childhood rhymes

[David Colburn]

----- Original Message -----
From: "Jesse Sheidlower" <jester at PANIX.COM>
To: <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
Sent: Sunday, August 01, 2004 3:12 PM
Subject: Re: childhood rhymes


> >
> > Another peculiarity: RHUD gives the pronunciation of "spaldeen" with
> > last-syllable stress! Does this match the recollections of the list
folks?
>
> Yes, that's how _spaldeen_ is pronounced. And I must say that I
> am shocked, shocked that Dr. Lighter never heard the term in
> his time here! Perhaps he should have got out to Brooklyn more....
>
Spaldeen, stressed on the last syllable, is certainly how my stepfather
always pronounced it too, when he would tell me about playing stickball in
his youth. He grew up in Washington Heights in the 50's and 60's, so
'spaldeen' apparently wasn't exclusively a Brooklyn pronunciation. I suppose
he could have picked it up from schoolmates who lived in Brooklyn, of
course.

A few years ago I came across spaldeens at a few Duane Reades (ubiquitous
drug stores in NYC), and I am pretty sure (but not absolutely certain) that
"Spaldeen" was stamped on the balls. I assumed that the balls were partially
manufactured as nostalgia products, and I have no evidence that Spalding
even made them; so this is only evidence that "spaldeen" is widely known,
not that it was the official name of the ball back in the old days. I'm no
longer in New York, but for all I know the balls that I saw are still for
sale at the front counters of the Duane Reade stores on Broadway near
Columbia. I bought one because I thought it would delight my stepfather when
I showed it to him (I was right), but it has since been destroyed by my dog,
so I can't corroborate my memory that "spaldeen" rather than "Spalding" was
printed on the ball.

-David Colburn