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On September 11, 2001 at 8:46 a.m. ET, Americans’ safe and secure lives changed forever.  At that moment, the first hijackers’ plane crashed into the north tower of the WTC.  This was followed quickly by a second plane crashing into the south tower, and a third one crashing into the Pentagon.  Incredibly and inexplicably, by 10:28 both towers had collapsed.  Later in the day, a fourth plane crashed into a field in Shanksville, PA.  It is believed that this fourth plane was bound for a target in Washington, D.C., perhaps, the White House or the Capitol, and it would have succeeded but for the heroism of some of the passengers on board.

Sunday will mark the 15th anniversary of those horrific attacks.   The attacks resulted in just under 3,000 deaths.  Most of those were workers who were trapped in their offices and consumed by fire or smoke/chemical inhalation.  They could not escape because most of the stairwells were blocked. Compounding the tragedy was the fact that NYC’s 911 operators were not as well informed as they should have been.  Thus, they were advising callers from inside the towers not to descend the stairs on their own.   Some of them proceeded to the roof hoping to be rescued by helicopter.  Unfortunately, helicopters could not land on the roofs due to the heat and thick smoke.  Many of us who were watching on tv witnessed the awful sight of people jumping to their deaths (in some cases, actually holding hands with others for support) rather than awaiting their fates from the fire.

The horror of the attacks, themselves, was amplified by the fact that the victims were not soldiers but innocent civilians who were merely working at their jobs.  This was the deadliest attack on US soil ever.  By comparison, the shocking Japanese sneak attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, which President FDR characterized as “a date that will live in infamy” resulted in “only” 2,400 deaths, and they were mostly military personnel.

In addition to the deaths there was significant damage to the economy of NYC and the US as a whole.  The entire Wall Street area, including the financial markets, was closed until September 17.  Air travel was disrupted.  Americans’ psyche was severely damaged.  The cleanup of the WTC area was not completed until May 2002.  All in all, it took 3.1 million hours to clean up 1.8 million tons of debris at a cost of $750 million.  Internationally,  countries were generally horrified and supportive, although some of the people in some Muslim countries, such as Iraq, were seen to be celebrating.

Fifteen of the hijackers were from Saudi Arabia, with the others having originated from Egypt, Lebanon and the UAE.  The terrorist group, Al Qaeda, led by Osama bin Laden, quickly claimed responsibility.  Bin Laden had declared a holy war on the US and had issued a fatwa calling for the killing of Americans.  Following 9/11, bin Laden became public enemy number 1.   Eventually, the US exacted revenge, hunting him down and killing him.

In addition, to the thousands of civilians, police officers, firemen and EMS workers that were killed in the attacks, themselves, thousands more volunteer workers and even people who lived or worked in the vicinity ended up contracting various illnesses from inhaling the various carcinogens in the air and dying subsequently, in some cases many years later.  In fact, horrifying as it may seem, some doctors have predicted that eventually these victims will exceed the 3,000 killed on 9/11.  Many of us know or know of someone who suffered this fate.  The shame of it is they went out of their way to volunteer their services and paid for it with their lives.

The primary illnesses are cancer, respiratory disorders, asthma, COPD and gastroesophageal reflux disorder.  In addition, health workers have noted a significant increase in anxiety, depression and PTSD.  As I said, many of the above have manifested themselves years later.  Even now, new cases are being presented.  The number of documented cancer cases, alone, has tripled in the past two years.  The physical, mental and emotional toll has been astounding.  An estimated 18,000 people have contracted illnesses from the toxic dust.  Moreover, there is speculation that 9/11 has caused health issues in babies whose mothers were pregnant at the time of the attacks, such as premature birth, respiratory problems, below average weight, and increased neo-natal requirements.

In the aftermath of the attacks,  Americans wanted to know how our intelligence agencies had failed to anticipate them.   Who had “dropped the ball?”  Amid many investigations and finger-pointing it became obvious that the major factor was failure to communicate and share intelligence and information.  For example:

1. The CIA had intelligence reports that a terrorist attack was forthcoming, but it was expecting it to be in Israel, not the US.
2. The CIA knew that two known terrorists had slipped into the US.
3. The FBI had information of certain anomalies at some US flight schools.
4. The Justice Department policies advocated very limited intelligence sharing, even with other agencies.
5. The CIA and NSA were reluctant to reveal sources of information and their methods of attaining it.
6. None of these agencies reported their information to each other or to the White House.
7. In 2004 Attorney General John Ashcroft testified to the “9/11 Commission” that the “single greatest structural cause…. was the wall that segregated or separated criminal investigators and intelligence agents.”

CONCLUSION

Americans’ lives have changed considerably since 9/11.  Many  believe that not all of these changes are good or even necessary.  For instance:

1. The US created the Department of Homeland Security to coordinate and oversee intelligence activities and security.  In addition, it passed the USA Patriot Act.  These agencies have improved our readiness and security but at the price of certain civil liberties.   There is, and should be, a balance between security and liberty, and depending on your political point of view the pendulum may have swung too far, or not enough, towards security.
2. Enhanced security at airports and train and bus terminals has made travel more complicated, time-consuming, and nerve-wracking.  Some people have curtailed or ceased their travel entirely, particularly internationally.
3. Parents are apprehensive, if not paranoid, about letting their children go outside to play or ride their bicycles in the neighborhood.  Also, they accompany their children to the school or school bus stop and pick them up at the end of the day.  The various terrorist attacks in schools in recent years have done little to assuage these fears and concerns.
4. On the plus side, there has been a significant increase in patriotism and gratitude toward veterans.

In my opinion, parents should make a concerted effort to educate their children on the tragedy of 9/11, what happened, how it happened and what it means.  Roughly 21 million of the country’s 320 million population are under the age of 20 and, therefore, have little or no recollection or knowledge of this event.  The danger is that as time passes the populace will forget, and we should never allow that to happen.

On Sunday, I would urge each of you to take a moment during the day in remembrance of the 9/11 victims.

The contents of this blog may offend some of you.  I apologize in advance, but I strongly feel it needs to be said.

Many modern-day American Jews are unaware of the current depth and pervasiveness of anti-Semitism (“AS”) in the US.  They are complacent, because they feel that their rights are protected by anti-discrimination laws, such as Title VI.  They are too busy earning a living and raising a family to focus on AS.   I understand, but that does not diminish the clear and present danger it represents.

It is true that AS and other forms of discrimination are officially prohibited by various federal and state laws, but it is also true that attitudes and beliefs cannot be completely controlled by laws.  AS has not yet risen to the level of the 19th Century Russian pogroms or the organized terror of 1930s Nazi Germany, but, as I will demonstrate in this blog, AS is still present in the 21st Century, even in the US.  Often, it is more subtle, but, nevertheless, it permeates many areas of our culture.

First, I think it would be instructive to review a brief history of AS in order to put the current situation in context.  Although it has become a cliché, as students of history know, it does tend to repeat itself.  AS has been with us for all of recorded history, and even before that.  We are all very familiar with the struggles of Jews in ancient times and the Middle Ages.  However, some of us may not be cognizant of AS in the US.

AS attitudes and beliefs in the US predate the country, itself.  In 17th Century New Amsterdam Peter Stuyvesant, Director-General of the colony, who probably had never met a Jew in his life, publicly characterized Jews as “deceitful, very repugnant and hateful enemies and blasphemers of the name of Christ.”  At the time, there were only about a dozen or so Jews in the colony, but Stuyvesant still felt compelled to say what he said.

As late as 1790, one year before the adoption of the Bill of Rights (remember, one of its key provisions was and is freedom of religion), several states enforced restrictions against Jews holding political office, or even voting.  New Hampshire was the last state to eliminate those restrictions in 1877.  That said, AS was not a major social issue in the early days simply because there were so few Jews in the country.  It was not until the late 19th Century when thousands of Jews emigrated to the US to escape the overt religious persecution of Eastern European countries, such as Russia and Poland, that AS became a major social and cultural issue.  Between 1881 and 1920 approximately 3 million Jews emigrated to the US from Eastern Europe.

Over the years, as these Jews became influential and economically successful, AS, which had always there, bubbled to the surface.  There were many manifestations of this attitude.  Jews were restricted from certain universities, professions, clubs, restaurants and hotels.  For example, Harvard and other Ivy League schools initiated quotas designed primarily to limit the number of Jews attending.  Some of these quotas were “unofficial,” but real nonetheless.  Yale officially evaluated candidates based, in part, on their “character, solidity and physical characteristics” (whatever that meant).  It also instituted a “legacy” program, which had the effect of limiting the number of Jewish students since few of their parents had attended the school.  How many of you know of a doctor who had to attend medical abroad because he was restricted from admission to a US school?   Medical school is hard enough as it is.  Imagine attending it in a foreign language.

As I discussed in a previous blog these restrictions with respect to restaurants and hotels contributed to the popularity of the Borscht Belt.  Business leaders, such as Henry Ford, were overt in their AS.  Ford maintained that Jewish financiers were responsible for starting WWI and other wars in order to profit from them.   Furthermore, he restricted Jews from employment in his company.

Through the first half of the 20th Century and beyond, a majority of Americans “bought in” to all the stereotypes.  According to various public opinion polls Jews were perceived to be “greedy,” “dishonest,” and “too powerful.”

Sometimes, AS was not so subtle.  We all know the shameless story of the SS St. Louis.  In addition, there is growing evidence that our political leaders, particularly the Department of State, were cognizant of the horrors of the concentration camps well before they were “discovered” by our troops.  It is likely that US political leaders were held back by the wave of AS that was prevalent at the time.  Want more  examples?   An acquaintance of mine related how in the early 1960s one of her fellow college students asked her to pull back her hair so she “could see her horns.”  Another acquaintance was asked what she “kept in her refrigerator.”  Personally, I encountered various subtle forms of AS at college in the mid-1960s.  For example, the university enforced an “unofficial” quota of roughly 10% Jews per class; the school administration was none too friendly; many  professors were known to be AS in their attitudes and grading; and many fraternities accepted either no Jews or one token Jew per year.

All the foregoing brings us to the present day.  In recent years,  AS has evolved.  Now, it comes from all sides – the far right, the far left, and radical Islam.  Its practitioners have come out of the woodwork, emboldened by the complacency of school administrators, the media, the politicians, and, indeed, the complacency of the majority of Americans who are not anti semitic.  Often, it is disguised by anti-Israeli and pro-Palestinian comments and actions, but, to many Jews, it is one and the same.

In my opinion, a major hotbed of the new AS is the colleges.   In 2006 a study conducted by the US Commission on Civil Rights concluded that incidents of AS on college campuses are a “serious problem.”   According to Stephen Norwood, professor of history at the University of Oklahoma and author of books on the subject of AS on college campuses and the Third Reich, support of anti-Zionist opinions and actions has encouraged the development of AS on college campuses.  Additionally, radical Islamic groups, such as the Nation of Islam, have been engaging in revisionist historical interpretations that border on the absurd.  For example, they maintain that the Holocaust never occurred, that Jews were responsible for the  African slave trade and the unfair exploitation of African Americans, and that Jewish doctors deliberately injected AAs with the AIDS virus.  Incredibly, some people actually believe these outlandish accusations.

Lest you believe that the new AS is the work of fringe groups, consider the plethora of incidents on college campuses in just the last few years, for instance:

1.  In February 2015 Trinity College and the Louis Brandeis Center for Human Rights published the disturbing results of their survey of some 1,200 Jewish students located at some 50 campuses nationwide.   They found that 54% of the respondents had either been subjected to or had witnessed AS on their college campus.
2. The sources included other individual students, clubs, classrooms, and the student union.  Ariela Keysar, co-author of the report, opined that the perpetrators are not limited to a few politically active students.  They found AS to be widespread throughout college campuses.  It included all types of students – liberal, moderate, or conservative, as well as those who are politically active and inactive.  In some cases, such behavior was ignored or condoned by the school administration.  Furthermore, these results coincided with those of a similar study in the UK.
3. There have been numerous incidents of harassment, violence, swastikas drawings, graffiti,  and spray paintings at dozens of college campuses.
4. At UC Santa Barbara fliers with a huge Star of David were distributed claiming that “9/11 was an outside job.”
5. Vassar Students for Justice in Palestine published a Nazi WWII propaganda poster portraying Jews as a monster seeking to destroy the world.  In a related incident a Jewish student at Temple University was attacked by another branch of the same group.
6. Recent conflicts in the Middle East have resulted in movements on many college campuses advocating BDS (boycott, divestment and sanctioning) of Israel.  Milan Chatterjee, a law student at UCLA and former student body president, had to  leave the university in the middle of his final year because he felt unsafe due to excessive harassment by anti-Zionist students.  His “crime” was to speak out against BDS during his tenure as president.
7. There have been hundreds of similar incidents both in the US and abroad, but you get the idea.

CONCLUSION

Lest you think that AS is limited to misguided, idealistic, impressionable college students, be advised that last year the Anti-Defamation League published the results of its most recent audit of AS incidents.  It reported in excess of 900 AS incidents in the US during 2014, which represented a 21% increase over the prior year.

I would venture to say that many of you have experienced or witnessed subtle, or maybe not so subtle, forms of AS in your professional or personal life.  If not, you are fortunate, because it is still all around us.  History tells us that in times of economic hardship, such as now, people seek to blame others for their problems or failures.  Jews have always made a convenient scapegoat.  Folks, this is not opinion.  It is fact.  If you doubt me, read up on the history of pre-WWII Germany, early 20th Century America or virtually any European country.

Finally, when politicians and others blame ‘Israel,” bankers,” and “Wall Street” for the world’s ills to whom do you think they are referring?

Tomorrow, September 5, is Labor Day (“LD”). As we all know, the holiday has always been celebrated on the first Monday of September. It is celebrated in various forms and at various dates in approximately 80 countries.

To most Americans LD merely symbolizes the unofficial end of summer and the impending beginning of the school year. They enjoy the day off from work. They spend the day with family and/or friends. They enjoy picnics, parades, vacations, shopping and barbecues. They lament, but grudgingly accept, holiday traffic and long lines at airports. Also, it is the reason why summer always seems to be so short. In our minds, we transfer the approximately three post-Labor Day weeks of the season to Autumn. But what is the meaning and purpose of LD? Why do we celebrate it? How did it come about? Good questions. Read on for the answers.

As the name implies, the purpose of LD is to celebrate the accomplishments of the American Labor movement. Whatever one’s political views and affiliations, I think it is important and appropriate to understand Labor’s contributions to the growth and development of the US. For one thing, cheap labor was an integral component of the Industrial Revolution. When all is said and one, someone had to build all the roads, railroads, and cars, and operate all the factories and steel mills. In addition, the labor movement of the late 1800s and early 1900s was largely responsible for the relatively high wages and extensive benefits that are enjoyed by today’s US labor force.

The history of LD began in the 1870s in Canada. Labor Unions were illegal in Canada, and 26 members of the Toronto Typographical Union had been imprisoned for striking for a nine-hour work day. That action led to demonstrations and rallies and raising the profile of labor unrest in both Canada and the US. Two of the most outspoken leaders were Peter McGuire, founder of the United Brotherhood of Carpenters and an official of the AF of L, and Matthew Maguire, Secretary of the Central Labor Union in NY. Historical accounts differ, but one or both of these men are credited with being the first to propose a holiday to celebrate labor. In any event, the CLU planned and organized the first LD celebration in NYC on September 5, 1885. Approximately, 20,000 workers and their families participated. The concept spread. In 1887 Oregon became the first state to sanction the holiday.

The Pullman Labor Strike in 1893 provided the final impetus for a national labor holiday. The Pullman Company had been founded and was run by George Pullman. Pullman, IL, where the company operated, was a classic company town. All the workers lived there and paid rent to the company, which was automatically deducted from their paychecks. Workers’ housing was segregated according to their jobs; everyone shopped at the Company Store. Many viewed such an arrangement as a form of slavery, because workers were, in actuality, trapped due to their omnipresent debt to the Company. (Think of the song “Sixteen Tons.”) In 1893 the country was in the midst of a recession, and the company laid off hundreds of workers and reduced the wages of the others. Of course, living expenses remained constant. These actions led to a strike. President Cleveland declared the strike to be illegal and broke it with Federal troops. Some striking workers were killed in the ensuing violence. This incensed many Americans, and 1894 was an election year. So, Congress expeditiously passed a bill establishing LD as a national holiday, and the President promptly signed it into law. This entire process took only six days, so you can imagine the extent of the public outcry. Incidentally, this action failed to save President Cleveland’s political career; he was defeated anyway.

Eventually, the government settled on the first Monday in September as the official date. Many countries celebrate it on May 1 in conjunction with International Workers’ Day, but the Federal government did not want the association with that date for obvious reasons.

CONCLUSION

One of the supreme ironies of LD is that because it is such a big shopping day, many workers, especially retailers, are required to work. LD is considered to be one of the biggest retail sales days of the year. Some people use the day as a benchmark to change over their summer clothes to fall clothes. Fashion-minded people claim it the latest day when one should wear white clothes (although “winter white,” whatever that is, is still permissible.)

So now, as you celebrate the day in whatever fashion you choose, at least you will have some appreciation of the meaning of LD beyond a day off from work, the unofficial last day of summer and the beginning of the school year.

Have fun and enjoy.

The Borscht Belt.  For those of us of a certain age, just the name, itself, conjures up images and memories – summer vacation with the parents (fine when you were young, but, perhaps, not so much as you got older), escaping the brutal heat and humidity of the city in those pre-air conditioning days for the relatively cool, dry mountain air, endless food (quantity over quality), top quality entertainment, etc.  Those of you that were too young to have participated in those Catskill Resort vacations will have to learn about them from your parents or from period piece movies, such as Dirty Dancing.

The very name, Borscht Belt, was symbolic of the Eastern European Jews who vacationed there.  As some of you know, borscht is a soup popular among people primarily from Rumania and certain parts of Russia.  The Jews of those areas did not invent it, but they adopted it.  There are many different ways to make it – with beets, beef, cabbage, or rye.  Sometimes, sour cream is added.  In my opinion, I am not sure which is worse, its looks, its smell, or its taste.  Nevertheless, Jews of my grandmother’s generation loved it and expected it to be served to them even on vacation, along with other ethnic foods.  These Catskills hotels were happy to provide it; hence the nickname Borscht Belt.

I vacationed in the BB several times, but my first time will illustrate the pros and cons of such an experience.   In 1951, when I was six, I “graduated” from Kindergarten.  I remember actually receiving a certificate commemorating that momentous event and informing me that I was “hereby promoted to first grade.”  My parents rewarded me by  taking me on a special vacation to “The Mountains,” just the three of us.  (Maybe, they thought that would end up being the pinnacle of my educational achievement.)   It was my first vacation with my parents, and I was very excited.  Unfortunately, the positives ended there.  I remember three things from that trip:

1.  I accidentally broke a window while having  a “catch” with my father.
2.  I fell out of bed during the nght.
3. The return trip on Sunday was absolutely horrendous, the proverbial “trip from hell.”  In those pre-NY Thruway days, everyone took Route 9A, which, of course, was a virtual parking lot on summer Sundays.  Furthermore, I remember it was HOT, and, of course, our car did not have any air conditioning.   Supposedly, I behaved like a typical bored six year old – whiney, pesky, and annoying.

That vacation was the first and last one with my parents until I was 18.  Thereafter, I spent my summers  in sleepaway camp.  So much for the BB.

The heyday of the BB was from the 1920s through 1970s.  In the early part of the 20th Century, beginning in the years before WWI, there was a steady influx of Jews emigrating into the US from eastern Europe for various reasons.  Many settled in NY.  By the 1920s these Jewish immigrants had established themselves sufficiently that were seeking places to vacation during the hot summer months.  For the most part, due to anti-Semitism they were not welcome at many of the traditional vacation spots in the US.  Also, these places did not cater to their needs.  For example, they were not kosher, and they did not serve many traditional Jewish foods.

Around this time Jews began to gravitate to the Catskill Mountains.   First, locals, many of whom were Jewish themselves, rented out spare rooms;  then, came boarding houses, bungalow colonies, and, later, resort hotels.  The Catskill area met all the desirable prerequisites: it was close to NYC geographically; the weather was relatively cool and dry;  it provided the opportunity to enjoy water sports and other leisure activities; the food was kosher; and Yiddish was spoken.  These Jews, like most people, preferred to associate with others who shared their own customs, and language.  According to the Catskills Institute by the 1950s in excess of one million people were flocking to the hundreds of resort hotels, bungalow colonies and summer camps in the area.

Probably, the most well-known of the hotels were the Concord, Grossingers, Kutchers, and the Nevele.  These hotels, and others like them, were the first to offer an all-inclusive, one price vacation, the “Club Meds” of their day, so to speak.  They provided much more than just a room.  There was food, and lots of it, entertainment, sports facilities, even baby sitting.   Jews felt comfortable there, and many returned year after year.

The entertainment was top shelf, comedians such as Lenny Bruce, Henny Youngman and Rodney Dangerfield, singers such as Dean Martin and Barbra Streisand, musicians such as Duke Ellington.   Performing in “The Mountains” became a rite of passage for any up-and-coming performer.   Often, they would perform three shows a night at three different venues.

Furthermore, vendors would make the rounds of the bungalow colonies to sell their goods.  For example, there was the “Knishman from Mountaindale,” who would offer roasted chickens, brisket, soup and, of course, knishes.  There was “Shimmy the Pickle King,” whose specialty was, you guessed it, pickles of every variety, and “Chow-Chow Cup,” which provided delicacies such as chicken chow mein, egg rolls, and,….. wait for it, …. Chinese hot dogs.  The wife could feed her entire family without leaving the premises.  Jews would feel right at home.

The Concord was the largest of the resort hotels with in excess of 1,500 guest rooms and a dining hall that could seat over 3,000.   It boasted an 18-hole golf course, nicknamed “the monster,” which was rated as one of the top 100 by Golf Digest.

Grossingers started as a single family house.  The owners would rent out rooms during the summer.  Over the years, it grew to a full service resort that serviced some 150,000 guests annually.  It encompassed 1,200 acres, with 0ver 30 buildings, its own airstrip and post office.  Moreover, it became the first resort in the world to utilize artificial snow for skiing.

Kutchers began as a farm house in 1907.  At its peak it had 400 guest rooms, condos, two summer camps and a golf course spread out over 1,500 acres.  It became a sports mecca.  It hosted a charity basketball event annually for the benefit of Maurice Stokes, a former NBA player whose career and life were cut short tragically by encephalitis.    Dozens of current and former NBA stars, such as Wilt Chamberlain (who had worked there as a bellhop while still in high school), Dolph Schayes, Willis Reed, Walt Frazier and Jack Twyman to name a few, would play in this game.  I saw a couple of the games.  It was a real treat, particularly since after the game the players would be accessible to fans.  Boxers, such as Muhammed Ali, Floyd Patterson and Leon Spinks trained there prior to championship bouts.

The Nevele, which opened in 1903 and closed in 2009, was another well-known full service resort.  The name is derived from “eleven” spelled backwards.  What is the significance of the number “eleven?”  There are multiple stories, but the one that seems most credible to me is that in the late 19th Century a group of eleven teachers discovered a famous waterfall on the property on which the hotel became situated.  Seems like a “stretch,” but I have not heard of a better reason.

CONCLUSION

They say “all good things must come to an end.”  Most of the resort hotels are long gone.  I believe their demise was primarily attributable to the following:

1. They, and the Catskill area, itself, were severely damaged by the steep recession of the 1970s, and they never recovered.
2. There was talk of establishing gambling casinos in the area, and the resorts would have been an ideal location for many reasons.  Unfortunately, it never panned out.
3. Perhaps, the biggest reason, however, was simply the decline of general anti-Semitism in the US.  By the 1970s Jews were able to vacation elsewhere, and the newer generation was eager to seek alternatives, such as Florida, Arizona, Caribbean cruises, and Europe.

Now, the BB is merely a cherished memory for nostalgia buffs, part of the lore of a time that has passed.

With all the sad, dispiriting stories that have been dominating the news recently, we could all appreciate a “feel good” story.   Well, the following is such a story.  It is a story about courage, endurance, will, survival, and the determination to never give up, never surrender one’s dream.  It is the story of a Hungarian woman who survived the Holocaust and went on to become the most successful Jewish female athlete in Olympic history as well as a positive influence on others.

Agnes Keleti was born Agnes Klein on January 9, 1921 in Budapest, Hungary.  She commenced gymnastics at the tender age of four.  Through a combination of hard work, dedication and natural talent, by sixteen she was the Hungarian national champion.  She was a “shoo-in” for the 1940 Olympics and, possibly, an Olympic medal or two.  But, as we know, WWII intervened, and there were no Olympics contested in either 1940 or 1944.  It appeared as though Agnes’ gymnastics Olympic career was over before it started.

Moreover, early in the War the Nazis invaded Hungary, and Anna’s focus shifted from gymnastics to survival.  Anna managed to avoid being sent to a concentration camp.  (Her mother and sister survived by going into hiding and, eventually, were saved by Swedish diplomat,  Raoul Wallenberg, whose exploits saving Jews were legendary.  Her father was not so fortunate.  He was killed at Auschwitz.)   Anna’s survival involved some luck, but also skill.  First of all, having heard that married women were not being sent to concentration camps, she married Istvan Sarkany, a Hungarian national champion gymnast who had competed in the 1936 Olympics.  (They divorced in 1950.)  In addition, she managed to purchase documents that identified her as a Christian and was able to find work at various low profile jobs, such as a furrier and as a maid in a small village off the beaten track.  Towards the end of the War she had the gruesome job of going around Budapest every morning collecting the bodies of those who had died in the streets the previous night.

After the War Anna was on track to compete in the 1948 Olympics and made the Hungarian team, but was unable to do so due to injury.  Nevertheless, she was awarded a silver medal when the team finished second in the team all-around.  Since she would be 31 at the next Olympics, which is old for a gymnast, it appeared her Olympic career was over.  However, she did not give up.  She made the 1952 Olympic team and won four medals in Helsinki, including gold on the floor exercise.  She continued to train, and in 1956 in Melbourne at the age of 35 she became the oldest female gymnast to win a gold medal.  She won gold medals in three of the four events and silver in the all-around.  Overall, she won ten medals in her Olympic career – six gold, three silver, and one bronze, plus three additional medals at the 1954 World Championships.

In a final twist of fate, while she was competing in Melbourne, the Soviets invaded Hungary.   Being in Australia already, Anna was able to gain political asylum.  She remained in Australia until 1957 when she emigrated to Israel.  Eventually, her mother and sister were able to join her there.

CONCLUSION

In Israel, Anna coached the national Israeli gymnastics team, and she taught physical education at the Wingate Institute for Physical Education and Sport for many years.  During this time she not only imparted her knowledge, skills and training methods to generations of athletes, but she also upgraded the training equipment considerably.  Her strong influence on gymnastics is exemplified by one former student who is now a colleague who characterized Anna as “the foundation stone of gymnastics in Israel.”

Anna was inducted into the International Jewish Sports Hall of Fame in 1981, the Hungarian Sports HOF in 1991 and the International Gymnastics HOF in 2002.

Anna has remarried and lives in Israel with her husband and two sons.

The 2016 Summer Olympics have concluded.  I realize that some of you had little, if any, interest in the Games, but I, for one, enjoyed them immensely.  Although the Olympics are always replete with outstanding athletic performances, one of my favorite aspects is the human interest stories.

This year, my favorite such story was “The Girl From Ipanema.”  Most of us are familiar with the tune and lyrics.  It was a huge hit in the 1960s, winning a Grammy as Record of the Year in 1965.  It still can be heard occasionally on the radio.  In fact, it is one of the most recorded “pop” songs ever.

NBC managed to locate the actual girl from Ipanema about whom the song was written.  Her name is Helo Pinheiro, and her interview with Mary Carillo was a real highlight.  Apparently, the Brazilian songwriters spotted her on Ipanema beach, and she was so phenomenally beautiful that they were inspired to write the famous song.  Pinheiro is now in her early 70s and still very attractive.

These games featured many performance highlights.  In some instances the winners were  favorites, but they won in an overwhelming fashion; in other cases, they came out of nowhere to shock and surprise us.  Below, in no particular order, please find my favorites:

1.  Usain Bolt –  Bolt, the world record holder in both the 100 and 200 meter dashes,  won both as well as anchoring the 4X100 relay.  Normally, these races are very close, but what set his performances apart was that he won by convincing margins.  In addition, he completed the so-called “triple-triple” by earning a Gold medal in all three events for an unprecedented third straight Olympiad.  Furthermore, after he wins he entertains us further by striking his famous “lightening bolt” pose.
2. Allyson Felix – Her specialties are the 200 and 400 meter dashes.  She won gold in both.  Combined with her gold medals from 2012 and various relays in both Olympiads she has now won the most gold medals of any female track and field athlete (6) and shares the record for the most medals overall (9).
3. Michael Phelps – What else can I say?  His five gold medals ran his total to 23 over four Olympiads, 28 overall, (not counting 2000 when he went “medal-less”).   The medal count plus his versatility in both distance and strokes re-affirm that he is the best swimmer not only currently, but ever.
4. Katie Ladecky –  She is the current world record holder in the 400, 800 and 1500 freestyle.  She won four golds and one silver, which made her the most decorated female swimmer in any single Olympics.  Furthermore, she became the first swimmer to win the 200, 400 and 800 meter freestyle events in the same Games since 1968.
5. Matthew Centrowitz, Jr. – Matt is the son of a two-time Olympian, who also trains him.  He had suffered heartbreak in the 2012 Games, finishing fourth in the 1500 by .04 seconds.  Many athletes will tell you that fourth is the worst place, because of the frustration of just missing a medal.  Nevertheless, Matt continued to train for four more years to attain his goal, and this time he won the gold.  In doing so, he became the first American to win this event since 1908.
6. Biles, Raisman and the Final Five – Simone Biles is the best female gymnast in the world and, arguably, the best ever, but in order to validate that status she had to win multiple gold medals, and she did.  She won five medals, including four gold. Moreover, she did so by huge margins.  Raisman won three medals, including one gold, and was clearly the second best gymnast at the Games.  Her combined total of six medals in 2012 and 2016 makes her the second most decorated American female gymnast.  Furthermore, as the team captain and leader, she was the glue that held the team together.  The Final Five won the team all-around by a wide margin.  They were so deep that the  team’s third best gymnast, Gabby Douglas, might very well have won an individual medal in the all-around had she been allowed to compete under the rules.  With its outstanding performances both individually and as a team, the Final Five gave their all-time coach, Marta Karolyi, a perfect retirement present.
7. Women’s Water Polo – Few Americans follow this sport, but this team’s outstanding performance deserves a mention.  Not only did they win gold, but they won their six matches by a combined score of 73-32, and they have now won 22 consecutive matches.
8. Men’s and Women’s Basketball – Both teams were widely expected to win gold.  After all, they had the best players, by far.  Both went undefeated and won their final matches by 30 points or so.  The women were more dominant than the men, who had to survive a couple of close games.  Carmelo Anthony became the first man to win four medals, including three gold.  Sue Bird, Tamika Catchings, and Diana Taurasi became the first women to win four.
9. Claressa Shields (Boxing) –  Undoubtedly, most of you have not heard of her, since amateur boxing flies way under the radar in the US.   But, not only has she been the best in the world in her weight class for the last several years, she also won her second consecutive gold medal, the first American ever to do so.  In addition she won the Val Barker trophy awarded to the outstanding boxer in the tournament.
10. Kyle Snyder (Wrestling) – Amateur wrestling is real wrestling, not the phony stuff many Americans watch on tv.  Snyder, who in 2015 became, at 19, the youngest wrestling world champion in US history, became, at 20, the youngest Olympic champion in US history.  What is his secret to success?   Snyder says “I listen to my coaches.  I train as hard as I possibly can.”  Such modesty is rare in an athlete so outstanding at such a young age.
11. Brazilian Men’s Soccer and Volleyball – These are Brazil’s two biggest sports, and the two teams were under significant pressure to win gold.  Playing before the hometown fans provided strong support, but, at the same time, it increased expectations and the pressure.  Both teams came through in dramatic fashion.  The volleyball games were close and tense, and the soccer final was decided by penalty kicks.

CONCLUSION

Well, those are my choices.  What are yours?  Please let me know.

The Games are nearly over.  It’s time to test your Olympic knowledge.  Some of you may have had little or no interest in them.  Fair enough.  But, if you have been following the proceedings and reading my previous Olympics blogs, this quiz should not be difficult.

1.  The first Olympic Games contested in the Southern Hemisphere were held in:   a.  Rio, b) Melbourne, c) Sydney, d) Cape Town

2.  Which Olympiad is this?  a) 29, b) 30, c) 31, d) 32

3.  The 2020 Games will be contested in:  a) Chicago, b) Tokyo, c) Paris, d) London

4.  Summer Olympics have been held in each of the following cities, EXCEPT: a) Chicago, b) St. Louis, c) Atlanta, d) LA.

5.  Name the only country to have won at least one gold medal in every Summer Olympics. a) US, b) Greece, c) Russia, d) Great Britain

6.  The first “modern” Olympic Games were  contested in Athens in:  a) 1892, b) 1896, c) 1900, d) 1916

7.  The only city to have hosted three Summer Olympics is:  a)  Athens, b)  Paris, c) London, d) LA

8.  Usain Bolt is from:  a)  Brazil, b)  Jamaica, c)  Cuba, d)  US

9.  Michael Phelps has won medals in how many Olympiads?  a)  two, b) three, c)  four, d)  five

10.  Each of the following sports has been contested in every Summer Olympics Games, EXCEPT:  a)  cycling,  b)  fencing,  c)   swimming,  d) track

ANSWERS:  1. b,  2. c,  3. b,  4.  a,  5. d,  6. b,  7.  c,  8.  b,  9.  c,  10. d

Good luck!  As always, no peeking at the internet.  Let me know how you did.

The swimming portion of the 2016 Olympics has barely ended, and already many people are calling Michael Phelps the best swimmer, best Olympian and/or best athlete ever.  Is he?  In my opinion, he is far and away the best swimmer and best Olympian ever, but not the best athlete.  On what do I base my opinion?  Well, let’s examine the record as objectively as possible and see how he stacks up.

I hesitate to use his many world records as a basis for assessing him, because, as astounding as they may be, at some point they will be broken by other swimmers, and probably sooner than one might think.  World records in swimming do not last long.  For example, most any decent contemporary high school varsity swimmer has clocked faster times than Olympic champions of generations past.  But, there are other measurements of more significance, for example:

1. How does he compare to the contemporary competition?   As Casey Stengel was fond of saying: “You could look it up.”  Although Phelps qualified for the 2000 Olympics at the age of 15 (becoming the youngest American male to do so), he was not yet ready for prime time.  He did not win any medals, but he did serve notice that he was “on the come.”  In 2001 he became the youngest male to set a world record (200 butterfly).  Since then, he has won many world championships and set and re-set world records in the butterfly, freestyle and individual medley with great frequency.  But, his true dominance has come on the biggest stage in his sport – the Olympics.  He has won 28 Olympic medals, 23 of them gold.  Lest you think he has benefited unduly from being part of relays, 16 of the medals, including 13 golds, have been earned as an individual.  Those are far and away the most by any Olympic athlete.
2. Versatility.    Phelps has dominated in not one but FIVE events – the 100 and 200 freestyle, the 100 and 200 butterfly and the 400 individual medley.  Thus, he is not only fast, he is versatile.
3. Longevity.  We judge our athletes not only by how outstanding they were in their prime, but also by their longevity.  In many Olympics-dominated sports, such as swimming and track and field, there have been many athletes who were brilliant in one, or perhaps two, Olympiads.   For example, Mark Spitz won seven gold medals in the 1972 Games in Munich; Jesse Owens captured four in Munich in 1936; and Carl Lewis garnered a total of ten in 1984 and 1988.  Phelps has won his medals over five Olympiads, in four of which he exhibited complete domination over a succession of outstanding swimmers in three disciplines at different distances.
4. Leadership/Mentoring – I believe that these traits have enabled Phelps, through his example, to inspire some of the younger athletes on the swim team to perform better.  For instance,  they respect what he has accomplished (or, perhaps, look upon it with awe) and feel that if they emulate his work ethic, dedication, and single-minded determination and focus, they might achieve the same success.  It should be noted that a couple of the younger swimmers on the team disclosed in interviews that, as kids, they had “worshipped” Phelps and kept posters of him on their bedroom walls.  To be sure, measurements of leadership and mentoring are somewhat subjective, and many leaders and mentors are not outstanding athletes in their own right.  But, in Phelps’ case, for me, the leadership and mentoring he has exhibited in this Olympics has added to his standing as an outstanding athlete.  If further evidence of his leadership is needed, note that he was voted captain of the swim as well as flag-bearer in the Opening Ceremonies, a singular honor.

Michael Fred Phelps II was born on June 30, 1985 in Baltimore.   He is the youngest of three children.  His mother is a middle school principal.  His father is a retired Maryland state trooper who was a good enough football player to receive a tryout with the Washington Redskins. They divorced when Michael was nine, and Michael was raised by his mother.

As a child, Phelps was diagnosed with hyperactivity.  He was exposed to swimming, in part, in the hope that it would provide an outlet for his excess energy.  He took to the sport “like a fish to water,” so to speak.  By ten years old he was setting national records.  At 11, he began training with Bob Bowman, with whom he has been associated ever since.  Phelps has said that Bowman reminds him of a “drill sergeant” because of his regimented and uncompromising manner, but is quick to add that “training with Bob is the smartest thing I’ve ever done.  I’m not going to swim for anyone else.”

Experts have denoted that Phelps’ physique has some highly unusual characteristics that are ideal for a swimmer.  For example, his long, thin torso and short legs reduce drag, his 6′ 7″ arm span, which is abnormally long for his 6′ 4″ height, acts like long, propulsive paddles, and his abnormally large feet provide an effect like flippers.   In other words, he is a physical freak of nature perfectly suited to swimming fast.

Phelps’ life has not been all roses.  There have been some bumps along the way.  In 2004 he was arrested for DUI.  In 2009 he was photographed using a bong at a party.  That cost him a sponsorship with Kellogg.  During the 2008 Games, Phelps came under suspicion of PED use, not because he failed any tests, but because some thought his success was too good to be true naturally.  In response, Phelps volunteered for “Project Believe,” which is under the auspices of the US Anti-Doping Agency.  As a result, Phelps agreed to be subject to more stringent dope testing than normal World Anti-Doping Agency guidelines.    During the Games Phelps passed all nine tests to which he was subjected.  The PED whispers went away.

In 2014 he took a break from swimming.  Without that outlet for his time and energy he became lost.  In September of that year he was arrested for another DUI.  This time, USA Swimming suspended him for six months.  Eventually, he re-dedicated himself to swimming and the 2016 Olympics.  Some say he is now better than ever.

CONCLUSION

So, what now for Phelps.  For now, he says he will take a break from swimming.  He wants to spend time with his fiancé (a former Miss California) and baby son.  In addition, he wants to focus more on The Michael Phelps Foundation, which he founded and funded in 2008.  The foundation, which focuses on “growing” the sport of swimming and promoting healthier lifestyles, is an example of Phelps’ desire to “give back” to the sport that has been so good to him.

So, I think I have established that Phelps is the best swimmer and best Olympian ever.  But, as for best athlete, I would support Jim Thorpe.  No only did he win the Pentathlon and Decathlon at the 1912 Olympics, which require proficiency in a considerable variety of events, but also he played baseball, football, and basketball professionally.    Some of you may present convincing cases for Wilt Chamberlain, Jim Brown, Michael Jordan, Babe Ruth or others.  I believe Phelps belongs on the upper echelon of athletes, but I would not anoint him the best.

As far as 2020 is concerned, Phelps is non-committal.  But, like any successful athlete, he is super-competitive.  I wouldn’t bet against a return.

Meet the “Final Five”:  Simone Biles, Gabby Douglas, Laurie Hernandez, Madison Kocian, and Aly  Raisman.   As those of you who have been following the Summer Olympics in Rio know, the US women’s gymnastics team has dubbed itself the “Final Five.”  They have provided two reasons for choosing this moniker: (1) They are the final team to be coached by, Marta Karolyi, arguably the best gymnastics coach in the world at the present time, who has announced she will be retiring following the Olympics; and (2) this is the final Olympics that will have five gymnasts on a team.  Commencing in 2020 there will only be four.

Earlier this week, they won the team gold medal, and it wasn’t even close.  According to Olympic gymnastics tv analysts Tim Daggett and Nastia Liukin, the final margin of ten points over China (185.238 – 175.279) is extremely dominant in gymnastics.  They struggled to find a valid comparison to other sports and finally settled on a 50 or maybe 100 point margin in a football or basketball game.  That would compare their dominance to that exhibited by the men’s basketball “Dream Team” in the Barcelona Olympics in 1992.  Hyperbole?  Perhaps, but you get the idea.

Many observers are calling them the best team ever.  Shannon Miller, a member of the gold medal winning “Magnificent Seven” team in 1996 has labeled them “the best team we’ve ever had” based upon their “incredible talent, nerves of steel, amazing consistency,” and the “level of difficulty” of their routines.  Adds Daggett, “they never fall!”  But, beyond these expert testimonials, by merely using the “eye test,” even the most casual observer can readily see how much better they are than anyone else.

In addition to their extraordinary talent it is a pleasure to see how they relate to one another.   When competing they are deadly serious.  But, in between routines, they are continuously giggling, holding hands, joking with one another, and openly rooting for each other.   During the changeovers for individual all-around completion Biles and Raisman were actually holding hands in mutual support as if to say, “I’m with you.  I’ve got your back.”  Daggett and Liukin pointed this out and both stressed its importance in helping one to relax.

Another measurement of their dominance is that in the qualifying round they had the three highest scorers.  Since the rules only permit a maximum of two gymnasts per team to compete in the all-around competition finals, the team’s third best performer, Gabby Douglas, who was also the third best in the entire field and the defending gold medalist, no less, was unable to defend her title.

Below please find a brief profile of each:

1. Simone Biles – Quite simply, Simone is not merely the best gymnast in the world at this time, she is the best in many years, and many observers consider her to be the best ever.  She has completely dominated the sport for three years.  She has not lost an all-around competition since mid-2013, winning 15 total medals, including ten gold.  Her victory in the individual all-around competition has extended the US’s dominance in the sport.  It has produced four women’s all-around gold medalists in a row and five all-time (Mary Lou Retton – 1984, Carly Patterson – 2002, Nastia Liukin – 2008, and Gabby Douglas – 2012).
2.  Gabby Douglas –  In a sport where sacrifice and single-minded dedication are commonplace and even necessary for success, Gabby went even further than most.  In order to maximize her development as a gymnast, from the age of 14 she left her family in Virginia to move to Iowa to train with a particular coach, Liang Chow, at Chow’s gym.  She lived with a surrogate family.  Now, that is going the extra mile.  It has paid off.  She made the 2012 team, which became known as the “Fierce Five.”  Moreover, she won the all-around competition. As I said, as an illustration of the considerable depth of this team, Gabby did not even qualify to compete in the all-around competition despite having the third best qualifying total in the entire field.  In most years she would have been a strong contender for an all-around medal.
3. Laurie Hernandez –  She is from Old Bridge, NJ.  It all began for her when her parents signed her up for dance instruction at the age of five.  She spied the gymnastics equipment and was hooked.  Her best event may be the floor exercise, but she is very proficient in all events.  She has a very outgoing personality.  Her long-time coach calls her “naturally sassy” and a “human emoji,” based upon her tendency to make various facial expressions.
4. Madison Kocian – Basically, she is a specialist in the uneven bars.  Daggett denoted that that was the main reason Karolyi added her to the team.  She did her job, hitting her routine, which helped the team win, and she qualified for the individual competition finals in the event.
5. Aly Raisman – Alexandra Rose Raisman is from Needham, MA.  She is the captain of the team, as she was of the “Fierce Five” in 2012.  At 22, she is the “elder statesman.”  Appropriately, the others affectionately call her “grandma.”  It’s easy to see that in addition to being one of the best gymnasts in the world she is a natural leader.  She is essentially the “glue” that holds the team together.  In 2012 she tied for the bronze medal in the all-around but was beaten out by an arcane tiebreaker.  After licking her wounds for a while she re-dedicated herself to the sport resolving to win a medal.  She even had to convince her coach that she still had the “fire in the belly” before he agreed to train her for 2016.  This time, she won the silver, and in a “normal” year, i.e. when she was not competing against an unbeatable superstar named Simone, she would likely have won gold.  Ally’s selflessness is best illustrated by the fact that before the finals she told Simone “I want you to win, and I want second.”  And, sure enough, that’s what happened.
6. Marta Karolyi – Marta was born in Hungary in 1942 in an area that is now part of Romania.  She and her husband, Bela, developed a very successful gymnastics training program in Romania.  Their most famous protege was Nadia Comaneci, who won a total of five gold medals in the 1976 and 1980 Olympics and famously scored a perfect ten in Montreal in 1976.  The Karolyis defected to the US in 1981 and established their own training facility in Houston.  Bela was the more highly visible of the two, and Marta preferred to work behind the scenes focusing on the technical aspects, such as training, choreography and instruction.  Soon, they had established themselves as the “go to” coaches in the country and trained many national and Olympic champions.   Eventually, Bela’s abrasive personality resulted in too many complaints by the gymnasts’ personal coaches, and in 1996 he was forced to retire as national coordinator.  In 2001 Marta became the national coordinator of the sport.  Since then, the success of the program has been unparalleled.  She has trained champion after champion.  Among her various responsibilities are selecting the team members and recommending programs and routines.  She works them hard and pays strict attention to detail.  The athletes say the practices and internal competitions are more challenging than the actual meets.  The proof can be readily seen not only in the gymnasts’ talent in the gym, but, just as importantly, in their poise, demeanor and team camaraderie.  As I said, it’s obvious the young women have a genuine love and respect for each other and they excel under the extreme pressure of the competition.

CONCLUSION

The “Final Five” have been a joy to watch.  The individual competitions are next, and they will all be competing in at least one of them.  I highly recommend you watch them.  We may never again be privileged to see a team like this one.

Unless you are a sports fan, you probably never heard of John Saunders.  And that was fine with him.  He was that rarity among celebrities; he had no ego, and he liked to fly under the radar.  And, most significantly, he had the undying love and respect of his colleagues and bosses.  Listen to some of the tributes that have come pouring in so far from friends, colleagues and ESPN executives:

1. Dick Vitale – “John Saunders represented everything that was good in a human being.”
2. Chris Mortensen – “We all loved him dearly.  …  Can’t replace the man.”
3. Jemele Hill (Co-host with Saunders of “His and Hers”) – “John Saunders was a better person than a host.”
4. John Skipper (president of ESPN) – “John was an extraordinary talent. …He was one of the most significant and influential members of the ESPN family as a colleague and mentor…”
5. John Feinstein, noted sports commentator and author, summed it up best: “John Saunders showed how good he was by not telling anyone about it.”

John Peterson Saunders was born in Ajax, Ontario, Canada on February 2, 1955.  Naturally, as a Canadian, he grew up playing hockey, and, throughout his life as a sportscaster, commentator and journalist, it remained his first love.  John excelled enough at the sport to play varsity hockey at Western Michigan University from 1974-1976.

After graduation, he worked in news and sports at various local tv stations in Ontario and New Brunswick.  Then, in 1980 he became the primary sports anchor for CITY-TV in Toronto.  From there, he moved to the US.  First, he worked for WMAR-TV in Baltimore, and then, came the big move to ESPN in 1986.

During his tenure at ESPN John proved to be among the most versatile sports announcers, anchors, hosts, commentators, and personalities in the business.  He excelled at various jobs in various sports.  For example, he did NBA play-by-play, studio hosting for the NHL and MLB, and he anchored the 1995 World Series.  Most significantly, he replaced the late Dick Schaap, another long-time sports icon, as host of The Sports Reporters,  a popular weekly sports talk show on ESPN.  He made it a seamless transition.  His main task was to moderate among four renowned and somewhat egotistical and contentious sports journalists who appeared as guests on the show.  He did it superbly.

However, perhaps, his most significant contribution was his work for the “V Foundation,” named after Jim Valvano, famed coach and sports commentator, who had died from bone cancer in 1993.  John had become a close friend of Valvano’s, and in the 23 years since Jim’s death he had worked tirelessly on behalf of the Foundation (below the radar, of course).

CONCLUSION

I was a big fan of John’s work in general, and The Sports Reporters, in particular.  In my opinion, he was one of the best at being the “glue” of the show.

Being without ego, he would be content to stay in the background and let his co-commentators and analysts be the stars.  He would lob “softball” questions at them and make their jobs easier, sort of like a point guard who sets up the scorer for an easy shot.  That was a main reason why his numerous friends and colleagues loved him and loved working with him.

Rest in peace John.  You will be sorely missed.