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Basketball has a long history with the Jewish community, with the sport being popular among Jewish youth in the early 20th century, especially in New York City. The formation of the Public School Athletic League (PSAL) in the early 1900s allowed Jewish players to gain experience in competitive settings, and by the middle of the decade, Jewish basketball teams were all the rage. This popularity continued to grow, with a game between New York University (NYU) and City College of New York (CCNY) in 1934, attracting widespread interest as both teams featured several Jewish players. Jewish players led teams that won championships in numerous East Coast leagues, and basketball became an avenue for Jewish people to assimilate and participate in secular society. The sport's influence on Jewish culture is evident in films like The First Basket and in the memories of many Jewish individuals who grew up playing the sport.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| History of Jewish basketball | A group of young Jewish men helped change basketball history on March 3, 1934, when fans in New York City watched the game between NYU and CCNY, with nine out of ten starters being Jewish. |
| Location | Centered in New York |
| Time period | First half of the 20th century |
| Importance | Jews were crucial to the development of college and professional basketball during this time |
| Popularity | Basketball became a popular sport among Jewish youth in urban areas, played in playgrounds, schoolyards, and organized settings through the Public School Athletic League (PSAL) |
| Notable figures | Barney Sedran, Ira Streusand, Harry Brill, Nat Holman |
| Impact | Jews found a niche in basketball, with Jewish players leading teams to championships in East Coast leagues |
| Lessons | Trust, selflessness, adaptability, perseverance, and the importance of teamwork and game planning |
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What You'll Learn
- Jewish basketball players were crucial to the development of college and professional basketball in the first half of the 20th century
- Basketball was popularised among Jewish youth in urban areas, particularly in New York
- Jewish basketball players faced anonymity in the early days of the sport
- The sport taught Jewish players important lessons about teamwork, selflessness, and adaptability
- Jewish players were instrumental in turning New York City into the centre of the basketball world
Jewish basketball players were crucial to the development of college and professional basketball in the first half of the 20th century
Basketball was invented by Dr. James Naismith at a Young Men's Christian Association (YMCA) in 1891. As industrialization, immigration, and urbanization drastically transformed America at the turn of the 20th century, basketball became an ideal sport for many Americans as it taught teamwork, cooperation, discipline, and obedience. It was particularly popular among Jewish youth in urban areas, especially in New York City, where basketball thrived in settlement houses, playgrounds, schoolyards, and community centers.
Jewish basketball teams were all the rage in the early 20th century, and the sport became a staple of Jewish community life. Teams with rosters made up entirely of Jewish players traveled up and down the East Coast, and Jewish players led teams that won championships in numerous East Coast leagues. The formation of the Public School Athletic League (PSAL) in the early 1900s allowed players to gain experience in organized, competitive settings. By the middle of the decade, City College of New York (CCNY) established a basketball team full of local Jewish men, including players such as Barney Sedran, Ira Streusand, and Harry Brill.
The peak of Jewish prominence in basketball came in the 1930s. On March 3, 1934, a highly anticipated game between New York University (NYU) and CCNY featured nine Jewish starters out of ten players. The following year, Newsweek ran a story declaring basketball a sport "at which Jews excel." However, despite their success, Jewish players faced anti-Semitic responses and stereotypes that portrayed their success as a result of cunning and wiliness rather than athletic ability.
After World War I, basketball became more stable, and a new generation of Jewish players emerged. The sport's popularity among Jewish youth spread throughout the country, reflecting the larger story of American Jews during the first half of the 20th century. As Jews sought opportunities to join the mainstream, basketball provided a path to assimilation and a way to prove their physical strength and dexterity in the face of traditional stereotypes of Jews as bookish and physically frail.
In the 1950s, several Jewish players, including Lennie Rosenbluth and Art Heyman, made it to the top of the game. However, the point-shaving scandal of 1951, which involved several CCNY players, marked the beginning of the end of an era for Jewish basketball. The number of Jewish players in college and professional basketball declined sharply, and second-generation ethnic Jewish neighborhoods that had produced waves of players disappeared as Americans migrated to the suburbs.
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Basketball was popularised among Jewish youth in urban areas, particularly in New York
Basketball was invented by Dr. James Naismith at a Young Men's Christian Association (YMCA) in 1891. As industrialization, immigration, and urbanization drastically transformed America at the turn of the 20th century, basketball quickly became a popular sport that expanded into broader society. The sport taught important values such as teamwork, cooperation, discipline, and obedience.
During the Progressive Era, basketball was popularized among Jewish youth in urban areas, particularly in New York. Jewish boys on New York's Lower East Side played basketball on playgrounds and at schoolyards. The formation of the Public School Athletic League (PSAL) in the early 1900s allowed players to gain experience in organized, competitive settings. By the mid-1910s, the City College of New York (CCNY) established a basketball team composed of local Jewish men, including players like Barney Sedran, Ira Streusand, and Harry Brill.
During this time, the definitions of "amateur" and "professional" in basketball were constantly changing, and the sport was relatively disorganized at the college level. These chaotic conditions allowed Jewish players to find a niche in the game, as neither college nor professional teams seemed interested in restricting Jews from participating. Jewish players led teams that won championships in numerous East Coast leagues, although they often faced anonymity and occasional anti-Semitism.
After World War I, basketball became more stable, and a new generation of Jewish players emerged. In the early 1920s, Jewish basketball spread throughout the country, and American-born children of European Jewish immigrants embraced America's sporting culture. Basketball became known as "The City Game," as it could be played in urban settings without requiring large open spaces or specialized equipment. Sidney "Sonny" Hertzberg, who grew up in New York City, recalled playing a primitive form of basketball using a stocking hat and a fire escape ladder.
By the 1930s, basketball's popularity among Jewish youth in New York remained strong. On March 3, 1934, a highly anticipated game between New York University (NYU) and CCNY, featuring predominantly Jewish players, turned New York City into the center of the basketball world. The following year, Newsweek ran a story declaring basketball a sport "at which Jews excel." This period marked the peak of Jewish prominence in basketball, with Jewish players such as Lennie Rosenbluth and Art Heyman achieving success in the 1950s and 1960s.
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Jewish basketball players faced anonymity in the early days of the sport
Basketball was invented by Dr. James Naismith at a Young Men's Christian Association (YMCA) in 1891. As industrialization, immigration, and urbanization drastically transformed America at the turn of the 20th century, basketball became an increasingly popular sport. It was seen as an ideal sport to teach teamwork, cooperation, discipline, and obedience. During this time, many Jewish people immigrated to the United States, facing persecution in their home countries.
In the early days of basketball, the sport was dominated by Jews, especially in big cities like New York and Philadelphia. Young Jewish men saw basketball as a way to overcome obstacles and achieve secular integration. The formation of the Public School Athletic League (PSAL) in the early 1900s allowed players to gain experience in organized, competitive settings. By the middle of the decade, the City College of New York (CCNY) established a basketball team comprising local Jewish men. Players such as Barney Sedran, Ira Streusand, and Harry Brill honed their skills at City College and, upon graduating, began playing in various professional leagues in eastern cities.
However, despite their prominence in the sport, Jewish basketball players faced anonymity in the early days. The definitions of "amateur" and "professional" were constantly changing, and college basketball remained relatively disorganized. Professional basketball was considered a rough sport, with players competing in cages made of rope or chicken wire to protect them from unruly fans. There were no standard court or ball sizes, and players frequently jumped between teams for better pay. These chaotic conditions allowed Jewish players to find a niche in the sport, as neither college nor professional teams seemed interested in restricting Jews from participating.
After World War I, basketball became more stable, and a new generation of Jewish players emerged. In the early 1920s, Jewish basketball spread throughout the country, with Jewish players leading teams that won championships in numerous East Coast leagues. Despite facing anti-Jewish attacks and discrimination in academic institutions, Jewish basketball players persevered and made lasting contributions to the sport.
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The sport taught Jewish players important lessons about teamwork, selflessness, and adaptability
Basketball has been a historical avenue for Jewish people to overcome obstacles and participate in secular society. The sport was popularized among Jewish youth in urban areas, particularly in New York, during the early 20th century. This popularity allowed Jewish players to find a niche in the game, as neither college nor professional teams seemed to restrict their participation.
Jewish players thrived in the chaotic conditions of early basketball, where the definitions of "amateur" and "professional" were blurred, and players jumped from team to team for better pay. During this time, Jewish basketball spread throughout the country, with Jewish players leading teams that won championships in numerous East Coast leagues.
Additionally, basketball instilled in Jewish players the ability to adapt and make the most of their situation. This lesson resonates with Jewish history and culture, such as the story of the oil lasting during Hanukkah and the ability to find a way forward when faced with challenges. Basketball also taught Jewish players the importance of setting lofty goals, taking risks, and bouncing back from failures, all while working hard to adapt to changing circumstances.
Overall, basketball played a significant role in the lives of Jewish players, not just as a sport but as a vehicle for important life lessons and a means to integrate into secular society.
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Jewish players were instrumental in turning New York City into the centre of the basketball world
Basketball was invented by Dr. James Naismith in 1891 and quickly became a popular sport. During the Progressive Era, basketball became popular among Jewish youth in urban areas, particularly in New York City. The formation of the Public School Athletic League (PSAL) in the early 1900s allowed players to gain experience in competitive settings. The University Settlement Society and the Clark Neighborhood House, both located in New York's Lower East Side, began organizing basketball teams around 1899. The Inter-Settlement Basket Ball League was formed in 1903, allowing squads to compete against one another.
By the mid-1910s, City College of New York (CCNY) had established a basketball team full of local Jewish men. Players such as Barney Sedran, Ira Streusand, and Harry Brill honed their skills at CCNY and went on to play in various professional leagues in eastern cities. Jewish players led teams that won championships in numerous East Coast leagues, and after World War I, a new generation of Jewish players emerged.
In the 1920s, Jewish basketball spread throughout the country, and Jewish players were prominent in the new American Basketball League (ABL) that formed in the early 1930s. Jewish entrepreneurs also established independent teams such as the New York Hakoahs and the Philadelphia Sphas.
On March 3, 1934, a highly anticipated game between NYU and CCNY, with both teams undefeated, turned New York City into the center of the basketball world. The demand for tickets was so high that promoters began a series of doubleheaders at Madison Square Garden the following season. The game, in which nine out of ten starters were Jewish, occurred during the peak of Jewish prominence in basketball. The next year, Newsweek ran a story declaring basketball a sport "at which Jews excel."
Jewish players were also involved in the administration of the league. Maurice Podoloff, former president of the American Hockey League, served as the first president of the NBA. Among the league's first Jewish coaches were Arnold "Red" Auerbach of the Washington Capitols and owner-coach Eddie Gottlieb of the Philadelphia Warriors. Jewish players were instrumental in the early years of the NBA as well. In the first game in NBA history, the New York Knickerbockers put four Jews on the court for the opening tip-off and carried six Jews on their roster.
However, a point-shaving scandal in the early 1950s involving the CCNY team and other schools almost destroyed college basketball and led to the demise of New York college basketball, diminishing the centralized Jewish playing presence in the sport. The establishment of the NBA in 1950 also contributed to the decline of Jews in basketball, as the low player salaries at the time meant that few players could support their families. Socio-economic success and the move towards more stable careers also played a role in the decline of Jewish participation in basketball.
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Frequently asked questions
Basketball is considered a Jewish sport due to the involvement of Jewish people in the sport's history and its popularity among the Jewish community, particularly in New York during the first half of the 20th century.
Jews were crucial to the growth of college and professional basketball. The sport was invented in 1891 and quickly spread to broader society, including Jewish communities. By the early 1900s, Jewish youth in New York played basketball in playgrounds and schoolyards, and competitive settings through the Public School Athletic League (PSAL). Jewish players thrived in the chaotic conditions of early college and professional basketball, which lacked clear definitions of "amateur" and "professional".
Yes, the City College of New York (CCNY) basketball team of the 1930s is particularly notable. In 1934, their game against New York University (NYU) attracted widespread interest as both teams were undefeated. Nine out of the ten starters in that game were Jewish.
Yes, several Jewish basketball players have achieved notable success. Players like Barney Sedran, Ira Streusand, and Harry Brill from CCNY went on to play in various professional leagues in eastern cities. Additionally, Jewish players led teams that won championships in numerous East Coast leagues, although individual players often remained relatively anonymous.
Basketball holds cultural significance for Jews due to the values it embodies and the lessons it imparts. These include teamwork, cooperation, discipline, trust, selflessness, adaptability, and the importance of having a game plan. Some Jews also draw parallels between the sport and their religious traditions, such as finding a way forward when faced with challenges, as exemplified by the story of Hanukkah and the miracle of the oil.
