This presentation takes a closer look at the unique and evolving connection between Jewish life and baseball in America, beginning in the 1870s. While legendary figures like Sandy Koufax and Hank Greenberg often dominate the narrative, the Jewish impact on baseball extends far beyond the diamond — reaching into coaching, ownership, broadcasting, and even the creation of the World Series itself.

At the same time, baseball has played a significant role in shaping Jewish identity, community, and culture in the United States. Through the stories of both well-known stars and lesser-known "cup-of-coffee" players, we’ll explore how baseball has reflected and influenced what it means to be Jewish in America.

This is a story of mutual transformation — a look at how baseball and Jewish life have shaped each other over the decades.

About the speaker

Bob Cooper

Growing up in Toronto Canada, Bob has been a longtime baseball enthusiast and memorabilia collector. Eventually, he started examining the connection between Jews in America (and Canada), and found it was much deeper than he had realized. He re-focused his memorabilia collection and research into the relationship between baseball and Jews. He started his YouTube channel - @inthebiginning - to share his learning and display pieces of his collection. He still lives in Toronto, where he is a Middle School math teacher.