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I lived in a 212 unit apartment house on St. Marks Ave. between Brooklyn and New York Ave.Across the street was the “Russian’s Mansion, which was white in color. It was broken up into small apartments.It still had a
gray step stone at the curb,to step onto when you disembarked from your carriage.
To the left of that mansion was another grand mansion, also apartments. to the right side was the”Murray Mansion”. Origonally built and owned by the Electrical switch manufacturer on Atlantic Ave.It was occupied by a physician.
My father was the “Super”
of our Apts.We had a doorman named Richard, of German descent. He had a sure fire system to bet the horses.The first race you picked the #8 horse, and decreasing numbers in every race thereafter.”Can’t lose.”
To the right of our apts.
was Saint Marks Gardens, and the corner apt house
at New York Ave. was Buckingham Gardens.
Across the street at New York Avenue lived Walter O’Malley the owner of the Brooklyn Dodgers. His son Peter,who was not particularly liked by the rest of the kids on ther block got the first brand new Schwinn
bike after the war. it had maroon fenders and big white side wall tires.
The Brooklyn Children’s Museum, a block away,had large live non poisonous snakes, which I was allowed to borrow by Mrs. Stryker the curator.
I gave great show and tell lectures in the 4th grade, and always got an “A”.
The Betsy Ross Apts. were on the next block. I had two friends there Stevey and Stuey, who were cousins.
School at PS 138 on Nostrand and Prospect St.
ended at 3P.M. At 3:30 we awere all on my street
to choose up sides for punch ball, stoop ball or
football. We played until dark or dinner time in the daylight saving months.

Ira Spector 6/29/08