Crotona Park Comes Alive with Another Bronx Tennis Open

Crotona Park Tennis Scene: Circa 1930's: Tennis

as it was and Still Continues to this day

Crotona Park located in the East Tremont section of the Bronx is where I had lots of fun growing up.

It's where dad would take us in winter to go sledding down its snow covered hills.

It's where we kids enjoyed snowball fights with the neighborhood rowdies

It's where I learned to play handball by watching the 'pros' compete: my dad, my uncle and their cronies.

It's where I played softball with my brothers and other kids from the neighborhood .

About 14, years ago, on the the eve of US Open in Flushing Meadows, I revisited my childhood home at 1928 Prospect Ave. at Ellsmere Place to see P.S. 44, now the Jonas Salk School, the Cross Bronx Expressway which tore apart such an established area and reminisce about Dollinger's toy store, Gelbs (kosher hot dog deli), Powers TV (where our family purchased a Stromberg Carlson 10 inch TV)

Alas, these stores are there no more.

So, it was a treat to walk into my old stomping grounds and become a spectator at the Bronx Tennis Open--open to all free of charge. I got to see Alex Corretja, a top ranked world class player compete-standing just a few feet from the court.

In 1998, the Spanish native Corretja would be ranked the number #2 player in the world and twice would be runner up at the French Open: in 1998 and 2001!

So, it was with great delight to read Kathleen McElroy's 8/27/10 article in the New York Times: "Easy Breezy Bronx Open Adds Star Power." She talks about the "charm of the Bronx Open" which- though a satellite tourney to the US Open at the Billy Jean King Tennis Center-- allows the tennis fan to see some qualifiers play at no charge in a most pleasant ambience.

So go see some great tennis and beat the crowds; come back to my old stomping grounds.

You'll have to wait until next summer, of course.

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