Sports – especially baseball – were seen by new immigrants as a way of becoming Americans, of fitting in. Although the paper did not report game scores until years later, it felt the need in 1909 to explain this very American obsession. The Forward wrote, “To us immigrants, this all seems crazy,” but insisted it was worth understanding. The article states the fundamentals: there are two teams, “the defense party” and “the enemy party.” The batter “finds the thrown ball with his stick and sends it flying.” “Political” battles between cities over their teams are mentioned, as well as player salaries–up to $10,000 for just one season. By the 1920s, New York teams were signing players specifically because they would appeal to a growing Jewish fan base. Second baseman Andy Cohen, shown here making a catch in 1928, was one such player. Cohen achieved legendary status in the game and even had a Polo Grounds treat named for him: Ice Cream Cohens.

Sandy Koufax, the Brooklyn-born left-hander, pitched 12 seasons for the Brooklyn/Los Angeles Dodgers from 1955 to 1966 and may have been the best pitcher in baseball history. His decision not to pitch Game 1 of the 1965 World Series because it fell on Yom Kippur garnered national attention.

The day before this photo was taken, the Maccabi soccer team defeated an American all-star team at Yankee Stadium, while 40,000 spectators watched. Mayor LaGuardia was the chair of the Maccabi's New York visit, and said during a City Hall reception, “You’ve got 5,000 years of civilization prior to any knowledge of the word ‘Aryan.’”