By Scott Barancik, Editor Joc Pederson hit a solo home run last night to help the Los Angeles Dodgers earn a 3-1 win over the Houston Astros in Game 6 of the 2017 World Series and force a decisive seventh game. His post-homer celebration was jubilant: The homer, his third of the Series, set a…
By Scott Barancik, Editor On September 5, 1927, Lefty Weinert tossed a 6-1, complete-game win over the St. Louis Cardinals in the first game of a doubleheader at Wrigley Field, yielding 5 hits and no earned runs. It wasn’t just the 25-year-old southpaw’s Chicago Cubs premiere. It also marked the very first Jewish appearance in this storied franchise’s history….
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,…
xxxx By Scott Barancik, Editor Detroit 2B Ian Kinsler crushed his 200th career home run today in a 5-1 win over the Rays. The two-run shot, his second in two days, came off P Danny Farquhar in the 9th inning and struck the catwalk high above Tampa Bay’s Tropicana Field. Kinsler is the fifth Jewish player to reach the…
By Scott Barancik, editor Now here’s something you don’t see very often: two Jewish players, both centerfielders, smacking 2 HRs apiece on the same day. Dodgers phenom Joc Pederson and Toronto’s Kevin Pillar accomplished the rare feat Tuesday night. Pederson hit the more prodigious bombs, launching a 477-foot monster in Game 1 of a doubleheader against…
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 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/Jewish Baseball News The long wait to see which players will represent Israel at World Baseball Classic qualifiers this week is over. Team Israel’s 28-man roster (see below) includes two former Major Leaguers (player/coaches Shawn Green and Gabe Kapler), three Israelis, and 23 minor-leaguers. Because the MLB season is still underway, no current…
By Scott Barancik/Jewish Baseball News When Ryan Braun smashed three HRs against the San Diego Padres on Monday night (see video), Jewish baseball fans everywhere celebrated. Here are a few more reasons to be proud: The Milwaukee Brewers right fielder is just the fifth Jewish player since 1918 to homer 3 or more times in a 9-inning…
By Scott Barancik/Jewish Baseball News Mondays can be tough on the soul. So have some smiles on us: Washington Nationals prospect Danny Rosenbaum is off to another good start this season. A starting pitcher with the Harrisburg Senators (AA), the 24-year-old lefty is 2-0 with a 1.25 ERA. Not bad, even for a player whose…
