Pier Six brawl

[Bapopik at AOL.COM]

A www.barrypopik.com web site visitor (the Big Apple web site still without
the 1924 Big Apple) had sent me the following:


Mr. Popik,
I was directed to your web site by a college professor friend of mine who
knew of my origins in NYC (born on Staten Island, 1942) and my interest in
things NY and Italian (www.digiserve.com/briggs).

I'm just beginning to read the various items, but I have found several to
be quite interesting.

I don't know if you take requests, as it were, but in looking over the list
of items you have researched, one or two came to mind and made me wonder
about their origins.  If you become interested, too, I'll look forward to
seeing something on your site some day.

My father worked a few year on the docks of Staten Island and used to use
the term, "dock walloper" for a person who worked on the docks unloading
ships.

They say the term, "pier 6 brawl" comes from boxing matches held on Staten
Island.

I've read many different accounts of the origin of the term "wop", one of
which cites "without papers" from a usage at Ellis Island.

Keep up your good work,

(I don't like to release names--ed.)