Sinatra died of a heart attack on Thursday night, May 14, 1998 at the age of 82.
Since then, much has changed in Hoboken, but the city's love for their favorite son has remained. Almost 10 years after his passing, the city continues to honor his memory in different ways.
"No one ever dies if you keep their memory alive," said A. J. Lambert, Sinatra's granddaughter, who lived in Hoboken for a few years before recently moving to New York City. Lambert, a musician herself who has played in Hoboken bars, is now doing a monthly show on SIRIUS satellite radio honoring her father, called "Third Generation."
Next month, the state will induct Sinatra into New Jersey's new Hall of Fame, and the U.S. Postal Service plans to release 42 cent stamp (remember, rates are going up soon!) picturing the crooner on May 16.
In 1998, the city of Hoboken christened Sinatra Park, a new park on the central waterfront. Various musical groups, including a ska group called "Skanatra," have played outdoor concerts there.
Before that, the city named the road along the waterfront "Sinatra Drive," although the street signs had to be moved higher up on poles because people kept stealing them.
Missed Hoboken, or not?
For the last 25 years, City Clerk James Farina, who once met Sinatra at the St. Ann's Festival in the 1980s, has held a ceremonial birthday party for Ol' Blue Eyes at City Hall.
"Every December 12, I have everyone come down to celebrate," Farina said. "Before he died, I used to send him a birthday card with an invitation."
The singer never showed up, but his fans did.
Nick DePalma, co-owner of Leo's Grandevous restaurant at 200 Grand St., which is stocked with Sinatra memorabilia to go with their Italian dishes, said that he has heard many stories about Sinatra from the locals - but he only considers some of them to be truthful.
DePalma says that one true story is that Sinatra used to stop into Leo's every once in a while when he was on secret nighttime trips to Hoboken to see his godfather, Frank Garrick.
The Garrick story has been told by several people, including Farina, whose uncle used to play music with Sinatra.
Farina said that Sinatra "would come in from the city [New York City] at one or two in the morning after a show" to see Garrick.
Farina said once Garrick showed him a diamond ring that, according to Garrick, came from Sinatra. But Farina wasn't sure Garrick was telling the truth. So Garrick showed him the inscription on the inside of the ring. And the etching inside said it was "from Frank."
While DePalma wasn't at Leo's when Ol' Blue Eyes used to visit, the legend was passed down from his grandfather, who then owned the restaurant.
Many people question whether Hoboken fell out of favor with Sinatra later on in life, or vice versa.
"There were some people that had problems with Frank's attitude once he became big," Farina said. "A part of him was probably pissed off about the way people treated him. But, I think the connection stays strong."
Various stories say that Sinatra received catcalls either when receiving an honorary degree at the Stevens Institute of Technology in Hoboken, or on a visit to the St. Ann's Festival in 1982 with Pres. Ronald Reagan. However, no one has confirmed the stories.
When asked about it last week, Lambert only would say that she didn't think her grandfather had any problem with the town.
"They were always proud of him," Lambert said of Hoboken.
"Sometimes people are bigger in death than in life," Farina said.
"The reason for his timelessness is the nature of his recordings," DePalma said. "They span the gamut of human emotions. I think that's what people relate to."
The celebrations
Lambert, whose mother Nancy Sinatra has a weekly show on SIRIUS's "Siriusly Sinatra" channel, talked about her own show last week.
"The show is like me playing records for him," Lambert said. She said the playlist is "a lot of his stuff and some of my stuff."
Her next show is this Friday, April 25 at 10 p.m. on SIRIUS channel 75.
Timothy J. Carroll can be reached at editorial@hudsonreporter.com.
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