1961 Maccabiah Games

History

The Maccabiah Games are held in celebration of the victory of the Jewish Macabees, who defeated Antiochus IV and the Hellenized Syrians in battle in 165 B.C.

The Maccabiah Games were first held in 1932. In 1961, they were declared a "Regional Sports Event" by, and under the auspices and supervision of, the International Olympic Committee.

Notable competitors

In swimming, Marilyn Ramenofsky of the US, who three years later was to win a silver medal at the Olympics in the 400-meter freestyle, won a gold medal in the 400-meter freestyle relay, and a bronze in the 400-meter freestyle. She led the US swimming team, which won all but two events. Lindsey Miller-Lerman, later the first Nebraska Supreme Court justice, competed for the U.S. in swimming, winning two gold medals and one silver medal as a teenager.

In fencing, Olympic bronze medal winner Yves Dreyfus of France won the gold medal in épée. American Olympic bronze medalist fencer Al Axelrod, who carried the American flag in the opening ceremony, won a gold medal in foil. Canada's future Olympian Peter Bakonyi won a silver medal.

Larry Brown (later a 3-time American Basketball Association All Star), along with Art Heyman (later the first overall pick in the first round of the 1963 NBA draft) and Charley Rosen, led the United States basketball team to a gold medal. The Israeli team won the silver medal in basketball, with Abraham Gutt on the team.

Gary Gubner of the United States, a future Olympian and world champion, won gold medals in heavyweight weightlifting, shotput, and discus. Gubner won the shot put with a 60 ft throw.

In tennis, American former Wimbledon champion Dick Savitt won both the singles gold medal (defeating American Mike Franks in the final), and doubles gold medal (with Franks, defeating South Africans Rod Mandelstam and Julie Mayers). Canadian Vicki Berner won medals in tennis in singles and doubles. South Africans Rod Mandelstam and Marlene Gerson won the mixed doubles gold medal; Gerson also won a gold medal in women's doubles. American Sidney Schwartz competed in men's tennis singles, where he was defeated in the third round by Israeli Elazar Davidman.

Australian Eva Duldig won a gold medal in tennis in women's singles, defeating South African Marlene Gerson in the final, and won a silver medal in women's doubles. Duldig met Dutch Maccabiah tennis player Henri de Jong on a Tel Aviv tennis court at the 1961 Maccabiah Games. They became engaged five days after they met, and married in February 1962. Thereafter, they were married for 57 years, until his death in 2019.

In track and field, Canadian Olympian Stan Levenson won the 100 m sprint. Olympic bronze medalist Dave Segal of Great Britain won the 200 m race, and won a gold medal in the 1600 m relay. American Olympian Elliott Denman won the 3,000 m racewalk. American Gary Gubner won a gold medal in discus. Judy Shapiro won a bronze medal for the U.S. in the 800 m run. Israeli Olympian Ayala Hetzroni won the women's shotput gold medal. Gene Zubrinsky won a silver medal for the U.S. in the high jump.

In swimming, American Jane Katz won the 100 m butterfly, and won a gold medal in the 400 m relay. In wrestling, Canadian future Olympian Phil Oberlander won a gold medal in the middleweight class of Greco-Roman.

American future Olympic gymnast Ron Barak won eight gold medals (including two in the rings and two in the high bar), one silver medal, and one bronze medal. Angelica Rozeanu of Israel, who in her career won 17 world titles, was the women's table tennis singles champion. Allen Rosenberg and future Olympian and world champion Donald Spero of the US won gold medals in rowing.

Participating communities

The United States won 58 gold medals, Israel won 28 gold medals, and South Africa was third with 11 gold medals. First-time participants in 1961 included Colombia, Guatemala, Uruguay, and Congo-Kinshasa.

• Argentina
• Australia
• Austria
• Belgium
• Brazil
• Canada (35)
• Chile
• Colombia
• COD
• Denmark
• Finland
• France
• Guatemala
• India
• Ireland
• Israel
• Italy
• Katanga
• Mexico
• Netherlands
• Rhodesia and Nyasaland
• South Africa
• Sweden
• Switzerland
• Turkey
• United Kingdom
• United States (135 athletes)
• Uruguay

U.S. participation

135 athletes from the United States participated in the 6th Maccabiah, as well as 9 coaches, 6 managers, 3 doctors, and 2 trainers. The team was sponsored by the United States Committee Sports for Israel, Inc.

Medals by sport

References

Link

• Summaries of each of the Games

References

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17. "Gary Gubner".
18. "U.S. SQUAD VICTOR IN 16 MORE FINALS; Gubner and Savitt Triumph as Maccabiah Games End".
19. (August 12, 2019). "Rogers Cup: Andreescu win recalls memories of Vicki Berner".
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21. "Eva Duldig Match Results, Splits, and Analysis".
22. (September 5, 1961). "U.S. SQUAD VICTOR IN 16 MORE FINALS; Gubner and Savitt Triumph as Maccabiah Games End".
23. Fred Tupper. (June 19, 1963). "U.S. Advances in Women's Tennis; DUTCH LOSE, 3-0, IN QUARTER-FINALS Misses Hard, Caldwell and Moffitt Score Two-Set Triumphs at London Miss Hard Halts Surge Mrs. Jones Sidelined QUARTER-FINAL ROUND".
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28. "Former N.Y.U. Star Wins Pole Vault – Stieglitz, Damashek, Brandeis, Bocks Score --Miss Katz First in Swim".
29. "GUBNER, HERMAN EXCEL IN ISRAEL; U.S. Stars Set Meet Marks in Shot-Put, Broad Jump".
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35. "20 August 1965".