1969 Maccabiah Games
Encyclopedia
At the 8th Maccabiah Games
in 1969, 1,450 athletes from 27 countries competed in 22 sports.
Germany
and Greece
sent teams for the first time since the 1935 Games
.
A new swimming pool was dedicated at Yad Eliyahu.
American swimmer Mark Spitz
won 6 gold medal
s.
Tal Brody
, having moved from the U.S. to Israel, captained the Israeli basketball team to a gold medal over the United States.
Esther Roth of Israel won the long jump
with a 19 foot, 3/4 inch (5.81 meter) jump.
David Berger
, an American, won a gold medal in the middleweight weight-lifting contest. He later represented Israel in the 1972 Summer Olympics
, but was one of the 11 Israeli sportsmen killed by Arab terrorists in the Munich Massacre
.
In tennis, Julie Heldman
, who was ranked # 2 in the US, won the Women's Singles, the Women's Doubles with Marilyn Aschner, and the Mixed Doubles with Ed Rubinoff.
In track and field
, Olympic gold and silver medallist Lillian Copeland
of the US won gold medals in shot put, discus, and javelin.
In golf, Bruce Fleisher
of the US won a gold medal.
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...
in 1969, 1,450 athletes from 27 countries competed in 22 sports.
Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
and Greece
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
sent teams for the first time since the 1935 Games
1935 Maccabiah Games
The 1935 Maccabiah Games was the second Maccabiah held. These games were held despite official opposition by the British Mandatory government. A total of 28 countries were represented by 1,350 athletes. Delegations from Italy, Belgium, Holland, Turkey, France and South Africa arrived for the first...
.
A new swimming pool was dedicated at Yad Eliyahu.
American swimmer Mark Spitz
Mark Spitz
Mark Andrew Spitz is a retired American swimmer. He won seven gold medals at the 1972 Munich Olympic Games, an achievement only surpassed by Michael Phelps who won eight golds at the 2008 Olympics....
won 6 gold medal
Gold medal
A gold medal is typically the medal awarded for highest achievement in a non-military field. Its name derives from the use of at least a fraction of gold in form of plating or alloying in its manufacture...
s.
Tal Brody
Tal Brody
Tal Brody is an American-Israeli former basketball player, and current Goodwill Ambassador of Israel, who lives in Israel. Brody was drafted # 12 in the National Basketball Association draft, but chose to pass up an NBA career to instead play basketball in Israel...
, having moved from the U.S. to Israel, captained the Israeli basketball team to a gold medal over the United States.
Esther Roth of Israel won the long jump
Long jump
The long jump is a track and field event in which athletes combine speed, strength, and agility in an attempt to leap as far as possible from a take off point...
with a 19 foot, 3/4 inch (5.81 meter) jump.
David Berger
David Mark Berger
David Mark Berger was an American-born weightlifter for the Israeli Olympic team in 1972. A lawyer by education, Berger was one of 11 members of Israel’s Olympic team who were taken hostage and subsequently murdered by Arab terrorists at the Munich Olympic Games.Berger was born in Cleveland, Ohio...
, an American, won a gold medal in the middleweight weight-lifting contest. He later represented Israel in the 1972 Summer Olympics
1972 Summer Olympics
The 1972 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XX Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event held in Munich, West Germany, from August 26 to September 11, 1972....
, but was one of the 11 Israeli sportsmen killed by Arab terrorists in the Munich Massacre
Munich massacre
The Munich massacre is an informal name for events that occurred during the 1972 Summer Olympics in Munich, Bavaria in southern West Germany, when members of the Israeli Olympic team were taken hostage and eventually killed by the Palestinian group Black September. Members of Black September...
.
In tennis, Julie Heldman
Julie Heldman
Julie Heldman is a retired American tennis player who won 22 professional tennis titles.In 1969 she was World No. 5, her highest career world ranking, and was ranked No. 2 in the U.S.-Tennis career:...
, who was ranked # 2 in the US, won the Women's Singles, the Women's Doubles with Marilyn Aschner, and the Mixed Doubles with Ed Rubinoff.
In track and field
Track and field
Track and field is a sport comprising various competitive athletic contests based around the activities of running, jumping and throwing. The name of the sport derives from the venue for the competitions: a stadium which features an oval running track surrounding a grassy area...
, Olympic gold and silver medallist Lillian Copeland
Lillian Copeland
Lillian Copeland was an American athlete, who excelled in weight throwing. She has been called "the most successful female discus thrower in U.S...
of the US won gold medals in shot put, discus, and javelin.
In golf, Bruce Fleisher
Bruce Fleisher
-Early years and amateur career:Fleisher was born in Union City, Tennessee. He became involved in golf at age 7 by working as a caddie with his two brothers. Fleisher attended Miami-Dade Junior College and Furman University. In 1968 at age 19, he became the third youngest player to win the U.S....
of the US won a gold medal.