Between 1870 and 2010, 165 Jewish Americans played Major League Baseball. This work presents oral histories featuring 23 of them. From Bob Berman, a catcher for the Washington Senators in 1918, to Adam Greenberg, an outfielder for the Chicago Cubs in 2005, the players discuss their careers and consider how their Jewish heritage affected them. Legends like Hank Greenberg and Al Rosen as well as lesser-known players reflect on the issue of whether to play on high holidays, responses to anti-Semitism on and off the field, bonds formed with black teammates also facing prejudice, and personal and Jewish pride in their accomplishments. Together, these oral histories paint a vivid portrait of what it was like to be a Jewish Major Leaguer.
Jewish Major Leaguers in Their Own Words
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"the book provides an unusual window into America's pastime" --Jewish Baseball News
"a worthy addition to Jewish baseball fans' bookshelves" --Joshua Platt, Jewish Book Council/Jewish Book World
"an intimate feeling of what life was and is like as a Jewish Major Leaguer" -- Washington Jewish Week
"an easy read" -- Publishers Weekly
"I highly recommend it"-- The Kentucky Democrat
"a worthy addition to Jewish baseball fans' bookshelves" --Joshua Platt, Jewish Book Council/Jewish Book World
"an intimate feeling of what life was and is like as a Jewish Major Leaguer" -- Washington Jewish Week
"an easy read" -- Publishers Weekly
"I highly recommend it"-- The Kentucky Democrat
About the Author
Peter Ephross was a longtime editor for the Jewish Telegraphic Agency news service and has published in Publishers Weekly, the Village Voice, and Forward. Martin Abramowitz is the president of Jewish Major Leaguers, Inc., which documents American Jews in baseball and sponsored many of the interviews in this book.
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Peter Ephross is a longtime writer and editor who is an expert on Jews and sports. He has published articles in Publishers Weekly, the Village Voice, and the Forward, among other publications. Originally a Baltimore Orioles fan, he currently roots for the New York Mets and Boston Red Sox as well. Peter lives in Brooklyn, NY, with his wife and two sons.
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4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
By Scott J
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
Reading these interviews, in which Jewish ballplayers tell their own stories in their own way, reminded me how much I loved reading the oral histories of the great Studs Terkel. Becoming a professional baseball player is every young boy's dream, so hearing about Al Rosen's journey to the majors -- along with his feelings about World War II -- was riveting. The stories here are fascinating. Who knew that Jose Bautista is Jewish? "I know, I don't believe it either," he said he told his disbelieving teammates in one of my favorite quotes of the book. Don't miss Elliott Maddox's comments on Billy Martin and what he had on the bottom of his bat.
