The Year in Jewish Sports

By HAR OLD U. RIBALOW
Author of "The Jew in American Sports"

(Copyright, 1957, J ewish Telegraphic Agency, Inc.)

stature to Lennie. Many of the
American Yeshivas had hoop
teams of better than average
ability. Yeshiva University, with
Red Blumenreich, also won
many headlines. And Blumen-
reich was considered well
enough to be talked about as a
possible professional star. We.
don't know whether a Yeshiva'
man will want to make a living
playing pro ball, but the thought
of his being able to do so is a
tribute to his ability.

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Hassidic Tale of faith Relvarded

The Hassidim tell a story
about a very poor, but saintly
European villager named Ar-
yeh. His sole possession eras
a scrawny horse which daily
carried him and his cart to a
forest where he would chop
wood.
With money he earned by
selling the wood in a neighbor-
ing town market, he struggled
to sustain himself and his fam-
ily. Even though the family
had to subsist on dry bread
and onions, he was eternally
cheerful and confident that
God would never forsake him.
After each evening meal he
studied the sacred bOoks of
Judaism and forgot his wor-
ries.
One night a thief stole his
horse and cart. Without these
items it seemed that Aryeh
could earn no more money and
that eventually his family
would starve. Yet Aryeh had
no fear. "God will , n ot for- ,

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sake us," he said. He reopened
his sacred books and studied
them as if nothing had hap- tri
pened.
CV
Meanwhile, the thief drove
the horse and cart into the for-
est where he began to dig for C)
some lime he wanted. While )"3
digging, he noticed a barrel ttl
filled with gold, - silver and
precious jewels. Overjoyed , he ,4
)-4
lifted the barrel and hid it z
under the lime loaded on the z
cart. In a haste, he dropped a Si
small piece of silver into the c2
pit. As he bent down to pick
up the coin, a huge slab of *21
lime fell on his skull and
cc.
fatally wounded him.
The horse, becoming hungry,
trotted back to its home. Wh en
Aryeh's family ran out to wel-
come the lost horse, they g
found the treasure hidden in g'
the cart. From then on they PI
were extremely wealthy. But
they always used the riches to is.
help the need 37.
I trit 4

In discussing the Jewish sports quoted him on his past career,
scene, we must point out that his opinion of the famous man-
this has been a year of mixed agers he knew and played un-
blessings.
der and his relationship to oth-
Beginning with the fine er players, as he was one of the
things first, we must assert that first Jews to make the Big
Israel's various visiting teams Leagues with a splash. It is not
have made -a better impression impossible that Cohen will re-
than previous squads. The bas- main in the public eye for years
ketball team that came and to come, now that he has come
In tennis, Dick Savitt's name
toured the nation performed not this far in his managerial ca- continues to crop up as the best
only adequately on the field, but reer.
of our amateurs, but it is now
particularly- well in the arena
Because Jews generally set-
crystal clear that Savitt will not
of public relation& Most of the
tled in the larger communi-
give up a- lucrative job to hit
athletes had served in the Israel
ties, they played a compara-
the tournament trail any longer.
Army and had learned to play
tively major role in basket-
As a matter of fact, he has been
basketball under severe handi-
ball. Today, matters are dif-
asked to represent the - United
caps. Newspaper columnists all
ferent. In professional basket-
States in its quest for the Davis
Over the land interviewed them
ball, which finally came into
Cup without entering- any tour-
and stressed their intense desire
its own last year, there was
naments, but even this has be-
to play the game well. And the
only one Jewish star: Dolph
come impossible for him be-
coach of the team, Elmer Rip-
Schayes of Syracuse, former-
cause of his business commit-
_ ley, a non-Jew, was an eloq uent
ly of New York University.
ments and his deep-seated feel-
expounder of the heroism of the
Schayes has gradually im-
ing that he was ill-treated when
Israeli lads. In all, this w as a
proved to the point where
he did play on the Davis Cup
good trip. And the same may be
some basketball reporters
team.-Herb Flam, the only other
said, with minor differences, of
think he is the very best in
Jewish star of stature, ranks as
the two soccer teams—the Mac-
boy. Usually, the top chess
the game.
America's No. 2 man and play s
Smyslov, the new title-holder.
cabi and the Hapoel squads—
players in the world are Jews.
While there were lots of Jew- all over the world, winning fre-
The Jewish contribution to
that played in the United States
This still holds, true. But now
ish basketball players in college quently. Yet. it is clear that
sports hai been incredibly rich
during the past year
the world title is held by a
ranks, the only one who -won Herb doesn't have the hard-
and varied. And to this day
Both Israeli teams did fair-
non-Jew, which has come to
all- American - mention was Len- smashing game which is re-
there are Jewish athletes all
ly well, neither of them ex-
be
accepted
as
remarkable.
nie Rosenbluth of North Caro- quired in international competi-
over the world participating in
actly swamping their oppo-
Apart
from
Botvinnik,
other
lina. The Southern team won tion for him to be able to lead
scores of competitions; many of
nents. The Maccabi boys were
the mythical national champion- our team to Davis Cup victory stellar Jewish chess masters are them win national and interna-
here a longer time and made
David Bronstein of Russia, tional acclaim.
ship, and Lennie was the hero over the Australians.
a more lasting impression.
Sammy Reshevsky of the United
of that team. In addition, North
Sports is a continuously fas-
Mikhail
B
o
t
vinni
k,
the
The Hapoel lads were harmed
States and Miguel Najdorf of cinating subject, and will
Carolina beat Kansas and the
re-
world champion cheSs player,
somewhat by inept public re-
Argentina.
These
men
still
dom-
main interesting for as long as
huge Wilt Chamberlain to gain
lost his coveted title to an-
lations arranged on their be-
inate
the
game
and
any
one
of
the title. This, too, gave added
man enjoys pitting his skill
other Russian; Vassily Syms-
half by American idea men.
them is capable of beating against another man.
Jews did fairly well in the
Olympic Games, and now they
are involved in the Israel Mac-
cabiah. Quite apart from the re-
sults of these games, we cannot
help but be impressed by the
"Nothing in life is more wonderful than faith — the
vast number of Jewish athletes
one great
from all over the world. Read-
moving force which we can neither
weigh in the balance nor test in
ing the English-Jewish papers
in Great Britain, Israel, South
the crucible."
Africa and other lands, we con-
stantly come across the names
Sir William Osler
of new Jewish stars. Obviously,
in this Hydrogen Bomb Age, the
Jew tries to compete—and of-
ten succeeds—with athletes of
all other nations and faiths. He
does well enough, too.
None of us will deny that the abiding faith of our race has
In the United States, the
stood the test against persecution and against misfortune.
sports activities of Jews have
been lessening in some fields
and holding on in others. In
boxing, for example, once a do-
Our faith has been a moving force which has brought us
main in which Jews excelled,
there is one major personality,
forward until today we stand upon a hilt, in the light where we
Alphonse Halimi, who - gained
the bantamweight championship
have freedom to live as we choose without interference from any
of the world. A predecessor was
Robert Cohen. Halami is an Al-
man.
gerian Jew, as was Cohen. His
name is to be added to the doz-
ens of Jewish boxing kings.
In the United States there are
We should be thankful for, the strength our faith has
no fighters of note, although a
past champion, Barney Ross,
given us.
has managed to remain in the
spotlight. A film based on his
career was released all over the
world, and Ross has a knack
With these thoughts in mind during this festive season may
for winning newspaper space
with his various opinions, on
we give thanks for our great heritage and may you and your loved
boxing and on life in general.
Baseball, our national game,
ones be blessed with everything that is good and worthwhile in
never did boast of many Jew-
the years ahead.
ish stars at a single time, even
though there have been a
large number of Jewish dia-
mond stars. This past season
one new star emerged. He is
My Associates and I extend to you, our warmest greetings.
Sandy Koufax, the Brooklyn
D o d g e r lefthander, whose
blazing fastball made him a
strikeout artist. As Koufax is
only 21 years old, he has an
excellent opportunity to be-
come a 'major league star.
Oddly enough, while there
have been a few score Jewish
ball stars, few indeed _have
won prominence as pitchers.
Sandy Koufax has a chance
to do that.
Another familiar name has
cropped up in baseball, follow-
ing years of comparative ob-
scurity. He is Andy Cohen, who
Shrce /889
used to be a Giant second base-
NE.40 Offla IPA TEN 00, 0#TAR0
man in the late 1920s. Cohen
has been knocking about in the
1766 PENOBSCOT BLDG.
minor leagues as a manager and
is still doing the same sort of
DETROIT
work. But now he is in the
American Association, with In-
MOE LEITER & ASSOCIATES
dianapolis, one of the high-
ranking minors. As a result,
more and more newspapermen
found him good copy and 0

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Jo ou and Yours

Kappy new LJear

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