1961 Maccabiah Games
Encyclopedia
The 1961 6th Maccabiah Games
attracted 1,000 athletes from 27 countries.
First-time countries included Guatemala
and Congo-Kinshasa
.
The new Kfar Ha’Maccabiah Village served as home to the competing athletes.
Because the Maccabi World Union
had been designated an “Organization of Olympic Standing” by the 1960 Olympic Congress
, the Maccabiah Games were now recognized as a Regional Sport Event under the auspices and supervision of the International Olympic Committee
and International Sports Federations.
The International Maccabiah Games Committee was established, and included non-Maccabi–affiliated organizations such as Hapoel
, the Canadian Maccabiah Committee, and the United States Committee Sports for Israel.
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, and was a 3x world record holder, won a gold medal in the 400-Meter Freestyle Relay and a bronze in the 400-Meter Freestyle. She led the U.S. swimming team, which won all but two events.
In fencing, Olympic bronze medal winner Yves Dreyfus
of France won the gold medal in épée. 5-time Olympic fencer Al Axelrod won a gold medal in foil.
Larry Brown
led the USA basketball team to a gold medal. Teammates Allen Rosenberg
and Donald Spero
of the US won gold medals in rowing.
Gary Gubner
of the US won the shot put
with a 60 foot, 1-1/4 inch (18.32 meter) throw.
American Dick Savitt
won both the singles and doubles (with Mike Franks) men's tennis gold medals.
Angelica Rozeanu
of Israel, who in her career won 17 world titles, was the women's table tennis singles champion.
Maccabiah Games
The Maccabiah is an international Jewish athletic event similar to the Olympics held in Israel every four years under the auspices of the Maccabi Federation, affiliated with the Maccabi World Union. The Maccabiah Games is the third largest international sports competition in the world...
attracted 1,000 athletes from 27 countries.
First-time countries included Guatemala
Guatemala
Guatemala is a country in Central America bordered by Mexico to the north and west, the Pacific Ocean to the southwest, Belize to the northeast, the Caribbean to the east, and Honduras and El Salvador to the southeast...
and Congo-Kinshasa
Democratic Republic of the Congo
The Democratic Republic of the Congo is a state located in Central Africa. It is the second largest country in Africa by area and the eleventh largest in the world...
.
The new Kfar Ha’Maccabiah Village served as home to the competing athletes.
Because the Maccabi World Union
Maccabi World Union
The Maccabi World Union is an international Jewish sports organisation spanning 5 continents and more than 50 countries, with some 400,000 members...
had been designated an “Organization of Olympic Standing” by the 1960 Olympic Congress
Olympic Congress
An Olympic Congress is a large gathering of representatives from the different constituencies of the Olympic Movement, organised by the International Olympic Committee . As detailed in chapter 1, rule 4 of the Olympic Charter, the IOC President is responsible for convening a Congress, presiding...
, the Maccabiah Games were now recognized as a Regional Sport Event under the auspices and supervision of the International Olympic Committee
International Olympic Committee
The International Olympic Committee is an international corporation based in Lausanne, Switzerland, created by Pierre de Coubertin on 23 June 1894 with Demetrios Vikelas as its first president...
and International Sports Federations.
The International Maccabiah Games Committee was established, and included non-Maccabi–affiliated organizations such as Hapoel
Hapoel
Hapoel is an Israeli sport association. It was established in 1926 as a union of the Histadrut, and represented the workers class...
, the Canadian Maccabiah Committee, and the United States Committee Sports for Israel.
In swimming, Marilyn Ramenofsky
Marilyn Ramenofsky
Marilyn Ramenofsky was an American freestyle swimmer. She is currently a researcher at the University of California at Davis, studying the physiology and behavior of bird migration...
of the US, who three years later was to win a silver medal at the Olympics in the 400-Meter Freestyle, and was a 3x world record holder, won a gold medal in the 400-Meter Freestyle Relay and a bronze in the 400-Meter Freestyle. She led the U.S. swimming team, which won all but two events.
In fencing, Olympic bronze medal winner Yves Dreyfus
Yves Dreyfus
Yves Dreyfus is a Jewish French epee fencer.A 3-time member of the French Olympic épée team, Dreyfus won two medals during his Olympic career.-World Championships:...
of France won the gold medal in épée. 5-time Olympic fencer Al Axelrod won a gold medal in foil.
Larry Brown
Larry Brown (basketball)
Lawrence Harvey "Larry" Brown is an American basketball coach and former player. He most recently served as head coach of the National Basketball Association's Charlotte Bobcats....
led the USA basketball team to a gold medal. Teammates Allen Rosenberg
Allen Rosenberg (rower)
Allen Perry Rosenberg is an American former rower and rowing coach. He won 12 international and national gold and silver medals as a rower, and teams he coached won more than 24 gold and silver medals in the Olympics and world championships.-Early life:Rosenberg, who is Jewish, was born in...
and Donald Spero
Donald Spero
Donald M. Spero is an American physicist, venture capitalist and a former U.S. and world champion rower who competed at the 1964 Summer Olympics.-Early life and education:...
of the US won gold medals in rowing.
Gary Gubner
Gary Gubner
Gary Jay Gubner was an American shotputter, weightlifter, and discus hurler. He is known for setting various shot put records, including a 53-foot throw with a 16-lb...
of the US won the shot put
Shot put
The shot put is a track and field event involving "putting" a heavy metal ball—the shot—as far as possible. It is common to use the term "shot put" to refer to both the shot itself and to the putting action....
with a 60 foot, 1-1/4 inch (18.32 meter) throw.
American Dick Savitt
Dick Savitt
Richard "Dick" Savitt is a 6’ 3" and 185-pound right-handed American male former tennis player.Savitt was ranked 2nd in the world in 1951. That year, at the age of 24, he won both the Wimbledon Singles Championship and the Australian Singles title...
won both the singles and doubles (with Mike Franks) men's tennis gold medals.
Angelica Rozeanu
Angelica Rozeanu
Angelica Rozeanu was a Romanian table tennis player of Jewish origin, and one of the most successful female table tennis players in the history of the sport.-Table tennis career:...
of Israel, who in her career won 17 world titles, was the women's table tennis singles champion.