Jews and sports is an exploration of Jewish identity and integration in the modern world. This was expressed as Jews became fans of sports teams, with the most famous baseball fan in history being an eccentric Jewish woman named Hilda Chester. Jews were always prominent in the labor movement, and it was a Jewish labor organizer named Marvin Miller who, as president of the Player’s Union, successfully rid Baseball of the reserve clause and emancipated the players from the owner’s grip.
During the 1920’s and 30’s Jews were especially prominent in boxing. Benny Leonard and Barney Ross were famous boxing champions, but there were many others as well. Jewish participation in boxing is perhaps the most typical expression of both the struggles of the immigrant generation, along with the process of Americanization.
Several victims of the Holocaust were famous Jewish athletes. Eddy Hamel of the Dutch National Football (soccer) team, Victor Perez the boxer, gymnasts, fencers and others as well. Though they may have been celebrities known for their physical prowess, Nazi racial theory considered them Jews and they suffered the same fate as European Jewry.
Sponsored by the OU’s Teach Coalition, whose network of thousands of activists just like you, are urging you to go out and vote in the upcoming elections on November 8, 2022. For help contact the voter hotline at 646-459-5162 or https://teachcoalition.org/vote/
For sponsorship opportunities about your favorite topics of Jewish history contact Yehuda at: yehuda@yehudageberer.com
Subscribe To Our Podcast on:
PodBean: https://jsoundbites.podbean.com/
Follow us on Twitter or Instagram at @Jsoundbites
You can email Yehuda at yehuda@yehudageberer.com
Get it? The Strange Story of the ’Get of Cleves’
More than a Miracle Worker: Rav Eliyahu Guttmacher
From Rugby to the World Stage: Rav Avigdor Miller Part III
Rabbi & Educator: Rav Avigdor Miller Part II
The Maharal of Prague
Baltimore meets Slabodka: Rav Avigdor Miller Part I
The History of Soviet Jewry Part III: Refuseniks & Immigrants
The History of Soviet Jewry Part II: Destruction & Memory
The History of Soviet Jewry Part I: From the Pale to the Revolution
Brisk Management: Another Look at Rav Chaim Brisker
From Slonim to Tverya: The Nesivos Shalom Part II
A Teacher from Slonim: The Nesivos Shalom Part I
From World War to Revolution: Iranian Jewry Part II
Princes of Persia: Iranian Jewry Part I
Chabad & Zionism Part II
Wise Man of Hungary: Rav Yehuda Aszod
A Dazzling Light: The Life & Impact of Rabbi Aryeh Kaplan
The Czars & The Jews Part I
The Roar of the Lion: The Life of Rav Leib Malin Part I
The Emergence of a Leader: The Life of the Chazon Ish Part III
Join Podbean Ads Marketplace and connect with engaged listeners.
Advertise Today
Create your
podcast in
minutes
It is Free
The Hello Heaven Podcast
Rav Gershon Ribner
The Nightingale of Iran
For Heaven’s Sake
Unpacking Israeli History
Abundant Ever After with Cathy Heller