Rabbi's Corner
Take Me Out To The Ballgame: Jews and Sports
When you think of sports, think of the Tanach, the Bible. Note how the future King David used his Olympic caliber sling shot skills to save Israel from the Philistines. David was also
a good runner, especially when he had King Saul and his troops chasing him. Foot racing as a sport is also mentioned in the Bible: Members of the tribe of Naftali were compared to a
"hind let loose;" people from the tribe of Gad were described "swift as the roes upon the mountains." The thrill of running track is mentions in Psalm 19: "he rejoices as a strong man to run
his course." Women in those days didn't run for sport, but Sarah, achieved renown from welcoming guests by running to the flocks to organize hospitable meals. Bernard Postal notes
that in the 11th century BCE, ancient Israel had a system of runners to link scattered communities, and among the fastest of these runners were Ahimaz, song of the High Priest Zadok, and Ashael, nephew of King David.
Postal notes that archery and javelin throwing were done with great skill by King David's warriors, who could shoot arrows accurately with either hand. According to Postal, in the Mishnaic
period, Rabbi Bar Deroma was a great "broad jumper, who could jump a mile." the 3rth century sage Shimon ben Lakish was a champion swimmer and, it was said, so was the historian
Josephus. Rabbi Akiba cautioned all Jewish parents to teach their kids how swim.
References to America's national pastime can also be discerned in the Bible. Baseball is explicitly described in Numbers 2:2: "Every man of the Children of Israel shall pitch their father's
houses..." Outfield play is described in Psalms (78:45) and Second Samuel (2:16)" "He sent many flies among them and they caught every one!" Poor infield play has the Psalmist cry out:
"Who can discern errors? (Psalm 19:13)" A stupid call by the umpire evokes this Biblical response: "And all the people shouted with a great shout. Whether is be good or bad, he will not alter it.
(Ezra 3:11, Lev. 27:10,12)" Even Abbot and Costello's "Whose on First" sketch has been found to actually be an affirmation of Deut. 6(:4) adonai echad, God is One, as it is written:
"Atach hu rishon -- You, [God] are the first, i.e. on first."
Baseball proved very important for Eastern European Jewish immigrants to the US early in the 20th Century. Newcomers often found American life daunting and difficult. Often their Americanized children were impatient with their parents' old world ways and outlooks;
communication between parents and children was difficult and strained. For many such Jewish immigrants, baseball was the one thing that the generations could share and talk about together. Baseball played an important role in Americanizing Jews and linked those born here with their
immigrant parents.
Jews today, still are a tiny minority in America. At times we Jews inevitably experience a sense of difference front eh majority. Perhaps we hear stereotypes of Jews or anti-Semitic words, or called on to give an opinion about Israel as if we
representative all Jews, or react with discomfort visiting a church or hearing Christmas music in the Mall. When these feelings of difference emerge, we are forced to confront our Jewish
identities. When we are aware of such feelings, somehow it makes us feel better to be able to point to a Jew who has made the big leagues in American sports. When a Greenberg or a Koufax or a
Green refuses to play ball on Yom Kippur, it makes a statement what we can identify with, that says, “see – a Jew can be a sports hero, it's ok to be a Jew publicly,” and in some way our own Jewish identity
is validated. Jewish sports figures help us feel that our identities as Jews and Americans are not in conflict. Thus a Jewish kid from Georgia who makes it to the big leagues, Ron Bloomberg, became an icon,
a representative of American Jews, whether he wanted to be or not. Of such Jewish sports heroes, Prof. Peter Levine observed: “More by example than design, their actions and deeds as visible Jews in the world
of sports have had an important impact on shaping of an American Jewish consciousness that combines American pride, with a fierce, even physical commitment to the survivable of all Jewish People.”