Description
Book SynopsisIn this oral history collection, Douglas Stark chronicles Jewish basketball throughout the twentieth century, focusing on 1900 to 1960. As told by the prominent voices of twenty people who played, coached, and refereed it, these conversations shed light on what it means to be a Jew and on how the game evolved from its humble origins to the sport enjoyed worldwide by billions of fans today.
Trade Review"[
When Basketball Was Jewish elevates] the voices of twenty distinguished Jewish basketball players, men who played the city game with passion, precision, and pride."—
AETHLON"Douglas Stark provides an intimate look into the lives of young Jews whose athletic skills gave them an edge in society."—Fred Isaac,
Association of Jewish Libraries Reviews"When Basketball was Jewish is more than a sports record. . . . Both Jewish history and basketball enthusiasts will enjoy this fascinating record of American Jewish life and its impact on American sport."—Jonathan Fass, Jewish Book Council
"
When Basketball Was Jewish reveals, as no previous book has, the evolving role of Jews in basketball and illuminates their contributions to American Jewish history as well as basketball history."—Phil Jacobs,
Jewish Link NJ“A terrific first-person account of basketball life. As I read the stories of people I knew, like Nat Holman and of course my dad, Dolph Schayes, I found myself living the stories of their time in the game. Their accounts are so real and dynamic that the game comes to life as you feel like you are experiencing it with them. A terrific read!”—Danny Schayes, eighteen-year NBA player and son of Hall of Fame and NBA top-fifty player Dolph Schayes
“The players and coaches chronicled in this book are not only important figures in Jewish basketball history; they played an important part in the history of the game. As a student of the game, a basketball lifer, and someone who is extremely proud of his Jewish heritage, I can appreciate the doors that they opened, and I’m glad that their stories are being told.”—Ernie Grunfeld, president of the Washington Wizards
Table of ContentsAcknowledgments
Introduction
Nat Holman
Harry “Jammy” Moskowitz
Les Harrison
Harry Litwack
Joel “Shikey” Gotthoffer
Moe Spahn
Sammy Kaplan
Bernard “Red” Sarachek
Phil Rabin
Moe Goldman
Bernie Fleigel
Jack “Dutch” Garfinkel
Ossie Schectman
Ralph Kaplowitz
Louis “Red” Klotz
Norm Drucker
Sonny Hertzberg
Jerry Fleishman
Max Zaslofsky
Dolph Schayes
Index
