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Amazon
Jewish Baseball.com
SPI Books
Category:
Sports/Recreation
Publisher: SPI Books
ISBN-10: 1561719730
Type: Non-Fiction
Pages: 288
Copyright: May 15 2001
"They're all here -- the ones you can name (Hank Greenberg, Sandy Koufax, Shawn Green) and the ones you can't (just about everyone else). This is the perfect Father's Day gift for Jewish, baseball-loving Dads everywhere and a great resource to have on your baseball bookshelf. At least, I'm sending a copy to my father-in-law and I love having a copy on my own shelf!"
Reviewer: Cecilia Tan from Boston, MA
Book Description
From the beginning, Jews have played a prominent role in our national pastime, the game of baseball, but have often been ignored. This is the first baseball encyclopedia dedicated to naming and honoring every Jewish contributor. These often remarkable stories ensure they will no longer be forgotten.
The Big Book of Jewish Baseball covers everything, from tragic moments such as Herb Gorman dying on the ball field, and Erskine Meyer quitting the sport after finding out about his teammates (on the 1919 White Sox) taking bribes, to happier occasions such as Koufax's perfect game as well as Larry Sherry successfully concluding every Dodger victory of the 1959 World Series.
Jews who impacted upon the great American pastime extend far beyond the record homeruns and strikeouts of the legendary slugger "Hammerin' Hank" Greenberg and pitching ace Sandy Koufax. There are scores of lesser known ballplayers like Lipman Pike (the first professional Jewish player), Cal Abrams (who shielded Jackie Robinson with his body), and Ron Blomberg (who stood in as the very first Designated Hitter), whose baseball stories will touch or amuse readers of any background.
The Big Book of Jewish Baseball explores all facets of baseball, including: Minor League players, Umpires, Jewish League Officials and Club Executives. It even includes a 2001 Major League update, as well as 200 B&W photographs. This book is a must for anyone interested in the game.
Also included are full player stats, unusual memorabilia, exclusive original interviews, and rare photos of players on & off the field.
This one-of-a-kind book will be much appreciated by both baseball aficionados as well as readers of popular Judaica. In addition, the authors convey so much about the lives of the players, not just their baseball careers, some great transcendent moments both in baseball and American history come alive for readers.
Ingram
An instant collector's item, this first comprehensive, encyclopedic reference devoted exclusively to the Jewish contributors to major league baseball is packed with rare photos of players--on and off the field--complete stats, rare memorabilia, exclusive interviews, and much more. Among those profiled are Sandy Koufax, Hank Greenberg, Cal Abrams, and Eddie Zosky.
Excerpt
Long before Ian Fleming created 007, Moe Berg, long time catcher and premier U.S. nuclear spy, was issued a license to kill Nobel Physicist Werner Heisenberg.
Hank Greenberg’s lifetime RBI record of .92 per game (which he shares with only two other players, including Lou Gehrig) is the highest in major league history.
Two Jews, a mobster and a World Champion boxer, were the brains behind the 1919 Black Sox Scandal.
Danny Kaye, the cinema’s Walter Mitty, realized his own daydreams by purchasing a major league baseball team.
A Jewish boy with no legs hitchhiked across the country to become a major league batboy.
Sandy Koufax battled crippling arthritis to become the premier lefty of all time.
Cy Rosenthal of the Red Sox was rendered paraplegic during WWII. He raised thousands of dollars for numerous and diverse charitable causes. His funeral was an outpouring of grief and love from a multitude of all races, religions, and ethnic groups.
Baseball’s two greatest comedians, Al Schacht and Max Patkin, were both promising pitchers, accomplished base coaches, & each was called “the Clown Prince of Baseball.”
Larry Sherry, with his brother Norm, was the last brother battery in baseball history.
The major league’s first designated hitter was Ron Blomberg.
It was a Jewish city council man from Boston, not Branch Rickey, who first proposed using Jackie Robinson to break baseball’s color barrier.
El Paso, Texas’s Cohen Stadium, was named in honor of Big League brothers Andy and Syd Cohen.
Lou Boudreau, one of only 3 Jewish players in the Hall of Fame, once blew a baseball game when he blew his nose.
Mose Solomon hit 49 homeruns in 1923 in the Southwest League. At the time, only Babe Ruth had ever hit that much in any league. Mose became known as “The Rabbi of Swat.”
Hank Greenberg felt that every time he hit a homerun it was a blow against Hitler.
Lipman Pike, the first Jewish major leaguer, was baseball’s first undisputed homerun king. He was so fleet afoot that he outran a racehorse. He was also baseball’s first Jewish manager and umpire.
In the 1959 World Series, Larry Sherry was the first pitcher ever to be credited for all 4 of his team’s victories, either as wins or saves.
Cy Malis, a former member of the Philadelphia Phillies, was seriously wounded during World War II. By medical malfeasance, he was turned into a drug addict. Through his own iron determination, he freed himself from his dependence and then became a roll-model to help others in similar states. Cy also made a career for himself as a Hollywood actor.
Blue Jays’ outfielder Shawn Green’s family name was originally Greenberg.
Barney Pelty of the St. Louis Browns actually had a lower lifetime ERA than Sandy Koufax. Barney was known as the “Yiddish Curver.”
Abe Saperstein, creator of the Harlem Globetrotters, was also a major moving force behind the Negro Leagues, as well as owner of the leagues’ Chicago American Giants.
Marvin Miller, the head of the Player’s Union, probably had more impact on the history of baseball than any ten players, including Aaron, Cobb, Gehrig, Jackson, Mantle, Rose and Ruth.
Richie Scheinblum was a baseball star of three continents: North America, South America, and Asia.
In 1903, Barney Dreyfus, owner of the Pittsburgh Pirates, was co-creator of the World Series.
Bo Belinsky, who pitched the West Coast’s first no-hitter, wrote as much history in the field of romance as he did on the fields of baseball.
Herb Gorman, a promising young outfielder for the San Diego Padres, collapsed and died from a heart attack during the course of a game.
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