William and Robert Smolinski look angelic, almost European, in this photo from 1936 or early 1937. But as teenagers in the '40s, they were feisty, all-American competitors, especially on Russet Lane driveways where basketball was played.

William, aka Bimby (apparently for how he pronounced "Billy" when he was learning to talk), was the golden boy at Solvay High, Student Council president and captain of one of the best basketball teams in school history.

On Russet Lane he was a Peter Pan-like character who initiated many of the street games we played. And when you played, you wanted to be on Bimby's team.

Younger brother Bobby was more of a rebel, someone who wasn't a follower, but not yet the leader he would become as an adult. He seemed to take delight in beating his brother in our backyard games. Not that Bimby and Bobby were unique; Dan (Red) Mathews and his brother, Jimmy, who lived just two houses from the Smolinskis, were equally – and often more colorfully – competitive.

However, Bimby and Bobby were Russet Lane's best players. Bimby was our Bob Cousy, a slick ballhandler whose passes often seemed to come from out of nowhere. Cousy would influence at least one generation of basketball players, and on our street that influence started well before Cousy became famous as a Boston Celtic. We saw him play for Holy Cross in 1949 when he dazzled the crowd – and his Syracuse University opponents – with his no-look passes and the way he whipped the ball around his back with his right hand, faking a pass, only to wind up with the ball in his left hand, taking a shot.

At 6-foot-6, Bobby was the tallest boy on the street, which cast him as our George Mikan (below). That name may not register, but in 1950 Mikan was basketball's most dominant player. Granted, this was back in the days of a lily-white NBA, but Mikan, at 6-foot-10, 245 pounds, was a prolific scorer and huge presence under the opposing team's basket. Mikan's reputation has suffered in recent years from those who claim he was slow and couldn't jump very well, but, in truth, he was the most mobile big man of his time and played so well above the rim that he prompted an important change in basketball rules. When he starred at DePaul University, there was no rule against goaltending, so Mikan was free to swat away as many opponents' shots as he could. He was so effective that the NCAA was forced to act. As a pro, Mikan was a unique weapon who made the Minneapolis Lakers the NBA's best team, though some feel the Lakers were lucky the league didn't include the Harlem Globetrotters, who beat the Lakers in a few exhibition games. (Mikan also was a dead ringer for Clark Kent, which was appropriate because some of his NBA opponents regarded him as Superman.)

With his size, Bobby Smolinski had a Mikan-like effect on our Russet Lane games. He also contributed mightily to what I believe was Solvay High School's highest-scoring team, before moving on to LeMoyne College where he was the starting center for three seasons. He helped the Dolphins pull a huge upset against Western Kentucky, which, at the time, had one of the country's top basketball programs. It may still be regarded as LeMoyne's biggest win ever.

Unlike Bimby, whose nickname endured, Bobby never had one that stuck. For awhile (and for reasons I don't recall), we called him Tiger, which led to Bengal Bob. His high school yearbook labels him Thuggie, which might have been an inside joke. And while classmates listed such future occupations as doctor, veterinarian, engineer, Navy officer, research chemist, illustrator, concert artist, even professional ice skater, Bobby facetiously set his goal as the yard gang at the Solvay Process Company.

Instead he became a lawyer and for many years was the Solvay police justice, which earned him yet another nickname – Judge. He shares a law office with his son, William, who – at 6-foot-10 – may be the tallest attorney in Onondaga County. William also played basketball at LeMoyne. Bob and his wife, Patty Sullivan, also have a daughter, Jennifer, who lives in Massachusetts.

Bimby became a chemical engineer and for several years lived in Smoke Rise, NJ, with his first wife, Marcia Maloney, and their five daughters – Suzy (Winchester), Amy, Mary (deLoe), Helen and Kate, all of whom eventually headed west, Suzy to Colorado, the others to California. Bimby is back in Central New York. Oh, yes, at the most recent family reunion, Bimby was still challenging all comers to a foul-shooting contest.

As for those other battling Russet Lane siblings, the late Red Mathews followed his father's footsteps and became a lawyer, while his brother Jimmy, a fine all-around athlete and terrific golfer, is a well-known priest in the Syracuse diocese.

– JACK MAJOR