Aiming to debunk the stereotype that American Jews and sports are
somehow alien to each other, this well-intentioned yet dry
collection of essays often unintentionally underscores the myth
that the "Chosen People" are the last picked when anyone's choosing
up sides. In his introductory essay, Riess (History/Northeastern
Illinois Univ., and former editor of the Journal of Sport History)
notes that Jewish Americans "were considered the people of the
book, rather than men and women of the bat." By covering such
topics as "Tough Jews: The Jewish American Boxing Experience,"
"Jewish American Women, Jewish Organizations, and Sports," and "Our
Crowd at Play, The Elite Jewish Country Club in the 1920s," the
book's contributors bring overlooked facets of the sporting life -
particularly the assimilative effect of sports - into the light of
day. Unfortunately, however, Jewish athleticism is sometimes
stridently defended by the authors, making the involvement of the
casual Jewish athlete appear to be little more than dilettantism.
More persuasive are the examinations of prominent Jewish
professional athletes, and of anti-Semitism in the pro sporting
ranks. In the essay "Hank Greenberg," William M. Simons explores
the Bronx-reared Detroit Tigers slugger's significance to American
Jews in the 1930s and '40s. Quoting another writer, Simons notes
that Greenberg "belonged to a race of victors, not victims." While
Greenberg is certainly worthy of attention and praise, the
exclusion of other Jewish pros, such as Sandy Koufax (who heralded
both more widespread Jewish cultural acceptance and the shift of
American power from east to west), punches holes in the anthology's
overall credibility. Further hampering its discussion of Jews in
sport is the attention paid to Jews as team owners, sports writers,
and promoters, without any discussion of the other side of the coin
- Jewish sports labor pioneers, such as baseball's Marvin Miller.
Despite such shortcomings, that this book's title sounds like a
punchline is perhaps the best argument for the need for just such a
study. (Kirkus Reviews)
This book debunks the conventional stereotype that Jews and sports
are somehow anathema and clearly demonstrates that sports have long
been a significant institution in Jewish American life. Jews were
among the very first professional baseball players and the most
outstanding early American track stars. In the 1920s and 1930s they
dominated inner-city sports such as basketball and boxing and
produced star athletes in virtually all sports. Many Jews were also
prominent in the business, communication, and literary aspects of
sport. These essays, written by leading contemporary sports
historians, examine the contributions of Jewish men and women to
American sports. Steven A. Riess's article on this topic is the
most comprehensive overview ever written and will doubtless become
a standard reference for years to come.
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