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March 2019 (20th Anniversary)

This month marks Streetplay’s 20th anniversary. Yep, we started on March 21, 1999 (the Spring Equinox). A lot has happened in the word since then – yes?

To mark the occasion, we’re adding some new stuff to the site (though keeping the retro look) and reaching out to people who know us as well as to other play communities.

About that new stuff, we retagged and repurposed the old user discussions so you could easily find topics of interest. These comments are a treasure trove of information about the incredibly rich variety of ways kids used to entertain themselves. Please see 20.streetplay.com to take a look: all the content's there, and more features and tweaking will happen in the months ahead.

Even a brief look, reveals one of the major topics of interest related to hand clapping/rhyming games. For those who want to tickle their memory a bit further, Steve Zeitlin, co-author of Cityplay, posted a short blurb about these wonderful activities to accompany the trailer of a movie called “Let's Get the Rhythm: The Life and Times of Miss Mary Mack,” that was produced by CityLore.

A big part of the initial launch includes material commemorating Bernie DeKoven, a "game theorist," as we first called him in the first draft of his Wikipedia article) or as he would prefer to be known, the Shaman of Play. We met Bernie back in 2003 when he bestowed the Major Fun award on Streetplay. Over the next 15 years or so, we got to visit with him a bit online and in real world to discuss philosophical issues and practical approaches to increasing the amount of fun and playfulness in the lives of the people we touch. Bernie passed away one year ago (March 24), so we have included a description of his work by the current owner of the Major Fun title and folks who are working on a book by Bernie to be published in 2020 by MIT press. We'll also have a short account of our history with Bernie and a very sampler of some of the many, many articles posted online about fun, play, life, games, humor, love, death, parks, benches, toys, etc.

We plan to be doing lots of social media action during the coming year to highlight some of the wonderful stuff from the Streetplay site along with some real-world fun, playful events as well. We’ll keep you in the loop! And for those who want some cool Streetplay Gear, stay tuned to our Facebook Page for more details.

Summer 2003

Stickball Classic's 10th Year
It's been 10 years since Curtis Sliwa teamed up with the Daily News for the NYC Stickball Classic. Mayor Bloomberg marked the occassion along with some of the City's top brass.
Stickball - Hall of Fame
Highlights and stories about the sux players who were inducted to the Stickball Hall of Fame for 2003.
Handball Tournaments in Full Gear
Each week there are some new events marking tough competition one of the City's most popular and intense sports. See coverage of the USHA Nationals, King of the Courts and more...

Spring 2003

Kites!
Our new kite section introduces you to this universal form of play, provides online resources for kite wannabes, and shows the beauty of the sport with lots of pictures.
Koncrete Kids
The latest addition to this Streetplay exclusive comic strip presents a timely springtime theme.
Expansion of Streetplay Store
Check out our latest group of Streetplay branded merchandise. From sweats to clocks, we bet you'll find something you'll like.
Contest - Best Spring Memory
Spring Fever can make you do memorable things--share your favorite story with us, and you might win $50.
Stickball Classic's 10th Year
The Bronx Emperors emerge as victors in a rainy but intense Memorial Stickball Tournament..

Winter 2003

Streetplay - On Language
On February 16 2003, William Safire wrote about the use of childhood game terminology in the political rhetoric of the Iraqi war and cited Streetplay to explain the game of ringoleavio. Read Mr. Safire's column and see what you think about this timely topic.
Play Around the World - Spain
A Spanish teacher compiles rules for dozens of the children's games in his nation.
Handball Profiles
New section profiles some of the games top handball players.

October 2002

New Senior Stickball League in Florida
It'll be the Flatbush Egg Creams vs. the Coney Island Bull Dogs in the new "senior" stickball league down in Wellington Florida.
Halfball Returns to "Southie"
Ten teams showed up for the first South Boston annual halfball tournament. Read about the action and the rules to the game.
Stickball Classic
Vanderbilt Avenue (next to Grand Central Station) was the perfect "pinball-like field" for the 2002 Stickball Classic finals

September 2002

Recycled Toys
Wherever there are few consumer products or where money is short, children make use common materials for games and play.
Summer Memories Contest
See some of the great stories we got from our readers in our summer memories contest.
Orlando Labor Day Stickball Tournament
The Deltono Rockets were the champs in this year's Labor Day tournament.

August 2002

Handball Coverage
A bird's eye view of the action and highlights in the major one-wall handball events.

May 2002

Emperors Memorial Day Stickball Tournament
The 2002 Memorial Day tournament was bitter sweet with a focus on the memory of Steve Mercado, former NY Emperors Stickball League President and one of the brave firefighters who perished in 9/11.
Stickball Hall of Fame - Class or 2002
Another great group of players were inducted into the Hall this year including Steve Mercado and former Yankee Rusty Torres.

April 2002

Play Around the World
A new section exploring children's play in cultures throughout the world. What is different, what is the same and how do children use their creativity to produce a wonderful spectrum of games that reflect their traditions and unique environments?
Old Time Street Play
Streetplay teams up with City Lore and the New York Historical Society to present a workshop about some of the City's great old time games.

March 2002

Streetplay Essays
A new section where we philosophize how changes to our environment and our attitudes on appropriate childhood activities is impacting the role of play.

December 2001

The Streetplay Store
For the holiday season, we've added some great nostalgic items like Nok Hockey and Mr Potato Head to the Streetplay virtual store. Every time you make a purchase your also giving us a present: a commission from the vendor!
2001 Financial Statement
From the start we've realized that Streetplay never had a prayer to make any real money--we're proud to say we've exceeded that expectation. Here's one financial statement designed to give you a chuckle.

November 2001

Koncrete Kids
After you see the latest adventures of our lovable urban crew, you'll never look at marbles the same way.
Streetplay Rulesheets
We've added a new bunch of handy one page writeups describing the rules of some of your favorite street games.

October 2001

Tribute to Steve Mercado
We honor Steve Mercado, one of the fire fighters lost in the World Trade Center tragedy. Steve was a true gentleman, a leader and the president of the Emperors Stickball League.

September 2001

Philly Focus
Streetplay features the games of Philadelphia.
The 2001 Western Invitational Stickball Tournament
San Diego's third annual Labor Day tournament lives up to its east vs west hype.

August 2001

2001 Stickball Classic
NYC's mayoral candidates compete in this year's Stickball Classic Kickoff.
USHA National One-Wall Championship
This year's USHA Championships combine great play with controversy.
Brooklyn's got Pétanque
Pétanque crowns Brooklyn's Bastille Day celebration.

July 2001

The Stickball Hall of Fame Class of 2001
Angel Cordero and Arturo Lopez are among the seven stickball players inducted for 2001.
Streetplay at the Smithsonian Festival
The Smithsonian Institution asked us to introduce America to our favorite games at its annual festival in Washington, DC. Read how it went!
Handball Season in Full Force
It's been a great year for handball, lots of intense tournaments and some big upsets. See our coverage of the action

June 2001

Streetplay Rulesheets
Single page descriptions of games meant to be printed. Ideal for your local street or schoolyard.
Book Review - The Games We Played
Celebrities ranging from Bill Clinton to Rob Reiner reminisce about their childhood games in Steven Cohen's delightful new book "The Games We Played."
Gallery - Urban Skateboarding
We welcome photographer Tom Callan as he captures the essence of urban skateboarding.
New Streetplay Contest - About Dad
Tell us your favorite story about your pop. If we like yours the best, you get $50, and so does your favorite charity.

May 2001

Bronx Memorial Day Stickball Tournament
The NY Emperors Stickball League hosts the season's first major tournament.

April 2001

Handball Season Begins
Springtime is here and the games have begun. The Kaiser Park tournament lets some of the top players get in gear.
Photos Section Update
Perhaps the site's most popular feature is our collection of photos. That's why we've overhauled our photo sections, improved navigation, added some great shots and included more information about each picture.
Stories
We've always had a lot of stories on Streetplay, but finding them all hasn't been easy. We've organized over 50 stories and made moving among all the sections much easier.

February 2001

Streetplay in Smithsonian Institute exhibition
This summer, the Smithsonian Institute's Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage will feature NYC. Streetplay will be there, demonstrating the neighborhood games.
Kickball
Spotlight on Christine as she remembers passing the days playing kickball and other games with her friends and family.

January 2001

From high Commissioner to Mr. President
Our new president admits that stickball had a major influence on his political development (no kidding).
Stickball Section Update
New look, expanded links.
2001 Handball Schedule
Major upcoming events.

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