Even wrestler Goldberg makes it into ‘Jewish Sports Stars’

We can assure you that the photo on the next page really is the cover of David J. Goldman's "Jewish Sports Stars."

The same can't be said for the "Jewish Sports Stars" entry on basketball legend Dolph Schayes. Alongside the bio of the swarthy, raven-haired Schayes, who played virtually his entire career for the Syracuse Nationals, is a photo of the light-haired, none-too-swarthy Billy Cunningham in a Philadelphia 76ers uniform.

The book also chooses an ironic photo for U.S. soccer star Jeff Agoos — a shot of a shorter South Korean player out-leaping the Jewish fullback for a goal on a set play specifically designed to isolate Agoos during his miserable run in the 2002 World Cup.

"Jewish Sporting Stars" made a good choice in its cover boy, however: Los Angeles Dodgers first baseman Shawn Green. (Never mind the fact that Green is swinging a limp bat at the moment.) But, as is the problem with all compendiums of the limited numbers of Jews who have managed to eke out decent or better careers as professional athletes, the pickings from the last 50-odd years is pretty slim.

That's why Green — his current ineptitude notwithstanding — is such a vital figure for books such as this. Books aimed, one would think, at young Jewish boys and girls who want to think their playground aspirations of hoisting the Stanley Cup or, at the very least, toting a clipboard on a football sideline might one day take root.

An athlete like Green, who gets his home runs shown on SportsCenter every night, is much more of an attention-grabber to today's kids than far superior Jewish ballplayers of the past like Hank Greenberg and Sandy Koufax, men reduced to black-and-white photos and anecdotes from older relatives.

And, in attempting to pad out this book with current athletes, Goldman has stretched the meaning of the term "star." Quarterback Jay Fiedler may not even be the Miami Dolphins' starter this year. Hockey player Jeff Halpern's bio all but admits that, at this point in his young career, his career highlight is just having a career (though he did register 21 goals and 21 assists in 2000 — Blackjack!).

And what is pro wrestler Goldberg doing in here?

The bios in this book are decent enough, but often oversimplify complicated situations. Despite what the entry on Koufax says, a little helpful advice from fellow pitcher Norm Sherry during a 1961 bus ride probably didn't trigger Koufax's transformation from a seldom-used, wild, fireballer into the greatest pitcher of all time.

The staid blurbs on baseball players, swimmers, tennis stars and others are a marked contrast from the absolutely riveting little bits on old-time Jewish boxers like Benny Leonard, Barney Ross and "Slapsie" Maxie Rosenbloom. The esoteric life details of these Jewish ring legends read like excerpts from a George Raft movie (and, indeed, Raft steered Rosenbloom into a pugilistic career after admiring his handiwork during a street brawl).

Unfortunately, the fact that a George Raft anecdote was just invoked means the relevance of these boxers' careers is somewhat limited when dealing with a youthful audience.

Stat-heads will appreciate this book, however, as Goldman has made the wise move of including all the athletes' career totals in the back — including Goldberg's.




"Jewish Sports Stars" by David J. Goldman (64 pages, Kar-Ben Publishing, $8.95).