Fond Memories

The park blew my mind

In 1954 I was 12 years old.  My mother took me to New York City to visit with her best friend Doris Mahoney who was a nurse at the New York General at the time.  As a matter of fact she was Babe Ruth's night nurse during his final days.  During that two week stay two events stand out in my memory.  One was a chance meeting with Tyrone Power on a crisp, sunny November morning on Park Avenue.  He was in town filming "The Eddie Duchin Story" with Kim Novak.  Mr. Power took the time and trouble to chat with this chubby little kid from Saint John, New Brunswick

The other great event was the afternoon that my mother and Doris took me to Palisades Amusement Park.  Hell, I can still recall part of the radio promo spot that aired so often during my visit ....."skip the bother and skip the fuss, take a public transit bus".....  The park blew my mind.  I had never seen anything like it in my life. I was the original kid in a candy store.

And now Palisades Park is gone, another victim of progress.  Doris went on to marry Frank Nardiello whose father, Frank Senior, was the ringside doctor at Madison Square Gardens for many years.  Gentler times Vin, gentler times.

Thanks for preserving the memory.

One who remembers,
Vance Rockwell