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| {{Unreferenced section|date=December 2014}}{{citation needed span|text=In the '''1950s and 60s the youth gangs in the ]''', ], emerged with a particular notoriety. | {{Unreferenced section|date=December 2014}}{{citation needed span|text=In the '''1950s and 60s the youth gangs in the ]''', ], emerged with a particular notoriety. | ||
| One gang, the Fordham Baldies were reputed to shave the heads, and other body parts, of those they caught. This was found to be a nice touch in the '']'' movie, but in reality, the Fordham Baldies were named for the ] and had the ] or "D.A." hairstyle later made famous by ] from '']''. |
One gang, the Fordham Baldies were reputed to shave the heads, and other body parts, of those they caught. This was found to be a nice touch in the '']'' movie, but in reality, the Fordham Baldies were named for the ] and had the ] or "D.A." hairstyle later made famous by ] from '']''. What is not readily known is that the Baldies were basically a democratic group. They had sections of the East Bronx divided up and assigned to platoon like groups. Each 'platoon' had it's defined borders to police and manage. They represented their neighborhood and sent representatives to periodic central meetings to discuss mutual problems and vote on remediation of the problems. | ||
| They protected not only their turf but each other and the people that lived on their turf. They never looked to go outside their borders. Their central location was the Italian neighborhood known as 'Arthur Ave'. The Baldies lasted for many years as generations grew up and left to join the real world(work and military) their younger brothers and cousins filled the openings. The Baldies were locally respected and revered for their work in keeping the peace. The major problem facing the Baldies was in the late 50s when the Irish Angels from the Inwood section of Manhattan across the 207th St bridge made incursions. They were efficiently turned back by the Baldies and peace returned to Arthur Ave. | |||
| Rumors often swept Bronx high schools in the 1950s and 1960s that "the Baldies were coming" to confront the student body, at the generally docile ] and the more macho, all-male ]. Such rumors would often bring along a large police presence and long disruptions.|date=December 2014}} The Bronx High School of Science was the elite high school in New York if not the country. The students were mainly high IQ(minimum 125) and not much into sports or fighting. There was an incident at Bronx science in 1956-57 school year in which a belligerent group from Clinton had threatened to come to Science and beat up the 'eggheads' at Science. The school was up tight. The small group of students that hung out on the corner candy store on the Grand Concourse 'the nook' were enlisted by the student body to stand up to the Clintonites. At the appointed time a group of about 10 Clintonites bearing sticks and bats descended on the Science neighborhood. The not so egghead 'Nook' group stood their ground as the opposition arrived. Before a rumble occurred there were police sirens approaching and the Clintonites disappeared. For a brief time that group that hung out at the candy store were the heroes of Science. But were soon forgotten. | |||
| ==Popular culture== | ==Popular culture== | ||
Revision as of 02:09, 17 February 2016
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One gang, the Fordham Baldies were reputed to shave the heads, and other body parts, of those they caught. This was found to be a nice touch in the Wanderers movie, but in reality, the Fordham Baldies were named for the bald eagle and had the duck's ass or "D.A." hairstyle later made famous by Fonzie from Happy Days. What is not readily known is that the Baldies were basically a democratic group. They had sections of the East Bronx divided up and assigned to platoon like groups. Each 'platoon' had it's defined borders to police and manage. They represented their neighborhood and sent representatives to periodic central meetings to discuss mutual problems and vote on remediation of the problems.
They protected not only their turf but each other and the people that lived on their turf. They never looked to go outside their borders. Their central location was the Italian neighborhood known as 'Arthur Ave'. The Baldies lasted for many years as generations grew up and left to join the real world(work and military) their younger brothers and cousins filled the openings. The Baldies were locally respected and revered for their work in keeping the peace. The major problem facing the Baldies was in the late 50s when the Irish Angels from the Inwood section of Manhattan across the 207th St bridge made incursions. They were efficiently turned back by the Baldies and peace returned to Arthur Ave.
Rumors often swept Bronx high schools in the 1950s and 1960s that "the Baldies were coming" to confront the student body, at the generally docile Bronx High School of Science and the more macho, all-male DeWitt Clinton High School. Such rumors would often bring along a large police presence and long disruptions. The Bronx High School of Science was the elite high school in New York if not the country. The students were mainly high IQ(minimum 125) and not much into sports or fighting. There was an incident at Bronx science in 1956-57 school year in which a belligerent group from Clinton had threatened to come to Science and beat up the 'eggheads' at Science. The school was up tight. The small group of students that hung out on the corner candy store on the Grand Concourse 'the nook' were enlisted by the student body to stand up to the Clintonites. At the appointed time a group of about 10 Clintonites bearing sticks and bats descended on the Science neighborhood. The not so egghead 'Nook' group stood their ground as the opposition arrived. Before a rumble occurred there were police sirens approaching and the Clintonites disappeared. For a brief time that group that hung out at the candy store were the heroes of Science. But were soon forgotten.
Popular culture
- Richard Price's novel The Wanderers and movie of the same name starring young Ken Wahl and Karen Allen document early Bronx gangs. Much of the film was shot in the neighborhoods depicted, including the residential neighborhoods, the armed forces recruiting center on the Fordham Road overpass above the Grand Concourse, and Krum's ice cream parlor 100 yards/meters south on the Grand Concourse. Although the movie's heroes, The Wanderers were fictitious, the movie's villains were explicitly named The Fordham Baldies.
- A Bronx Tale depicts gang activities in the Belmont "Little Italy" section of the Bronx
- Documentarian James Hannon released in August, 2010, Lost Boys of the Bronx: The Oral History of the Ducky Boys. This book (formerly a video documentary project) focuses on the real life Ducky Boys gang of mid-1960s Bronx, New York who were made famous by the film The Wanderers.
External links
- www.lantern-media.com/LanternBronxGangs.htm
- www.backinthebronx.com
- New York Greaser Gangs
- Website about New York City gangs with a page devoted to the Fordham Baldies and the Red Wings
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