April 25 • 2019 59
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am Taub, longtime coach at 
Mumford High School and 
inductee into the Michigan 
Jewish Sorts Hall of Fame, died April 
13, 2019.
Sam Taub was a unique individual 
in a number of ways. Great athlete, 
teacher, coach, athletic director, but, 
most of all, a great human being.
For those of us who were fortunate 
enough to play for him at Mumford 
High, his death was a great loss.
Most of us would agree that one 
of the most important things in a 
person’
s life is making a difference in 
the lives of others. Sam’
s individual 
accomplishments, such as making 
All-City in high school, playing two 
sports at the University of Detroit, 
pitching on three national champi-
onship softball teams, being named 
PSL Coach of the Year twice and 

being inducted into the Michigan 
Jewish Sports Hall of Fame, are won-
derful; but it was his relationship 
with his former players and students 
that truly made him special.
Sam came to Mumford in the fall 
of 1965. At that time, the basketball 
program at Mumford was mediocre 
at best. The team won three cham-
pionships (the East Side league, the 
state district and the state regional) 
before losing in the state quarter-fi-
nals. Three years later, the team won 
the city championship and made it 
to the state semi-finals before losing. 
From the day Sam got to Mumford 
until the day he retired, he made 
Mumford into an elite basketball 
program that held its own against 
the Pershings and Northwesterns of 
the public school league. The effect 
of that success was felt by everyone 

in the Mumford com-
munity, from the players 
to the students, parents, 
teachers and neighbor-
hood residents.
Sam practiced “tough 
love” with his players 
and the other students 
at Mumford. He treat-
ed everyone the same, 
whether it was an All-State 
center like Larry Moore or a kid in 
gym class who couldn’
t hit the ocean 
from the bridge of the ship. And 
that is one of the reasons why all the 
Mumford alumni remembered him 
over the years.
Nothing speaks louder about 
Sam Taub and his bond with his 
former players than the fact that 
more than 20 attended his funeral. 
Some were not in the best physical 

condition; others came from 
long distances, but everyone 
was there to make sure he 
received a proper send-off 
from people whom he helped 
grow from teenagers into 
adults. All benefited from 
his “tough love” in high school and 
wanted his family to know how 
much he was appreciated.
Sam was the last of an era and we 
will not see his like again. The Lord 
giveth and the Lord taketh away, but 
while the Lord may have taken away 
his body, his soul and spirit will live 
within all his former players for the 
rest of our lives. ■

Thanks, Coach

STEVE FISHMAN SPECIAL TO THE JEWISH NEWS

Coach Taub pointing 

at Billy Berris, Steve 

Fishman and Larry 

Moore at dinner a 

couple of years ago

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