Remember "Spaldeens" - the pink rubber Spalding Hi-Bounce balls-- it a favorite of mine..

een as a diminutive is pure irish! and the irish influence in NY made little balls, spaldeens!

eens shows up in Maureen (Maura is the proper name) Kathleen, (a diminute of Cathrine) Pegeen, (beloved of David Copperfield, a most likely a Margaret, made Peg, made to Pegeen!-- and in on of my all time favorite word (wrong thread i know!) smithereens!