| Barone, Drexel and Mr HarrisMy life was always | | | | lightening up of the moment always made us |
| about playing ball, mostly baseball as I grew up. | | | | laugh. I loved that about him. He was noted for |
| Therefore, I was always at the playground on | | | | his chicanery on the field or court as well. He |
| Chancellor Avenue. This was a hotbed for sports | | | | would find an edge and use it. All within the rules. |
| activity in the Weequahic section of Newark. From | | | | A Drexel play was referred to bending the rule as |
| Monday through Saturday there were countless | | | | far as you could. Hidden ball tricks in baseball and |
| games taking place. Baseball on the dirt field and | | | | sneaky out of bounds plays in basketball were |
| softball on the blacktop. Basketball games, and | | | | two of his specialties. What was great was how |
| volley ball games were always being played. Mr | | | | often they worked. He knew just when to use |
| Barone, Mr Drexel and Mr Harris oversaw the | | | | them. A great guy.Mr Harris seemed like the |
| games that were played. Sometimes they even | | | | leader of the group. The other directors called him |
| played in those games. They ran the show. | | | | Bucky. I always called him Mr Harris. He spoke |
| Organizing teams for a given game or creating | | | | sternly and was always fair. He was the law. I had |
| teams for a new league they took charge and | | | | the utmost respect for him.He loved his cigars. |
| got things done. I did not realize some of the | | | | There was not a day I did not see him smoke |
| things they did that impacted my life until I left | | | | one of those babies. He would ask one of the |
| the playground scene many years later.I looked | | | | kids to buy him his cigars at Harjays. I thought it |
| up to all three of them, for being fair, for listening | | | | was an honor to go to the store and buy him his |
| when I had a problem and for being funny. Each | | | | Garcia Vega cigars. When he asked me to go I |
| one of them was unique. Each one of them was | | | | felt like I won something. A great guy.For me |
| taught me in their own style.Mr Barone or Mr B as | | | | these three guys were my mentors as I was |
| most of us called him was about five feet tall. | | | | growing up. Providing me with guidance on and off |
| The only thing that was small about him was his | | | | the field. There was always one of them at the |
| height. Playing ball with the teenagers was one of | | | | playground to talk to or get things going so we |
| his favorite things to do. He often was the | | | | could play an organized game. I learned about |
| director that played in the games when we | | | | fairness, being stern and about taking the edge |
| needed another guy. I would also see Mr B talking | | | | off in a seriousness situation from them. Felice |
| to some kids in the batting cage teaching them | | | | Barone, William Drexel and Bucky Harris will |
| some fundamentals about batting. He always | | | | always be in my hall of fame. They meant a lot |
| made himself available either on the playing field | | | | to me.Aron Wallad has been a baseball lover for |
| or by helping some kids with their homework. I | | | | over 40 years. Writing about his favorite subject, |
| appreciated that he gave of himself. So did many | | | | baseball, has been a blessing. You will enjoy the |
| of the other kids. A great guy.Mr Drexel or Billy | | | | heartwarming stories, the unusual statistics and |
| Boy as we sometimes affectionately called him | | | | inspiring quotes. But mostly you will love the |
| was the jokester. No matter how serious I | | | | heartwarming stories that hit a home run to your |
| thought the situation was Mr Drexel had his way | | | | heart. |
| of making the incident a little less severe. His | | | | |