1953 Maccabiah Games
Encyclopedia
Eight hundred ninety athletes representing 21 countries attended the 1953 4th Maccabiah Games
.
Israel
i President Itzhak Ben-Zvi opened the Games.
First-time entries included Brazil
, Chile
and Zimbabwe
(Rhodesia
).
In gymnastics, Abie Grossfeld
of the United States won 6 gold medals.http://www.maccabiusa.com/history.htm
In tennis, Anita Kanter
of the US won gold medals in women's doubles and mixed doubles, and the silver medal
in women's singles. Angela Buxton
of Great Britain
, who three years later was to win the doubles tite at Wimbledon
, won the gold medal in women's singles. On the men's side, Grant Golden
, who was ranked # 2 in the US that year, captured three gold medals in the men's singles (over South Africa
n Sid Levy), the men's doubles with partner Pablo Eisenberg
, and the mixed doubles with Kanter.
In boxing, Abraham Rozenberg, a concentration camp survivor, won the heavyweight division gold medal. Rozenberg fighting for France lived to that time in Germany, but Germany didn't have a team in that maccabiah, so Rozenberg fought for France.
Ben Helfgott
, a concentration camp survivor, won the weightlifting gold medal in the lightweight class for Great Britain
for the second Games in a row.
In fencing, a gold medal was won by 3-time Pan American Games
gold medalist Allan Kwartler
in foil.
Has been decided to change the duration after this maccabiah to once in 4 years to gain an olympic recognition.
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...
.
Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
i President Itzhak Ben-Zvi opened the Games.
First-time entries included Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
, Chile
Chile
Chile ,officially the Republic of Chile , is a country in South America occupying a long, narrow coastal strip between the Andes mountains to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west. It borders Peru to the north, Bolivia to the northeast, Argentina to the east, and the Drake Passage in the far...
and Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe is a landlocked country located in the southern part of the African continent, between the Zambezi and Limpopo rivers. It is bordered by South Africa to the south, Botswana to the southwest, Zambia and a tip of Namibia to the northwest and Mozambique to the east. Zimbabwe has three...
(Rhodesia
Rhodesia
Rhodesia , officially the Republic of Rhodesia from 1970, was an unrecognised state located in southern Africa that existed between 1965 and 1979 following its Unilateral Declaration of Independence from the United Kingdom on 11 November 1965...
).
In gymnastics, Abie Grossfeld
Abie Grossfeld
Abie Grossfeld is a former American gymnast and current American gymnastics coach.Grossfeld has represented the United States as a gymnastics competitor or coach in seven Olympic Games, seven World Championships, six Maccabiah Games, and five Pan American Games — in addition to many other major...
of the United States won 6 gold medals.http://www.maccabiusa.com/history.htm
In tennis, Anita Kanter
Anita Kanter
Anita Kanter of Santa Monica, California, was an American amateur tennis player in the 1950s.In singles, Kanter was ranked # 6 in the United States in 1952, and # 9 in 1953.-Tennis career:...
of the US won gold medals in women's doubles and mixed doubles, and the silver medal
Silver medal
A silver medal is a medal awarded to the second place finisher of contests such as the Olympic Games, Commonwealth Games, and contests with similar formats....
in women's singles. Angela Buxton
Angela Buxton
Angela Buxton is an English tennis player. She won the women's doubles title at both the French Championships and Wimbledon in 1956 with Althea Gibson.-Tennis accomplishments:...
of Great Britain
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
, who three years later was to win the doubles tite at Wimbledon
The Championships, Wimbledon
The Championships, Wimbledon, or simply Wimbledon , is the oldest tennis tournament in the world, considered by many to be the most prestigious. It has been held at the All England Club in Wimbledon, London since 1877. It is one of the four Grand Slam tennis tournaments, the other three Majors...
, won the gold medal in women's singles. On the men's side, Grant Golden
Grant Golden
Grant Golden was an American amateur tennis player in the 1940s and 1950s.Golden was ranked in the U.S. top 10 in singles in 1953, 1956, and 1957, and was ranked # 2 in the U.S...
, who was ranked # 2 in the US that year, captured three gold medals in the men's singles (over South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
n Sid Levy), the men's doubles with partner Pablo Eisenberg
Pablo Eisenberg
Pablo Eisenberg is a leading scholar and advocate for greater accountability and commitment by philanthropy in the United States to the poor, people of color and social justice issues. As , associate director of The George Gund Foundation, has observed of Pablo, "His influence is attributable in no...
, and the mixed doubles with Kanter.
In boxing, Abraham Rozenberg, a concentration camp survivor, won the heavyweight division gold medal. Rozenberg fighting for France lived to that time in Germany, but Germany didn't have a team in that maccabiah, so Rozenberg fought for France.
Ben Helfgott
Ben Helfgott
Ben Helfgott is a British Holocaust survivor and former champion weightlifter.He was a guest on the BBC Radio 4 Desert Island Discs programme on 1 April 2007...
, a concentration camp survivor, won the weightlifting gold medal in the lightweight class for Great Britain
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
for the second Games in a row.
In fencing, a gold medal was won by 3-time Pan American Games
Pan American Games
The Pan-American or Pan American Games are a major event in the Americas featuring summer and formerly winter sports, in which thousands of athletes participate in a variety of competitions. The Pan American Games are the second largest multi-sport event after the Summer Olympics...
gold medalist Allan Kwartler
Allan Kwartler
Allan S. Kwartler , born in New York City, was an American sabre and foil fencer.He was Pan-American sabre champion, 3-time Olympian, and twice a member of sabre teams that earned 4th-place in Olympic Games .-Fencing career:Kwartler began fencing at Wayne State University under Bela de Tuscan at...
in foil.
Has been decided to change the duration after this maccabiah to once in 4 years to gain an olympic recognition.