in and going to a Public School,Thats why I ended up in the Bronx… That’s another story…
-B.T.
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Tomorrow, you’ll see a picture from way back and you won’t believe your eyes!
BT– i can remember watching gene mumford up at Ford even before i went there. that was before the armand hill era.
Armond Hill, asst. coach with the first place Boston Celtics.
My cousin Charie Gabbert told me that there was a guy named Mumford who played for Ford and he and Dean Meminger who went to Rice had some classic games against each other…whatever happened to him?
Harry, Gene Mumford was the best Basketball Player to come out of Bishop Ford, and I do think this was said in front of Armond at a dinner. I grew up watching Gene Mumford and can remember traveling to Fordham University to watch Ford and Rice in the City Playoffs. Jim, V, you were right he was Playing against Dean Meminger and Charlie Yelvington, the Game was not close. A Holy Name youngster was playing in the backcourt for Ford by the name of Bobby Welsh. Bobby Welsh was an Excellent player for Ford and had a Great Career there. Rice blew Ford out by about 30 pts. maybe 25pts. but there were many Games where Ford Played some Great Games and Gene Mumford was Awesome….I remember meeting My Brother Michael on 7th ave, where he worked and we took a cab to Nazareth High School to see Ford and Nazareth. Ford was getting blown out by about 28 at halftime. Second half was a different story, Mumford took the game over and was in the “Zone on Fire” he must have had 30 points in the second half, He hit anything and everything from 10 ft Bank shots to 25 footers. He was a sight to be seen and Ford came back and won the Game by a few…..
There was a big named Player from St Agustines, I think his name was Lou Phillips, he played center for St Agustines and he was a real Big Man compared to Mumford..But you knew they didn’t like eachother and they Played Very hard against eachother.. the Game came down to the final seconds and Both guys were their teams Leading scorers, this game was at Ford. Mumford must have thought his Team was down one point, and with 2 seconds left he fouled Phillips. I can still see the Face on Phillips as he knew he had this Game won, with a smile on his face he went to the line as Mumford walked away in disgust, getting down on himself because he knew he just not only blew the Games but put Phillips to the line to win it…I think Phillips hit his last Fouls shot and Ford was down 2 points with two seconds left, the Ball was thrown into Mumfor at the half court by the score table and with one second left he launches a two hand set shot, off the backboard and into the net for a TIE GAME THAT WENT INTO OVERTIME WHERE MUMFORD TOOK THE GAME OVER AND EVENTUALLY WON THE GAME….. AWESOME GAME…GREAT HIGH SCHOOL PLAYER FOR THAT TIME. Mumford would always come through Howard Place to take the F Train Home, and on snowy days I remember getting my snowballs ready to throw at him as he passed by by house….Gene Mumford went on to Play at Scranton University and became known as “Gene the Machine mumford”..I believe he had a great career at Scranton.. I never did get to see him in College but I did run into him about 4 years ago and told him some of the stories…I believe he is Living in ct and in working in the Insurance Business……He was only 6′3″ but played like he was 6′8″….My Favorite Player Growing up to Watch…….as a Kid….
BT,
Great stuff…Which player from the neighborhood also went on to play at Scranton?
As for Mumford being the best player from Ford, i have heard that. But Kevin Robinson, Armond, Robert Blackwell, Mergin Sina, Chris Logan and Charles Jones all could put up an argument.
I believe the “great” Danny Conlon went to U of S, the first guy to play with his tongue out, way before Jordan (lol). That game against Nazareth (my HS) had to be before we had our great teams with Mike Dunleavy, Bobby Burns & Billy Flanders because I don’t remember lossing. Armond Hill could always fake you out with that lazy eye, never knew were he was looking.
Danny Conlon was a good player and is probably still balling up at Ford on saturday mornings where we had some pretty good runs.
I’m looking for another neighborhood guy who attended Scranton…
How many guys from Ford made the NBA? I know Hill had a decent career mostly with the Hawks.
Charles Jones had a cup of coffee in the league from 1998-2000 with the Bulls and Clippers. He was some scorer at Ford. Went to Rutgers first and then transferred to LIU where he led the nation in scoring I believe two straight years.
Mergin Sina had a few NBA tryouts…played at Seton Hall and then Rhode Island.
Steven, ask Ray Nash whow as the Best Player to graduate from Bishop Ford and I will be very Surprised if he doews not say Gene Mumford… Personally I agree Armond can be considered the Best but I tend to go with the old guys who we all sat back and watched and Learned alot from.. I grew up playing against Armond and enjoyed it more watching and Learning from Gene Mumford…. I would Personally have loved to play on either ones Team…
BT,
They say Mumford got the best out of what he had but overall, talent-wise, Charles Jones tops the list…
Steven, the key is” Who are they” ?
BT,
“They” are people who have seen Mumford play many times. “They’ are people in general that I have spoken to. ‘They’ are people who would rather not have their names mentioned. You know, the ones who like to stay anonymous. The validity of their assessment is good enough for me.
It’s all objective.
Almost to a point where one must ask – ‘Who is better Michael Jordan or Oscar Roberston’?
Bobby T–i can remember the hoop battles ( the cubs, tigers and then the grammer team ) we had with st. ann’s. i can remember one of their guards— i think it was clay or claybourn or something like that ??? i think danny conlon had some epic battles with him or was it you or b. pusz ? we (the cubs) had a kind of tough time staying with them, but you guys—you, gerard, danny conlon, gerry toranto, danny cush, joe cioffi, bobby pusz, johnny cregg, gary saccenti, alex batista, etc.( sorry for ommitting anyone ) took care of business. please refresh my memory. HM
Harry mills ??? Know there’s a name from the past, it took awhile to remember, (senior moments I have a lot of them). I can also remember some of those games. I remember one with St Anns or St James, were I had to be escorted off the court by some of the Brothers into the bus for my own safety. I don’t remember what I must have done during the game to piss them off but I know a whole bunch of people being mad at me, I do know we won. I’m going to look for some old pic’s of that team I have somewhere and will post them here. In fact I still have my 8th grade basketball jersey from Holy Name, won’t throw it out.
Mstr. B
Steve,
That’s what is great about sports, comparing teams and players.. Mumford may have been better at Ford but mybe Hill’s game progressed more rapidly under Carill ar Princeton than Mumford. Who would have thought Mullin would have the career he had? I thought he’d be a good pro but not like he turned out.
I’m a die hard Met fan but I respect and like Rivera. but when people say he’s the best ever, it bugs me because I saw Gossage, Mc Graw, and Sutter throw over 100 innings a year and the save run is much more liberal now. Rivera’s effectiveness goes way down after an inning. I’d love to see West with the three point shot. And the lack of palming and walking called, what would Oscar, Clyde Frazier and Monroe do today ? It makes for lot of debating..
JV,
So true my man, so true. Debate is part of life. You can compare athletes all night long. But the one debate that is etched in stone is Michael Jordan being the greatest basketball player of all-time! Sure oscar (triple double avg in one year), West and Frazier were great players but the most impressive thing was Jordan won 6 NBA titles and was named MVP all six times.
I think Jordan was one of the greatest. If his Bulls went up against Magic’s Lakers or Birds Celtic, there would have been o championships. Jordan is one of the best ever but waht about Bird, who averages 25, grabbed about 10 RBP, and dished more assists than Jordan. He made his teammates better Teams win titles not individuals. Jordan was always a force to be reckoned with but until the right coach and mix of players were there, the Bulls did not go far. I am convinced still that the Celtics and the Lakers of fhat era would easily beat any team of the past 18 years or so. Each one had 4-5 Hall of Famers..
Harry, the good old days, walking into the projects playing against St Ann’s or St James for the first time and seeing for the first time how the game was suppose to be played, and loosing by 70 points. Then having these teams come to our home Court, PS 10’s and beating us by 80 points..with player like Armond Hill, Wayne Lasane, Tony Styles, Clarkbar, Big Ira( he had to be 6″5, in Gramar school) Harry we took our Lumps but the second year we played them we got a bit better, we only lost by maybe 30 points…I think it was the third year we finally beat St Ann’s in PS 10’s, they were all crying at the end of the Game, it was awesome…They funny thing they were all crying because Armond was not at the game, he was at choir practice. We were really ready for them and I think we would have beat them anyway…Harry we also lost to them in the Championship game for Brooklyn, there front line was 6″6. 6″4 and 6″3 in gramar school But we Had Gerry Taranto. I think we Lost 29-26, it was a great Game….I am sure someone can add to this……
BT— can you imagine telling the kids today to go and shovel so we can practice for 2 hours in 18 degree weather !!!!! also do you remember, we (the cubs) had to shoot our foul shots underhanded.
Alex B.– i remember being on the bantam cubs(’64-’65 season) with you and Aquiey (i can’t remember what his first name was) was our coach, his younger brother was on the team. it was one of the last games of the season and i hadn’t scored yet. all you guys were trying to feed me the ball so i could get a bucket. you got it to me and i scored and was fouled, i shot the free throw underhanded and scored— A 3PT PLAY, you just about hoisted me up on your shoulders and carried me off the court !!! one of those Things you never forget!
I am trying to get in touch with Steve Buschemi. I am a firefighter and have a screen play for him, that he might want to look at.
Al,
What makes you think someone who reads the blog knows Steve Buschemi?
Harry, I remember that game and I think your coach was Joe Acqulina, for some reason that memory comes to mind. Harry you always had a soft touch and I am sure alot more fell in after the first one…
The best to come out of B.Ford? Hands down..Chris Logan, no questions asked.
And your argument on Tiffer’s behalf would be…