MARVIN MILLER
Easily one of the most impactful men in baseball history, Miller helped the players form their first union in the 1960s. It revolutionized the game, leading to the elimination of the reserve clause, free agency and dramatic increases in salaries. In 1981, he held the players together during the first in-season strike that wiped out more than 700 games. He won virtually every battle with the owners, so naturally the players revered him. No less than Bud Selig, who battled him as an owner, said Miller belongs in the Baseball Hall of Fame.
Phase 2 of Holtzman’s career occurred on Nov. 29, 1971, when the Cubs traded him to Oakland for Rick Monday. He went on to be a key part of the A’s dynasty. From 1972-1975, he had four straight years when he won a minimum of 18 games per season. He collected four victories in World Series games. He finished his career with 174 victories, still the most ever for a Jewish pitcher.
Stone enjoyed a steady, if not a spectacular, career as a starting pitcher throughout the 1970s. Then at the age of 32, it all came together for Stone in 1980. On a Baltimore Orioles team known for strong pitching, he had a season for the ages, posting a 25-7 record. He was the American League starter in the All-Star Game, retiring all nine batters in three innings of work. The showing enabled Stone to join Sandy Koufax as the only Jewish pitchers to win the Cy Young Award.
You will be hard-pressed to find a person who had a longer career in baseball than Reese. He went from being Babe Ruth’s roommate as a player to being a long-time coach with the California Angels until his death in 1994 at the age of 92. With the Angels, he was so beloved by the players, Nolan Ryan named one of his sons after him. Known for being a magician with the fungo bat, the Angels retired his No. 50.
JERRY REINSDORF
Along with Eddie Einhorn, Reinsdorf purchased the White Sox from Bill Veeck in 1981. Two years later, the Sox won the American League West, their first title of any kind in 24 years. Reinsdorf’s business acumen soon made him one of the most influential owners in baseball.
The Yankees made history when he became the game’s first designated hitter in 1973. Unfortunately, injuries plagued Blomberg, preventing him from having what could have been a big career. Still, he continues to revel in his historic moment. The title of his autobiography is “Designated Hebrew.”
MAX PATKIN
Known as “The Clown Prince of Baseball,” Patkin entertained countless fans at minor and major ballpark for decades. Yet he gained perhaps his most notoriety with a cameo in “Bull Durham” in 1988, sharing a scene with Kevin Costner and Susan Sarandon.
Maddox, an African-American outfielder for several teams, converted to Judaism. He hit .303 with the Yankees in 1974, finishing sixth in the American League.
A Chicago native who modeled himself after former Cub Ken Holtzman, he got the chance to pitch for his hometown team. Baumgarten won 13 games for the White Sox in 1979. In 1980, he pitched a one-hitter against the Angels.
JEROME HOLTZMAN
The long-time baseball writer for the Chicago Sun-Times and Tribune, he was known as “The Dean” for his work in covering the game. Holtzman is credited with creating the save as a statistic for relievers.
