Snowballs, a cherished Baltimore tradition, make their annual visit

The rhythm of 1950s neighborhood life changed after Memorial Day. People emerged from their winter and spring hibernation and spent warm evenings outdoors on porches and steps, often under the shade of a canvas awning.

The alarm bell announcing this change was not brass. It was a grinding sound of the corner confectionery store’s ice crushing machine.

May was often a cool month but as soon as some heat arrived, so did this Baltimore treat. By Labor Day, snowballs were old news and no matter how hot September was...