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Subject: [NY IRISH] Memories of Growing up in Manhattan, N.Y.Part III
Date: Sat, 10 Nov 2001 23:50:45 EST

Memories of Growing up in Manhattan, N.Y.

By: Daniel George McNamara



Longshoreman's Work

Two of the boys lived around the corner. Their Dad worked on the docks
longshoring. He got his two boys work there, shape up at 4 PM. I was than
in High School and I shaped up for work at 4 PM. Sometimes we worked four
hours and sometimes eight hours. We used to work every day at $0.48 an hour.
It was an open shop. After general strikes it was a closed shop. I could
not get work there any more.

Boxing Training

I was playing stick ball against the Gym, (Pioneer). The manager came out
with two punchies. They attempted to pull me into the Gym to teach me a
lesson. I round housed one of them with a right and it floored him. My
buddy talked to them and they said they would make sure I learned to fight.
For months they toughened up my stomach. It got hard as a rock. They taped
my right hand behind my back. Put 16 oz. gloves on and put a punchie against
me. I got knocked all over the place for about three months. Then I started
using my left hand and got aggressive. Then they taped my right hand in
front of me. I could duck my chin under the glove to protect my chin. My
elbow to protect my ribs. I was on my way.

My buddies used to wake me up in the middle of the night and we would trot up
to Central Park, go all the way around it back to 59th Street back into the
park and around the reservoir, then back home, shower, and then school. I
fought in a few fight clubs for bet money. Then we had Golden Gloves at
school. I won all four fights real easy because of the training. I fought
at 155 pounds. I then had trouble with a big colored guy, broke my left
knuckles, (split). They wanted me to soak my hand in brine for six months
and it would be okay. My mother did not want me to fight (anymore) so I
didn't. When I got in the Army, I had to anyhow. All fights were easy
because of my training.

Elevator Operator, Printing Shop

I worked running an elevator in a Jewish apartment house in the Bronx after
school until 1 AM, from 4 PM, nine hours a day, seven days one week, six days
the next week, for $12.00 a week. Then I got a job with the biggest menu
printer in NY City. I had four years of printing in High School. I could do
everything in the shop except the line-o-type. I ran presses, did composite
type, set types, read proofs. When the driver got in trouble, I took over
deliveries. It was not hard. Hours were short, through before 4 PM. At
night three or four nights I drove an old moving van delivering signs to
theaters in Bronx, Long Island - Brooklyn, and got $5.00 a night.

OCT 1940

When Congress was trying to pass conscription, my manager Jimmy talked me
into signing up
with the 212th National Guard. They turned him down but took me. I had to
teach them to drive
trucks as we had to get all the equipment to Georgia. We left in FEB. 1941.
I entered the Army
as a 1st and 5 class ($42.00 a month), and ended service OCT. 1945 a PFC. We
were in North
Africa, Italy, South France, 3 years (Army) 5 years (total) service.

End.


Jim McNamara

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