SubscribeAustralian Open update: No more Jews
The mixed doubles team of Andy Ram (ISR) and Yaroslava Shvedova (KAZ) lost in the second round to Bethanie Mattek-Sands USA and Horia Tecau ROU, 6-4, 7-6.
Also eliminated in the second round of mixed doubles play: Scott Lipsky (USA) and Vladimira Uhlirova (CZE), defeated by Liezel Huber (USA) and Colin Fleming (GBR).6-3, 6-2.
Lipsky and his men’s doubles partner Rajeev Ram lost in the quarterfinals to Robert Lindstedt (SWE) and Horia Tecau (ROU), 6-4, 6-4.
Welcome to the club, Trevor Smith
Turns out Smith, a center for the Tampa Bay Lightning is “one of us.”
The 26-year-old Ottawa native first came up with the NY Islanders in 2008-09, scoring one goal in seven games. This season, Smith has appeared in four games since his Jan. 17 debut. He has two assist, on apiece in each of his last two games.
Thanks to Korner reader Ron for making in inquiry (his also asked about Niklas Grossman of the Dallas Stars and Jonathan Blum of the Nashville Predators, neither of whom are MOT) and Bob “Day by Day in Jewish Sports History” Wechsler for the determinations.
Lest we forget: Bill Mardo
Bill Mardo in 1999.
Mardo, who died Jan. 20 at the age of 88, was a journalist who worked for the Communist publication The Daily Worker in the 1940s-50s. Along with fellow MOTs Lester “Red” Rodney and Nat Low, Mardo — born William Bloom — agitated for baseball to break the color barrier, which paved the way for Jackie Robinson and others to gain entrance to the Majors Leagues.
A few weeks back I speculated about the intentions of Branch Rickey in signing a black player. After all, he’d had ample opportunity while serving as general manager of the St. Louis cardinals before he accepted the same responsibilities with the Brooklyn Dodgers.
According to Mardo’s obit, written by Richard Goldstein,
In April 1997, Mr. Mardo and Mr. Rodney (who died in 2009) spoke at a symposium at Long Island University’s Brooklyn campus marking the 50th anniversary of Robinson’s debut with the Dodgers.
Mr. Mardo noted that Rickey had not signed blacks when he ran the St. Louis Cardinals for more than two decades and suggested it was not idealism but pressure from black sportswriters, trade unions and the Communist Party that persuaded him to sign Robinson.
Jewps update, Jan. 26
Jordan Farmar contributed a dozen points off the bench in the NJ Nets’ 97-90 win over the Atlantic-leading Philadelphia 76ers. The Nets have won three of their last five (which is a big deal for them) to improve to 6-13.
Omri Casspi dropped a baker’s dozen as the Cleveland Cavaliers beat the NY Knicks, 91-81. It’s the second highest point total for Casspi this season. The Cavs are now 7-10.
Lawrence Frank‘s Detroit Pistons kept it close, but fell to 4-15 with their 101-98 loss to the Miami Heat.
Parody or stereotype? You decide
Jice update, Midseason report
With the All-Star game signaling the unofficial midway point in the NHL season, here’s a look at how the Jie are doing.
Michael Cammalleri hasn’t fared much better since his trade from the Montreal Canadiens to the Calgary Flames on Jan. 13. He scored a goal in his return to his old team, which accounts for his only point in five games. He has a total of 10 goals (including two game-winners) and 13 assists in 43 games.
Jeff Halpern has three goals and and 10 assists in 47 games for the Washington Capitols, who are in third place in the eastern Division at 29-19 with three overtime losses.
Eric Nystrom has 14 goals and three assist for the Dallas Stars, who are 25-21-2, two points behind Colorado and three off the eight playoff spot in the West.
Mike Brown spent a few weeks recovering from herniated disk surgery, but he’s back on the ice for the Toronto Maple Leafs. In 27 games, playing limited minutes, Brown has one goal and two assists. Toronto is 25-19-5 and tied with your New. Jersey. Devils. for the eighth playoff spot in the Eastern Division.
Dylan Reese has served as an up-and-down replacement player for the NY Islanders, returning in mid-January and scoring a goal in last night’s 4-3 overtime loss to the Leafs. Reese has appeared in 14 games, with that single goal to go along with two assists.
Jewps update, Jan. 25
Jordan Farmar has taken advantage of his extended playing time “thanks” to the injury to MarShon Brooks. Coming off the bench, Farmar scored 22 points in 32 minutes in the NJ Nets’ 115-100 loss to the Chicago Bulls on Monday. Over the last three games, he’s averaging 16 points and 3.67 assists. Unfortunately, the Nets are still pretty horrid at 5-13.
Omri Casspi scored six points in a season-low 18 minutes as a starter in the Cleveland Cavaliers’ 92-95 loss to the Miami Heat. The Cavs are 6-10.
Lawrence Frank‘s Detroit Pistons are 4-14 and at the bottom of the Eastern Central division.
And could 71-year-old Larry Brown return to coaching?
Sandy at the bat
Scott Barancik over at Jewish Baseball News did some digging to show that while Sandy Koufax was a superman on the mound, he was a 97-pound-weakling at the plate. Actually an .097 weakling would be more appropriate. It’s also interesting to note that “the Left arm of God” was a right-handed batter. And just FYI, he did manage to slug two home runs.
Anyway, his entry inspired me to pen this bit of doggerel for your amusement, with apologies to Ernest L Thayer.
Sandy at the Bat
The outlook wasn’t brilliant when the lefty came to bat.
His “BA” was so paltry that his teammates barely sat
upon the bench; he fanned so fast, they had no time to sit.
It wasn’t very likely that he’d wind up with a hit.
He struck out almost half the time he stepped up to the plate
What accounted for such failure? Was it something that he ate
that robbed him of good vision as he swung upon the ball?
He had no trouble when he threw the spheroid, after all.
For all success upon the mound, it just was not the case
(Hard to believe he got his start while playing at first base.)
that Koufax could be counted on to benefit his cause,
Such grand ineptitude would seem to counter all the laws
of averages. His came out to just zero-ninety-seven.
A mark that absolutely will not get you into Heaven.
He was an artist on the hill, fastballs and mighty curves
That got him into Cooperstown, no less than he deserves.
So don’t make fun of Sandy when you read the link right here.
Just think of all those victories and strikeouts year-by-year.
It was a shande that he had to call it quits so young.
But you can’t deny that while he pitched we had a lot of fun.
Pass the popcorn: Moneyball picks up four Oscar noms (Update)
The nominations for the Academy Awards were announced this morning and Moneyball came away with a “cycle” of sorts.
The unlikely cinematic version of Michael Lewis’ best-seller is up for Best Picture, Best Actor (Brad Pitt), Best Supporting Actor (Jonah Hill), and Best Adapted Screenplay (Steven Zaillian, Aaron Sorkin, and Stan Chervin).
UPDATE: Moneyball also earned nominations for film editing and sound mixing, bring the total to six.
The Best Picture category was expanded a few years ago to consider an additional five films. The cynic in me believes this was a way to throw a bone to studios who could now proudly proclaim such status in their advertising when they re-release their product. These are the nominations; I’ve taken the liberty of striking out those that IMHO would not have gotten a nomination under the old rules, based on the majority of reviews I’ve read coupled with my own thoughts on those I’ve seen: War Horse, The Artist, Moneyball, The Descendants, The Tree of Life, Midnight in Paris, The Help, Hugo, Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close. As you see, I wouldn’t have put 
Moneyball in the same category as the remaining movies (although I did see Tree of Life and just don’t get the buzz. Yes, it was lovely cinematography, but what the hell was the story about?)
If I had to bet, I might say Jonah Hill has the best chance to come away with some hardware. Christopher Plummer (Beginners) might be a sentimental favorite, but does he really belong in this category?)
Wait Wait, Don’t Taft Me
(Maybe that should be, “Don’t Taft me, bro.”)
Our favorite NPR program featured piece of baseball this trivia in its “Not My Job” segment with guest Duke Fatir of The Four Tops. The three questions all had to do with “bottoms” (heh).
* * *
PETER SAGAL: Last question, President William Howard Taft had the biggest bottom of any president to date.
MO ROCCA: Yeah.
SAGAL: As a role in his legacy, according to legend, A: he claimed his bottom would tingle whenever he should veto a piece of legislation? That’s how he knew.
(SOUNDBITE OF LAUGHTER)
SAGAL: B: his butt was too big for a chair at a baseball game, and when he stood up to stretch, he began the tradition of the seventh inning stretch? Or C: what was then the square office became the oval office…
(SOUNDBITE OF LAUGHTER)
SAGAL: …because he needed more room to turn around?
(SOUNDBITE OF LAUGHTER)
FAKIR: I like B.
SAGAL: You’re going to go for B, the seventh inning stretch? Is that your choice?
ROCCA: I think it is.
FAKIR: Yeah.
SAGAL: Yes, that’s it.
ROCCA: Yes, it is.
SAGAL: That’s the…
SALIE: Wow.
(SOUNDBITE OF BELL)
(SOUNDBITE OF APPLAUSE)
SAGAL: The fact is that Taft became the first president to attend a baseball game and threw out the first pitch. The legend is that he started the seventh inning stretch by standing up in the seventh inning to relieve his cramped condition.
