metro >> Play Ball! Jewish stars of baseball shine bright at the JCC, thanks to Bob and Sandy Matthews. Vivian Henoch had its own customized series of dolls, all handmade of paper-mache and hand- painted in Japan. The original paper- mache dolls are rare and collectible today and have really become a form of cultural art. To me, owning a bobble head from the '60s is like touching a friendly little ghost, a spirit that sends you back to a time of serenity and love as we grew up:' While Sandy lines up the dolls to be dis- played, another facet of the new collection in the Matthews Sports Exhibit will reflect Bob's passion for baseball history, focusing on his all-time Jewish American unsung sports hero: Morris "Moe" Berg. Special to the Jewish News W hat is it about Jews and base- ball? To this day, we celebrate the great Detroit Tigers slugger Hank Greenberg and champion his decision to sit out a 1934 World Series game on Yom Kippur. We still cherish the memory of star pitcher Sandy Koufax similarly refusing to play on the Jewish holiday in the 1965 World Series. What is it about baseball, the American pastime, where Jewish players, even in their scarcity, have managed to play a major league role? For answers to that central question and for the pure love of sports, visit the JCC in West Bloomfield. There you'll discover the wonders of the Matthews Sports Exhibit: Jewish Heroes & Other Legends. One of Jewish Detroit's best-kept trea- sures — a gift to the community from Dr. Robert (Bob) and Sandy Matthews — the exhibit is like none other in the country, boasting more than 300 photos, paintings, signed balls, bats and other artifacts lov- ingly collected and displayed. The unique exhibit at the JCC empha- sizes the numerous contributions of Jewish athletes and highlights their sports memo- rabilia. It represents a small portion of the collection that started with Sandy's project of organizing Bob's sports memorabilia in the lower level of their home when they were first married 15 years ago. "We had all this stuff in our house Sandy explains. "To me, it was all just names on bats and balls. But for Bob, who grew up loving the sport and knowing the players, each item evoked a memory of a time and place to be treasured:' WINNING TIGERS' MEMORIES Bob's knowledge of sports history is almost encyclopedic. At 80, he can still describe in vivid detail his earliest recollections of baseball, as far back as 1940, listening to Ty Tyson and the Tigers on the radio. The first baseball game that Bob dis- tinctly recalls as the one that turned him into a lifelong Tigers fan was the final game of the 1945 season. "It was just weeks after World War II ended following the surrender of Japan. The Tigers were in first place, but needed a victory to clinch the pennant. Harry Heilmann was the announcer for the 32 October 29 2015 JIB Tina Tringali, JCC Membership Associate and Matthews Sports Exhibit curator: "This is my fun! I am a huge sports fan, grew up in the bleachers watching my older brother, who was an amazing ball player and is now a coach:' Dr. Robert (Bob) and Sandy Matthews original piece of artwork by the renowned sports artist Ron Lewis. It depicts 26 cur- rent and former Jewish major leaguers. In addition to their original autographs, each player has included a personalized inscrip- tion to his likeness. While the central theme of the exhibit remains baseball, the collection also includes a wide variety of items from foot- ball (favoring the Wolverines), basketball, hockey and golf. game Bob remembers. "The Tigers were trailing the St. Louis Browns 4-3 in the top of the 9th inning. Hank Greenberg came to bat with the bases loaded. And sure enough, Hank hit the grand slam homer that won the pen- nant propelling the Tigers to the World Series — which they also won:" What started as a modest collection of vintage Detroit Tigers and Jewish heroes — primarily gathered from the Hank Greenberg era of Bob's boyhood — has evolved into an impressive exhibit that now feels like a mini visit to the Baseball Hall of Fame. Among Bob's most prized acquisitions, there's a signed copy of Sandy Koufax's high school yearbook, a rare set of framed baseball cards depicting 142 Jewish major leaguers and the 1948 first edition of Babe Ruth's biography, signed by the Babe himself. Also prominently displayed is an 'RENEWING THEIR GIFT' Since the opening of the Matthews Sports Exhibit in May 2012, Bob and Sandy have continued to amass and display their per- sonal collection of sports memorabilia in the lower level of their home. Based on an overwhelming response from visitors and at the suggestion of the JCC, they antici- pate expanding the exhibit in the near future. Another 20 linear feet of wall space and cabinetry will be added along the cor- ridor leading to the Fitness Center. In the weeks ahead, visitors will have the opportunity to view many new pho- tos and artifacts, including a sampling of Sandy's remarkable collection of hand- crafted bobble-head dolls depicting iconic sports figures and sports teams of every stripe. Why bobble-head dolls? Sandy explains, "Bobble heads first made their appearance in Major League Baseball parks in the '60s. Each team MOE WHO? Tap Bob on Moe Berg and you get a fas- cinating biography of a towering figure in history. "In my book, Moe Berg is the greatest ball player most people have never heard of:' Bobs says. I think he should be called our newly discovered hero of Jewish baseball. "Moe Berg is best known (and only posthumously recognized) for his service as an officer of the O.S.S., the forerunner of the CIA. In life, few knew the 'real' Moe — a frontline spy, a covert hero of World War II and a true American patriot." Baseball was Berg's cover. A linguist by second nature and fluent in many languag- es, he once inspired a teammate's observa- tion, "He can speak seven languages, but can't hit in any of them:' Moe's multiple language skills would prove to be an invaluable asset. In 1934, five years before he retired as an active ball player, Berg traveled to Japan on a barnstorming trip, accompanying All-Star major leaguers headed by Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig and Jimmy Foxx. Under the guise of visiting an ambas- sador's daughter at St. Luke's Hospital, the tallest building in Tokyo, he bluffed his way up to the rooftop and, from under- neath his kimono, pulled out a Bell and Howell movie camera and proceeded to pan the entire city skyline, including the harbor, the industrial sections and other potentially strategic targets. "It is claimed that those films provided some of the intelligence used in Gen. Jimmy Dolittle's famous 1942 bombing raid on Tokyo:' Bob says. For his many years of meritorious ser- vice to our country, Berg was presented the Medal of Freedom by President Harry S. Truman. The medal currently hangs in the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown.