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SPORTS Thursday 6 december 2018

Jewish athletes condemn anti-Semitism after temple shooting

By JIMMY GOLEN, AP Sports shoutout to those in Pitts-
Writer burgh.
FOXBOROUGH, Mass. (AP) "It's disgusting what hap-
— Memphis Grizzlies for- pened. And I'm just back-
ward Omri Casspi, who was ing them up," he said in a
born in Israel, was early in follow-up interview. "I'm
his NBA career when he proud of who I am and
saw a picture of himself what I am. Just to let these
defaced with a swastika. victims know: 'We're all with
Arizona Cardinals quarter- you. This is a very tough
back Josh Rosen grew up time for you. I can't even
with kids who made fun of imagine. But you have sup-
the size of his nose. port.'"
New England Patriots re- "It's not like one of those
ceiver Julian Edelman has things where you're gonna
heard anti-Semitic taunts put your head under the
during games, but he had ground and kind of hide,"
been willing to write them he said. "You're gonna say,
off as opposing fans "just 'Hey, that's what makes us
trying to get underneath stronger.'"
your skin." Rosen has also embraced
"You've been called stuff his Judaism, developing a
here and here," Edelman In this Sunday, Oct. 28, 2018, file photo, Arizona Cardinals quarterback Josh Rosen (3) throws as celebration dance called
said. "But nothing to the ex- San Francisco 49ers defensive tackle DeForest Buckner (99) pursues during the second half of an "The Hebrew Hammer" in
tent where it's got me feel- NFL football game in Glendale, Ariz. Associated Press the hopes that he can be
ing the way a lot of Jews a role model for Jewish fans
are feeling right now." sic. "Just the callousness fellow Jews but also a po- was to "keep your head and a leader in a locker
In the month since a mas- and the loss of life. It takes tential target for anti-Semi- down" and not let it bother room that includes a vari-
sacre at the Tree of Life someone that's unhuman tism. him. ety of races and religions.
synagogue in Pittsburgh to do something like that to "Sometimes people don't "A lot of guys have got "You can identify with any
killed 11 people and injured innocent people."Jews in even think they're being to deal with a lot of stuff leader or role model you
six others, Jewish athletes the United States have long racist, but they might be a when it comes to name want. I'm just trying to be a
said they were shocked by cherished role models like little offensive," Rosen said. calling," he said. "You get good one," he said. "It is a
the shooting yet not con- Detroit Tigers slugger Hank Casspi said he has always so wrapped up in football part of me that I'm proud
cerned for their own safety Greenberg, Chicago Bears felt safe in the U.S., but while and your assignment that of, culturally."
as they travel, train and quarterback Sid Luckman playing in Europe his Israeli you brush stuff off and don't Ausmus said many of the
compete. or Olympic swimmer Mark team at times encountered let it get to you. ... You take Jewish baseball players
"There's crazy people out Spitz. And any history of violent protesters or played the high road, and you go have a kinship, some of it
there, and it is what it is," Jewish athletes includes with no fans in the arena from there." from being part of a minor-
Casspi said. "The notion is the time Dodgers ace San- out of safety concerns. But after the synagogue ity in the sport and some
that anti-Semitism is dead dy Koufax refused to pitch Athletes speak often of shooting, Edelman decid- from playing together in
— it's always going to be in the World Series because worrying only about things ed it was time to go public. the World Baseball Clas-
(around). Some people are it conflicted with the holi- within their control; as far Following the Patriots' Nov. sic. "(It) has kind of fostered
just like that. There's going day of Yom Kippur. as game preparation goes, 4 victory over the Green that feeling of connection,"
to be racist people, there's Other Jewish players re- racism and religious bigotry Bay Packers, he wore an he said.
going to be anti-Semites." main scattered throughout qualify as distractions. And Israeli baseball cap for his "They're spread throughout
Robert Bowers has pleaded sports — a point of pride for so Edelman's inclination postgame interviews as a ... 25 different organiza-
not guilty to murder and tions, they come together,"
hate crime charges in the Ausmus said. "Every four
Oct. 27 shooting during years, you make that con-
Shabbat morning services. nection based on your heri-
He remains jailed without tage."
bail. A three-time Gold Glove
Americans of all religions catcher who went to Dart-
have rallied in support for mouth and played 18 years
the victims of the deadliest for four major league clubs,
anti-Semitic attack in U.S. Ausmus said he wasn't
history. Hometown quar- particularly religious when
terback Ben Roethlisberger growing up with a Jewish
wore cleats integrating a mother and Protestant fa-
Jewish star into the Pitts- ther.
burgh Steelers logo, along The only time he experi-
with the words "Stronger enced anti-Semitism as a
than Hate." major leaguer was when
But for Jewish athletes, a fan shouted things at a
the shooting hit especially teammate.
hard. The thing is, he wasn't even
"I'm horrified by it," said Los Jewish.
Angeles Angels manager In this Monday, Oct. 22, 2018, file photo, new Los Angeles Angels manager Brad Ausmus smiles "His last name sounded
Brad Ausmus, who man- while talking to reporters during a news conference in Anaheim, Calif. Jewish," Ausmus said. "So
aged the Israeli team in the Associated Press the fan was ignorant in a
2013 World Baseball Clas- couple different areas."q