American "wish Periodical eel

DETROIT JEWISH CHRONICLE

Page 16

Six Jewish Baseball Players
Seek Berths in Major Leagues

Thursday, April 13, 1950

Mapping Campaign

By SAM SPATTER
SWISH BASEBALL FANS will be scanning ma jor league rosters this spring with the hope that
J some six minor league players of the Jewish fa itl. will stick in the big leagues.
These six rookies, if they remain in the ni ajors, will bring to an end a shortage of Jewish
talent in the majors. For currently, Sid Gordon, of the Boston Braves, is the lone major leaguer
of Jewish extraction.
High hopes are held for rookies Rogovin's history is somewhat years of professional baseball as
a background.
Al Rosen, Hal Saltzman, Cal unique.
• • •
He began his baseball career as
Abrams, and Saul Rogovin to re-
main in the majors. Although an infielder but finally gave up
EXPECTED TO return for an-
Myron Ginsburg and Emil Mos- his position and decided on pitch- other spring session with Detroit
cowitz are also scheduled for try- ing. Following his decision, in the it Catcher Myron Ginsberg. A
outs, their chances of remaining winter of 1947-48, he went to native Detroiter, Ginsburg led the
Venezuela to play in the loops Eastern League batters in 1948
appear slim.
with a .335 average. He was op-
In the late 1930s the American there and gain experience.
While pitching in Venezuela tioned to Toledo last season after
and National leagues had a large
contingent of Jewish players. Rogovin was the center of an un- a brief tryout with tq ) Tigers.
During that era such men as Hank usual incident. He was sent to the
A relative newcomer to the
Greenberg (Detroit), Morris Ar- local bastille one day during a majors is Emil Moscowitz, a hurl-
novich (Philadelphia), Harry hotly contested game. His mis- er last season with Stamford of
Left to right, seated: Mrs. Abe Kutlove, Mrs. Selden Koblin and
Danning (New York), Buddy demeanor was giving up four suc- the Colonial League. Pitcher
Mrs. Samuel Croll. Standing, Mrs. I. Jerome Ilauser, Mrs.
Myer (Washington), Goody Ros- cessive walks during the game, Moscowitz, who was a former
Leonard Morein and Mrs. I. Irving Wasserman, These secre-
en (Brooklyn), and Moe Berg enough for the local police to lug New York Yankee batting prac-
him off to the jail. He was re- tice hurler, is tagged for a trial
taries in general solicitation are getting set for the April 17
(Boston) played regularly.
Allied Jewish Campaign meeting of the women's division, at
Some 10 years have passed leased, however, under the con- with Cleveland this spring.
which general solicitation prospects will be assigned to workers.
since that era. Few Jewish ball dition he lessen the number of
At Stamford, Moscowitz won
players, however, have been ac- bases on balls to opposing bats- 19 games against 5 losses. It is
tive in the majors during that men.
expected that he will be farmed
In 1948, back with Buffalo as out next season for further ex-
span of years.
a
pitcher,
Rogovin
chalked
up
a
But now a break in this situa-
perience.
tion appears. What qualities these record of 13 wins and 7 losses.
Several minor league players
six young men possess to aid them The Tigers gave him a tryout, bear watching in 1950 as potential
but
optioned
him
back
to
Buffalo.
in their quest for big league jobs
major league material. Sidney
can only be found in their records. Ile is again set to try out with Schacht, drafted by the St. Louis
the
Tigers,
this
time
with
a
bet-
It was stated by the Jewish
A picket line was formed last
• • •
Browns from Louisville, is a
Community Center that the
ter chance of staying.
Monday
by
the
employes
of
the
PERHAPS THE most promis-
A newcomer to the loops this promising hurler. He began last Jewish Community Center on demonstration does not affect
ing of the group is Cleveland's season is a promising 24-year-old season with Birmingham, but Woodward avenue, the first time its operations.
Albert Leonard Rosen. Rosen is former University of Oregon was sent to Scranton where he in Detroit that a labor dispute in
The Jewish Chronicle also was
a third baseman who was born in hurler, Hal Saltzman of the finished with a 19 and 5 record. a Jewish organization was car-
informed that under an agree-
Spartanburg, S. C., some 24 years Cleveland Indians. This young
Schacht w ill probably be ried to the public.
ment made in 1944 collective bar-
ago. He grew up in Miami, Fla., pitcher, whom the Indians pur- farmed out this season, due to
The striking employes are
where, in 1940, he was Florida chased for an estimated $100,000, his experience. Pitchers also members of the Social Service gaining is excluded from contract
state high school middleweight accomplished a remarkable feat complete the remainder of the Employes Union, Local 43, an af- talks with Center employes.
It also was pointed out that all
boxing champion. Entering pro- last season with Portland of the list. Sandy Silverstein, following filiate of the United Office and
fessional baseball in 1942 with Pacific Coast League.
a successful season with Savan- Professional Workers Union of wage agreements made by the
Center are subject to approval by
Thomasville, Nor t h Carolina,
Hurling for a sixth place dub, nah, is slated to pitch for Buffalo. America.
State League, Rosen did not play Saltzman was able to gain 23 vic- Lefty Mary Roblatt, former Uni-
An officer of the local union the Council of Social Agencies,
long as he soon entered the navy. tories—a feat not often accom- versity of Illinois star who was told the Jewish Chronicle that of which the Center is a member.
He was signed by Cleveland plished by first place team hurl- signed by the Chicago White Sox, the union had tried for seven
The Council told the Jewish
after his discharge. In 1947 he ers. Saltzman advanced to Port- will hurl for Sacramento of the months to sit down with the Chronicle that it had adopted an
advanced to Oklahoma City land from Salem, with only two Pacific League this season.
board of the Center for collective established wage system for so-
where he hit 349 in 146 games
bargaining, but that it had been cial workers modeled along the
to win the Texas League batting
consistently denied this demand. patterns of other cities. It was
title. There he won the league's
The union asks wage increases. conceded by these sources that
most valuable player and all-star
It is pointed out that workers at salaries within this framework
third baseman awards.
the Community Center are paid were lower than those paid by
Failing to gain a berth with
lower salaries than city and coun- the City of Detroit or the Coun-
the Indians in the spring tryouts
ty employes in similar positions. ty of Wayne.
of 1948, Al Rosen was optioned
By ELEANOR C. SIMON
to Kansas City where he pro-
E HAVE A South American Indian Elijah in our neighborhood
ceeded to win the American As-
who hails from Chile.
sociation's most valuable player
In observing him closely, I can plainly discern the imprint
award, and was second in league
batting. Again, in the spring of of the early Spanish settlers of his country. There is a definite
1949, he had a tryout with the interplay on his intelligent face
TEL AVIV — (WNS) — The swept all of Palestine and the
Indians, but he failed to impress of both the Indian and the is the land of promise. And so I
came. And the promise is kept. words of the Hagadah, "Let adjoining countries, upsetting one
Manager Lou Boudreau and Rosen Spaniard.
His hair is abundant, black. and I am the best sign painter around everyone who is hungry come boat and, for a time, interfering
was optioned to San Diego.
very
straight. His eyes, a flashy here, and business she is plenty!" and eat," fittingly describe the with air flights.
This year he advances with no
I nodded gently—yes, business Passover season in Israel this past
At the same time it was an-
fanfare or additional honors. black, and the smile seems to me
nounced in Haifa that a $3,250,000
Whether the third time will be definitely Spanish. It is both the she is plenty, but the heart is week.
The austerity restrictions were contract for the deepening of
his lucky one, remains specula- smile of a conqueror and a empty.
• • •
relaxed for the holidays and Haifa harbor and the expansion
tion. Manager Boudreau has been mystic.
• • •
quoted as saying:
ELIJAH OBSERVES Jewish more than 2,000 Jews from of its port facilities has been
AND WHEN I discuss religion
"We have to give Al Rosen a with Elij- cih, which is not seldom, dietary laws to a "t." He rooms America and other countries ar- awarded to an American firm.
chance at third base next sea- his mysticism breathes vivid life over at old Mrs. Labovits' house, rived in the Jewish state to ob- When the work is completed, the
son. We can't option him again. into the stories he delights to tell and Tillie Labovits is known far serve their first Passover in Is- world's largest liners will be
and wide for her piety and strict rael.
able to use the port's facilities.
Ken Keltner may have anothet7 me of his saints.
observance.
Included among the American At present, some of the larger
good year left, but Rosen is ready
Elijah is built tall and slim, and
And because Elijah has been visitors were a 20-member dele- vessels must wait outside the
to step in."
makes me think of an early Span-
•
breakwater until they can un-
ish Grandee. His walk, however, painting signs for Jake Labovits gation of the American Christian load.
for
nigh
unto
20
years,
there
Palestine
Committee,
headed
by
ANOTHER PLAYER to return harks back to the rhythm of his
to the big leagues is Cal Abrams, early Indian ancestors. It is both grew up between these two men Dr. Howard Le Sourl of Boston
University. 41.so among the ar-
an outfielder with the Brooklyn lithe and easy, and good to be- a beautiful friendship.
When Elijah needed a room it rivals were Rudolf Sonneborn,
Dodgers. A Philadelphian, Ab- hold.
Elijah is middle-aged, and was spontaneously offered with chairman of the board of direct-
rams first attracted Dodger at-
tention when he batted .345 with there is in his abundant black the admonition: "You'll have to ors of the United Palestine Ap-
SAN FRANCISCO .— (WNS)-
Mobile, Southern League in 1947. hair here and there a bit of the eat Jewish food, and keep meat peal and a delegation of29 mem-
and milk apart or Tillie won't bers of the Jewish National Thomas Mann, internationally
He remained at Mobile in 1948 snow of life.
Workers Alliance of America.
My Jewish heart is greatly have you in the house!"
known author of such books as
finishing with the same batting
• • •
It was a happy Passover, but it "Magic Mountain" and "Dr. Faus-
touched when on rare occasions
average.
AND AS TIME went on Tillie was also a windy one. A gale tus," declared here before an
While with the Dodgers in he will, with tears in his large
Emergency Conference on Renaz-
spring tryouts in 1949, Abrams black eyes, relate to me the story told her good Jewish neighbors
that it takes a strict Catholic to
of
his
youthful
love
for
a
blond
ification
in Germany that the
proved the "talk of the camp"
German girl back in Chile, the observe our dietary laws. She
Jewish people "are only too just-
from his brilliant batting exhibi-
told it this way: "Look at our
ified when viewing with deep
tions. He clinched a regular berth Chile of his youth.
• • •
young Jewish housewives, they
alarm the present situation in
with the Dodgers as the season
run to the big markets for trafe
Germany, the resurgence of Naz-
HE
SAYS
TO
ME
sadly:
"She
began. Soon it became apparent
SINGAPORE—(WNS)—A Jew- ism, the rise of anti-Semitism
meat and don't know any more
that Abrams was not ready for was not a Catholic, and so mar- about how to keep a kosher ish Welfare Board, whose aims and the shocking failure of the
riage between us was impossible.
the majors.
are to promote and encourage
My father, he fixed it good; he house than I know what's going communal activity, was formed denazification proceedings to de-
He benched himself and was sent me away to the navy, and on up on the moon!
mocratize the area or properly
v later sent to Fort Worth; There, when I returned one year later
Yet here is this Catholic Elijah here by the 2,000 member Jewish punish the criminally guilty."
community
of
Singapore.
in 1949, he regained his batting my love was married to another. in my house, and he's just as
About 90 per cent of the com-
power, finishing with a .337 aver- It was then my father pleaded careful as I am. He says — live
SWORDS INTO PLOWSHARES
munity is Sephardic rand 400 per-
• age.
with me to take over his large up to your religion and God will sons are now receiving aid from
GAZA AREA—(ISI) —Swords
An inroad among major league farm—for I was an only son. But love you! Ain't that beautiful, I
were turned into plowshares as
the
group.
The
colony
has
two
ask
you
...
?"
pitching staffs is expected with I refused, and instead went back
synagogues, erected 50 years ago the 30-kilometer border which
the, arrival of Saul Rogovin and to the navy for another year."
The Jewish Chronicle is the and a Talmud Torah. Since the was fixed in February between
Then I asked: "And how did
Hal -Saltzman. Both men have
only
newspaper that gives com- end cf Woild War II about 20 Egypt and Israel in the Gaza area
excellent minor league records. you happen to come to this coun-
plete
coverage of Jewish events youths migrated to Israel from was ploughed into a strip four
For Rogovin, this will be a second try, Elijah?"
kilometers wide.
Singapore.
try to gain a berth with Detroit. And he answered: "This land in Detroit.

Woodward Center Staff
Sets Up Picket Line

An Indian Shows Jews
the Way to Be Jewish

W

"C ;

2,000 Jews from U.S. Spend
Pesach in. Gale Swept Israel

• •

Dr. Mann Justifies
Fear of Nazism

Singapore Jews
Start Welfare Unit

ti

a

4

