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Tiger n Miami AU83 
Auburn Fan
Miami
Member since Oct 2007
25147 posts
| re: The Collapse of Birmingham (Posted on 3/1/13 at 8:25 pm to Alahunter)
Brought back a lot of memories for me as well. I remember as a very small kid going to East Lake to walk around the track with my mom in the summer. Truly some of my earliest memories. I was probably 5 years old. I remember feeding the ducks there.
Steak and Ale I remember well (in Roebuck). It was the place for me, my mom and my grandmother for special occasions. The nicest resturant in the area.
And of course I remember Eastwood Mall and Century plaza. My very first memory of AU football at around 5-6 years old was listening to AU vs UGA on the radio with my mom in the parking lot of Century Plaza until it ended (was in Athens and not on TV).
Center Point was mostly white when I was in HS as well. Taco Bell was the weekend hangout.
I went to the YMCA in Roebuck as a kid all the time. Lived there. My mom was a school teacher and every single day in the summer we went to the pool there. I would get jawbreakers and magic rocks (the crackling gum) from the little concession stand in the back right of the pool area. And a Mr. Goodbar and coke every day. Hell, I was on a swim team at that YMCA for 4 years and played soccer there every year in the fall and spring.
Also, I even remember the 25 cent hamburger stand. We would go there after school and FEAST for $2. Till we felt sick.
By the time I was a senior in HS though the area had gone to shite around East Lake. I worked out at a gym that was a reform school teens that had fricked up because the guy that ran it was one of the most badass hardcore trainers in all of B-ham. Old man named Mr. Hudson, probably about 75, but pushed me so much further than anyone ever had playing sports. The area had gone to shite though and my car got stolen one day while I was working out. By that time, I was one of the few white people that ever ventured into that area of town and the only one that trained at that gym.
Damn the memories.  
This post was edited on 3/1 at 8:27 pm
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RollTide4Ever 
Alabama Fan
Nashville
Member since Nov 2006
8120 posts
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U guys should write a book.
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Tiger n Miami AU83
Auburn Fan
Miami
Member since Oct 2007
25147 posts
| re: The Collapse of Birmingham (Posted on 3/1/13 at 8:44 pm to RollTide4Ever)
We actually grew up in the same area. Maybe 10 years apart, but Hunter and I discussed it several years ago here on TD when he first joined.
I haven't thought about B-ham in a LONG time. My dad retired and my parents moved to the the gulf coast about 7 years ago. Mom is a school teacher so she just switched schools.
I've only been back to Bham twice in the past 5+ years. When they dedicated my old high school gym to a former coach and my 10 yr HS reunion. So his post brought back some memories of growing up there. I am so far removed from it after years in big cities and Miami, but doesn't mean I don't remember living there for all of my life growing up.
This post was edited on 3/1 at 8:45 pm
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Five0
Alabama Fan
Member since Dec 2009
3261 posts
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Good stuff. Grew up in Huffman and spent summers with my grandmother in Center Point. A different time then and definitely a different place now.
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RebJas
Alabama Fan
Suburbs of Birmingham
Member since Jan 2011
95 posts
 Online
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I spent a lot of time as a preteen at Century Plaza and Eastwood Mall.
I remember the Steak and Ale at Eastwood.
My parents used to get me to spend the night with my friends so they could go to Midnight Rodeo at Village East. Speaking of, I remember the movie theater up there.
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RollTide4Ever
Alabama Fan
Nashville
Member since Nov 2006
8120 posts
| re: The Collapse of Birmingham (Posted on 3/1/13 at 9:24 pm to RebJas)
Black folks ran them out. 
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Aubie Spr96
Auburn Fan
lolwut?
Member since Dec 2009
10096 posts
| re: The Collapse of Birmingham (Posted on 3/1/13 at 9:50 pm to RollTide4Ever)
My grandfather was a Bham police officer. My dad still has his police id signed by Bull Connor.
My family is from the Central Park area. We lived in Ensley Higlands until I was 3. We moved over the mountain with everyone else. My favorites from that area are Marsh's Bakery, Rickwood Field, the State Fair Grounds, and BIR.
My grandmother drove from Homewood every Sunday to go to church at Central Park Baptist until the day she died.
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Alahunter
Alabama Fan
Member since Jan 2008
70726 posts
| re: The Collapse of Birmingham (Posted on 3/1/13 at 10:28 pm to Aubie Spr96)
quote:
Rickwood Field, the State Fair Grounds,
I remember my grandfather taking me to see the Barons at Rickwood way, way back when. And I remember when they'd have Spring Fling at the Fairgrounds and going there with my buddies. Hell, I remember going as a kid and them having the cows, goats and all the animals for judging.
Also remember going to the farmers market, under the interstate on 1st ave north.
Centerpoint also had the 2 movie theatres, Centerpoint Six near Jeff State, and Bama Six in the now demolished mall on the parkway. We cruised there after the move from Roebuck.
I have no idea what kids do today. There used to be literally hundreds that would cruise back in the day. We also used to hang out at Midas parking lot, shooting the shite and Indurall Paints. And if you wanted to go parking, cutting over to hiway 11 from old springville road on Edwards Lake Rd, you could drive up the hill overlooking Lakesite Dr. It's Turncliff Rd now, but back then, it went up and dead ended and you could see all of Huffman lit up. Sweet place to get your freak on and drunk as kids.
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CrimsonTideMD
Alabama Fan
Member since Dec 2010
743 posts
| re: The Collapse of Birmingham (Posted on 3/2/13 at 12:53 am to Alahunter)
Hunter, I'm sure are paths have crossed at one time or another IRL without either of us knowing.
I grew up in Trussville, but my grandparents lived in south Roebuck.
LOOOOVED El Gringos.
I used to swim at East Side Swimming Club in Roebuck.
Fed the ducks at East Lake Park as a kid.
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CrimsonTideMD
Alabama Fan
Member since Dec 2010
743 posts
| re: The Collapse of Birmingham (Posted on 3/2/13 at 12:55 am to CrimsonTideMD)
Somebody else in this thread said Bham was always a AA town. Definitely not the case. My grandfather grew up in Woodlawn, and it was all white at the time. Norwood and Bessemer, too.
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lsu480 
Arizona State Fan
1488 posts
Member since Oct 2007
47813 posts
Online
| re: The Collapse of Birmingham (Posted on 3/2/13 at 1:30 am to RollTide4Ever)
Look at every single US city that is an impovrished, crime-ridden shithole and then look at the demographics of that city and if you don't see what the problem is you are a ruh-tard. Why cities with certain demographics are so shitty is up for debate, one that I won't enter in here on here, but the fact remains that cities that have high %s of certain races are all absolute dumps,
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RebJas
Alabama Fan
Suburbs of Birmingham
Member since Jan 2011
95 posts
Online
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They completely re-did the McDonald's at Eastwood. Tore it down and started over from scratch. I didn't know until a few years ago that it was the first McD's in the country with a playground. My mom took me there so much as a kid.
We spent a lot of time at Eastlake Park, also.
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RollTide4Ever
Alabama Fan
Nashville
Member since Nov 2006
8120 posts
| re: The Collapse of Birmingham (Posted on 3/2/13 at 4:42 pm to lsu480)
Walter Williams wrote extensively on why this is the case. The fact is white folks are the proponents of the welfare state and want to play victim in this hideous deal.
As much time folks spend talking about Obama being a Kenyan, where was this energy to get sessions and Shelby to address this issue? HOw did we go from an America where a black kid like AG gaston wold grow up into a millionaire legend to one where drug crime is prevalent?
This post was edited on 3/2 at 4:44 pm
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CaptainBrannigan
Auburn Fan
Member since Jan 2010
6673 posts
| re: The Collapse of Birmingham (Posted on 3/2/13 at 4:42 pm to Five0)
quote:
Small world, we have met if you worked nights. Which station.
THe Shell station next to Milo's down the hill from Miles. I did work night. I was the only white guy that worked at that place. Not hard to miss me.
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MississippiLSUfan 
LSU Fan
Brookhaven
Member since Oct 2005
9616 posts
| re: The Collapse of Birmingham (Posted on 3/2/13 at 6:03 pm to RollTide4Ever)
Great article. Truth. Thanks for posting.
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CaptainBrannigan
Auburn Fan
Member since Jan 2010
6673 posts
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quote:
Great article. Truth
Only truth in that pos is that the author is racist.
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SlowFlowPro 
Stanford Fan
Equality is a circle, not a =
Member since Jan 2004
263299 posts
| re: The Collapse of Birmingham (Posted on 3/2/13 at 7:19 pm to CaptainBrannigan)
do you also believe the mayor was set up?
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CaptainBrannigan
Auburn Fan
Member since Jan 2010
6673 posts
| re: The Collapse of Birmingham (Posted on 3/2/13 at 7:23 pm to SlowFlowPro)
quote:
do you also believe the mayor was set up?
 Hell no. Langford is a dirty as they come. But it has nothing to do with being black.
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SlowFlowPro
Stanford Fan
Equality is a circle, not a =
Member since Jan 2004
263299 posts
| re: The Collapse of Birmingham (Posted on 3/2/13 at 7:23 pm to CaptainBrannigan)
i was just testing your hack level
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