If you’ve ever wondered about the origins of the Keswick Avenue bridge graffiti catchphrase, “Wich one yall hit my boy on his hade”, the backstory seems to depend upon who you ask.

Longtime locals agree that the graffiti first appeared in the 1970s or 80s. Since the bridge’s replacement last spring, the graffiti is long gone, but the legend lives on.

According to Nick D’Aniello, a Glenside resident since the 1980s, one storyline goes like this: A group of kids who used to hang out around that area were throwing snowballs one day. One of the snowballs hit someone’s child on the head, prompting the mother to look up and deliver the line.

“Apparently they thought that was so funny, so they graffitied it onto the bridge,” D’Aniello said. “There’s no concrete understanding of who did it. If you ask three different people in Glenside, you’ll get three different stories. It may have been as innocent as someone getting hit with a snowball by the kids who used to hang out at that bridge.”

D’Aniello said he came across a version during Glenside’s Porchfest on Saturday. According to the individual with whom he spoke, the graffiti came about following a fight at the Cedarbrook Mall.

Another version from an anonymous Glenside resident goes:

The story is a lady walked into a bar and said it to the patrons after her kid alleged it happened. I used to see it as a kid on the bridge on the way to my grandmother’s house and thought it was so funny. It got painted over a few times and would just show up again I’d venture to guess early 80’s

Adding to the lore, Jason M. Jones published a story in the Potomac Review titled “The Bridge” below:

In 2017, My Hometown History took to Facebook to attempt to settle the debate over the original graffiti’s wording and spelling. Though the debate’s winner went undeclared, the graffiti’s creator was the late John Lacey according to one of the post’s comments.

From another comment:

There were 2 original writers [neither of whom were John Lacey], one painted the first half ‘Which one yal’ in blue, and the other finished it ‘hit my boy on his hade’ in red oxide primer. One is alive, one is dead.

In November 2021, area resident James McGarvey announced on Facebook that the graffiti had made a return:

When the bridge was replaced last May, D’Aniello created the rendering below, and his wife recreated the graffiti.

D’Aniello, who moonlights as Glenside Video Lab, said he’s made cutting boards and cups with the line, and over the years multiple purchasers have claimed to have known the original creator.

“Maybe they’ll step forward one day, but they’d be in their 60s or so by now,” he said.

The rendering includes two additional tags: “B Bop for life” and “Terr” in honor of Brendan and Terrence MCann, two Glenside brothers who attended La Salle College High School in Wyndmoor. Brendan passed in 2024 at age 37, Terrence in 2005 at age 20.

“They were the motivation for the artwork. A lot of people miss them,” D’Aniello, a classmate of Terrence’s, said.

Frank McCann, Terrence’s and Brendan’s older brother, said he salvaged three sections of the old bridge.

“There are so many different rumors about the line. My family really appreciated that my brothers were memorialized,” McCann said. “I’m psyched to get them on display in my backyard. They’re about 500 pounds apiece, so I’m going to need some help in getting them off the ground.”

Photos courtesy of Frank McCann

Keswick Avenue bridge in April 2026

In an effort to keep the legend alive, D’Aniello has been printing t-shirts featuring the catchphrase.

“Some friends of mine made shirts awhile ago with that saying, and I’m going to make more since I’ve gotten some requests,” he said.

The shirts are on sale at The Dovetail & The CO Lab (2256 Mount Carmel Avenue) and can also be purchased directly from D’Aniello by calling 215-805-8464.

If you are privy to additional (or extended) versions of the graffiti’s origins, please feel free to leave them in the comments.

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Feature photo: Frank McGarvey