Kaplan's Korner on Jews and Sports » Trivia

I’ve got a little list…

Ron Kaplan — Mon, 25 Jan 2010 16:42:57 +0000

Actually, the list belongs to Jeremy Fine, aka The Great Rabbino, who in turn submitted it to OyChicago in response to Spike.com’s list of the 10 greatest contemporary Jewish athletes. (FYI, Spike is one of those “testosterone-laden” outfits, i.e., heavy on girls, games, and gizmos.)

Spike’s list:

10) Jordan Farmar – Backup Point Guard Los Angeles Lakers
9) Marty Turco – Goalie Dallas Stars
8 ) Sue Bird – Starting Point Guard Seattle Storm
7) Kane – WWE Wrestler
6) Jason Lezak – Olympic Swimmer
5) Ian Kinsler – Starting Second Baseman Texas Rangers
4) Igor Olshansky – Starting Defensive Lineman Dallas Cowboys
3) Kevin Youkilis – Starting First/Third Baseman Boston Red Sox
2) Mike Cammalleri – Starting Left Wing Montreal Canadians
1) Ryan Braun – Starting Left Fielder Milwaukee Brewers

Fine’s list:

10) Yuri Foreman – World Boxing Association Super welterweight Champion
9) Sasha Cohen – Olympic Gold Medal Skater
8 ) Jason Lezak – Olympic Gold Medal Swimmer
7) Sue Bird – Starting Guard Seattle Storm
6) Andy Ram – 9th Ranked Doubles Player. 5th Ranked in Team Doubles.
5) Ian Kinsler – Starting Second Baseman Texas Rangers.
4) Omri Casspi – Starting Forward Sacramento Kings
3) Mike Cammalleri – Starting Left Wing Montreal Canadians
2) Ryan Braun – Starting Left Fielder Milwaukee Brewers
1) Kevin Youkilis – Starting First/Third Baseman Boston Red Sox

And, for what it’s worth, here’s my list:

10) Ram
9) Lezak
8 ) Foreman
7) Dimitry Salita – junior welterweight boxer
6) Casspi
5) Kinsler
4) Jason Marquis – pitcher, Washington Nationals
3) Cammalleri
2) Braun
1) Youkilis

And they said it wouldn’t last

Ron Kaplan — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 14:47:06 +0000

"'Kaplan's Korner' turns one year old today!"

Stein, for the prosecution

Ron Kaplan — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 14:15:39 +0000

Bob Stein, a former Super Bowl-winning NFLer is back in the news, according to this piece in the AP. He’s representing a group of former players who want a piece of the action as the NFL continues to make money off their names and images.

The other players listed in the suit are Jim Marshall, Ed White, Joe Senser, Fred Dryer and Dan Pastorini.

Stein played seven years with the Kansas City Chiefs, Los Angeles Rams, San Diego Chargers, and Vikings.

Rachmones for the underdog!

A way-cool source

Ron Kaplan — Fri, 08 May 2009 19:37:34 +0000

Every issue of the classic publication is available through Google books.

The first issue: July 1945. Cover price: 15 cents. Tag line: “64 Pages — and Every Word Baseball!”

Thanks to John Zajc of the Society for American Baseball Research and writer Rob Neyer for the item.

The next step is to go through them all for Jewish content…

Grabow joins elite company

Ron Kaplan — Tue, 07 Apr 2009 14:04:10 +0000

When Pirates pitcher John Grabow won his teams opener against the Cardinals he joined a very elite group.

According to Bob Wechsler, author of Day by Day in Jewish Sports History (KTAV), Grabow is just the fifth Jewih pitcher to win a game on opening day. The others include:

Steve Stone, Orioles 5, Royals 3, April 10, 1981
Sandy Koufax, Dodgers 4, Cardinals 0, April 14, 1964 (surprisingly, this was Koufax’s only career opening-day start).
Erskine Mayer, Phillies 5, Boston Braves 2, April 16, 1918
Barney Pelty, Browns 2, Indians 1, April 14, 1908

This info comes from a great source: Yahoo.com’s Jewish Sports Collector group, which is comprised of a small but very informed a deidcated bunch of people who discuss more than just memorabilia.

“But he was such a quiet man…”

Ron Kaplan — Tue, 24 Feb 2009 16:46:53 +0000

Josh Borenstein over at Jewsinbaseball posted this interesting entry on Jews who have been ejected from Major League games.

Wait, Wait, Mr. President-elect

Ron Kaplan — Mon, 29 Dec 2008 19:47:18 +0000

Taking advantage of the holiday, our old friend and neighbor Peter Sagal prepared yesterday’s edition of Wait Wait Don’t Tell Me as a highlight reel.

The program offered items regarding the 2008 Presidential election. It included this one from August, 2005 featuring Senator Barack Obama in the “Not My Job” portion, in which popular figures are asked things they supposedly know nothing about. Obama’s topic: The superstitions of Wade Boggs. He got two of three answers correct; he got game.

You can hear the show here.

What’s in a name?

Ron Kaplan — Fri, 12 Dec 2008 15:56:33 +0000

I noted with some amusement a piece by Dan Graziano, the baseball writer for The Star-Ledger, in which he finds it necessary to spell out the phonetic pronunciation of the newly-acquired relief pitcher J.J. Putz (sounds like “pootz”). Putz, who had spent his entire six-year career with the Seattle Mariners, is used to being his team’s closer. He saved 36 and 40 games in 2006 and 2007, respectively, but was slowed by injuries this year.

Appearances to the contrary notwithstanding, Putz is not Jewish and he brings to mind other Yiddish-sounding names, without a Jew in the lot. Bill Hickman, a member of the Society for American baseball Research, provided the following material

Connie Grob (Yiddish for coarse or rude), Washington Senators, 1956
Larry Hisle (a heizel is a brothel), Philadelphia Phillies, Minnesota Twins, Milwaukee Brewres, 1968-71 and 1973-82
Ed Karger (tighwad), several clubs, 1906-11
Clyde Klutz (clumsy person), longtime baseball scout
Brent Knackert (a k’nacker is a big shot), Seattle Mariners (1990) and Boston Red Sox (1997)
Emil Kush (kiss), Chicago Cubs, 1941-42 and 1946-49
Bris Lord, several clubs, 1905-07 and 1909-13
Kevin Mench, Texas Rangers, Milwaukee Brewers, Toronto Blue Jays, 2002-present
Earl Mossor (a mosser is a squealer), brooklyn Dodgers, 1951
Dave Schneck (snail), New York Mets, 1972-74

Would you call this man Putz?

Welcome back, Kotter.. and BOTNS

Ron Kaplan — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 21:55:52 +0000

Gabe Kaplan and I and not mishpacha, so I’m not plugging the guy, but I came across this article from ESPN The Magazine’s website.

It must have been a dull day for Bill Simmons, who contributes to the amusing zeitgeist “Page 2″ column. He must have spent hours trolling the Internet to come up with the clip from the premiere episode of the ABC program, Battle of the Network Stars.

BOTNS was your daddy’s version of reality TV. Actors from the top shows — back in the stone age before cable TV — competed in the Olympic-style competition for (then) sizable cash prizes. And these guys (and gals) were serious about their sports, as the clip demonstrates.

A very quick recap: CBS captain’ Telly “Kojak” Savalas lodged a protest because NBC’s Ben “Gemini Man” Murphy came out to receive the baton too soon in a relay race. The ABC squad, led by Kaplan (Welcome Back, Kotter) had won the event, so the argument was over second place.

What a to-do! NBC captain Robert “Baa-Baa Black Sheep” Conrad somehow got into it with Kaplan and the the two had a won off, which Kaplan won. The whole thing was moderated by Howard Cosell, so you know he was going to keep things at a boil.

Anyway, read Simmons’ running commentary and watch the clip; listen for Conrad’s comments about Kaplan’s religion. Any questions, ask your parents.

Hebrew homer trivia

Ron Kaplan — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 21:19:19 +0000

Did you know:

Hank Greenberg’s 206 home runs were the seventh-most from 1930-39.
On Aug. 12, 1966, Art Shamsky hit two extra-inning round-trippers in the same game, a 14-11 loss to the Pittsburgh Pirates.
Shawn Green is one of only 15 batters to hit four home runs in one game. He accomplished this rarity on May 23, 2002 against the Milwaukee Brewers. Green had six hits in the 16-3 romp, including a double and a single for 19 total bases, a major league record.

From Dingers: A Short History of the Long Ball, by Peter Keating (ESPN)

Shawn Green