Finally Something to Read About

Finally, poetry about something I can relate to. Not only is it about baseball, yay, but the Brooklyn Dodgers no less. I feel as though every time I read a poem it is usually about love or heartache. It is a refreshing change to read about something as “All-American” as baseball.

Pinsky’s poem entitled “The Night Game” represents the assimilation of Jews in America and the problems it causes. Everyone knows there are nothing more American then our own national pastime, Baseball. When Sandy Koufax not only made it into the Major Leagues, but also helped take his team, the Brooklyn Dodgers, to the World Series, this was an amazing occurrence. It is rare that we see such a high profile sports star that is Jewish.

Nevertheless, what was truly inspirational about Koufax was that he refused to pitch the World Series game, which happened to fall on Yom Kippur. He has become a major legend for Jewish Americans all over the nation.