Whitestone Lanes is Definitely Closed Permanently

 

In March 2024, I was interviewed on NY1 News about the closing of Whitestone Lanes.  Finally, 27 months later, the bowling alley closed permanently.  There was a Facebook post about a week ago saying it was closed, but I know there is often fake news on social networking sites.  I drove past a few times, but I couldn't tell for sure whether the alley was open or closed.  I decided to walk over today and saw a small handwritten sign stating Whitestone Lanes is permanently closed.  There were no stories about this yet in the local Queens newspapers.  I think if the owners gave a few weeks' notice, they could have earned some extra bucks from bowlers making one last trip.

The next step would be to gut the building and dispose of the bowling equipment.  Could anyone else use that stuff?   Now Jib Lanes on Parsons Blvd. is the only bowling alley left in Queens.  Once the building is demolished, construction will begin on affordable housing.

Would You Believe There Was No Parade for the 1970 and 1973 Champion New York Knicks?

 

There were reports that about 2 million people tried to get to the New York Knicks parade on Thursday.  Many could not get to see it since it was too crowded.  They had to stand about a block away.  The people who stayed at home and watched on TV were better off.  This article in the New York Times explains why there were no parades in 1970 and 1973 when the Knicks were champions.

I guess for both the parade and the watch parties, fans had to jump on the bandwagon.

Happy 84th Birthday to Paul McCartney - Featuring Penny Lane

 

I decided not to comment today about the parade of the century.  June 18th is Paul McCartney's 84th birthday.  I decided to feature Penny Lane, which is one of my favorite Beatles songs with Paul singing lead.  The other three Beatles are also shown in this video.

A Few Comments About the Knicks Winning the NBA Championship

 

• I was more excited about the Knicks winning the NBA Championship in 1970 and 1973.  I guess the kids get more excited over sports teams.  Older people realize there are more important things in the world than sports.
• It was really disgraceful to see violence during the celebrations.
• I sense there are many "fair-weather" fans out there.  Where were they when the Knicks were mediocre?  I guess everybody loves a winner.
• The Mayor, Governor, and other elected officials should not gain popularity when a team wins a championship.  We should judge them on how they handle problems that face everyone.
• How many kids are going to play hooky from school on Thursday to come to the victory parade?  The mayor is not postponing Regents exams scheduled for Thursday.  I am surprised that the Regents exams were never cancelled.  The curricula had to be geared to the standardized test.

Mets 8 Braves 1

It was nice to watch an easy victory for the Mets at Citi Field during this disappointing season.  A. J. Ewing was the hitting star of the game as he finished a triple short of the cycle.  Ewing and Marcus Semien had home runs on consecutive pitches to open the fifth inning.  There were plenty of fans dressed in New York Knicks garb in the stands.

 

Knicks Win NBA Championship

 

Congratulations to the New York Knicks for winning the 2025-26 NBA Championship.  There is no sense for me to repeat what has been written in other places.  Everyone loves a winner, but where were these people when the Knicks were losers?  I haven't attended Knicks games in a few years since ticket prices are so high.  They were at least $200 for seats in the 200 level.

It is so sad that the celebrations after the victory had to be violent. A crowd set school buses on fire in Times Square last night.  Why?  The victory parade is scheduled for Thursday.

The Bruce Springsteen Archives and Center for American Music

 

My readers may also want to see this video from PBS

I was never that much of a Bruce Springsteen fan.  I am so much into Bob Dylan, the Beatles and other acts that started in the 1960s.  Thus, I never developed an interest in Springsteen and his music.  I did buy a few CDs of his over the years, but it is a small fraction of my collection.

Today, the Springsteen Center is opening on the campus of Monmouth University in New Jersey.  It is very similar to the Dylan Center in Tulsa, but there are some differences.

Monmouth University is in the general vicinity where Springsteen was born and started his musical career.  Dylan performed a few concerts in Tulsa, but has no roots there.

The Dylan Center contains artifacts that the George Kaiser Family Foundation purchased.  I believe the Springsteen Center is an outgrowth are artifacts from a local collector that was once housed in a local public library.

Bob Dylan nevert foot into the center in Tulsa and never gives interviews.  Springsteen was interviewed in his center in the video from PBS.

Monmouth University is about a 90 minute drive from home.  I will have to check it out sometime.