JewishSportsCollectibles

Jewish World Series Heroes

Sandy Koufax Upper Deck artwork. Photo courtesy of Beckett.com.

The Detroit Tigers take on the San Francisco Giants in the 108th World Series, which starts Wednesday, October 24.

During the 56-year history of the World Series Most Valuable Player Award (which started in 1955), two Jewish baseball players and a player who converted to Judaism after his career won a total of four MVP trophies.

Interestingly, all three played for the Los Angeles Dodgers when they captured the honors.

Larry Sherry Topps card.
Photo courtesy of eBay.com.

JewishSportsCollectibles.com offers reviews of the players' baseball cards and collectibles ... which range from common cards to $100,000+ game-used leather, from books to DVDs, from postcards and programs to books by the yard.

 

 

Steve Yeager Upper Deck card. Photo courtesy of Beckett.com

Click on the links that follow to read the JSC overviews of the cards and memorabilia for World Series MVP winners Larry Sherry (1959), Sandy Koufax (1963 and 1965) and Steve Yeager (1981).

 

Feel free to comment below, or in the individual postings, to let JewishSportsCollectibles.com readers know what your most treasured collectible for these World Series winners might be.

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Editor's Note: A version of this posting originally ran under the headline "Jewish World Series MVP Profiles" in 2011.

Team Israel Roster Released

Jewish baseball collectors rejoice!

Israel Sports Radio has published the Team Israel roster for the qualifying rounds of the 2013 World Baseball Classic.

WBC rules allow non-Israeli citizens of Jewish heritage to compete on behalf of Israel in the tournament. As such, the team is composed mostly of Jewish American minor leagues baseball players. Most of these players have baseball cards available for purchase.

It's been my experience that many of these players are terrific about signing autographs for collectors, both in person and through the mail.

Brett Lorin signed card and note.
Photo courtesy of Joshua Platt.

David Colvin. Photo courtesy of Joshua Platt.

Among the members of the pitching staff are Richard Bleier, David Colvin and Brett Lorin, all of whom recently responded to a late season minor league mailing I did.

Lorin included a note with his autographed card, and Colvin was kind enough to send me his Clinton LumberKings card, at his own expense. Read more about these minor league mensches in this posting.

 

Pitcher Eric Berger is a generous in-person signer. I corresponded with Berger via Twitter before I met him after a Columbus Clippers game early in May. He autographed seven or eight cards for me.

During a nearly 30-minute pre-game interview he granted for me in June, Berger told me "to represent Israel would be really cool." I'm thrilled for Eric to have this chance!

Also on the pitching staff are three native Israelis. Dan Rothem pitched in the short-lived Israel Baseball League in 2007. He's got a card in the Jewish Major Leaguers limited edition IBL card set. Get information on the cards, and other IBL memorabilia in this JewishSportsCollectibles.com posting.

Former Jewish Major Leaguers on the Team Israel roster include manager Brad Ausmus. Shawn Green (DH) and Gabe Kapler (OF) will serve as player-coaches, while Andrew Lorraine handles the pitching coach duties. Josh Satin, a Mets minor leaguer who played in the Majors as a 2011 September call up is slated to play second base. All have signed autographs for me in response to previous through-the-mail requests I've done over the last four years.

       

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Team Israel t-shirt. Photo courtesy of PrintoMojo.com.

Regardless of the fact that Team Israel's WBC tournament run could be limited to just two games, there will -- no doubt -- be an array of collectibles available for Jewish baseball collectors, as described in this JewishSportsCollectibles.com posting about Team Israel collectibles.

Official Team Israel World Baseball Classic hat. Photo courtesy of MLB.com.

Collectors can already purchase well-designed team logo t-shirts from PrintMojo.com, and the MLB.com Shop is selling slick Team Israel fitted baseball caps, as detailed in this previous posting.

 

Other memorabilia on the market now includes game tickets. Roger Dean Stadium will host the WBC qualifiers in which Israel plays. Tickets are not commemorative; they are, rather, standard tickets, featuring team names, dates of games and along with seating information. Tickets are available at the stadium and from TicketMaster.com for $8-14 (plus fees and shipping costs). I cannot, unfortunately, attend the series, but did buy a ticket as a keepsake for my collection.

Martin Abramowitz, publisher of the Jewish Major Leaguer card series, indicated in a post in early August on Team Israel's Facebook page that he planned to include an Israel WBC card in a planned 2015 release of JML cards. Can't wait to see the set!

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Stay tuned to JewishSportsCollectibles.com over the next weeks. I'll be publishing a posting a series of Team Israel player collectible profiles on the site.

In the meantime, please comment below to let readers know what player cards and memorabilia you have in your Jewish baseball collection, to share photos of the games, or just express your excitement as Team Israel prepares to take the diamond on the world stage.

ESPN Sportscaster Chris Berman

Chris Berman Pro Set
signed card. Photo
courtesy of Joshua Platt.

When collecting autographs through the mail, I have learned that good things can, sometimes, come to those who wait.

I sent a card to Kevin Youkilis during 2009 Spring Training, and received the signed card back in May of 2010, for example. Last week brought another example that there's truth to the maxim that "patience is a virtue."

1993 Upper Deck Chris Berman "The Swami" card. Photo courtesy of Joshua Platt.

Neil Keller's web site lists ESPN sportscaster Chris Berman's father as Jewish, and I'm a "big tent" collector, thus my desire to include Berman in my Jewish broadcasters collection.

Some time ago -- its been at least a year or two, long enough ago that I've forgotten when -- I mailed two cards to Berman care of ESPN.

An envelope with a Connecticut postmark arrived in the mail last week. I figured it was another minor league success, and didn't think much of it. Until I opened the mail and found two autographed and inscribed cards from the famed broadcaster of football, baseball and golf.

One was signed: "Josh - You could go all the way!! Chris Berman," and the other was signed "Josh - Best wishes! The Swami."

Berman's longevity with ESPN -- and both his popularity among fans because of the goofy nicknames he offers players and esoteric calls he makes on highlights ("He's rumblin' bumblin', stumblin'!") and the vitrol this bombastic, overdone shtick can elicit among viewers -- means he's the subject of a variety of memorabilia.

Chris Berman Upper
Deck ESPN Ink card.
Photo courtesy of eBay.

Berman is featured on more than a dozen sports cards, according to Beckett.com.

These include a 1989 Pro Set card football announcers insert card, a 1992 Pro Line Portraits card, a 1993 Upper Deck card of "The Swami," an ESPN The Magazine issue, a 1997 Upper Deck promotional card, a 2004 Absolute Fans of The Game insert, and a 2005/2006 Upper Deck ESPN Ink autographed card.

Chris Berman
Bobblehead.
Photo courtesy
of eBay.

The cards sell for between $0.25 and $3 in the Beckett Marketplace, and can be found on eBay and Amazon.com for similar prices, with autographed cards and rarer issues bringing as much as $75-$100.

Photos, baseballs and footballs, mini football helmets, hats and ESPN promotional materials signed by Berman are also available on eBay for a wide variety of prices. There's also a bobblehead of the famed sportscaster holding a football up for bid on the auction giant.

Collectors can, likewise, find Berman's autographed memorabilia -- including signed photos, footballs, baseballs and cards on Amazon.com.

ChrisNames,
by Chris Berman.
Photo courtesy
of Amazon.com.

Berman is also the author and subject of numerous books available on Amazon.

These include Berman's ChrisNames: An Illustrated Guide to Chris Berman's Unique Characterizations of Sports Personalities, ESPN SportsCentury, and ESPN 25: 25 Mind-Bending, Eye-Popping, Culture Morphing Years of Highlights.

Do you have any Berman memorabilia in your collection? What's your favorite piece? Let JewishSportsCollectibles.com readers know your thoughts by commenting below.

Better still, what's your "Bermanism"? For the record, mine's "Jake 'Daylight Come And You Gotta Go' Delhomme."

Team Israel Baseball Cap Now Available

Official Team Israel World Baseball Classic hat.
Photo courtesy of MLB.com.

Jewish baseball collectors have a bevy of collectibles associated with Israel's entry into the World Baseball Classic -- including player cards, team t-shirts, books and tickets, as detailed in this earlier posting from JewishSportsCollectibles.com.

Now, just days away from the start of thew qualifying rounds, comes a new addition to the catalogue.

According to a posting on Team Israel's Facebook page, an official Team Israel fitted baseball cap is now available for purchase on the MLB.com Shop.

The New Era hats, which sell for $34.99 (plus shipping and handling) are available in a variety of sizes. The solid blue caps include an Israeli team logo -- an "I" inside a stylized Star of David -- on the front and an Israeli flag on the left side.

Interestingly, the direct link to the Israel Baseball cap is the only way to get to the hat. The main WBC page on MLB.com features only merchandise for automatic entry teams, not the teams, like Israel, that must play qualifying matches.

Will you be buying a Team Israel WBC cap for your Jewish baseball collection? Let JSC know by commenting below.

Team Israel World Baseball Classic Collectibles

The qualifying rounds of the 2013 World Baseball Classic hold special appeal to Jewish baseball enthusiasts.

The international baseball tournament's September 19-23, 2012 games in Florida will include at least two appearances by Team Israel.

Although official rosters have not been released at the time of this posting, Team Israel will be heavily composed of Jewish American minor and major league baseball players (WBC rules allow non-Israeli citizens of Jewish heritage to compete on behalf of Israel in the tournament).

Former Jewish Major Leaguers Shawn Green (player-coach), Gabe Kapler (player-coach) and Brad Ausmus (manager) will helm the Team Israel WBC squad. Photo courtesy of Israel Baseball.

Former Jewish Major Leaguer Brad Ausmus is the Team Israel manager. He's being assisted by former JMLers Shawn Green and Gabe Kapler, who will serve as player-coaches, and pitching coach Mark Lorraine. Numerous Jewish minor league players will round out the squad.

Columbus Clippers reliever Eric Berger, for example, tells JewishSportsCollectibles.com he's been approached about playing for Team Israel.

Berger says "to represent Israel would be really cool," and that he would pitch for the squad, if he has not been called up to the Indians or participating in the minor league post season. 

Should Team Israel qualify for WBC tournament play in March 2013, the team could boast a "Who's Who" of Jewish Major League players on the roster.

Jewish Major Leaguer Kevin Youkilis poses in a Team Israel Jersey. Photo courtesy of Israel Baseball.

In an interview with Israel Sports Radio, Kevin Youkilis committed to play for the squad, if he's healthy.

Current and former Jewish Major Leaguers Ryan Braun, Craig Breslow, Ike Davis, Scott Feldman, Sam Fuld, John Grabow, Ryan Kalish, Ian Kinsler, Jason Marquis, Danny Valencia are also being considered for the team, although some may need to decide between playing for Team USA or Team Israel.

Regardless of the fact that Team Israel's WBC tournament run could be limited to just two games, there will -- no doubt -- be an expansive array of collectibles available for Jewish baseball collectors (memorabilia associated with the short-lived Israel Baseball League abounds, as detailed in this 2011 post on JewishSportsCollectibles.com). 

Major and minor league baseball cards for team members will be among the collectibles. Ausmus, Green and Kapler have been immortalized on cardboard on thousands of cards.

Martin Abramowitz, publisher of the Jewish Major Leaguer card series, indicated in a post in early August on Team Israel's Facebook page that he planned to include an Israel WBC card in a planned 2015 release of JML cards (Stay tuned for more news on this! JSC.com hopes offer additional details on the next JML card set in a future posting).

Shawn Green's The Way of Baseball. Photo courtesy of Amazon.com.

Ausmus, Green and Kapler are also featured on programs, bobble heads, photos and a wide selection of other memorabilia. Green is also the author of The Way of Baseball: Finding Stillness at 95 mph.

Follow the links below to do searches of Amazon.com, the Beckett Marketplace and eBay for cards and other collectibles associated with Team Israel's "Big Three":

• Amazon: Brad Ausmus
• Beckett: Brad Ausmus
• eBay: Brad Ausmus
• Amazon: Shawn Green
• Beckett: Shawn Green
• eBay: Shawn Green
• Amazon: Gabe Kapler
• Beckett: Gabe Kapler
• eBay: Gabe Kapler 

Team Israel t-shirt. Photo courtesy of PrintoMojo.com.

Other Team Israel collectibles include team logo t-shirts, available from PrintMojo.com. A blue design features "Israel" on the chest, with a sleeve design that includes a picture of a batter surrounded by a modified Star of David and text that says "Israel Baseball, Where Traditions Meet."

A gray shirt features "Property of Israel Baseball" and the picture of a batter surrounded by a modified Star of David on the chest with the "Israel Baseball, Where Traditions Meet" text.

Tickets to the WBC qualifying rounds are available for sale on TicketMaster.com.

Roger Dean Stadium will host the WBC qualifiers. A ticket sales representative tells JSC that no commemorative tickets are being sold. Standard tickets are available, however. The tickets will feature team names and dates of games, along with standard seating information, said the sale rep.

With tickets selling for between $8-14, collectors might consider buying tickets as keepsakes, even if they cannot attend the games.

As the tournament play begins, there's also certain to be photos, programs, score cards and other memorabilia that crops up, some of which will be sold in the stadium.

JewishSportsCollectibles.com will be keeping a look out for these items and will be providing updates for collectors. I'm also planning a mailing to players requesting autographs when rosters are set. I'll let you know whether this endeavor proves successful.

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Are you planning to attend the WBC qualifiers to watch Team Israel? Will you be buying tickets as keepsakes, even if you can't go? What other Team Israel collectibles and memorabilia exist? Let us know by commenting below.