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Long before Hank Greenberg earned recognition as baseball's greatest Jewish player, Jews had developed a unique, and very close, relationship with the American pastime. In the late nineteenth century, as both the American Jewish population and baseball's popularity grew rapidly, baseball became an avenue by which Jewish immigrants could assimilate into American culture. Beyond the men (and, later, women) on the field, in the dugout, and at the front office, the Jewish community produced a huge base of fans and students of the game.
This important book examines the interrelated histories of baseball and American Jews to 1948--the year Israel was established, the first full season that both major leagues were integrated, and the summer that Hank Greenberg retired. Covered are the many players, from Pike to Greenberg, as well as the managers, owners, executives, writers, statisticians, manufacturers and others who helped forge a bond between baseball and an emerging Jewish culture in America. Key reasons for baseball's early appeal to Jews are examined, including cultural assimilation, rebellion against perceived Old World sensibilities, and intellectual and philosophical ties to existing Jewish traditions. The authors also clearly demonstrate how both Jews and baseball have benefited from their relationship.
List of contents
Table of ContentsAcknowledgments Foreword by Martin Abramowitz, Ph.D. Prologue 1. From the Beginnings
2. The Earliest Jewish Professional Players
3. The Cincinnati Connection
4. Baseball's Most Detested Owner
5. Reshaping the Game
6. Baseball and Eastern European Jews
7. A Cohen by Any Other Name
8. Keepers of the Stats
9. Baseball's National Anthem
10. From the Press Box
11. The Last of the Pseudonyms
12. McGraw's Mission
13. The Unsung Star
14. The Clown and the Spy
15. The Revolutionary Umpire
16. Jewish Owners-The Next Generation
17. The Golden Age Begins
18. The Brooklyn Dodgers
19. The War Years
20. The First Jewish Superstar
Epilogue Notes Bibliography Index
About the author
A member of the Society for American Baseball Research, Burton A. Boxerman taught history for 30 years and contributes to numerous historical journals. A longtime baseball fan, he lives in St. Louis, Missouri.The late Benita W. Boxerman was a writer and researcher. Retired from one of the largest public relations firms in the United States and a member of SABR, she lived in St. Louis, Missouri.
