Sometimes when I’ve been alone in the pits, I am visited by various specters sometimes from a time when the horseshoe pit was first built, and the sport was popular and it was not uncommon for a young man to invite a young lady for a simple picnic and for her to watch him compete at horseshoes for fame and money. And then other times, I am visited by the future where the pit is either overgrown again or the hotdog and ice cream vendor are open and nearby and the pits are enjoying renewed popularity with people lining up to take a turn. Such are the visitations I sometimes experience. At other times I can focus on the here and now and experience the sound of metal clanging, birds in the distance, the sound of nearby volleyball players, an experience of timelessness and solitude. Scary.

I was hacked and disabled in June, disabling about 6 sites including this one. It was easy to rebuild the html, but rebuilding the WP sites caused numerous problems updating the WP databases. I’ve spent considerable time rebuilding to a new host. I am now using Hostinger which seem to overall be helpful in this process.

To make matters more complicated, I moved out of NYC end of Sept. and moving from place to place was not helpful in making steady progress rebuilding anything. 

Now I think the worst of this is over and I can now add new posts here and there. In particular do check out toodamnpersonal.com which is about my continued travails with moving, dating, divorce and aging among other things.

Lucky me! I lost another horseshoe. So that means I can order two. (See the previous post on this subject) Weird thing though that a set of 4 only costs $5 more than buying just two. So I ordered 4 more and from Amazon no less. Yes I confess, I am a participant in this madness, even though I know better.

And look at me going along with it all. Sometimes I avoid this, but other times it seems I run out of time. Such is the nature of this conspiracy. I think this sort of price bundling to buy more is bad for the planet and also one clear sign of the demise of capitalism as we’ve known it.

A personal commitment stops me from showing up on Thurs.

Horseshoes can happen on another day by appointment if you contact me.

Additionally rumor has it that the regular day for horseshoes might change to another day. TBD soon.

Sorry no updates sooner.

Many apologies for not updating this blog sooner. The original run of horseshoes ended after the first season and no one had the will to start it again until now.

After an almost 4 year absence, I’m going back at the horseshoe pit again. Here’s what happened in between.

1. Overall there was a poor response to the original 2017 launch and despite numerous promotions, few people where actually interested in horseshoes.
2. In 2018, I got more busy with selling our family apartment and moving.
3. In 2019 the NYC Parks department fenced off the area. I spoke with the Parks Department representative at that time and was told that along with the development of the nearby Jacob Javitts park on Fort Washington, the horseshoe area was also being considered for redevelopment. I expressed interest in keeping this area for horseshoes and was told that I was welcome to express myself at a town hall meeting. I did not attend this meeting.
4. In 2020 we NYC was part of the COVID pandemic and much of Manhattan was closed.
5. Overall, most people seem to like to avoid doing work. So, the proposition of telling people they should come for horseshoes because it was a lot of work had not been very successful. Avoiding work seems to have become part of the modern American ethos. Seems we only put up with work at all so we can enjoy our leisure time. Combining work and leisure causes too much cognitive dissonance for most people hence inviting people to help with the ongoing process of cleaning up the pits was a little like offering someone to come and suffer. Yes, it might be strange, but I have actually enjoyed doing this work.

For these reasons the Margaret Corbin Provisional Horseshoe Pitching League horseshoe pit at Fort Tryon Park in NYC has been closed for almost 4 years. But I’m writing now to tell you that it’s open again. Though if you are going on non-game days, you should untwist the wire fastener that makes it appear that it’s still closed.

Schedule:

Regular games will be held Thursdays at 7:00 through September (barring any other factor possible or unforeseen). Also note that Dean Heagle will be holding general office hours on Monday evenings at Manolas Tapas bar at 177^thand Broadway in Manhattan from 6:30-8:00.

Directions:

The Margaret Corbin Provisional Horseshoe Pitching League is happening in Ft. Tryon Park, just North of the volleyball courts as you go down (not up) the steps from the higher elevation on Fort Washington Ave. The A train station at 190th St. is closed on the Ft. Tryon level due to elevator repair to be complete Sept. 2021. If coming by Train take the 181^st Street A station and walk many blocks to the entrance of Fort Tryon park, across from Jacob Javitts Part at approx.. 192^nd Street or take the M4 Bus to that location then walk down the steps.