International Jewish Sports Hall of Fame Yad Le’ish Hasport Hayehudi NEWSLETTER “The Deeds of the Past Shall Inspire the Achievements of the Future” Summer, 2009 HALL OF FAME ADDS NEW HONOREES TThehe OOtherther BBible!ible! s the International Jewish Sports Hall of Fame celebrates its 30th year, recent When we say that Jewish elections have swelled the IJ SHOF’s roster to 330 honored athletes and Sports Legends is the “bible sportsmen who have excelled at the highest levels of their sport. of Jewish sports”, we intend A no comparison or confl ict Honorees elected to the IJ SHOF over the past four years are presented below, and with the Bible. But Jewish on pages 3 & 6: Sports Legends covers a lot Auto Racers: was only the third court more about sports than the KENNY BERNSTEIN, offi cial elected to the original tome. American driver-owner, BHOF. Jewish Sports Legends is is a six-time National the series of books that Hot Rod Association references everything about champion, and winner the International Jewish of the International HRA Winston championship. Sports Hall of Fame. Bowler: He is the only race team owner to collect The 4th wins in three major motorsports disciplines: MARSHALL HOLMAN, edition NASCAR, NHRA, and IndyCar. an American elected to the PBA Hall of Fame in of JSL MAURI ROSE won 1990, was the fi rst pro bowler to top $1.5 features the “Indianapolis million in career earnings, and ranks 7th biographies 500” in 1941, 1945 and all-time with 22 major PBA championships. and photos of every 1947. He was inducted Beach Volleyball: ADRIANA BEHAR, the into the International Brazilian and partner person and Motorsports Hall of Shelia Bede were the team honored by the IJ SHOF, Fame in 1994. world’s #1 ranked team plus additional features that in 2000, 2001 and 2004. inform and entertain regarding Basketball: EARL STROM, in 1957, The pair won World the subject of ‘Jews in sports’. became one of the NBA’s fi rst fulltime court Championships in 1999 It makes a perfect gift for offi cials, and spent 29 years in the NBA and 2001, and silver Jewish sportsmen and and three years in the ABA. Elected to medals at the 2000 and 2004 Olympics. sportswomen, whether they’re the Basketball Hall of Fame in 1995, Strom continued on Page 3 a b’nai mitzvah or a member of AARP. LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT HONORS You can enjoy a sampling of JSL on the internet at TO RUBIN, EISENBERG-KEEFER, www.JewishSports.net The website is continuously GILADY, AND KEVEHAZI updated as new data occurs. nnually, the IJ SHOF presents a Lifetime The books, fi rst published Achievement Award to an individual who in 1992, are available via has made signifi cant contributions to the Stephen Rubin receives his 2008 Lifetime Achieve- A ment plaque at a special luncheon in his honor on the internet book-sellers, at State of Israel and society through sports. Since Wingate campus. From left: Angela Rubin, Efraim most walk-in bookstores, the IJ SHOF’s inductions in 2005, three individuals Zinger, Secretary-General of the Israel Olympic and Judaica stores. have been recipients of the Award. Committee, honoree Rubin, and Dr. Rutie Pilz-Burstein, continued on Page 4 Acting Director-General of Wingate Institute. FROM THE CHAIRMAN July 2009 will mark the 30th anniversary of the IJ SHOF, an occasion celebrated by formal inductions of Hall of Fame honorees of the past four years. The event will be held at the IJ SHOF Museum on the Wingate Institute campus at noon, July 15th (09), and all honorees and their families are invited to att end. New and past honorees were on hand in Israel for the 2005 IJSHOF formal inductions. Formal IJ SHOF inductions are Back row: (l-r) Chagai Zamir, Ian Froman, Sean Tompson, Dr. Uriel Simri, Tal Brody, Sid generally held within the framework Greenberg, Gal Fridman (partially hidden), Dolph Schayes, Paul Pugliese (for his mother Julia of the World Maccabiah Games, the 2005 IJSHOF Formal Inductions Pugliese), Lenny Krayzelburg, Stephanie Fein (representing her father Lester Fein). oft -referenced “Jewish Olympics”, Front row: (l-r) Margalit Sonnenfeld, Shimon Mizrahi Uri Afek, Joseph Luttenberg, Mrs. Kleiner because it is the two weeks, every four (representing Irena Kirszenstein), Mel Rosen, Mark Spitz. years, when the international Jewish sports community convenes in Israel. Each time I write one of these “From The Chairman” messages I comment y A about how the IJ SHOF Museum is r a S n grasping for display space. Our Israeli s U r o i i e associates have been enormously t b v a i creative dealing with the minimal r a n b c available space, but a new stand-alone n e c l A a building remains atop our Wish List. Anniversary e h M C Celebration Plans have been drawn, but funds are t f still wanting. 0 o of Maccabi USA 6 60th As things stand, practically, we are IJSHOF chairman Alan Sherman, left, with Hall of Famers: (l-r) Dolph Schayes, in desperate need of air conditioning Maury Allen and Ira Berkow at the recent 60th anniversary celebration. in the Museum. The Museum area has been without air-cooling since its inception. Its absence is a deterrent to visitors during hot summer months, CRITERIA FOR ELECTION and causes havoc on memorabilia. n addition to a potential candidate having at least one Jewish parent AND consider him/herself Jewish, the candidate must have accomplished at least The IJ SHOF Museum is situated on one of the following: the third fl oor of Wingate’s Student I Union Building. Wishfully, we would • One or more Olympic gold medals like to install a special handicap elevator • One or more World Championships gold medals for disabled students and visitors. • A World record Currently, it is extraordinarily diffi cult, if not impossible, for many disabled • An amateur or professional World Championship visitors to struggle up, then down, • Been elected to the hall of fame of the athlete’s/contributor’s sport three fl ights of stairs to reach the Museum or adjacent auditorium. • Recorded a unique achievement(s) • Was a sports pioneer, innovator or key participant in I wish each of you a wonderful commemorative circumstances. summer, and hope to see some of you At the first IJSHOF induction dinner held in Los Angeles, California in July ’09 at the Hall of Fame inductions. May, 1979, baseball legend Hank Greenberg cautioned the event organizers: “The value of a hall of fame is measured by its criteria for election. Don’t make Warm wishes, it easy.” Alan Sherman We adhere to Hammerin’ Hank’s advice. Page 2 NEW HONOREES (continued from Page 1) nine players inducted into the Rugby League Hall of Fame. His 1913-1914 single Boxing: season record of 80 tries still stands. BOB OLIN was World Light-Heavyweight boxing champion 1934-1935. Swimmer: JASON LEZAK, the American sprinter, won Olympic AL SINGER held the gold medals in 2000 World Lightweight title and 2004, fi ve World in 1930. Championship gold medals, and teamed to set a number of World relay records. MATT WELLS was World Welterweight In 2002, he was ranked World’s #1 in the champion 1914–1915. 50m freestyle; and in 2004, #1 in the 100m freestyle. WHITEY BIMSTEIN enjoyed a celebrated 50-year career as a Tennis: SUZY KORMOCZY, the trainer and “cutman” for 25 World boxing Hungarian racquet star, won the French champions. Among them: Jack Dempsey, Open Singles in 1958, and was ranked #2 in Rocky Marciano, Jake LaMott a, Barney the World that year. She was ranked in the Ross, and Rocky Graziano. World’s Top Ten nine times during her 14 year career. Fencing: EDUARD VINOKUROV, Russian Sabre champion won Team gold Pillar of Achievement: medals at the 1968 and 1976 Olympic SAM STOLLER was “the other half” of a pair of Jewish- Games, and a silver in 1972. His Soviet American sprinters on the infamous World Championships teams won gold American 400-meter relay team medal honors from 1967 to 1975. at the 1936 Berlin Olympics. It was Stoller and Jewish teammate Marty Glickman, Football: LYLE ALZADO, the 15 year who were abruptly removed from NFL defensive end/tackle (1971-1985), their team positions shortly before the was named All-Pro 1977 and 1978 and championship heat to appease Adolph “Comeback Player of the Year” in 1982. Hitler. Stoller was the US indoor 60-yard, 100-yard, and Alzado played in two Pro Bowls, was 100-meter indoor champion. All-AFC defensive lineman six times, and a stalwart of the 1983 LA Raiders Super AL SCHACHT, was forced by an injury in 1924 from the Bowl championship team. Washington Senators pitching mound to the team’s coaching box, and a unique Media: comedy career that made him “The Clown IRA BERKOW, the New York Times Prince of Baseball”. His 50 years as the Pulitzer Prize winning sports journalist sport’s goodwill ambassador included authored the best seller, Hank Greenberg: comic performances at 27 World Series, The Story of My Life. 18 All Star Games, and more than 300 wartime (WWII and Korea) appearances for soldiers/hospitals JOE REICHLER was in Europe, South Pacifi c and Korea. the Associated Press’ ranking baseball writer Read more about each of these honorees at: 1943 to 1966, and recipient of the J.T. Spink Baseball Hall of Fame Award. www.JewishSports.net. HARRY SIMMONS authored the Saturday Evening Post’s “So You Know Baseball” www.JewishSports.net column from 1946 to 1961 was MLB’s offi cial schedule-maker for 20 years.