Sports
9 Inducted into Commack's Jewish Sports Hall of Fame
Among those inducted were Olympians Aly Raisman and David Berger, who fell victim to terrorists during the 1972 Munich games.
On April 21, nine greats from the athletic world were inducted into the National Jewish Sports Hall of Fame, located at the Sufolk Y JCC in Commack.
Among them was David Berger, a weightlifter of the Israeli Olympic team who fell victim to terrorists during the 1972 Munich games. His father accepted the award on behalf of his son.
Aly Raisman, who led the gold medal-winning U.S. Women’s Gymnastics team to victory at the 2012 Summer Olympics, also had her name added to the Hall of Fame.
Boxer Boyd Melson was another who made the cut. The Army Reserve officer's story of helping friend Christan Zaccagnino walk again, after she was paralyzed in a diving accident at age 10, debuted last month on HBO's "Real Sports with Bryant Gumble." Melson donates his winnings to JustADollarPlease.org to support spinal-cord injury clinical trials in the United States.
Long Islander James C. Metzger, a graduate of Half Hollow Hills School District, was honored with the organization’s annual George Young Award.
The George Young Award is presented at each induction ceremony to a Jewish or non-Jewish individual within the sports community who exemplifies the high ideals displayed by professional football executive George Young. Past award recipients have included football’s Wellington Mara and Ernie Accorsi, hockey’s Bobby Nystrom and basketball’s Lou Carnesecca.
Other indictees included Pittsburgh Steelers Super Bowl receiver Randy Grossman, college and amateur lacrosse star Bruce Cohen and 2008 Beijing Olympics U.S. gold medal swimmer Garrett Weber-Gale.
Over the years, inductees to The National Jewish Sports Hall of Fame have included executive Marvin Miller, broadcasters Marv Albert, Mel Allen, Howard Cosell, Marty Glickman, Sam Rosen, Dick Schaap and Warner Wolf, baseball’s Sandy Koufax, Art Shamsky and Ron Blomberg, soccer’s Shep Messing, swimming’s Mark Spitz and basketball’s Red Auerbach.
2013 Inductees to the National Jewish Sports Hall of Fame:
- David Berger - Weightlifter
- Andrew Bernstein - Photographer
- Richard Bernstein - Disabled Runner
- Steve Bilsky - Basketball
- Bruce Cohen - Lacrosse
- Randy Grossman - Football
- Aly Raisman - Gymnastics
- Marilyn Ramenofsky - Swimming
- Garrett Weber Gale - Swimming
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