Jewish Baseball News

By Scott Barancik, Editor

A total of 146 seasons have passed since Lip Pike became the first Jewish player to homer. Now, we have a new milestone to celebrate.

Joc Pederson‘s game-tying, 2-run blast last night was the 113th Jewish home run of the season, tying the mark set in 2012. Pederson’s home run, his 25th of the year, left his bat at a blistering 110.6 mph, tops in the MLB for the night.

Less than half an hour later, Ian Kinsler crushed a 2-run, go-ahead shot for the record-breaking 114th round-tripper of the year. Kinsler’s 27th home run traveled 410 feet to left-center and left him one behind Lou Whitaker (28) on Detroit’s all-time list of most HRs in a season by a second baseman. The 3rd-inning blast almost didn’t count: despite heavy rain, umpires allowed the Tigers and Cleveland to complete the 5th inning before calling a delay and, eventually, the game.

Both players likely were unaware they were making history. Earlier this month, Alex Bregman smashed the 3,000th Jewish home run in Major League history.

Although rookie Lip Pike led the National Association with four home runs in 1871, his rookie season with the Troy Haymakers, Jewish players and home runs have not always been so prolific.

In 49 of the past 146 season, Jewish players did not hit a single dinger. During the five seasons from 1986 to 1990, in fact, there was not a single Jewish at-bat.

Aside from Pike, the concept of a Jewish power hitter is, historically speaking, a relatively new one. No Jewish player had hit even 10 HRs in a season until a Detroit Tigers rookie named Hank Greenberg stroked 12 in 1933. This helps explain why Jewish fans went so crazy over Greenberg, who went on to hit a then-N.L. record 58 home runs in 1938, two short of Babe Ruth’s then-Major League record of 60.

By comparison, today is a golden age for Jewish baseball fans. Three players have 25 or more home runs — Ryan Braun (30), Ian Kinsler (27), and Joc Pederson (25) — an accomplishment matched only once before, in 2010.

Jewish HRs by season

Year	AB	HR
1990	0	0
1989	0	0
1988	0	0
1987	0	0
1986	0	0
1899	4	0
1887	4	0
1902	9	0
1881	18	0
1985	22	0
1901	26	0
1903	27	0
1920	31	0
1882	41	0
1919	47	0
1991	51	0
1910	56	0
1908	58	0
1927	74	0
1895	74	0
1916	76	0
1918	81	0
1909	91	0
1911	92	0
1907	95	0
1906	99	0
1905	111	0
1904	118	0
1964	164	0
1976	238	0
1875	312	0
1917	433	0
1900	0	0
1898	0	0
1897	0	0
1896	0	0
1894	0	0
1893	0	0
1892	0	0
1891	0	0
1890	0	0
1889	0	0
1888	0	0
1886	0	0
1885	0	0
1884	0	0
1883	0	0
1880	0	0
1879	0	0
1984	63	1
1957	204	1
1874	234	1
1913	249	1
1876	282	1
1878	419	1
1965	237	2
1925	286	2
1983	132	3
1981	223	3
1959	302	3
1936	490	3
1921	637	3
1871	134	4
1958	225	4
1877	266	4
1873	285	4
1963	315	4
1924	355	4
1930	598	4
1942	680	4
1914	422	5
1926	614	5
1929	701	5
1923	949	5
1962	257	6
1982	263	6
1993	311	6
1912	524	6
1872	285	7
1915	436	7
1961	481	7
1922	576	7
1992	424	8
1931	898	8
1960	378	9
1977	395	9
1943	535	9
1975	714	9
1928	757	9
1932	1,160	9
1994	471	10
1941	809	11
1944	699	13
1967	752	13
1956	695	16
1978	875	18
1933	1,261	18
1980	851	19
1995	965	21
1974	1,221	21
1966	506	22
1979	793	23
1949	557	26
1996	1,322	26
1934	1,189	27
1948	579	30
1968	1,122	31
1973	1,705	34
1955	1,060	35
1971	1,335	36
1945	1,348	37
1947	897	39
1970	1,485	40
2003	1,805	40
1935	1,287	41
2005	1,641	41
1997	1,718	45
2013	2,006	47
1969	1,437	50
1998	1,527	50
1946	1,304	54
1940	1,471	54
1972	1,907	54
2006	2,414	55
1954	1,614	56
2014	2,295	56
1939	1,874	57
2000	1,991	60
1952	1,879	62
2004	2,045	63
1937	1,957	64
1950	1,194	65
2002	1,868	66
1951	1,902	69
2001	1,709	73
1953	1,710	77
2010	2,309	78
1938	2,456	81
2015	2,827	81
2007	2,444	84
2011	2,162	94
2008	2,223	100
2009	2,277	101
1999	2,089	102
2012	2,598	113
2016*	2,730	114
Total*	107,315	3,012

* Through games played 9/28/2016
Note: The 3,012 Jewish home runs hit through 9/28/2016 were slugged by these Major League players. The tally includes home runs hit by David Newhan before 2000, when he began identifying as a Messianic Jew. It excludes home runs hit by Jim Gaudet, who converted to Judaism after his playing career ended.
Source: JewishBaseballNews.com


As great a season as Jewish players are having collectively, 2016 isn’t close to the most prodigious in terms of home-run frequency.

Through games played 9/28/2016, Jewish players are homering once every 23.95 at-bats, or 13th-best on the home-run frequency chart. The best year came way back in 1950, when Jewish players such as Al Rosen (37 HRs) and Sid Gordon (27 HRs) homered a total of once every 18.37 at-bats.

Jewish home-run frequency, by season

Year	AB/HR
1950	18.37
1948	19.30
1999	20.48
1949	21.42
1953	22.21
2008	22.23
2009	22.54
2012	22.99
1966	23.00
1947	23.00
2011	23.00
2001	23.41
2016*	23.95
1946	24.15
1940	27.24
1951	27.57
2002	28.30
1969	28.74
1954	28.82
2007	29.10
2010	29.60
1955	30.29
1952	30.31
1938	30.32
1998	30.54
1937	30.58
1935	31.39
2004	32.46
1939	32.88
2000	33.18
1871	33.50
1979	34.48
2015	34.90
1972	35.31
1968	36.19
1945	36.43
1971	37.08
1970	37.13
1997	38.18
2005	40.02
1872	40.71
2014	40.98
1960	42.00
2013	42.68
1962	42.83
1956	43.44
1982	43.83
1977	43.89
2006	43.89
1983	44.00
1934	44.04
1980	44.79
2003	45.13
1995	45.95
1994	47.10
1978	48.61
1973	50.15
1996	50.85
1993	51.83
1992	53.00
1944	53.77
1958	56.25
1967	57.85
1974	58.14
1943	59.44
1915	62.29
1984	63.00
1877	66.50
1961	68.71
1933	70.06
1873	71.25
1941	73.55
1981	74.33
1963	78.75
1975	79.33
1922	82.29
1928	84.11
1914	84.40
1912	87.33
1924	88.75
1959	100.67
1931	112.25
1965	118.50
1926	122.80
1932	128.89
1929	140.20
1925	143.00
1930	149.50
1936	163.33
1942	170.00
1923	189.80
1957	204.00
1921	212.33
1874	234.00
1913	249.00
1876	282.00
1878	419.00
1990	na
1989	na
1988	na
1987	na
1986	na
1899	na
1887	na
1902	na
1881	na
1985	na
1901	na
1903	na
1920	na
1882	na
1919	na
1991	na
1910	na
1908	na
1927	na
1895	na
1916	na
1918	na
1909	na
1911	na
1907	na
1906	na
1905	na
1904	na
1964	na
1976	na
1875	na
1917	na
1900	na
1898	na
1897	na
1896	na
1894	na
1893	na
1892	na
1891	na
1890	na
1889	na
1888	na
1886	na
1885	na
1884	na
1883	na
1880	na
1879	na
Total*	35.63

* Through games played 9/28/2016
Source: JewishBaseballNews.com

# # #

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By Scott Barancik, Editor

In 1871, Lip Pike was considered a slugger. An outfielder with the Troy Haymakers, the 5’8″ rookie led the National Association that season with four home runs, which also happened to be the first four round-trippers ever hit by a Jewish baseball player.

Flash forward 145 years to Sept. 10, 2016 — also known as last Saturday — when another red-hot Jewish rookie came to the plate. Host Houston and the Cubs were tied 0-0 in the bottom of the third when the Astros’ Alex Bregman took a 92mph two-seam fastball from Chicago’s John Lackey and parked it in the right-center seats. Houston never squandered the lead, finishing with a 2-1 win.

Bregman’s 384-foot shot wasn’t just a clutch hit for a playoff-hungry club in front of a hometown crowd. It was the 3,000th Jewish homer in Major League history.

The numbers continue to swell.

In fact, Jewish players are on pace to set a single-season record in 2016. Through games played September 14, they hit a combined 106 home runs, just seven short of the 113 hit in 2012. Three players — Ryan Braun (27), Ian Kinsler (26), and Joc Pederson (22) — have more than 20 apiece, while Danny Valencia is within striking distance at 16.

Jewish HRs, by year

Year	HRs
2016*	106
2015	81
2014	56
2013	47
2012	113
2011	94
2010	78
2009	101
2008	100
2007	84
2006	55
2005	41
2004	63
2003	40
2002	66
2001	73
2000	60
1999	102
1998	50
1997	45
1996	26
1995	21
1994	10
1993	6
1992	8
1991	0
1990	0
1989	0
1988	0
1987	0
1986	0
1985	0
1984	1
1983	3
1982	6
1981	3
1980	19
1979	23
1978	18
1977	9
1976	0
1975	9
1974	21
1973	34
1972	54
1971	36
1970	40
1969	50
1968	31
1967	13
1966	22
1965	2
1964	0
1963	4
1962	6
1961	7
1960	9
1959	3
1958	4
1957	1
1956	16
1955	35
1954	56
1953	77
1952	62
1951	69
1950	65
1949	26
1948	30
1947	39
1946	54
1945	37
1944	13
1943	9
1942	4
1941	11
1940	54
1939	57
1938	81
1937	64
1936	3
1935	41
1934	27
1933	18
1932	9
1931	8
1930	4
1929	5
1928	9
1927	0
1926	5
1925	2
1924	4
1923	5
1922	7
1921	3
1920	0
1919	0
1918	0
1917	0
1916	0
1915	7
1914	5
1913	1
1912	6
1911	0
1910	0
1909	0
1908	0
1907	0
1906	0
1905	0
1904	0
1903	0
1902	0
1901	0
1900	0
1899	0
1898	0
1897	0
1896	0
1895	0
1894	0
1893	0
1892	0
1891	0
1890	0
1889	0
1888	0
1887	0
1886	0
1885	0
1884	0
1883	0
1882	0
1881	0
1880	0
1879	0
1878	1
1877	4
1876	1
1875	0
1874	1
1873	4
1872	7
1871	4
TOTAL*	3004

* Through games played 9/14/2016
Source: JewishBaseballNews.com

The 3,004 home runs hit through 9/14/2016 were slugged by these Major League players. The tally excludes home runs hit by David Newhan after 1999, when he began identifying as a Messianic Jew. It also excludes home runs hit by Jim Gaudet, who converted to Judaism after his playing career ended.

# # #

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By Scott Barancik, editor

Until yesterday, Brad Ausmus‘s only experience at the helm of a baseball team was managing Team Israel in the 2012 World Baseball Classic qualifiers.

But that didn’t stop the Detroit Tigers from hiring the 44-year-old former catcher to replace Jim Leyland as manager. Much is at stake for the team, which made the 2013 postseason and is expected to be a leading contender in 2014.

“This is a very exciting opportunity for me,” Ausmus said at a news conference. “I’m well aware that you don’t generally get dropped into a situation like I will be this coming season…Very rarely is there a managerial change when a team is coming off a post-season appearance.”

Ausmus is hardly inexperienced. A former Tiger — he played three seasons in Detroit, one of them as an All-Star — the Connecticut native caught more games during his 18-year career than all but six catchers in MLB history (1,938) and won three Gold Glove awards. His cerebral approach to the game led the San Diego Padres to name him Special Assistant to Baseball Operations after his retirement in 2010.

“Frankly, when we interviewed, we were taken aback at how impressive he was,” Tigers CEO Dave Dombrowski said.

In addition to managing Team Israel, Ausmus holds Jewish records for most MLB seasons (18) and games played (1,971).

At least five other Jews have managed MLB teams. They include:

• Lipman “Lip” Pike. Baseball’s first home-run king, Pike served as player-manager of the Troy Haymakers (1871), Hartford Dark Blues (1874), and Cincinnati Reds (1877), with an overall record of 20-51. He was just 26 years old when he took on the Haymakers’ job.
• Andy Cohen. A former New York Giants infielder and minor-league manager, Cohen was coaching for the Philadelphia Phillies in 1960 when manager Eddie Sawyer stepped down after the season’s first game. Cohen managed one game before permanent replacement Gene Mauch arrived; the Phillies’ 5-4, extra-inning win gave him a perfect 1-0 record.
• Lefty Phillips. Though he didn’t play Major League ball, Phillips coached the California Angels from 1969-1971, earning an overall record of 222-225. His best season was 1970, when the Angels finished in third place in the A.L. West division with an 86-76 record.
• Norm Sherry. Like Ausmus a former MLB catcher, Sherry coached the California Angels from 1976-1977, finishing a combined 76-71.
• Jeff Newman. A former catcher who played nine MLB season, Newman was the second of three Oakland A’s managers in 1986 and coached the team to a 2-8 record.

Click here to see a video excerpt of the Tigers’ news conference.

 # # #

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