Sports

"I had to grow a tough little hide as everybody was fair game to be razzed and needled."

The 40th yahrzeit of Abe Stark, who died at 77 in July 1972, is almost upon us. Those of you who remember Ebbets Field, abandoned by the Dodgers in 1957, can recall the Abe Stark sign on the bottom of the scoreboard embedded in the right field wall.

A local Orthodox attendance record was set at Detroit's Comerica Park on Sunday Chol Hamoed Pesach as an estimated 500 frum fans were in the stands. They saw a good game as the Tigers downed the White Sox 3-0 on a beautiful sunny day. Seven families from my shul returned with suntans and they reported many shuls were represented in all sections of the downtown ballpark, about a 20-minute ride from my dugout.

The tall, handsome, charismatic ballplayer topped several polls during his playing days as the most heroic figure among Jews in America.

He was the oldest former major league ballplayer when he died last month at the age of 100. Bill Werber was a teammate of Lou Gehrig and Babe Ruth with the Yankees in 1930 and again three years later. He also played for the Red Sox, Philadelphia Athletics, Cincinnati Reds and New York Giants before retiring in 1942 with a .271 career batting average. He outhit Hank Greenberg .370 to .357 in the 1940 World Series, leading the Reds over the Tigers in seven games.

It was a sad day for me when I learned of the firing of Chaim Bloom, who had the title of the Chief Baseball Officer of the Boston Red Sox.

A famous face from that first '52 Topps set was Alvin Dark, who died in his South Carolina home recently at 92.

While there are great rates on fares to the Miami area this time of year, it's not a place most people want to visit in the summer, unless, of course, they have relatives or good friends to visit or a simcha to attend.

The Yanks can easily be back in the playoffs next season if the young talent – which there is – can prove they’re ready for the majors.

While I never attended a religious service in a non-orthodox house of worship, I spoke in every synagogue and Temple in the Detroit area. Some more than once. I also did some radio and television there, besides writing for some local publications, too. I was born in Detroit; it was my home my whole life.

The delayed start of the professional basketball season due to a labor dispute has left me indifferent. It has been many years since I watched an entire game, even more since I actually attended one in person.

Last season the Philadelphia Phillies had a Rosenberg, the St. Louis Cardinals had a Rosenthal, and the Arizona Diamondbacks had a Goldschmidt.

Seventy-eight degrees and sunny. That's what it was that Thursday afternoon in November when I arrived in Tampa, site of the Yankees Fantasy Camp. After checking into the Sheraton Suites where the campers were staying for the Monday through Saturday camp, I shuttled to George M. Steinbrenner Field (where the Yanks play during spring training and also the home of the Tampa Yankees, three levels below the major leagues), to join the camp in progress.

One of the unique aspects of the U.S. Open Fan Week is the opportunity to see the world's top players in action, up close and personal.

"It is my belief that if our clubs played a series on a best-of-nine basis, we would create great interest in baseball in our leagues and in our players. I also believe it would be a financial success."

Rule #1: A wife should never accompany her husband to hang out with his buddies at a fantasy football draft. Unless beer and cigars are her thing, that is.

Carolina Raqucel Duer, a 33 year-old Jewish woman from Buenos Aires, Argentina, defended her World Boxing Organization Super Flyweight title on November 12 by...

While American Jews were leaving the baseball field for military bases, Jews on the other side of the ocean were being targeted by the Nazis.

La Guardia was a rabid New York Giants fan, but also rooted for the Brooklyn Dodgers and New York Yankees when they weren't matched against the Giants. His favorite mayoral duty was throwing out the ceremonial first pitch on opening day to kick off a new season for the Giants at the Polo Grounds.

It's over 15 years since Rick Ferrell died, a few months shy of his 90th birthday.

The year was 1957. Times were good here in America. The world seemed more peaceful.

Jake Pitler was a caring Jew who agonized over the plight of his fellow Jews on the other side of the ocean as he continued his baseball career.

Even if a player reaches the big league level, there's still no guarantee he'll remain with one team for long. Former Jewish outfielder Richie Scheinblum comes to mind.

Chaim Bloom, 36, who spent 15 years with the Tampa Bay Rays, will be “responsible for all baseball operations matters” for the team.

Rewind sixty years to 1953. Television was considered kosher by most and featured the likes of Desi Arnaz, Lucille Ball, Jack Benny, George Burns, Red Buttons, Perry Como, Arthur Godfrey, Clayton Moore as The Lone Ranger, Dinah Shore, Red Skelton, Danny Thomas, Jack Webb as Joe Friday on “Dragnet” and many others who provided great memories.

The rivalry between fans of the Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees will heat up as the season progresses.

Adam Greenberg holds a major league record. He was hit in the head by the very first and only pitch he ever saw - or almost saw - in his big league career.

It hit me like a baseball bat on my head. I had been sitting next to Red Smith, the legendary sports columnist who knew Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, Ty Cobb and other baseball greats.

Forget the results. The 2009 World Series featured the two best teams in baseball. In the old days, the Series always had the best team in the American League against the best team in the National League. But with the advent of two rounds of league playoffs, a good but not great team that has a hot week or two can find itself in the World Series.

Martin broke into the major leagues with the New York Yankees in 1950, the same year I started following baseball as a youngster in Detroit.