Christie Pits Riots is
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an interactive, walking tour delivered via Audio book featuring a story that will be told through the eyes of a 12-year-old Jewish boy, Joey, who runs daily errands in the neighborhood for his Father, who owns a drug store at the corner of Bloor and Manning (this was my Grandfather’s store). As Joey moves from store to store along Bloor St, we are invited into the world of Toronto during the depression area 1930’s, we we will hear the thoughts, feelings and struggles from the other people who inhabit the neighborhood. Our story will culminate with our young hero at the Baseball game which took place on August 16, 1933, at Christie Pits and turned into the biggest city-wide race riot (specifically, between gentiles and jews) the city has ever seen. Our hero must navigate back safely from Christie Pits with his other friends and get to his home.
The story will be augmented with original music from Canadian music superstar Measha Brueggergosman and Lenny Gallant. |
Written by: Sam Rosenthal and Drew Carnwath |
About the Riot
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The riot took place at Christie Pits (Willowvale Park) on August 16, 1933. The riot, which lasted six hours, broke out after a quarter-final baseball game at Christie Pits between two local clubs: Harbord Playground, predominantly Jewish, and St. Peter's, a baseball team sponsored by a church at Bathurst and Bloor streets. The night of the riot was the second game between Harbord and St. Peter's. Two nights earlier, at the first game of the series, a swastika had been displayed. After the final out of the second game, Pit Gang members displayed a blanket with a large swastika painted on it. A number of Jewish boys and young men who had heard about the previous Swastika incident rushed the Swastika sign to destroy it. Supporters of both sides (including Italians who supported the Jews) from the surrounding area joined in, and a fight started. No one was killed in the riot.
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Generously Supported by
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