Kaplan's KornerJews are known as "the people of the book," but they're also the people of the ball and bat and net. Kaplan's Korner, a new blog from New Jersey Jewish News, is dedicated to bringing the latest sports news and commentary on Jews in sport at a local, national, and international level.Kaplan's Korner on Jews and Sports © 2010 New Jersey Jewish News Mish-moshPermalink Leave a commentWed, 10 Mar 2010 18:50:09 | by Ron Kaplan I’ll make this quick because I’ve got a plane to catch. Jetting down to Jamaica for a few days as the “plus-one” for my wife’s conference. So:
Sure, Davis is hitting very well in spring training; it’s great to see that he’s bangin’ the ball out of the yard. But what kind of pitching is he facing? Other rookies? Members of the opponents’ ML roster who haven’t pitched since October? Not that I wouldn’t be happy to see it, but let’s have a little perspective people. Here’s a list, courtesy of Bob Wechsler (Day by Day in Jewish Sports History) via the Jewish Sports Collectors Yahoo group, of MOT in ST:
Wechsler’s “progress report”:
* * * In hockey news, Matthieu Schneider — aka, the league’s oldest player — seems poised to rejoin the NHL with his new team, the Phoenix Coyotes (Thanks, again, Ari). * * * In basketball, Ron Artest has converted once more, joining the bald brotherhood after his defensive plans went awry.  Carl Costas/Sacramento Bee Omri Casspi played just four minutes (zero points) in the Kings’ 88-81 loss to the Portland Trailblazers last night. Seems that fatigue is finally catching up with the Israeli import, according to this story in the Sacramento Bee:
Meanwhile Jordan Farmar scored four points in 15 minutes as the Lakers snapped their three-game losing streak with a 109-107 win over the Toronto Raptors. See that, Canada? That’s what you get for beating our hockey team in the Olympics! Anyway, I’m off. See you next week.
Welcome back, Mr. TPermalink Leave a commentTue, 09 Mar 2010 19:15:54 | by Ron Kaplan By whom I mean Tony Kornheiser, who returns from his two-week suspension. Funny, but his absence was never explained, at least not on the podcasts I listened to in the interim. Maybe there was a crawl on the TV show (but I doubt it). According to this piece, his ESPN TV show, Pardon the Interruption, didn’t suffer much from his absence. But you have to read between the lines. I’m guessing fans of the show tolerated guest host Dan LeBatard, comfy in the realization that Kornheiser would eventually return. It may just be an increased sensitivity, and might be nothing, but I got a sense listening to yesterday’s PTI that Kornheiser was holding back a bit. Hope this episode isn’t going to transform him into a “kindler, gentler” version. And of course, he mentioned the Artest hair club for men, lamenting that his coiffure doesn’t allow such artistry. But if it did, he said, his cut would feature chicken and matza ball soup.
Shameless self-promotion (again)Permalink Leave a commentTue, 09 Mar 2010 18:48:23 | by Ron Kaplan As you may know, I have another blog that deals primarily with baseball literature (hey, we’re the people of the book, after all). I’ve recently taken the plunge and gone solo, unfettered from the constrictions of a Wordpress-hosted site to a place of my own. Please visit the new digs at RonKaplansBaseballBookshelf.com. Don’t be put off by the ungainliness; it’s still a work in progress. Open all night. Free refills.
More hair-raising newsPermalink Leave a commentTue, 09 Mar 2010 15:03:56 | by Ron Kaplan From the JTA on Ron Artest’s new ‘do.
I’m kvellingPermalink Leave a commentTue, 09 Mar 2010 14:44:44 | by Ron Kaplan We hit an all-time high last week for visitors, with more than 5,000. I’m sure it was the combination of Sandy Koufax with a big lift from our friend Rob Neyer over at ESPN.com.
Baseball briefsPermalink Leave a commentMon, 08 Mar 2010 21:34:34 | by Ron Kaplan
Thanks again to KK reader Ari for his efforts.
New installment of Inside Israeli Basketball airsPermalink Leave a commentMon, 08 Mar 2010 21:13:16 | by Ron Kaplan In the fifth episode of Inside Israeli Basketball, Maccabi Haifa forward Richard Roby, the all-time leading scorer at the University of Colorado and the half-brother to the NBA’s Denver Nuggets power-forward Kenyon Martin, takes a trip to the Haifa Zoo. Inside Israeli Basketball focuses on the Maccabi Haifa basketball team, which is currently 11-5 and tied for second place in the Israeli Basketball Super League. The episode includes a segment on last season’s MVP of the Puerto Rican League, Jesse Pellot-Rosa, who takes his teammates out for a paintballing session in Haifa. The program airs Wednesday, March 10, at 5 p.m. ET on Comcast Versus; Thursday, March 11, at 8 p.m. ET on JLTV; Sunday, March 14, at noon ET (re-airs at 10 p.m. ) on the YES Network; and Tuesday, March 16, at 6:30 pm ET on SUN Sports, with repeat episodes throughout the month. Maccabi Haifa, owned by Jeffrey Rosen of Aventura, FL , through his Triangle Financial Services firm, was the surprise runner-up in the Israeli Basketball Super League last season. This year’s team features a number of American players, including Davon Jefferson of Southern California; Todd Golden, a former St. Mary’s College of California product; Jason Rich, a Florida State University standout; Jesse Pellot-Rosa of Virginia Commonwealth; Richard Roby of the University of Colorado; and former San Diego High phenom Jeremy Tyler. The program is hosted by Israeli actress and model Becky Griffin, and produced on location by Joseph Marc Sports (which produces shows including Yankees Magazine, Nets Magazine, and Inside Rutgers Football).
“This space for rent.”Permalink Leave a commentMon, 08 Mar 2010 17:09:13 | by Ron Kaplan “slash” Jewps. First it was Kobe Bryant who expressed an interest in being Jewish. Now it seems like teammate Ron Artest is at least learning the language:
Read commentary from Korner haver Rabbi Jason Miller here. Meanwhile Omri Casspi scored four points in a 108-100 loss to the Dallas Mavericks on March 5. Jordan Farmar scored an even dozen in a 98-83 loss to the Charlotte Bobcats on March 5 and zero (!) in yesterday’s 96-94 defeat at the hands of the Orlando Magic. The Lakers have lost three in a row for the first time in recorded history this year.
Speaking of Yom Kippur…Permalink Leave a commentThu, 04 Mar 2010 20:21:00 | by Ron Kaplan I see where Chicago’s Wrigley Field will be the site of a couple of rock concerts during Yom Kippur. Oy. According to a story in the Chicago Sun-Times:
Messy, messy, messy.
More on Koufax’s latest appearancePermalink Leave a commentThu, 04 Mar 2010 16:51:05 | by Ron Kaplan This is evidently big news. Ian Chaffee writes his take on the fundraiser at which Koufax appeared for his friend Joe Torre on Bleacher Reports in which he compares the Hall of Famer’s shunning of the spotlight to modern athletes who can’t seem to get enough attention. “After the death of JD Salinger earlier this year, Koufax might be the most famous hermit left in American ‘public’ life…,” writes Chaffee, who wonders why the media still chases after him like big game hunters after the rare white rhinoceros.
And finally, a news story on the event from the Los Angeles Times.
Murray Chass on Fay Vincent on Marvin MillerPermalink Leave a commentThu, 04 Mar 2010 15:32:20 | by Ron Kaplan In his latest column on his website (not blog), Murray Chass praises former Baseball Commissioner Fay Vincent for including Marvin Miller in his third and final volume of interviews with baseball personalities, It’s What’s Inside the Lines That Counts (Simon and Schuster).
Veteran NHLers skating on thin ice?Permalink Leave a commentThu, 04 Mar 2010 15:27:44 | by Ron Kaplan A couple of deals at the NHL trading deadline: The Los Angeles Kings picked up center Jeff Halpern from the Tampa Bay Lightning. Halpern, 33, has appeared in 55 games this season, with nine goals and eight assists. The Kings are 38-20-4 in the Pacific Division of the Western Conference. Returning to the NHL is 40-year-old Matthieu Schneider, whom the Vancouver Canucks had demoted to the Manitoba Moose of the AHL late last year. He’ll now be skating for the Phoenix Coyotes (32-27-5, third place in the Western Conference/Pacific Division). Schnieder had been battling injuries and the Canucks coaching staff. He had two goals and three assists in just 17 games, the last coming on Dec. 16. The Coyotes are the tenth NHL team for Schnedier in 21 seasons. He spent the first half of his career with Montreal. Thanks again to Ari for the NHL nod.
Welcome to the club?Permalink Leave a commentWed, 03 Mar 2010 15:36:36 | by Ron Kaplan It may be a bit premature. After all, the Mets just had their first spring training game yesterday. Many of the regulars didn’t play because of poor field conditions (you scrubs can go hang), which gave Ike Davis a chance to show his stuff. From Marty Noble on Mets.com:
Davis, who turns 23 in a few weeks, is the son of former Yankees pitcher Ron Davis.
JewpsPermalink Leave a commentWed, 03 Mar 2010 15:15:55 | by Ron Kaplan Jordan Farmar had 19 points — second highest on the team — as the Lakers trumped the Indiana Pacers, 122-99. Farmar played 24 minutes off the bench and put it three three-pointers in the victory. Omri Casspi scored just eight points in 19 minutes as the Kings lost to the Oklahoma City Thunder, 113-107 last night.  Hank Rosenstein, far left, played for the Knicks in 1946 in what is considered the first NBA game. Photo courtesy Madison Square Garden On a sad note, Hank Rosenstein, an original member of the New York Knicks, died on Feb 27 at the age of 89. Rosenstein, who played in the NBA’s first game in 1946, was inducted into the National Jewish Sports Hall of Fame in 1998.
Combine-ation platter?Permalink Leave a commentTue, 02 Mar 2010 22:42:18 | by Ron Kaplan
Let’s hope that maturity shows up after his poor showing at the annual Combine, a (faux) event where college players strut their stuff for NFL scouts. Evidently, Mays didn’t do too well.
Jewish Olympics, eh?Permalink Leave a commentTue, 02 Mar 2010 21:42:57 | by Ron Kaplan (It’s all right, I’m part Canadian; I can make fun.) Canada Israel — “Celebrating all that is similar and unique about our two amazing countries” — ran this wrap-up on the Israeli participants in the just-completed games.
Heavy lifting?Permalink Leave a commentTue, 02 Mar 2010 21:37:33 | by Ron Kaplan Ha’aretz ran this story about the Israeli husband-and-wife weightlifters, Marina Ohman and Anatoliy Mushyk, hopefuls for the next Olympic games.
Hands across the (metaphorical) water for Israeli-DubaiPermalink Leave a commentTue, 02 Mar 2010 21:33:37 | by Ron Kaplan According to this item on Ynet, “The Dubai-based International Cricket Council has awarded the Israel Cricket Association with a prize for a cross-border initiative bringing together Jews and Bedouins in the southern Negev desert.”
Sandy Koufax: A ‘Neyer’ moment?Permalink Leave a commentTue, 02 Mar 2010 20:57:17 | by Ron Kaplan  Koufax with Dodgers manager Joe Torre. Photo by Jewish Journal The Los Angeles Jewish Journal published this piece on Sandy Koufax’s appearance at a Feb. 27 fund-raiser for Joe Torre’s Safe at Home Foundation. Koufax seems to be stepping out more recently. He’s always good for a visit to the Dodgers’ spring training camp, as well as the Mets, owner Fred Wilpon being an old friend. Then there’s his participation in the upcoming film documentary about Jews and baseball, due out this summer. Maybe he’s changed his philosophy, like fellow Hall-of-Famer Willie Mays. For decades, Mays declined to authorize an “official” biography. But with the advancing years, he decided the time was right to share his story with his legion of fans, the result of which is James Hirsch’s excellent new book, Willie Mays: The Life, The Legend. Koufax shared an interesting anecdote with the audience in which he
So that got me to thinking: Pretty much every Jewish baseball fan knows that Koufax skipped his assignment in Game One of the 1965 World Series against the Minnesota Twins. But how many other late-season assignments did he miss because of the High Holy Days? Seems like a trip to baseball-Reference.com/Retrosheet.org is in order. Working with those sites and Hebcal.com, a perpetual Hebrew calendar website, I learned that Koufax, in fact, actually pitched twice on Yom Kippur. In 1960, he tossed the seventh and eighth innings in a 10-8 loss to the Cubs on Oct. 1, a meaningless contest on the last day of the season. The next year he took his regular turn on Sept. 20 to beat the Cubs 3-2 in 13 innings, striking out 13, when the Dodgers were still in the hunt for the N.L. pennant. He might have taken off for Yom Kippur in 1966, his final campaign, but it’s difficult to make that attribution just from the paperwork, since he alternated between three and four days off that year. He beat the Phillies 11-1 on Sept. 20 and lost to the Cubs on Sept. 25, 2-1. Yom Kippur fell Sept. 23-24. Perhaps he felt badly for pitching on the holiest day of the Jewish year; perhaps he took a lot of flack for it. Maybe it was the exaggerated spotlight of the World Series that made him decide not to take the ball for Game One. Koufax appeared in four World Series: two games in 1959 against the Chicago White Sox; two in 1963 against the Yankees; three (!) against the Twins in ‘65, including the crucial 2-0 clincher on two days’ rest; and his last in 1966 against the Orioles. Other than Game One in ‘65, there were no holiday conflicts. But hang on a minute, what’s this? Do we have a Neyer moment? It seems questionable the event Koufax mentions could have taken as described. The Dodgers had a poor season in 1964, and Koufax had his share of woes. According to Jews and Baseball, Volume 2 by Burton and Bonita Boxerman (McFarland), in an Aug. 8 game against the Milwaukee Braves
So here’s the thing: The morning after Koufax’s 19th win was Aug. 17, almost a month before Yom Kippur. So he would not have played when the Dodgers hosted a three-game series against the Phillies on Sept. 7-8 (doubleheader and single game) and visited Philadelphia for four games, Sept. 17-20 — just after Yom Kippur. (The Phillies hosted the Dodgers for a three-game set July 31-Aug. 2; Koufax beat the Pirates on Aug. 4. But there were no rainouts. Even if there had been, it’s hard to believe Mauch would have been ruminating the Dodgers’ pitching rotation more than a month ahead of time to see when Koufax’s turn would fall.) So, as much as I hate to say it (damn you again, Neyer), and unless someone can show me otherwise, I have to call out Koufax on his claim. Of course, Koufax does preface the anecdote with “Legend says….” Regardless, his decision in 1965 remains the highlight of Jewish fans to this day.
Happy birthday…or notPermalink Leave a commentMon, 01 Mar 2010 20:17:27 | by Ron Kaplan to former Indians’ slugger Al Rosen, born on Feb. 29, 1924, which makes him…(carry the 12)… 21 1/2 years old. (Thanks to the Bats blog on NYTimes.com for the info.)
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For all of you considering Ike Davis for a spot on the big club when the Mets head north, let me be a wet blanket.
Awhile back we speculated whether USC standout wide receiver Taylor Mays is Jewish. We should have just checked his page at USCTrojans.com for the answer. Each player page lists athletic and personal highlights:
