All Those Years Ago

(Originally published 8/29/12)

Exactly thirty-five years ago on August 29, 1977, simpler pleasures ruled. This day in history saw three Bronx denizens—aged twenty-six, seventeen, and fourteen (yours truly)—embark on an adventuresome itinerary that commenced just after sunrise.

Our first stopover was the Brigantine Castle in the shore town of Brigantine, New Jersey. In the mid-1970s, commercials for this haunted-house attraction on the Atlantic’s edge inundated local New York City television and radio. Despite it being a three-hour drive, the attraction was something we had to experience in the flesh—and we did. Castle employee-performers sprang out of shadowy niches, stabbed us with rubber knives, and flung rubber rats into our paths. More cheesy than scary, it didn’t quite live up to the hype. Not surprisingly, the Brigantine Castle’s days were numbered by then. Several years after our visit, it burned to the ground. Perhaps it really was haunted.

Next, our journey found us in pre-casino Atlantic City, where we traversed the historic boardwalk. I don’t remember why, but the three of us expected Atlantic City to be a sparkling jewel on the ocean and not a dilapidated and seedy eyesore. Nonetheless, it was nice to see that a Philadelphia Phillies' player, Greg "the Bull" Luzinski, and a former one, Richie Ashburn, were scheduled to appear at the legendary Steel Pier. We didn’t stick around long enough to uncover what they were going to do when they got there.

Onward to Philadelphia and Independence Hall, where we, finally, laid eyes on the Liberty Bell—with an up close and personal look at that famous crack. And with evening fast approaching, the icing on the day’s layer cake: a baseball game at Veterans Stadium. The Philadelphia Phillies versus the Atlanta Braves. And yet another first for us—witnessing live a game played on artificial turf. Veterans Stadium was among the multi-sport, cookie-cutter, synthetic-grass stadiums that were the rage in the 1970s. They’ve since become passé and most of them have been demolished, including Veterans Stadium. Happily, Greg Luzinski made it back in time from the Steel Pier and was in the starting lineup.

After a fourteen-inning game that took a little over four hours to complete, it was back to the Bronx in the wee hours of the following day. We were on a sleepy high from this thrill-packed, 1970s-style escapade. Unfortunately, the feeling didn’t have legs.

(Photos from the personal collection of Nicholas Nigro)