AJT
REFLECTIONS ON OUR PAST
Remembering Ron Blomberg
‘DESIGNATED HEBREW’ WALKS INTO RECORD BOOKS BY ALLEN RABINOWITZ
Special for the AJT
O
ver the course of an eight-year major league baseball career, native Atlantan Ron Blomberg had almost 1,500 plate appearances. But on April 6, 1973, Blomberg’s first at bat in the season opener in Boston’s Fenway Park between his Yankees and the home town Red Sox propelled the “Boomer” into the record books. It was not for a big hit – in fact he drew a base on balls against Luis Tiant – but rather for his announced position. With that appearance, the Druid Hills High School product became the first Designated Hitter (DH) to ever step up to the plate in a regular season big league game. Boomer made the most of the opportunity, his walk with the bases loaded driving in the first RBI by a DH. Although garnering a base hit in his second appearance, it was not enough – the BoSox beat their hated rivals 15-5. “Even though I screwed up the game in 1973,” he says with a laugh, “I’m still proud of it. It’s great to be part of the his-
tory of the game of baseball.” The DH was a controversial change, adopted by the American League before the season to boost offense by taking the bat out of the hands of weak-hitting pitchers. The team owners hoped this surge in run production would increase the average attendance of games in a pitchingstrong era. Blomberg, who admits to “bleeding Yankee blue,” says that the Bronx Bombers were always his favorite major league team. He was excited when the Yankees drafted him as the first overall pick of the 1967 amateur draft. “I was signed out of Druid Hills H.S. when I was 17,” he remembers. “I was called up at 21.” “It was the most incredible feeling in the world,” he remembers. “To a 21-year-old playing in the big stadium where Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, Joe DiMaggio, Mickey Mantle and Whitey Ford had played it was like going to heaven. That’s what I dreamed would happen and I was very, very lucky in my life to be able to reach my dream.
“It was incredible,” he exclaims. “Drafted number one by the Yankees, go to the city with the largest Jewish population in the country. They took extremely good care of me. I was part of their family. I was very, very proud to be a Jew and playing in front of all these people. I had it made.” While growing up in Atlanta, his family attended Congregation Ahavath Achim. Though he now lives in Roswell, he says he often spends the High Holidays in New York, where he goes to services at synagogues in either Riverdale in the Bronx or on Manhattan’s Upper East Side, depending upon his schedule in the city. He calls his parents “great role models.” Blomberg also counts Sandy Koufax as both a role model and a friend. “I did not know Sandy then,” he says of the great lefthander who retired before Blomberg was drafted, “but I know Sandy now, and I see him once a year or so.” Although a collection of injuries ended his playing career when he was only 30, Blomberg has kept close to the game in a number of ways. He does a number of speaking engagements for the Yankees, as well as the “Talkin’ Baseball” radio show on New York sports-talk radio station WFAN. He has done radio/televi-
Hosted by:
Hosted by: Emory Hillel
Blomberg’s autobiography, “Designated Hebrew,” has sold over 46,000 copies and was chosen by Sports Illustrated as one of the Top 25 sports books of 2007. All proceeds from the book have been donated to a number of Jewish organizations. Perhaps his proudest achievement is his involvement with the New Jersey Y Camp. Located in the Poconos Mountains in eastern Pennsylvania, the camp is the nation’s largest Jewish sleep away camp, drawing 4,000 campers from across the country. “A lot of my campers have my book and they read it, they do book reports on it. I am a sports hero to these kids, someone they look up to. It’s a wonderful feeling to be a role model for Jewish kids.” Though he last played a major league game 35 years ago, the “Boomer” says he has very few regrets. “I had a wonderful time,” Blomberg explains. “But because of injuries I did not live up to my potential. I had the greatest time in the world; I was in the greatest city in the world. I was on the greatest team in the world. I was living out my fantasy, and today I’m still living out my fantasy because I’m helping out so many kids.”
EntEr our
Emory Hillel
The Jerusalem Festival is a festival of recognition, education andFestival celebration of the history The Jerusalem is a festival of recof Jerusalem, the people and the Land of Israognition, education and celebration of el, celebrating their contributions to the world. the history of Jerusalem, the people and We share many common principles including the Landvalues of Israel, theirJerusacondemocratic andcelebrating a call for Peace. the of world. We share many lemtributions stands asto a site historical significance including democratic for common the world’sprinciples three major religions: Christivalues and a call for Peace. anity, Islam, and Judaism. It is a city that has become home to people from many different faiths, traditions, ethnic groups, festivals lending to Sukkot is one and of the pilgrimage Jerusalem’s distinct character. in which the Jewish nation descended
sion commentary work for the Braves as well.
Sukkah Contest
1st Place Prize $500.00 2nd Place Prize $250.00, 3rd Place Prize $100.00
thE ShadowboxErS ComEdian JErry FarbEr FrEE admiSSion
upon Jerusalem for joyous celebration
Sukkot is one of the pilgrimage festivals in with music and dance. In ancient Israel, which the Jewish nation uplifted Jerusalem of thecelebration Nations were invited to join withalljoyous through music andin the holiday festivities. would like were to dance. In ancient Israel, allWe of the Nations invite you to come celebrate Sukkot invited to join in the holiday festivities. Weand experience a bityou of to thecome ancient cultureSukof would like to invite celebrate kotIsrael and experience bit of the culture of Israel with us onaSeptember 22, 2013 withfrom us on September 22, 2013 from 1:00 1:00 - 7:00pm with Kosher food, - 7:00pm Kosher food, music, music,with demonstrations, talks,demonstraart and tions, talks, art and much, much more....
AUGUST 16 ▪ 2013
much, much more....
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& ChaitunES ChaiTunes, emory’s Jewish Capella Group Emory ahillEl Singing quartEt
To To register register for for the the Sukkah Sukkah contest contest call call Sheri Sheri 404-375-9055 404-375-9055 Or Or email email sheri@americaunitedwithisrael.org sheri@americaunitedwithisrael.org
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All All sponsorship sponsorship $300.00 $300.00 or or more more include include aa tent tent for for the the event. event. Donations Donations are are all all 100% 100% Tax Tax deductible deductible and and aa portion portion of of the the to Emory and toand build BombBomb Shelters in Israel. fundsfunds will gowill to go Emory Hillel Hillel of Georgia to build Shelters in Israel.
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