SubscribeHouse cleaning
In an attempt to clean out my Google Alerts, here is a “links dump” of accumulated knowledge:
- Munich 11 athlete inducted to Sports Hall of Fame(Jerusalem Post)
- Jewish parathlete from Australia recounts inspiring story here (London Jewish Chronicle)
- The Hot Corner Book Club, part of the Baseball Nation site, posted about Larry Ruttman‘s book on baseball & American Jews
- Author John Rosengren made a lot of buzz with his new bio on Hank Greenberg, including the Los Angeles Times, The Algemeiner, The Jewish Press, and The Voice News.
- With out release of the feature biopic 42, a number of media looked for ways to connect Jackie Robinson with the Jews, including this.
- Looks like the Mets won’t be looking to replace one MOT with another. According to this from the NY Post, they are not considering bringing up Josh Satin from AAA to take over for the flailing Ike Davis
- The Boston Red Sox sent Ryan Lavarnway back to AAA Pawtucket. Well, at least he got into a couple of games this time: 2-8, including a double, with two RBI in three appearances.
- For someone who’s played in only a handful of games, the Red Sox’s Ryan Kalish seems to generate more than his share of press.
- Longtime Jewish sportswriter Irwin Cohen recently released Jewish History in the Time of Baseball’s Jews: Life on Both Sides of the Ocean.
- Remember, the Maccabiah Games are just around the corner. Look for local papers, like the St. Louis Jewish Light, to start heralding their area’s representatives.
- Marc Tracy, co-editor of Jewish Jocks: An Unorthodox Hall of Fame, will lead a discussion on Wednesday, June 12, at 7 p.m., the Museum of Jewish Heritage — A Living Memorial to the Holocaust. Joining him will be Rich Cohen, author of Sweet and Low, and Mark Singer, staff writer at The New Yorker. Jewish Jocks was the winner of the National Jewish Book Award in the anthology category. Yasher koach.
- Omri Casspi, the beleaguered Cleveland Cavaliers forward, will play Eurobasket with Israeli NT.
- Sadly, there have been a number of anti-Semitic incidents in the soccer world:
And that’s it! All nice and empty.
So have a good holiday folks, see you next week.
Lions (no), Tigers (no), and Bearcats, oh, my.
You know who was a University of Cincinnati Bearcat? Kevin Youkilis. Also, some guy named Sandy.
You have to give props to the poor college TV student interviewer who’s just trying to do his job.
JML update, May 24
Very sparse night for the MOT detail.
Ryan Lavarnway doubled as a pinch-hitter in the Boston Red Sox’ 12-6 loss to the visiting Cleveland Indians. Craig Breslow pitched another scoreless inning, lowering his ERA to 1.04.
DNP: Danny Valencia (Orioles), Scott Feldman (Cubs),
No game: Ike Davis (Mets), Jason Marquis (Padres), Ryan Braun (Brewers), Sam Fuld (Rays),Nate Freiman (As)
DL: Ian Kinsler (Rangers), Kevin Youkilis (Yankees)
This one slipped through the cracks, but Ted Lerner, owner of the Washington Nationals, was included in the latest “Forward 50″ list of “top Jews.” Mazel tov, Ted.
JFL update, May 23
Chicago Bears punter Adam Podlesh is no Samson. He will be shaving his head for a worthy cause, which only makes him stronger.
Podlesh and some of his teammates will undergo the hair-ectomy to raise funds for Gavin Waterman, a young cancer victim.
Podlesh himself is a cancer survivor. From NBCChicago.com:
[He] was diagnosed with cancer of the salivary gland in 2010. He is now cancer-free, but the experience moved him to want to help other survivors.
“I don’t think that I would be as involved with cancer charities and events as I am now if I hadn’t been diagnosed with cancer,” Podlesh said. “After going through remission and being cancer free, I’ve really made it my purpose to try to do whatever I can to help the fight against cancer.”
* * *
JetPress.com thinks new free agent Antonio Garay will be a valuable addition to the team. And NJ.com believes his Rahway roots will be even more of an incentive to do well.
Garay, whom the Jets signed as a free agent this offseason, will challenge for playing time at nose tackle. (Photo by John O'Boyle/The Star-Ledger)
* * *
Matt Schwartz, an offensive lineman for the Cleveland Browns, is also looking forward to an improved season. Let’s hop his sophomore season runs a little more smoothly than the Bears’ Gabe Carimi, who seemed to piss off a lot of fans last year. His decision not to attend an optional OTA (organized training activity) did nothing to endear himself to those who see him as a lost cause. But the latest consensus agrees with his choice.
(By the way, Schwartz’s brother, Geoff, is also in the NFL; he signed with the Kansas City Chiefs as a free agent in March.)
* * *
Also on the hot seat: Taylor Mays of the Cincinnati Bengals.
* * *
On the college level, is Alabama head coach Nick Saban to be thanked for the increased enrollment of Jewish students?
Finally, Rabbi Joshua Rattner posted his essay “The NFL Draft, the Omer, and the Power of Potential” awhile back on MyJewishLearning.com.
It’s in the cards. Wait, no, it’s not.
I’m sure I corresponded about this with Dave Jamieson after my recent purchase of a pack of 2013 cards and well before this NY Times story came out, but can’t seem to find a record in any of my e-mail accounts. Drives me nuts.
Anyway, has anyone else notice that Topps changed its card-numbering system? Used to be cards ending in number “00″ were reserved for the best of the best (usually seven players), like Mays, Mantle, Aaron, etc. Then the next tier were those that ended in “50,” followed by “x0,” then “x5,” then everybody else.
That’s no longer the case, and it obviously has a few people upset.
To read their thoughts, you’d think this was on par with the use of the designated hitter or turf instead of real grass; I like it. Very retro.
In other Jewish baseball card news, The Infinite Baseball Card site posted this on Al Schacht, the original “Clown Prince of Baseball,” including a nice little bio.
JML update, May 23 — Update
It’s bad enough that NY Mets’ Ike Davis hasn’t been hitting, but now his defense is also suffering.Even if he isn’t being charged with “official” errors, his play at first base has been less than stellar. The visiting Cincinnati Reds broke a 4-4 tie when he misplayed a ball that went for a double down the right field line.
Davis was 0-2 at the plate with two walks, so at least he’s not striking out as much as he has recently.
UPDATE: Tyler Kepner of The New York Times wrote this in-depth article about Davis’ continuing travails.
Ryan Braun hit his ninth home run of the season but it wasn’t nearly enough as the Los Angeles Dodgers beat his Milwaukee Brewers, 9-2. Braun is quietly putting together another good season: he’s eighth in NL in home runs, batting average (.323), RBI (30), and walks (23); and sixth in slugging percentage (.574) and on-base plus slugging (.984).
Sam Fuld was a defensive replacement in the Tampa Bay Rays’ 4-3 10-inning loss to the host Toronto Blue Jays.
DNP:Scott Feldman (Chicago Cubs), Jason Marquis (San Diego Padres), Nate Freiman (Oakland As), Danny Valencia (Baltimore Orioles), Craig Breslow and Ryan Lavarnway (Boston Red Sox)
DL: Ian Kinsler (Texas Rangers); Kevin Youkilis</strong> (NY Yankees)
Is it too early to sign him up?
Talk about being upstaged…
The outcome in itself is cool, but the reaction even more so.
The kid has a pedigree. Turns out he’s the two-year-old son of Chelsea goalkeeper Ross Turnbull. Not Jewish. So sue me.
What’s a post-game interview without a nosh?
So was the guy holding out the candy bar like it was a microphone/recording device? I’m thinking this was a plant or a teammate.
Time out…
Because sports is, in reality, just sports.
IMO, the word “hero” is bandied about too freely; I suppose it means different things to different people. Some “heroes” talk the talk, But Kevin Durant of the Oklahoma City Thunder has done more, putting a significant portion of his substantial money where his mouth is.
Then there’s this:
I know members of the media (of which I am one) have a responsibility to do their jobs, but come on, help this lady out! And tell me how this dog wasn’t making any noise? Shock? Please tell me the obedient dog wasn’t planted there, just waiting to be noticed on camera. I know it sounds cynical, but stunts like this have been known to happen.
Announcing the MOT Home Run Log
Just put the finishing touches on the MOT-on-MOT home run log. This Excel document is complete through the games of May 22 and includes all the players mentioned on the JewishMajorLeaguer.org website and/or who appear in Howard Megdal’s The Baseball Talmud.
Here’s a preview I posted recently with some interesting factoids on the subject.
If you’d like a copy, of the spreadsheet send me an e-mail.
