Saaaawing Batta!
A new set of baseball cards “celebrates the 141 Jewish men — many long forgotten — who have worn a Major League uniform.”
According to the Jewish Major Leaguer‘s website, “‘American Jews in America’s Game’ is an offering of the American Jewish Historical Society (AJHS), America’s oldest ethnic history organization. This 142-player commemorative set has been produced for AJHS by Jewish Major Leaguers, Inc. (JML), and Fleer Trading Cards. This boxed set also contains career leader and ‘check-list’ cards, as well as an essay on the making of the set, and the American Jewish baseball experience.”
Heh, remember that scene in Airplane!, when a passenger requests some “light reading” from the attendant and gets handed a pamphlet on great Jewish atheletes? Actually, there are a lot more than you think…
Can’t recall where, but in a Philadelphia newspaper dating back to the fifties, they did an article on the pro-basketball Jewish Team. There was this great line in there, something to the effect of…”Jewish Basketball players have the unique advantage of quick hand dexterity and keen eyes.”
Gotta love it, Go Jews!
was it about the philadelphia hebrews by any chance?
http://www.stallanddean.com/index.cfm?page=_productdetails&productid=PHL20BJ&cid2=2308&cid=2185
I believe that is to whom I am referring…the South Philadelphia Hebrew Association team, the SPHAs (pronounced “spas”) nicknamed “Hebrews”
Can’t find the quote, but here’s some interesting history on how Jews changed the game of basketball: http://www.aish.com/societyWork/arts/Jewish_Basketball_Giants.asp
It’s been their game for the past 80 years, only to have been recently bastardized by the Jordans, Barkleys and Shaqs of the game ruining the travelling rules and turning it back into a rough-and-tumble bowl-over-your-opponent league.