Stratton Park Message Board

We were very sad to hear of the passing of Ed Stack. If anyone has information about the Thursday wake or the Friday funeral, please post it on this board.

Eddie was one of those Most Unforgettable Archer Street Characters. I'm certain there are retired Archer Rams and others who have some great stories of times with Ed. It would be wonderful if some would share their memories with others via this board.

Matty...great idea about the effort to change the name of a portion of 102 park in tribute to Ed.

Deepest condolences to Ed's family and close friends.

Eddie is being waked on Thursday at McGowan's Funeral Home in Congers and being buried on Friday with a mass at St. Pauls Church also in Congers. Saturday would have been his birthday.
My prayers go to his family and let it be known that he will be missed
Virginia

The wake is on Thursday at T. J. McGowan Sons Funeral Home 113 Lake Road East Congers New York 10920 Phone: (845) 268-6665. I'm not sure fot the funeral on Friday. I think it is at St Paul's on Lake rd. The Funeral home would have the info.

Hi All:

I share in condolences to all the Stack Family as Eddie has passed. Wish I could get up to N.Y. for the funeral but I can't. Thoughts and prayers are with all and I have many fond memories of Eddie (Mr. Parkie as I called him before I knew his name or who he was). Eddie has left an indelible "Life Mark" on many people from our neighborhood. I can remember how he fought the powers that be at the park to allow him to hose the ball park and freeze a section of it so we kids could go ice skating.. My husband (an ex Archer Ram) can tell you many stories about Eddie to...

Matt, I agree that would be a great idea about doing a memorial name change up at 102 Park..

Eddie affected a lot of people from a lot of age groups in a very positive way. His devotion to the Archer Rams as Coach probably helped to keep a lot of people headed in the right direction at a very vulnerable time age wise in their lives. He was fun and kept the fun in everything he got involved in...

We say goodbye to a good, kind thoughtful person who brought about a lot of good times and wonderful things for a lot of people.... Good bye Eddie and good bye to a wonderful era... Rest In Peace... and he will probably still be watching over everything... Know you were cared about and appreciated ...

I just spoke with both my brothers Bobby and Phil and told them of Eddies passing. I am amazed at the rush of memories that came roaring back, as if they happened only yesterday. The vast majority of them had to do with Eddie providing some kind of sports related activity, team or league that shaped our youth. From PS 102 softball leagues ( John, remember "Tell's Apples") to St Anthony's CYO basketball to the Parks Department Championships to the ARCHER RAMS, the list goes on. I could not attend the birthday party for Eddie at the ELKs however; I understand the testimonials were many and the sentiments sincere. We have lost someone who touched many of us in a unique way. I stated in an earlier post that if it wasn't for Eddie keeping a basketball venue available after the St. Anthony's league folded (thank you Fr. Grogan) my life could have been drastically altered. Playing for Eddie enabled me to develop and improve enough to eventually help pay for my college education. I am sure there are many more remembrances of Eddie today so lets hear them. My heartfelt condolences to Noreen and the Stack family.

Jimmy Carolan

This story may shame many, and I really don't mean to open old wounds, but the story is meant as a tribute to the character of Ed Stack, as well as the respect he carried in the neighborhood. Sorry if it offends some, but I witnessed both chapters of the story personally and can attest to their truthfulness whether you believe me or not. One of the Cotter's crew regulars was making something of a nuisance of himself having had perhaps one too many with the rest of the Rams that night. He interrupted a conversation in progress on a street corner and got a little obnoxious. I am not criticizing mind you, on rare occasions I've gotten obnoxious myself. One Frankie Dennis was interrupted in the midst of telling a story and was not pleased. He had previously been the target of vigilante action in the neighborhood, and probably rightly so as he was not the most well liked fellow in Stratton Park. He used the full old fashion heavy Schaefer beer can in his hand to pitch a fast ball into the face of his interruptor, knocking out all of his teeth. A despicable act to be sure.

Shortly thereafter (days) a Cotter's bar contingent caught up with Frankie for retribution. They dragged Frankie into the back of Noble field with his hands tied behind his back and dragged an overturned 55 gallon trash drum under the tree in the back of the field as they continued to drink and party. I was in another part of the field watching. They threw a heavy rope over an upper branch, put the noose on Frankie's neck, and hoisted him on top of the drum and began to chant "Do it, Do it, Do it."

THe group of about ten were stoned. One voice of reason spoke among the crowd. It was Ed Stack. He said stuff like "Come on fellows, they'll be no coming back from something like this. Everyone's lives will be ruined. You'll never keep it a secret. What about your families?"

I don't know if they would have listened to anyone else, but they listened to Ed Stack. He saved Frankie Dennis' miserable life that night. Instead they took him off the drum and beat him to within an inch of his life.

Anybody out there admit to remembering that story? That is a tribute to the respect that Ed Stack had in Stratton Park.

Eddie Acunzo

Hello All: Three days ago, I made a request for help to have the 102 playground named after Ed Stack. At the moment of writing that posting I had no idea that Ed Stack would have (journey'd) on that same day. Later that day, I was very shaken to see Cathy's posting about Ed with the funeral arrangements posted thereafter. It was an indefinable experience and feeling. But, while I would have liked to have Ed know of our intent I am more determined to follow through. Last night I paid my respects to Ed Stack and his family and it was a pleasure to meet his wife Noreen and Son Kevin and daughter in law who is expecting a baby in the second week of July. My mapquest directions had me make a wrong turn, so, unlike a man, I asked a local person where the funweral home was and was told to go the opposite way for a quarter of a mile and just look for the streets where all the cars were parked. Uoon arriving I was simply astonished, but yet, not suprised to see that the funeral home was so crowded. I had to park several blocks away in a neighborhood that would generally have ample parking. I came to realize the truth of the saying that the measure of a person's success is not how many possessions one has but how many friends he or she has. Ed, as we all know, was an avid sports enthusiast inspiring many to be involved to learn teamwork but also the basic premise of sports and life, fairness. Afterall, what is the sense of it al without a concept of fairness. Isn't that what "do-overs" is all about. As a young lad of about 14, I and a few others somehow came across several boxes of toilet paper holding more rolls than could be counted. Somehow, these rolls were removed from the parkhouse at night and thrown off the roof tops of Taylor Avenue and there was literally thousands of feet of fanny ribbon strewn over the entire 102 playground, ballfield and fences. Somehow, Ed Stack figured out who the culprits were. Ed had some choices to make. He could have filed a report with the police, approached our parents or handle it himself. Ed was the judge and jury and we not only respected him but would not defy his leadership. Ed with a keen sense of understanding handled it himself and we ere all not allowed to go into the playground for the entire summer, and we didn't. We all knew of the potential consequences. Speaking for myself, I learned the lesson and more. It was handled much differently than the good sisters of St. Anthony's would have done for far less. Ed's sense of fairness transgressed and his wisdom catapaulted the boudaries of sports. I believe many of us have learned that same lesson through his sticktuitive dedication and example. The large group who came out to support Ed's family whether by sending flowers, cards, and phone calls, prayers or attendance across many miles certainly demonstrates that the measure of this man's success went well beyond the measure of any friendship yardstick. Thanks Ed for your lessons of fairness and inspiration. I could only hope to try to meausre up in a like manner. God Bless Ed's family with Love, Peace and Happiness, Always. Matt Keenan

Matty...that certainly was some crowd at Eddie's wake...I was at the funeral and the collation following where Eddie's family and friends came together to celebrate his life, it was a fine send off that Eddie himself would've surely enjoyed...


What impressed me most about Eddie was his integrity... what sticks out in my mind was his refusal to use overage "ringers", even while everyone knew it was a common practice used by the competion in football leagues throughout the Bronx...Eddie stance on the matter was simply "it wasn't right"...that was a lesson Eddie taught me early on... as the saying goes he didn't just "[i]talk the talk, he walked the walk[/i]"...


In my mind that was what Eddie was all about trying "to do the right thing"...

JohnT


PS..Frannie Donnely I know you read this site...email me at JT5165@aol.com...

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