The Twist Contest

Hi Vin,

My name is Charlie Napoli. I live in the Bronx and proud to say grew up in the Bronx, the best place in the world I think to grow up. I am now 53 years old and some of my greatest memories are at Palisades Park in the 60's.

But the important memory was May of 1963. I made my first communion and my parents and sister and I went to Palisades as we called it .Well we got there on this beautiful sunny day and went on some rides and then noticed that there was a show starting and the host was Cousin Brucie, and The 4 Seasons would perform and judge a twist contest. The twist being in it's heyday and my father thinking I could twist even better than Chubby Checker himself said get on up there. Well a little hesitation on my part but I was soon convinced to give it a go, so up I went on this, which I thought was the biggest stage in the history of man, and along with about 6 other kids I started to do the twist and gave it all I had. Well being a professional twister from always performing at my father's bar on Jackson Avenue with the other kids in the neighbor hood, guess who Frankie Valli picked? You guessed it... me and this other little girl. All the people cheering the roller coaster and ferris wheel in the background. It was unbelievable . Then Frankie and Cousin Brucie gave me a signed album of the 4 Seasons. My sister Theresa got the album and also said I was in one of the teen magazines, we also got a unfocused picture of me and this little girl on stage. I even remember saying to Frankie Valli , I said hey Frankie I got the same jacket as you got on. He said that's cool kid and patted me on the head.

I did my Mom and Dad and sister proud that day. We spent many times after that at the park and my big brother Richard used to take us all the time (he had a car.) The pool , the rides the memories are still part of these mystical dreams I still have of Palisades still to this day. I wish I had more pictures to really see. I went back to the area a year or two ago just to feel and smell the air that surrounded palisades but it didn't work, I did have a Callahan's hot dog where we always stopped at for the longest hot dog ever before we got there.

Well that's my story. I love the Palisades web site it really brings back some memories of one of the best places in the world and if the girl who won the contest with me has any any pictures of that day maybe I could get a hold of them to see and thanks Mom for getting me there to have these wonderful memories. REST IN PEACE MOM.

Thanks Vin!

Charlie Napoli