Stickball documentary to screen this weekend at MCU Park
July 10 Marks Stickball Day in Brooklyn
“When Broomsticks Were King,” a documentary by Jay Cusato, celebrates the beloved longstanding Brooklyn sport that is still played today. It will be screened during Old Timers Day at MCU Park in Coney Island on Sunday, July 10, with gates opening at 11:30 a.m. There will be a stickball demonstration followed by a screening of the film. Brooklyn Borough Hall will also be declaring the day “Stickball Day in Brooklyn U.S.A.” At 1 p.m., a more complicated version of stickball — called American baseball — will take place when the Brooklyn Cyclones play the Hudson Valley Renegades.
The game of stickball, an early form of baseball, became an urban rite of passage for neighborhood kids looking for a way to emulate the legendary baseball players of their time. Stickball was first played in New York City in the late 19th century, and gained popularity during the Great Depression.