Sports Fans Delight
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SportsSports FansFans DelightDelight New DVD on ‘Jewish basketball’ illuminates the sport Jewish Stars of the ’50s ... Lenny Rosenbluth (left), a Bronx native, was “shipped” down to North Carolina. As team captain, in 1957, he led the Tar Heels in a 32-0 season, winning their first NCAA championship by defeating Wilt Chamberlain’s Kansas team in the title game. Allen Seiden (right) was one of the best backcourt stars in college history, helping St. Johns University win an NIT championship by defeating Bradley in overtime. cinating DVD, The Jewish Basketball Hall of Fame, Vol. 1, a production of Jewish Pride Sports Heroes LLC. Ever the indefatigable digger, Lifschutz pried open film vaults and has delivered what he has told me is “a document, not a documen- Heyman and Larry Brown. ture and authority to the presen- tary,” the staff of scholarship. In comparable fashion, the seg- tation. Contemporary Jewish Having accomplished his goal — ment on the recently deceased sportscaster Steve Malzberg’s to provide the sources needed to Allen Seiden of St. John’s voiceover likewise contributes to chronicle the exploits of Jewish University re-alerted me to the the film’s professional feel. hoopsters whose names and long tradition of Jews playing at Aficionados of old-style basket- accomplishments have long been that great university and what ball will relish scenes that show forgotten — he can be sure that that says about tolerance toward players using give-and-go his stories will provoke not only Jews among Catholic educators moves, inside cuts, weaves, trivia contests but serious when the doors to many WASP under-hand shots and back-door thoughtful discussion. schools were closed. This legacy plays which are no longer staples For example, in viewing the of acceptance dates back to of top college and professional extensive visuals of the careers the1940s, when significant num- games that are currently so enam- of Irwin Dambrot, Al Roth, Ed bers of Jews attended St. Johns ored with one-on-one play. Roman and Norm Mager, Jews whether or not they were hoop- Viewers will unknowingly also who played critical roles in sters. Hopefully a subsequent see when and why the foul line By JEFFREY S. GUROCK Several months ago, a Jewish CCNY’s “double championship” Jewish Basketball Hall of Fame area was called the key-hole. rofessional historians are sportswriter, Bob Wechsler of the (NIT and NCAA) victories in volume will focus on stars Finally fans of cagers who always indebted to the Express-Times (Easton, Pa.), pro- 1950, I was reminded how these including Redman Harry played for “American Jewry’s PP“buffs,” devoted amateurs duced Day by Day in Jewish young men were part of an inter- Boykoff, one of New York’s team,” Yeshiva University, will and semi-pros who, out of love Sports History (KTAV, 2008), a racial team — including black early great big men. be absolutely thrilled with the for past exploits of heroes and veritable trove of information, stars such as Ed Warner and My only problem with this 45-second clip of “Red” ancestors, do the spade-work statistics and trivia derived from Floyd Lane — which faced prej- “document” is its unwillingness Blumenreich and Irv Bader lead- necessary to ultimately produce newspapers, magazines, archives udice and racism wherever it to note one of the blights upon ing their club against the Israeli synthetic works. Although we and Web sites, ready for analysis played. several of these athletes’ careers. National Team in Madison often do not acknowledge their by trained historians. In writing a Similarly, I was struck by the A year after their great triumph, Square Garden. That segment efforts, these are our “champi- preface to this admirable volume, sight of the seeming acclaim that several of the CCNY men — notes significantly that Bader ons,” the folks who dig up the I pointed out that a finding such the Jew from New York, Lenny Jews and Blacks — who were was the first Orthodox athlete to primary sources — sometimes by as the following begs further Rosenbluth, garnered as an all- profiled were caught up in the be drafted by the NBA, but that excavating dusty attics, other investigation and analysis: In American in the Bible Belt, first 1950s basketball point-shav- the star showed no interest in times by wading through syna- 1947, City College of New York tobacco road of North Carolina. ing scandal, as was subsequently such a quixotic career because of gogue records secreted in moldy (CCNY) barred its teams from It provoked me to wonder how Jack Molinas, a student at his observance of Shabbat. That cartons — and find provocative competing against any team this minority group member fit Columbia University whose life larger issue — the frequent gems that call out for analysis coached by Everett Shelton of the into the southern society of the in sports is recounted but not his incompatability between the and contextualization. University of Wyoming because late 1950s, even as this prime tragic end as a victim of orga- clocks and calendars that mark Such has been the case recent- of the coach’s anti-Semitic participant in the reverse “under- nized crime retribution. time for Judaism and sports — ly as the academic study of what remarks a year earlier after a loss ground railroad” (great northern However, for viewers not as though only hinted at is also wor- sports has meant to American to “City.” . players brought down south to anxious to take The Jewish thy of serious contemplation. Jews has benefited from such I felt the same way about the play college basketball) led his Basketball Hall of Fame to the Bottom line: All fans of sports dedicated labors, which can now evidence that the resourceful and Tar-Heels to a national champi- “next level,” watching this DVD and American Jewish history be shared with an eager Jewish committed researcher Yisrael onship in 1957. Future migrants is just great fun. From a film point who enjoy this meritorious work public. Lifschutz provides us in his fas- in the 1960s would include Art of view, it can be characterized as must be grateful to Lifschutz for comparable to HBO’s renowned his “assist.” Our ‘champions’ are the ‘buffs’ who dig up the primary show on baseball, When It Was a Game, replete with captivating Jeffrey S. Gurock is Libby M. sources — sometimes by excavating dusty attics, other black and white visuals. Klaperman Professor of Jewish times by wading through synagogue records secreted in Narration by Marty Glickman, History at Yeshiva University and the legendary voice of 1950s- the author of Judaism’s Encounter moldy cartons. ’60s New York sports, adds tex- with American Sports. JEWISH WORLD • MAY 30-JUNE 5, 2008 13.