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Now that we've started a new secular year, what were the most memorable sports stories for Jewish sports stars and their fans in 2013?
Baseball--Boston Red Sox left-handed relief pitcher Craig Breslow had a fine
season in 2013 all season long and in the playoffs. He ran out of steam in the
Championship Series, but the Red Sox were red hot and he added another
World Series ring to his collection.
Basketball--Omri Casspi found a new home in Houston with the Rockets, and
has been an effective back-up forward. On Dec 28, Casspi scored 7 points and
grabbed 4 rebounds in a 107-98 victory over New Orleans. On Dec 30, he scored 15 points and grabbed 6 rebounds in a devastating 86-117 defeat to Oklahoma City, and on Dec 31, he scored 6 points and grabbed 5 rebounds in a 106-110 loss to Sacramento. The Rockets' won-loss record through the end of
December was a respectable 21-13.
Naama Shafir successfully made the transition from college star at the
University of Toledo (OH) to effective guard for Elitzur Ramle in Israel's top
women's professional league.
Ten-pin Bowling--Or Aviram made history as he became the first Israeli bowler
to win the prestigious World Cup of Bowling, the top amateur event. He rolled
a pair of perfect 300 scores and a pair of 299 games en route to his victory.
Liat Vizenfeld has helped the Fairleigh Dickinson University Knights' women's
bowling team to a 29-11 won-loss record thus far in the 2013-14 season.
Boxing--Yuri Foreman, an aspiring Rabbinical student, was perhaps the
comeback Jewish sports star of the year as he won all four of his bouts in
2013, including a first-round knock-out in his last fight.
Ice Hockey--Mike Cammalleri finished 2013 needing just one goal to tie the
all-time Jewish NHL record of 223, established by Mathieu Schneider.
Evan Kaufmann, playing for the Neurmberg Thomas Sabo Ice Tigers of the
German Ice Hockey League (DEL), had 30 points (12 goals and 18 assists)
and a +15 rating through Dec 31.
Tennis--Shahar Peer played her best tennis in a few years, winning a long
overdue championship, until being sidelined with an injury before the season
was over.
If 2014 will be anything like 2013 was, there should be a lot to report here.
