By Scott Barancik, Editor David Levin, a 15-year-old from Israel who has played just three years of ice hockey, will be selected 1st in the Ontario Hockey League’s upcoming domestic draft. The Toronto Sun reports that Levin moved alone to Canada at age 12 to pursue a professional hockey career — and now appears to be…
(UPDATE: Hours before today’s 2015 debut against the Tampa Bay Rays, the Baltimore Orioles added C Ryan Lavarnway to the team’s Opening Day roster and designated reliever Ryan Webb for assignment. The article below has been revised to reflect Lavarnway’s last-minute promotion. — 4/6/2015 @ 5:45pm EST) By Scott Barancik, Editor When MLB teams made their 2015…
By Scott Barancik, editor Baseball great Al Rosen died Friday night (3/15/2015) in Rancho Mirage, Calif., just two weeks after his 91st birthday. A native South Carolinian who learned boxing as a youth to defend himself against anti-Semitic attacks, “Flip” Rosen had a storied career with the Cleveland Indians despite playing just 8 full Major League…
By Scott Barancik, Editor As MLB clubs begin Spring Training this month, at least 18 Jews will be playing. Players attending Spring Training due to roster spots include: Ryan Braun (LF/1B), Milwaukee Brewers Craig Breslow (P), Boston Red Sox Ike Davis (1B), Oakland Athletics Scott Feldman (P), Houston Astros Nate Freiman (1B), Oakland Athletics Sam Fuld (CF/LF), Oakland Athletics Ian Kinsler (2B),…
(Note: The article below has been updated to include a 2015 pitching stint by Oakland’s Ike Davis.) By Scott Barancik, Editor In the 144 years since OF Nate Berkenstock debuted with the Philadelphia Athletics, in 1871, scores of Jewish position players have taken the field in a Major League game, but only five of them…
By Scott Barancik, editor A record-tying 15 Jews got MLB playing time in 2014, and 13 had the chance to swing a bat. Collectively they hit .253, a shade above the MLB average of .251. To see their detailed individual stats, you can download this Excel file. Or you can look below, where you’ll find a…
By Scott Barancik, editor (Editor’s note: Coverage of the MLB amateur draft is a collaboration between Jewish Baseball News and our friends at Jewish Sports Review, a bi-monthly newsletter that tracks Jewish athletes in multiple sports around the globe. Click here for subscription information.) At least six Jewish players were selected in MLB’s 2014 amateur draft, led by Princeton hurler Michael Fagan, a 9th-round…
By Stuart M. Katz, correspondent When he was growing up in Trenton, N.J., Al Clark’s family thought he might become a rabbi. They couldn’t have imagined that he instead would spend more than 25 years on Major League Baseball fields as the American League’s first Jewish umpire. From 1976 to 2001, Clark had a bird’s eye…
By Scott Barancik, editor For the second time in a week, we have the pleasure of introducing you to a newly-discovered member of the Jewish Baseball family: Baltimore Orioles prospect Sammie Starr. A 25-year-old infielder from Toronto, Starr’s father is Jewish, his mother converted to Judaism, and Starr himself became Bar Mitzvah. Baseball is a family tradition….
By Scott Barancik, Editor From 1976 until MLB officials told him “You’re out!” in 2001, Al Clark was one of baseball’s most respected umpires, and among very few who were Jewish. In a new memoir written with Dan Schlossberg, the 66-year-old Clark recalls the highlights and lowlights of his life in and out of baseball,…
By Scott Barancik, editor One of the things I enjoy most about running this website is ‘discovering’ ballplayers we didn’t know were Jewish, and then introducing them to you. Today it’s my honor to welcome home the newest member of the Jewish baseball family: Seattle Mariners prospect Scott DeCecco. A New Jersey native who turns 23 tomorrow…
By Scott Barancik, editor In an impressive display of strength and agility that spoiled the Phillies’ home opener Tuesday night, Ryan Braun blasted three HRs, collected seven RBIs, and made a diving catch to snuff out a rally and lead the Brewers to a 10-4 win. The second three-dinger performance of Braun‘s career — he hit a trio against the Padres on…
By Scott Barancik, editor If catchers issued ‘Wanted’ posters featuring the base thieves they fear most, 2013 California League MVP Zach Borenstein would not be included. While the 23-year-old Angels prospect tore up opponents with his bat and legged-out seven triples last year, his five stolen bases in 10 attempts left noone quaking. Yesterday was a different story. In…
By Scott Barancik, editor As baseball fans celebrate Opening Day, Jewish Baseball News is taking a look back at the 21 Jews who participated in MLB Spring Training this year. Fifteen position players and six pitchers saw playing time, some as full-fledged team members, others as non-roster invitees, and several via short-term stints. Their stats are shown…
Sam Fuld makes Oakland A’s Opening Day roster! However, SF Chronicle says he may be squeezed out next week to make room for Craig Grentry (3/29/2014) * * * Reason #374 you should follow Cody Decker‘s Twitter feed: folk wisdom. “People take athletes too seriously….. I hit a ball with a piece of wood for a…
By Scott Barancik, editor Ryan Kalish has earned a spot on the Chicago Cubs’ opening-day roster. Kalish, who turned 26 on Friday, was named the Boston Red Sox rookie of the year in 2010. A series of injuries and surgeries have largely kept him off the diamond since then. But Kalish has worked hard to recover, and in…
By Scott Barancik, editor As Major League teams pare down their Spring Training rosters in preparation for the regular season, several Jewish players are headed to the minors for re-tooling. Among the latest to be cut: Oakland A’s first baseman Nate Freiman, and Houston Astros reliever Josh Zeid, both of whom played for Team Israel in the 2012…
By Scott Barancik, editor Detroit’s love affair with the late Hank Greenberg may never be matched. But for a day at least, the Tigers again were powered by Jews. Playing under newly-minted manager Brad Ausmus, Detroit crushed the Blue Jays 18-4 thanks partly to contributions from two Jewish players. Three-time All-Star Ian Kinsler led the way, going 2-for-3 with…
By Scott Barancik, editor A traveling exhibit featuring Jewish baseball history, quirky memorabilia, and the chance to imitate Sandy Koufax on a real pitching mound will make its international debut this week in Philadelphia. Chasing Dreams, which opens Thursday at the National Museum of American Jewish History (3/13/2014), is more than a collection of objects. Displays crafted by…
By Scott Barancik, editor Hollywood couldn’t have scripted Ryan Braun‘s return from disgrace any better. In his first at-bat since completing a 65-game suspension, the presumably drug-free Milwaukee Brewer smashed an 0-1 pitch off Oakland A’s pitcher Tommy Milone over the left-field wall (see video). “It’s still the first day of spring training,” Braun told USA Today. “Better to…
