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Basketball has long been associated with Jewish culture, especially in the early 20th century. The sport was invented in 1891 and quickly spread across the United States, becoming an accessible and popular pastime, particularly in urban areas. Basketball's rise coincided with the influx of Jewish immigrants in cities like New York, Boston, and Philadelphia, and the sport became an integral part of Jewish life in these communities. Jewish players, coaches, and owners played a pivotal role in the development of college and professional basketball, with all-Jewish teams forming and competing at the highest levels. The sport's influence extended beyond the court, impacting Jewish identity and their pursuit of the American dream. The legacy of Jewish involvement in basketball's formative years is still felt today, with the sport holding a special place in Jewish culture and history.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Basketball was a Jewish sport | During the early 20th century, basketball was considered a Jewish sport |
| Invented in | Springfield, Massachusetts |
| Popular among | Urban, immigrant communities in the Northeast |
| Reason for popularity | Basketball was relatively easy to learn and inexpensive |
| Role of Jews in basketball | Jews played a crucial role in the development of college and professional basketball |
| Jewish basketball teams | All-Jewish teams were common, and Jewish basketball teams were popular in the early 20th century |
| Jewish players | Many notable Jewish players, such as Nat Holman, Dolph Schayes, Barney Sedran, Ira Streusand, and Harry Brill |
| Impact on NBA | Jewish players, coaches, and owners played a vital role in the formation of the NBA |
| Lessons learned from basketball | Trust, selflessness, adaptability, perseverance, and teamwork |
| JCC basketball | Highly competitive league, often brutal due to friends blocking shots and making fun of each other |
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What You'll Learn
Basketball was accessible to Jewish immigrants
Secondly, basketball was relatively easy to learn and inexpensive to play. It required minimal equipment and space, making it ideal for urban settings and accessible to people from various socioeconomic backgrounds. Jewish immigrants, who often faced discrimination and financial challenges, found basketball to be a sport that was welcoming and affordable.
Thirdly, basketball was popularized among Jewish youth in urban areas through settlement houses and communal institutions. These venues provided spaces for Jewish immigrants to gather and engage in physical activities, including basketball. The University Settlement House, led by Harry Braun, played a significant role in elevating the sport within the Jewish community. Braun introduced innovative tactics, borrowing from lacrosse, that influenced the style of play in NBA championship teams decades later.
Additionally, basketball served as a vehicle for Jewish immigrants to assimilate into American culture while still maintaining their own identity. As David Vyorst, director of the documentary "The First Basket," explains, Jewish children played basketball within their ethnic communities, allowing them to embrace American sports culture while staying connected to their Jewish roots. This dynamic is further illustrated by the presence of all-Jewish teams, with players wearing jerseys bearing their names in Hebrew.
Lastly, basketball provided an opportunity for Jewish immigrants to excel and find success in a sport that initially faced less discrimination compared to other athletic pursuits. Jews faced institutional antisemitism and discrimination in fields like academia, with prominent figures like Harvard University's president making derogatory statements about their intellectual and physical capabilities. Basketball, however, offered a space where Jewish athletes could thrive, as evidenced by the prominence of Jewish players, coaches, and owners in the early days of the NBA.
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Jews were crucial to the development of college and professional basketball
Basketball was invented in 1891 by Dr. James Naismith at a Young Men's Christian Association (YMCA) in Springfield, Massachusetts. At the turn of the 20th century, basketball was a popular sport among urban, immigrant communities in the Northeast, including the Jewish community. The sport was relatively easy to learn and inexpensive, and it provided an entry point for lower-income youth to enter the American mainstream.
In the early 20th century, Jewish basketball teams were common in New York City, which was home to America's largest Jewish population. Jewish players, coaches, and owners played a vital role in the development of college and professional basketball during this time. For example, on March 3, 1934, a group of young Jewish men from New York University (NYU) and the City College of New York (CCNY) helped change basketball history. The game between the two undefeated schools aroused widespread interest, with the demand for tickets leading promoters to organise a series of doubleheaders at Madison Square Garden the following season. This turned New York City into the centre of the basketball world and marked the peak of Jewish prominence in the sport.
Jewish players often played at YMHAs, synagogues, and community centres, and they faced discrimination in athletics outside of their own leagues. However, they found a niche in college and professional basketball, which at the time were relatively disorganised and lacked the national prominence of sports like college football. The definitions of "amateur" and "professional" were constantly changing, and neither college nor professional teams seemed interested in restricting Jews from participating.
Jewish basketball spread throughout the country in the early 1920s as American-born children of immigrants began to assimilate and embrace America's sporting culture. During this time, Jews were crucial in popularising the sport among youth in urban areas, particularly in settlement houses and communal institutions. One notable example is Harry Braun, who created a "basketball faculty" at the University Settlement House. Braun's innovations, such as quick short passes and constant movement without the ball, came to be called "Jew Ball" and influenced successful motion offences of NBA champions in later decades.
Jews also filled key positions in the league's administration. For instance, Maurice Podoloff, the former president of the American Hockey League, served as the NBA's first president. Among the league's first Jewish coaches were Arnold "Red" Auerbach of the Washington Capitols and owner-coach Eddie Gottlieb of the Philadelphia Warriors. Both Auerbach and Gottlieb were elected to the Basketball Hall of Fame, as was Dolph Schayes of the Syracuse Nationals, the only Jewish player selected among the top 50 all-time NBA players.
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Discrimination against Jews in athletics
Basketball was once considered a Jewish sport, particularly in the early 20th century. Urban, immigrant communities in the Northeast were central to the sport's growth, as basketball was a relatively easy and inexpensive pastime. Jews were crucial to the development of college and professional basketball during this time, with many Jewish players finding success in the sport.
However, despite the prominence of Jews in basketball and other sports, discrimination against Jews in athletics has also been prevalent. During the early 20th century, as Jewish athletes gained success and notoriety, they faced antisemitism and discrimination from their non-Jewish counterparts. This discrimination was not limited to verbal attacks but often extended to physical violence and riots as well. For example, the soccer matches played by Hakoah Vienna, a Jewish sports club in Austria, were met with constant antisemitic threats and insults directed at the players and supporters.
In the United States, Jews often played basketball at YMHAs, synagogues, and community centers, as they faced discrimination and restrictions in athletics outside of their own leagues. Harvard University's president infamously declared the need for quotas due to Jewish students' inability to "fit in," referencing the university's athletic culture. Other universities such as Columbia, Yale, and Syracuse also considered implementing quotas, highlighting the discrimination faced by Jewish athletes in academia.
Even today, antisemitism in sports remains a concern. An Italian study found that Jews faced discrimination when trying to join football clubs, with certain clubs in Poland, Germany, and Glasgow being highlighted for greater antisemitism. Additionally, "ultra" football fan groups across Europe have been known to use antisemitic language and fascist symbols, demonstrating that discrimination against Jews in athletics is still prevalent.
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Jews in key positions in the NBA's administration
Basketball was once considered a Jewish sport. Invented in Springfield, Massachusetts, at the turn of the 20th century, the sport quickly spread throughout urban, immigrant communities in the Northeast. Basketball was relatively easy to learn and inexpensive, making it accessible to many. During the Progressive Era, basketball was popularized among Jewish youth in urban areas, particularly in settlement houses and communal institutions. This trend continued as American-born children of immigrants began to assimilate and embrace America's sporting culture in the early 1920s.
Jews played a crucial role in the development of college and professional basketball during the first half of the 20th century. In New York City, basketball games between predominantly Jewish teams from New York University (NYU) and the City College of New York (CCNY) attracted widespread interest and turned the city into the center of the basketball world. The next year, Newsweek ran a story declaring basketball a sport "at which Jews excel." This occurred during the peak of Jewish prominence in basketball, with many Jewish players honing their skills at institutions like City College before going on to play in professional leagues.
While there are few professional Jewish basketball players today, Jews continue to hold key positions in the NBA's administration and ownership. Maurice Podoloff, the former president of the American Hockey League, served as the NBA's first president. Notable Jewish coaches include Arnold "Red" Auerbach of the Washington Capitols and owner-coach Eddie Gottlieb of the Philadelphia Warriors, both of whom were inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame. In recent decades, Jews have primarily held positions as coaches, general managers, and owners in college and professional basketball.
Jewish individuals have also held leadership roles in the NBA's administration. For forty years, the NBA has been led by Jewish commissioners, including David Stern (1984-2014) and Adam Silver (2014-present). Additionally, several NBA teams have Jewish majority or minority owners, with 40% of teams having Jewish individuals holding controlling ownership stakes. Some notable examples include Marc Lore, owner of the Minnesota Timberwolves, and Michael Bloomberg, a minority owner of the same team.
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All-Jewish basketball teams
Basketball was once considered a Jewish sport. Invented in Springfield, Massachusetts, in 1891, basketball quickly became a popular sport that expanded into broader society. Urban, immigrant communities of the Northeast were a central address for this relatively easy-to-learn and inexpensive pastime. During the Progressive Era, the popularization of basketball among Jewish youth in urban areas occurred primarily in settlement houses and communal institutions.
In the early 1920s, Jewish basketball spread throughout the country as Jewish players played at YMHAs, synagogues, and community centers. Jews were crucial to the development of college and professional basketball during the first half of the 20th century. On March 3, 1934, a group of young Jewish men helped change basketball history. Fans in New York City watched with anticipation for the winner of a game between New York University (NYU) and the City College of New York (CCNY). The demand for tickets was such that promoters began a series of doubleheaders at Madison Square Garden the following season, turning New York City into the center of the basketball world. The next year, Newsweek ran a story on basketball's rise to prominence and declared the sport one "at which Jews excel."
One of the best-known All-Jewish basketball teams was the SPHAS, considered by some to be the greatest Jewish basketball team ever. The team was based in South Philadelphia and was active from 1917 to 1959. The SPHAS were one of the earliest professional basketball teams in the United States and were instrumental in the formation of the first professional basketball league, the American Basketball League, in 1925.
Another notable All-Jewish basketball team was the New York University (NYU) team, which played a historic game against the City College of New York (CCNY) on March 3, 1934. Nine out of the ten starters on both teams were Jewish. This game helped spark a series of doubleheaders at Madison Square Garden and turned New York City into the center of the basketball world.
Today, while there are few professional Jewish basketball players, there are still several notable Jewish college basketball players. Some examples include Ben Shtolzberg of the University of California, Santa Barbara, Mani and his brother, Jac, who play at Stanford and the University of California, Davis, respectively, and Wolf, a dual American-Israeli citizen who plays for Yale. In addition, there are several Jewish basketball leagues and tournaments, such as Jewish Hoops America, which recognizes outstanding Jewish basketball players and coaches through awards such as Player of the Year and Coach of the Year.
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Frequently asked questions
Basketball was once considered a Jewish sport. In the early 20th century, it was a popular game among the children of European Jewish immigrants.
Basketball was easily accessible to the Jewish community as it required very little equipment and no grass. The game was also a way for Jewish children to assimilate into American culture.
Basketball was most popular in New York City, which was home to America's largest Jewish population by 1920.
Jews were not always welcome in athletics outside of their own leagues. They faced discrimination and anti-Jewish attacks.
Basketball taught Jewish players the importance of trust, selflessness, and adapting to changing situations. It also provided a sense of belonging and community.
