BRONX SCENE
First to cross Throgs Neck Bridge were on bicycles
The late Ron Schliessman took this photograph of the opening of the Throgs Neck Bridge on January 11, 1961.
The large white building on the right is the Bronx Beach and Pool. Notice the long line of cars waiting to be
among the fi rst to cross the new span and create a life-time memory and a few bragging rights. Only John
McNamara and his son, Johnny, however, could claim to be the fi rst to cross the new bridge hours before it
offi cially opened.
BRONX TIMES REPORTER, O BTR CTOBER 11-17, 2019 97
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It was a cold and blustery
morning long before sunrise
when John McNamara Sr.
awoke his fourteen year old
son, Johnny, telling him to
get ready for an adventurous
trek across the East River.
They both dressed appropriately
and coated their
faces with Vaseline as they
set out on their bicycles. John
Sr. was on what he referred to
as his “plasma bike” because
he paid for it over a period of
time by selling his blood.
It was a 1953 Armstrong
with four speeds and his son
pedaled his 1958 three-speed
Humber. They winked as they
passed the guard shack where
arrangements had already
been made for the sentry to be
looking the other way as they
passed quietly and quickly
into the darkness.
The privilege of being the
fi rst to cross the new span
was to be a memory of a lifetime.
The sun still wasn’t
up and no one was about to
watch as the two lone cyclists
pedaled their way to Queens,
the fi rst to cross the Throgs
Neck Bridge.
The spelling of Throggs
Neck, by the way, always
had two g’s until the bridge
was built and one g was lost.
That’s why the Throggs Neck
Houses (projects) and the local
United States Post Offi ce
branch use two g’s. Both were
here long before the bridge
along with a host of businesses
that have retained the
original spelling.
The date was January 11,
1961 and that year would hold
other memories for Johnny as
he was deployed to Vietnam
on January 11, 1968 and returned
stateside on January
11, 1969. Both he and his father,
by the way, served in the
First Army and both were in
the Pacifi c. John Sr. served
in the Philippines during
World War II and had some
fascinating tales to tell.
When father and son returned
from their trip across
the bridge and back, they noticed
that the workmen were
just setting up for the ribboncutting
ceremony. One of
the Clinton’s, a local family,
is believed to have snapped
a picture of the father and
son team still smeared with
Vaseline as they journeyed
back to Edgewater Park.
When they arrived home
Johnny was delighted that
he’d miss a day of school and
his father simply said “why?”
that it was still very early
and he had plenty of time to
get ready for school. He was
crestfallen as a day off from
classes was a key part of the
grand adventure. John Sr.
went off to work and John Jr.
went off to school and both
had a story to tell of a once in
a lifetime adventure.
Many locals were already
lined up waiting to be among
the first group to drive
across the new bridge. Angelo
and Mamie Mastrarrigo
were celebrating their wedding
anniversary on the 11th
so it was a good way to begin
the day with a fond memory
that would last a lifetime.
Only two lone cyclists,
however, could boast of the
grandest of experiences by being
the fi rst to cross the new
13,400’ suspension bridge on
that cold blustery morning.
Driver Safety Course
As a service to his constituents, Assemblyman
Michael Benedetto will be
sponsoring an NYS DMV Approved Insurance
Reduction Program on Saturday,
November 16, from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30
p.m. The course is held at Fort Schuyler
House, 3077 Cross Bronx Expressway.
Registration for this class begins
on Monday, September 16. To reserve a
seat, call (718) 892-2235. The cost is for
this class is $29. Space is limited.
This 6-hour course will refresh your
driving skills with a review of timetested
safe driving tips. Those who complete
the course will receive a reduction
of approximately 10% from the base rate
of auto and motorcycle liability premiums
each year for three years.
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