NATIONAL JEWISH SPORTS HALL OF FAME
AND MUSEUM
20TH ANNUAL INDUCTION CEREMONY

SUNDAY, APRIL 29, 2012

INDUCTEES INCLUDE:

Sy Berger - Media/Executive
If Topps baseball cards are nothing short of an American institution and an icon representing what was a rite of passage for generations of youngsters (and they almost certainly are), one wonders how to categorize Sy Berger.
In the trenches (and later in the boardroom) at Topps for nearly all of the historic 50 years, his name is intertwined with baseball cards much as Walt Disney’s is with lovable little cartoon characters. It’s hard to picture one without considering the other.
So, consider Sy Berger, the man who conjured up designs for some of the most revered baseball cards extant. The man who captained a barge loaded with hundreds of cases of 1952 Topps high-numbers destined for the floor of the Atlantic Ocean and a much-reviewed page in the sports collecting history book. Sy Berger, friend and confidant of hundreds of ballplayers, the man whose job was (in part) comprised every young man’s dream: hanging around in major-league dugouts and befriending the greats of the game.The man who rose through the ranks at Topps from a summer internship to vice president of licensing has always been the first to concede that he may have had the very best job in the world.“I was just a young kid when I joined the Topps family, and they knew I was a sports nut, and they just let me go. No strings, no binders, just go do it. They let me express myself, design wise, what we put in the cards. As far as the relationship outside the cards, how to negotiate with the ballplayers, nobody ever told me how to do it, they just said, "go do it and I did it.”


Al Davis - Boxing
A tough and skilled welterweight from the Brownsville section of Brooklyn, Davis was a unique personality even in the rough and colorful world of boxing. Bummy was once arrested while training for a bout, and was suspended from the ring. Davis also had one of the better hooks in boxing history. During his career in the late 1930s and 1940s, Bummy fought some of the greatest boxers of his era, including Lou Ambers, Henry Armstrong, Bob Montgomery, and Rocky Graziano. Praised and vilified with equal enthusiasm during his career, he remained a hero to Brownsville's Jewish neighborhood.
Al was called Boomy as a child by his family; but his nickname was changed to "Bummy" by his manager, Johnny Attell, prior to Davis' first professional fight in May 1937. Upon learning of his new nickname, Davis stormed into Attell's office and complained, "...I don't want to be called Bummy." Attell responded, "...You want to make money fighting, don't you? People like to come to fights to see guys they think are tough." So Davis became known as Bummy, though he was not a bum, either as a boxer or as a person. His tragic -- and violent --death was indicative of the way he lived his life. In 1945, at the age of 25, Davis was fatally shot to death while coming to the defense of a barkeep during a robbery attempt.
Davis is the subject of Bummy Davis vs. Murder, Inc.: The Rise and Fall of the Jewish Mafia and an Ill-Fated Prizefighter, a book by Ron Ross. Budd Schulberg, author of On the Waterfront, remarked of Ross' book: "You don't have to be a fight fan to enjoy this or even remember the riveting career of Bummy Davis, the ill-starred little Jewish boxer from Brownsville. Ron Ross tells an intense personal story with a powerful sense of social history about the Jewish mob world of the '20s and '30s that makes this labor of love one of the most gripping reads in years."

Jon Denning - Auto Racing
In 1997 at the age of 10, Jon began his racing career with go Karts. Jon racked up several wins locally before moving onto the WKA national level winning the 1999 International Championships at Charlotte Motor Speedway as well as the North American championship that same year. In 2000 at age 13, Jon moved up to 750cc and 1200cc minisprints. Jon had several top five finishes and won the 2000 "Rookie of the Year" award at Whipcity Speedway in Westfield Mass. In 2001 at 14, Jon moved into NASCAR style late model stock cars and competed on a limited schedule throughout the South East. Jon's focus, determination and racing skills earned him several top finishes and respect from competitors. For the 2006 season Jon teamed up with Sellers Racing out of Danville, Virginia. The team pursued a championship at the famed South Boston Speedway, after two wins a very successful season and leading the points for majority of the year, the team suffered some bad luck towards the end to place a respectable six place. The 2007 season started off rough and a team switch took place in June, Jon finished the 2007 season with Jody James as crew chief working out of Clarksville, Virginia. Jon won four races at Orange County Speedway and ran very well at many other tracks while teamed with James Racing.

Mike Hartman - Ice Hockey
Hartman played in a ten-year NHL career spanning the mid-1980s to the mid-1990s. A rough and tough wing. Mike once set the Buffalo Sabres' team record for penalty minutes in one season with 316. After his NHL career ended, he was player/coach for the American team at the 1997 Maccabiah Games.
In 1986, Hartman was selected by the Buffalo Sabres in the 7th round (131st overall) in the NHL Draft. After beginning that season in the minors, Mike was called up to the NHL and played for the Sabres, scoring 3 goals and 3 assists. Over the next four seasons, Mike remained a regular left wing for the Sabres (who made the playoffs in each of the four years). In 1988-89, Hartman achieved a career-high 316 penalty minutes; the distinction was also a team record at the time. Mike's highest scoring season came in 1989-90, when he registered career high in goals (11) and assists (10). In 1991, Mike was traded to the Winnipeg Jets. He played in 75 games that year for the Jets and had 264 penalty minutes. The following year, he was claimed by the Tampa Bay Lightning in the 1992 Expansion Draft and played in 58 games for the Lightning before being traded to the New York Rangers late in the season. In 1994, he was a member of the Rangers when they won the Stanley Cup, New York's first title since 1940. Mike said: "I was one of the small pieces to a big puzzle that year with the Rangers. Being part of a Stanley Cup champion has to rank as one of the highlights of my life." Hartman remained with the Rangers until 1995 and after an injury ended his hopes of playing with the Colorado Avalanche, bumped around the minors for the next few years. He also played in Germany in the late 1990s. While playing there, Mike said: "I'm in a good situation. Other than soccer, hockey is probably the most popular sport in the country. I've met a lot of nice people."

Debbie Belkin Rademacher - Soccer
Until recently, Debbie was the head coach of the women's soccer team at the University of Michigan. A three-time All-America at the University of Massachusetts (1985-87), Debbie played on the U.S. Women's National team from 1986-1992. In 2000, Soccer America named her to the Women's College Soccer Team of the Century. She is a member of the Massachusetts State Hall of Fame and a member of the University of Massachusetts Athletic Hall of Fame.
An outstanding soccer player as a defender in the 1980s and early 1990s, she was a three-time All-America at the University of Massachusetts (class of 1988) and led the team to four consecutive Final Four appearances. Named All-New England from 1985-1987, Debbie helped the Minutewomen achieve a No. 1 ranking during the 1986 season and led them to the NCAA championship game in 1987, where they lost to North Carolina, 1-0. Named the Defensive MVP of the 1987 Final Four, she also received honors from Soccer America, who named her to its MVP teams in 1986 and 1987, and to the All-Decade team (1980s).
Over her four-year career at UMass, the Minutewomen had an overall record of 65-9-4. In 1986, during her junior season at Massachusetts, she joined the U.S. National Team. For the next six years, she was a mainstay on the squad, and was a key member of the 1991 U.S. gold medal team in the inaugural FIFA Women's World Championships. During her international career, Debbie registered 50 caps (appearances) and scored two goals. In August 2001, the U.S. National Soccer Hall of Fame awarded the 1991 U.S. Women's World Cup champions (with Debbie as a member), the prestigious National Soccer Medal of Honor.

Arthur Richman - Media/Executive
Arthur Richman was the Senior Adviser, Media Relations for the New York Yankees when he passed away on Wednesday, March 25, 2009. His career, in and around Major League Baseball spanned 70 years.
Arthur Richman was the brother of 1996 Hall of Fame Inductee, Milton Richman, syndicated Sports Columnist and Sports Editor of UPI.
Arthur Richman began working with the New York Yankees almost 20 years ago, as Senior Vice President and later, Senior Adviser to Media Relations. Before working with the New York Yankees, Richman worked with the New York Mets Front Office for 25 years, acting as Promotions Director, Director of Public Relations, Traveling Secretary and Special Assistant to the General Manager. He was also Director of the Mets Hall of Fame.
Arthur Richman began his illustrious career as a copy boy with the New York Daily Mirror in 1942, where he worked for 21 years, progressing to Sports Columnist. William Randolph Hearst, Publisher of the Mirror, personally granted Arthur his popular sports column, “The Armchair Manager.”

Howie Rose - Media
Howie Rose took over for legendary announcer Bob Murphy in 2004 calling play-by-play for WFAN Radio. Worked eight years as a play-by-play announcer for Fox Sports New York/MSG. Has been the play-by-play announcer for the New York Islanders on Fox Sports New York since 1996.
Received the Broadcast Media Award from the Nassau County Sports Commission in 2002. Broadcast numerous games on WFAN Radio throughout the 2001 and 2002 seasons. Was nominated for an Emmy Award in 1997 for his work as a play-by-play broadcaster and along with the entire FSNY crew, won a New York Emmy Award for their coverage of the Islanders 1998-1999 season ... Won his second Emmy Award with the FSNY Islanders crew in March, 2004.
In 1994 and 1995, was the pre- and post-game host for Mets games on WFAN Radio ... Also that year, did play-by-play for selected games with Bob Murphy, Gary Cohen and Gary Thorne.
Was with WFAN Radio, the Mets flagship station, from July 1, 1987 (the date of the conversion to an all-sports format) until October, 1995.
Started career in 1977 with WHN Radio (which became WFAN)...Returned in 1987 to host "Mets Extra" and the pre-game show until 1991.
Worked as a broadcaster for New York Rangers games on WFAN from 1989-1995.
Won the 1995 Dick Young Award from the New York Baseball Scouts for service to baseball within the media. Won the New York State Sports Broadcasters Award for play-by-play work during the 1994 Stanley Cup Playoff.
In January, 1994, announced his second straight National Hockey League All-Star Game for the NHL Radio Network. He c alled the 1993 Stanley Cup Finals for the NHL Radio Network.
Before joining WFAN, the Queens, NY native was a sportscaster for WCBS Radio and the NBC Radio Network ... Broadcaster for LIU basketball and soccer on WNYE TV in 1986.

Jerry Solomon - Agent
Mr. Solomon has been one of America's top sports marketing executives for more than 20 years. Following his graduation from Columbia University in 1978 with a Master's degree in International Business, Mr. Solomon was recruited by the Colgate-Palmolive Company to serve as its liaison to the men's and women's professional tennis tours. In 1980, he moved to Washington D.C. and joined ProServ, the second largest sports marketing and management company in the world. Mr. Solomon was named Chief Operating Officer and a member of the Board of Directors of ProServ in 1987 and was elected President in 1990. He left ProServ in 1994 and moved to Boston to launch StarGames, a sports and entertainment marketing, management and production agency.
Mr. Solomon has been named one of the "Top 100 Most Powerful People in Sports" by The Sporting News and one of the "Top 25 Most Influential People in Figure Skating" by Figure Skating International magazine. He is responsible for helping to found the Karch Kiraly Scholarship Fund, the KidSport Foundation and the Nancy Kerrigan Foundation. He is a professor of sports marketing at the University of New Hampshire and the author of "An Insider's Guide to Managing Sports Events," which was published in 2001 by Human Kinetics.

Joanna Zeiger - Triathlon
Joanna turned pro in 1998 after being voted 1997 Amateur Triathlete of the Year. As one of the more versatile triathletes in the world, she excels at both the longer Ironman distance races (2.4 mile swim, 112 mile bike, 26.2 mile run) and the shorter Olympic distance (.93 mile swim, 24.8 mile bike, 6.2 mile run).
In 2000 Joanna won Triathlete of the Year honors for her 4th place finish in the Olympics in Sydney, 5th place finish 6 weeks later at the Hawaii Ironman Championship, and a USA Pro Champion victory. In 2001 Joanna was bronze medalist at the ITU World Championship in Edmonton. She has been a multiple winner at St. Croix, Mrs. T's, and Buffalo Springs. Overcoming near career ending chronic back injuries in 2004, Joanna placed 2nd at Ironman Canada and at ITU World Cup Cancun.
In 2005, Joanna won her first Ironman in Brazil, she followed that up with a victory in 2006 at Ironman Coeur d'Alene.
In 2007, Joanna has won two Continental Cups in pursuit of one of the three women's triathlon slots on the 2008 Olympic team. She also finished a close second at Ironman Arizona.

The Jules D. Mazor Award to the Outstanding Male Jewish High School Scholar-Athlete of the Year
Jake Freeman, Half Hollow Hills East, Dix Hills, NY

The Pearl D. Mazor Award to the Outstanding Female Jewish High School Scholar-Athlete of the Year
Ashley Grossman, Harvard-Westlake School, Studio City, CA
Samantha Nadel, North Shore High School, Glen Head, NY

The Marty Glickman Outstanding Jewish Scholastic Athlete of the Year
Adam Ghitelman, Univeristy of Virginia
Greg Hirshman, Stanford University
Naama Shafir, Univeristy of Toledo

The Dick Steinberg Good Guy Award
Lenny Silberman, CEO, Henry Kaufmann Campgrounds

The George Young Award
Team Hoyt - Dick & Rick Hoyt

JAY FIEDLER'S PRIME TIME FOOTBALL SKILLS CAMP
Campers entering Grades 6 - 9
July 2012 10am-4pm

Jay Fiedler grew up on Long Island and went on to play for 10 years as a quarterback in the NFL. He has spent the last 13 years working with youths of all ages to teach them the game of football from basic level all the way to advanced training. Jay and his staff of coaches will teach campers the basic skills needed to play any football position in a fun and safe environment.

Weekly fee JCC member: $300 per camper
Weekly fee non-members: $325 per camper
1 week specialty camp does not include transportation

For more information, please contact Marci Sherman at
631-462-9800 ext. 105, or at msherman@syjcc.org

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