Community: Sports and Recreation

For various sports and ball games there were Columbus Park, Bridge Park, and Forsyth Park; and the gyms at the Church of All Nations, True Light Lutheran Church, Transfiguration Catholic Church, and Mariners Temple. Teams like the Clowns, Mohawks, Cathy, Pirates, and Bengals competed in basketball tournaments. True Light Church had a basketball team that competed with other Lutheran Churches in a Protestant Church League. For a little recreation & relaxation during the summer, there was Coney Island with the world famous “Cyclone” and “Parachute” rides with swimming at the “Washington Baths” (Salt Water Pool) and Nathan’s hot dogs. When we were able to drive, Jones Beach was the place to be with the white sand beaches and we concluded the day with a quiet beach party at night under the stars on the sand dunes.

Many of the Chinatown families have homes or rentals in Bradley Beach NJ and “Newark Ave.” became “Chinatown” on the Jersey Shore during the summer months.

 

Annual Baby Contest—Columbus Park

Another annual event worth remembering was the “Baby Contest” held at Columbus Park as part of the annual Chinese Community Club’s (CCC) “Field Day” with games, refreshments, and socializing followed by a serious softball game with a team from Philadelphia’s Chinatown. Some of you may remember being crowned King or Queen or being the 1^st or 2nd runner-up at the Baby Contest? 

 

Recreational Weekend Retreats

Throughout the year there were many other social activities like the Chinese Christian Youth Conference (CCYC) and China Institute who had summer and winter social/sport/church related long weekend retreats to Pawling NY, Lake George NY, and the Berkshires in Pittsfield MA. Other groups like the Long Island Chinese Circle had their social functions for many of the people that moved out to Long Island.

 

Double Ten Celebration & Beauty Pageant

In addition to Chinese New Year, which was usually celebrated in January or February depending on the lunar calendar, the other big Chinese holiday which received a lot of attention was the Chinese Independence Day celebrated on October 10^th or commonly known as “Double Ten”. “Under the direction of progressive minded organizers in the mid 50’s, the Chinatown community decided to initiate and participate in the Miss Chinatown New York Contest and to celebrate the “Double Ten” holiday with a grand parade consisting of a variety of sponsored imaginative parade floats hosted by beautiful contestants; Chinese School and True Light Marching Bands; Dragon Dance and Lion Dance; and dignitaries, both politicians and veterans’ organizations marching and winding its way through the narrow streets of Chinatown.

Miss Debbie Gong from Queens, NY was crowned “Miss Chinatown New York”.

 

Dance Contest

Since Latin American dancing was the hot tempo “in craze” at the time, a decision was made by the Chinatown planning committee to have a dance contest in Mambo, Cha Cha, Merengue, Rumba, and Samba with a judging panel led by “Killer” Joe Pirro from the world famous Palladium on Broadway. Danny Lee from Chinatown and Carol Lee (Chinese-Cuban) from Cuba were fortunate and privileged to be the winning couple of these five Latin American Dance Contest competitions, as part of the “Double Ten” celebration festivities