FAQ
Authors

BaseballLibrary.com
Copyright © 2002
by The Idea Logical
Company, Inc.
All rights reserved.

While Adam Green’s piece on the "Jewish All-Star" team which appeared on April 9 is interesting, some more names need to be mentioned.

To begin with, Harry Danning was an established star catcher for the New York Giants. While I take second place to no one in appreciation of Moe Berg, Harry was a far better choice as catcher. Berg was an acknowledged character, and legend has it that his is the only baseball card ever displayed at the offices of the CIA. But, Adam, no way that Moe Berg "outranks" Harry Danning.

And, as long as we are talking about Jewish catchers, let’s not forget the brother battery of Norm and Larry Sherry who toiled for the Los Angeles Dodgers for a brief period of time. Norm was the catcher and Larry the pitcher. Of the two, Larry’s career was more noteworthy. In 1959, as a twenty-four year old rookie relief pitcher, he was the World Series star.

Unquestionably, Hank Greenberg is one of the great ballplayers of all time – Jewish or otherwise, and certainly deserves inclusion. But let’s not forget Phil Weintraub, a journeyman first baseman with the New York Giants. After leaving the major leagues in 1938 following parts of six seasons, he returned for two World War II years in 1944 and 1945. On one glorious day in 1944 he drove in eleven runs.

Goody Rosen (not related to all-star Al) was worthy of a backup spot on the team. He was an outfielder for several major league teams, including the Brooklyn Dodgers. Goody’s career was shortened by participation in World War II, and his most notable accomplishment was leading the National League in assists by an outfielder one year.

No pitcher (Jewish or otherwise) has ever had a greater career than Sandy Koufax. Ken Holtzman and Steve Stone were no slouches either, but what of Bo Belinsky? His career was hardly brilliant, but lasted eight years with five teams. If nothing else, he deserves recognition for carousing with Hollywood beauties while a member of the original California Angels. An expansion draft choice of the Angels, Bo went on to an acting career (of sorts) following his big league days.

Now, perhaps you get the point, and I could go on. But, to drop just a couple more Jewish names, there was Cal Abrams, and of course, Ron Blomberg, each of who is the subject of a unique recollection.

Cal Abrams (then a Brooklyn Dodger outfielder) was thrown out at home plate with the winning run in the bottom of the ninth inning of the last game of the 1950 season. Unfortunately for Cal and Brooklyn, the Philadelphia Phillies won the game in the top of the tenth on a home run by Dick Sisler. By the way, the coach who sent Abrams in from second on a single was Jake Pitler, a long time Dodger coach who also happened to be Jewish.

Ron Blomberg was baseball’s first designated hitter (with the New York Yankees). He was built like Mickey Mantle and ended what might have been a promising career running into a concrete wall.

Jimmie Reese was actually born Hyam Solomon, and while I have no evidence that in fact he was Jewish, the name is too Jewish sounding not to mention him here. Jimmie had a rather brief major league career as a player, and is best known for having been a roommate of Babe Ruth’s. He was a highly respected gentleman and acknowledged expert "fungo" hitter, whose career in the major leagues as a player or coach continued for over seventy years. Conceivably, he could manage the "all-star" team. It is also to be pointed out that while with the California Angels he became close with Nolan Ryan, who named a son "Reese" after him.

There are others as well, including Mike Epstein, dubbed "Super Jew" when he played first base for the Baltimore Orioles.

So, the point here is Adam Green’s piece could have been an anthology had he wished to pursue the matter further. Yes, there have been many Jewish players, some of whom we know, as well as those who are waiting to be discovered in dusty tomes hidden in libraries.

After all, while there have not been a great many, Jewish baseball players were not as unique as major leaguers born in Czechoslovakia, of which I believe there was exactly one - Elmer Valo, of the old Philadelphia Athletics.

» Sam Person is a retired CPA and university professor of accounting who has been a baseball fan for sixty years. He enjoys writing on baseball history.

Also by Sam Person
» My Brother’s Baseball Cards
» Strange Endings to Baseball Careers
» The Pitching Change

» More submissions