Jewish Major Leaguers in Their Own Words - by Peter Ephross & Martin Abramowitz (Paperback)

About the Book

Between 1870 and 2010, 165 Jewish Americans played Major League Baseball. This work presents oral histories featuring 23 of them. From Bob Berman, a catcher for the Washington Senators in 1918, to Adam Greenberg, an outfielder for the Chicago Cubs in 2005, the players discuss their careers and consider how their Jewish heritage affected them. Legends like Hank Greenberg and Al Rosen as well as lesser-known players reflect on the issue of whether to play on high holidays, responses to anti-Semitism on and off the field, bonds formed with black teammates also facing prejudice, and personal and Jewish pride in their accomplishments. Together, these oral histories paint a vivid portrait of what it was like to be a Jewish Major Leaguer.

Book Synopsis

Between 1870 and 2010, 165 Jewish Americans played Major League Baseball. This work presents oral histories featuring 23 of them. From Bob Berman, a catcher for the Washington Senators in 1918, to Adam Greenberg, an outfielder for the Chicago Cubs in 2005, the players discuss their careers and consider how their Jewish heritage affected them. Legends like Hank Greenberg and Al Rosen as well as lesser-known players reflect on the issue of whether to play on high holidays, responses to anti-Semitism on and off the field, bonds formed with black teammates also facing prejudice, and personal and Jewish pride in their accomplishments. Together, these oral histories paint a vivid portrait of what it was like to be a Jewish Major Leaguer.

Review Quotes

"The greatest contribution of this ambitious book is the opportunity to read players' perspectives on Jewish identification and to understand the choices they made. This book will satisfy readers interested in learning more about the lives of a diverse group of Jewish major leaguers...all of the players' stories will be informative and interesting, engaging and enjoyable"-Nine; "the stories of the trials and tribulations of Jewish ballplayers are brilliantly recounted...a solid job...the wonderfully told stories of the players included give the reader an intimate feeling of what life was, and is like, as a Jewish Major Leaguer"-Washington Jewish Weekly; "manages to break new ground...a worthy addition to Jewish baseball fans' bookshelves...fascinating personal vignettes"-Jewish Book Council; "engaging and stimulating...a source of pride for Jewish baseball fans"-The Buffalo Jewish Review; "a superb job...we get more of a 'what's it like' for Jewish ballplayers...a very good book...highly recommended...in fact, I give it the following grade: A+"-The Kentucky Democrat; "Jewish Sports fans in general and baseball fans in particular will enjoy and appreciate this book"-Jewish Journal, Dade County.

About the Author

Peter Ephross was a longtime editor for the Jewish Telegraphic Agency news service and has published in Publishers Weekly, the Village Voice, and Forward. He lives in Brooklyn, New York. Martin Abramowitz is the president of Jewish Major Leaguers, Inc., which documents American Jews in baseball and sponsored many of the interviews in this book.