PURELY COMMENTARY

Aramaic

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ceremonialisms than we even
imagine. For instance, the
Kaddish is in Aramaic. The
Universal Jewish En-
cyclopedia contains the com-
parable Hebrew words in the
Kaddish and the English
translation.
The reference to it and the
manner Aramaic is evident in
Scriptures must create a
growing interest in the sub-
ject in Jewish scholarship.
Perhaps special studies of
Aramaic will thereby be
inspired.
The comparable Hebrew-
Aramaic and the differences
illustrated in the Universal
Jewish Encyclopedia, sup-
plemented by the English
translation are reproduced
here. ❑

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Greenberg

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The New York Times on
May 18 bore the headline:
"Hank Greenberg a Hero
to Dodgers' Negro Star."
The story read: "Jackie
Robinson, first Negro
player in the major
leagues, has picked a dia-
mond hero — rival first
baseman Hank Greenberg
of the Pittsburgh Pirates.
"Here's why: Robinson
and Greenberg collided in
a play at first base during
the current Dodger-Pirate
series. The next time
Jackie came down to the
sack, Hank said, 'I forgot
to ask you if you were hurt
in that play:
"Assured that Robinson
was unharmed, Greenberg
said: 'Stick in there. You're
doing fine. Keep your chin
up:
"This encouragement
from an established star
heartened Robinson, who
has been the subject of
reported anti-racial treat-
ment elsewhere admits he
has undergone 'jockeying
— some of it pretty severe:
" 'Class tells. It sticks out
all over Mr. Greenberg,
Robinson declared:'
Scores of incidents of which
Hank figured as a target in
anti-Semitism are compiled
in the Berkow biography. One
occurrence refers to William
Harridge, president of the
American League who
criticized White Sox players
for what he called
"unsportsman-like conduct
and use of insulting and
abusive language to members
of the opposing team." He
warned Jimmy Dukes of the
Sox that 'any player found
guilty of a,repetition of these
tactics will be ejected from
the game, with suspension

following.' Then follows the
Berkow account of the follow-
ing as one of the incidents:
"Greenberg charged that
Kuhel deliberately spiked
him sliding into first base.
Greenberg swung at Kuhel
and members of both
teams rushed to them to
prevent a fight."

Years later Eldon Auker,
the Detroit pitcher, recall-
ed: "During the ball game
somebody from the White
Sox dugout yelled out that
Hank was a yellow Jew
S.O.B. When the ball game
was over Hank took off his
spikes and everything and
he walked across the way
and opened the door. He
walked right into the White
Sox clubhouse, which was
just across the aisle from
our clubhouse, and said,
`The guy that called me a
yellow S.O.B. get on his feet
and come up here and call
it to my face.' Not a guy
moved. He was damn
lucky, because Hank
would have killed him.
Hank was a tough guy."
Birdie Tebbetts, then a
young reserve catcher on
the Tigers and a Detroit
teammate of Greenberg's
for seven seasons, also
remembered that incident.
"Hank walked into the
White Sox locker room and
said, 'I don't know who

'The guy that
called me a yellow
S.O.B. get on his
feet and come up
here and call it to
my face:

called me a yellow Jew
bastard, but whoever it
was, stand up and say it to
my face.' Ted Lyons, the pit-
cher, and a nice guy and a
friend of Hank's, decided
to walk toward Hank and
Hank said, 'Hey, Ted, I
don't have any argument
with you: Hank knew who
it was. And he made his
statements directly to that
guy instead of the whole
club. But the guy never
said another word."
Greenberg's was not a home
with strict Jewish observance.
But that did not reduce the
normal loyalties. His father
objected to his playing in the
crucial 1934 Yom Kippur
game. There was nationwide
admiration for Hank and the
popular, nationally syn-
dicated poet Edgar A. Guest
wrote this poem that is
reproduced in the Berkow
biography:

The Irish didn't like it
when they heard of

Greenberg's fame
For they thought a good
first baseman should
possess an Irish name;
And the Murphys and
Mulrooneys said they
never dreamed they'd
see
A Jewish boy from Bronx-
%Tulle out where Casey
used to be.
In the early days of April
not a Dugan tipped his
hat
Or prayed to see a "double"
when Hank Greenberg
came to bat.

In July the Irish wondered
where he'd ever learn-
ed to play.
"He makes me think of
Casey!" Old Man Mur-
phy dared to say;
And with fifty-seven
doubles and a score of
homers made
The respect they had for
Greenberg was being
openly displayed.
But on the Jew New Year
when Hank Greenberg
came to bat
And made two home runs
off Pitcher Rhodes —
they cheered like mad
for that.

Came Yom Kippur — holy
fast day world wide
over to the Jew —
And Hank Greenberg to
his teaching and the
old tradition true
Spent the day among his
people and he didn't
come to play.
to
Murphy
Said
Mulrooney, "We shall
lose the game today!
We shall miss him on the
infield and shall miss
him at the bat.
But he's true to his religion
— and I honor him for
that!"

Berkow's story reveals
Hank's synagogue visit on
the Rosh Hashanah when he
hit two home runs to help the
Tigers win the pennant.
Hank had many friends in
the Jewish community and
the synagogue he attended on
Rosh Hashanah was Shaarey
Zedek, where he received an
ovation. In the sanctity of
that day the enthusiasm ac-
corded him there was shared
by Rabbi A.M. Hershman
who was a devout baseball fan
and a Greenberg admirer.
There is no end to the
charm accorded to the
Greenberg memoirs in the
Berkow story. It certainly is
among the gems in sports
literature. Berkow rises to
notable heights as a sports
writer in the excellent
volume entitled "Hank
Greenberg." ❑