View source for 1961 Maccabiah Games

{{Infobox games
| name               = 6th Maccabiah
| logo               = 1961 Maccabiah logo.jpg
| size               = 250
| caption            =
| host_city          = [[Tel Aviv]], [[Israel]]
| nations            = 27
| athletes           = 1,100
| events             = 
| opening            = August 29, 1961<ref name="auto2">{{Cite web|url=https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1961/08/30/118518545.html?pdf_redirect=true&site=false|title=30,000 IN ISRAEL SEE GAMES OPEN; U.S. Athletes Cheered at Maccabiah Ceremonies|website=The New York Times.}}</ref>
| closing            = September 5, 1961<ref name="auto7">{{Cite web|url=https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1961/09/06/101475353.html?pdf_redirect=true&site=false|title=Herman Honored at Ceremonies Closing Sixth Maccabiah Games|website=The New York Times.}}</ref>
| opened_by          = Israeli president [[Yitzhak Ben-Zvi]]<ref name="auto2"/>
| stadium            = [[Ramat Gan Stadium]]
| debuting_countries = {{flag|Colombia|civil}} <br /> {{flag|Congo-Léopoldville|1960}} <br /> {{flag|Guatemala|civil}} <br /> {{flag|Uruguay}}
| previous           = [[5th Maccabiah]]
| next               = [[7th Maccabiah]] 
}}

The '''6th [[Maccabiah Games]]''' were held in [[Tel Aviv]], [[Israel]] in 1961, with 1,100 athletes from 27 countries competing in 18 sports.<ref name="auto2"/><ref name=uspart>{{cite book | title = A Record of U.S. Participation in the 6th Maccabiah Games | publisher = United States Committee Sports for Israel, Inc. | date = 1961 | pages = 150 | oclc = 851574788 }}</ref><ref name="auto1">{{Cite web|url=https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1961/08/24/97617995.html?pdf_redirect=true&site=false|title=135 Maccabiah Games Athletes Get Plaque, Praise From Mayor; Wagner Makes 'Bon Voyage' Address to U.S. Squad That Will Compete in Tel Aviv Starting Tuesday|website=The New York Times.}}</ref> The Games were officially opened in an Opening Ceremony on August 29, 1961, in [[Ramat Gan Stadium]] by Israeli president [[Yitzhak Ben-Zvi]] before a crowd of 30,000.<ref name="auto2"/> The closing ceremony took place on September 5, 1961, at the stadium before a crowd of 40,000, with Israeli prime minister [[David Ben Gurion]] telling the crowd that he hoped that in the future athletes from North Africa, Poland, Hungary, Czechoslovakia, and the Soviet Union would also compete.<ref name="auto7"/> The United States won 58 gold medals, Israel won 28 gold medals, and South Africa was third with 11 gold medals.<ref name="auto7"/> American sportscaster [[Mel Allen]] narrated a film about the 1961 Games.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1962/03/30/90164230.html?pdf_redirect=true&site=false|title=ISRAELI GAMES FILM TO AID '65 U.S. TEAM|website=The New York Times}}</ref>

==History==
The Maccabiah Games are held in celebration of the victory of the Jewish [[Macabees]], who defeated [[Antiochus IV Epiphanes|Antiochus IV]] and the [[Hellenized]] [[Syrians]] in battle in 165 B.C.<ref name="auto1"/>

The Maccabiah Games were first held in [[1932 Maccabiah Games|1932]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://thecjn.ca/perspectives/20th-maccabiah-games-pt-1/|title=A brief history of the Maccabiah Games|date=June 19, 2017|website=The Canadian Jewish News}}</ref> In 1961, they were declared a "Regional Sports Event" by, and under the auspices and supervision of, the [[International Olympic Committee]].<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=nTHRB6Fj_4gC&q=maccabiah+games+olympics+regional+sport+event&pg=PA56|title=Gender Politics and the Olympic Industry|author=Helen Jefferson Lenskyj|publisher=Palgrave Macmillan|year=2012|isbn=9781137291158}}</ref><ref name=bard>Mitchell G. Bard and Moshe Schwartz (2005). [https://books.google.com/books?id=PeJFAAAAQBAJ&dq=Bard+and+Schwartz+maccabiah&pg=PA85 ''1001 Facts Everyone Should Know about Israel''] p. 84.</ref><ref name=MaccabiAu>{{cite web|title=History of the Maccabiah Games|url=http://www.maccabi.com.au/Maccabiah/Page/1591/Maccabiah-Games-History/History-of-the-Maccabiah-Games.cfm|publisher=Maccabi Australia|accessdate=|archive-date=2018-09-13|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180913002319/http://www.maccabi.com.au/Maccabiah/Page/1591/Maccabiah-Games-History/History-of-the-Maccabiah-Games.cfm|url-status=dead}}</ref>

==Notable competitors==
[[File:Torch lit at the 6th Maccabiah.jpg|right|thumb|240px|Israeli runner Yoseph Lahav lighting the cauldron at the Opening Ceremony.]]
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.<ref name="maccabiusa1">{{cite web|url=http://www.maccabiusa.com/history/|title=History: The 1960s|publisher=Maccabi USA|date=|accessdate=November 1, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140414084251/http://www.maccabiusa.com/history/|archive-date=April 14, 2014|url-status=dead}}</ref>  She led the US swimming team, which won all but two events.<ref name="maccabiusa1"/> [[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.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://ejewishphilanthropy.com/your-daily-phil-a-new-ukrainian-resettlement-grant-initiative-nonprofit-security-grant-money-inches-forward/|title=Your Daily Phil: A new Ukrainian resettlement grant initiative + Nonprofit security grant money inches forward|date=July 29, 2022|website=eJewish Philanthropy}}</ref>

In fencing, Olympic bronze medal winner [[Yves Dreyfus]] of France won the gold medal in épée.<ref name=autogenerated33>{{Cite web|url=http://www.jewsinsports.org/olympics.asp?ID=240|title=Dreyfus, Yves|website= Jews In Sports<!-- Bot generated title -->}}</ref> American Olympic bronze medalist fencer [[Al Axelrod]], who carried the American flag in the opening ceremony, won a gold medal in foil.<ref name="maccabiusa1"/><ref name="auto1"/><ref name="auto2"/> Canada's future Olympian [[Peter Bakonyi (fencer, born 1933)|Peter Bakonyi]] won a silver medal.<ref>Leible Hershfield (1980). [https://books.google.com/books?id=JMuCAAAAMAAJ&q=%22peter+bakonyi%22+%22maccabiah%22 ''The Jewish Athlete; A Nostalgic View,''] p. 196.</ref>

[[Larry Brown (basketball)|Larry Brown]] (later a 3-time [[ABA All-Star Game|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.<ref name="maccabiusa1"/><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.espn.com/page2/s/rosen/021122.html|title= Page2 - The evolution of Larry Brown|website=ESPN}}</ref> 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.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://vault.si.com/vault/1962/07/09/the-boy-who-may-become-the-worlds-strongest-man|title=THE BOY WHO MAY BECOME THE WORLD'S STRONGEST MAN|first=Tex|last=Maule|website=Sports Illustrated}}</ref> Gubner won the [[shot put]] with a {{convert|60|ft|1+1/4|in|m|abbr=off|sp=us}} throw.<ref name="auto">{{Cite web|url=https://www.jta.org/1961/09/06/archive/world-maccabiah-games-ended-in-israel-u-s-teams-win-58-gold-medals|title = World Maccabiah Games Ended in Israel; U.S. Teams Win 58 Gold Medals|date = 6 September 1961}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.jewishsports.net/BioPages/GaryGubner.htm|title=Gary Gubner|website=jewishsports.net}}</ref>

In tennis, American former Wimbledon champion [[Dick Savitt]] won both the singles gold medal (defeating American [[Mike Franks (tennis)|Mike Franks]] in the final), and doubles gold medal (with Franks, defeating South Africans [[Rod Mandelstam]] and Julie Mayers).<ref name="auto5">{{Cite web|url=https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1961/09/05/97244177.html?pdf_redirect=true&site=false|title=U.S. SQUAD VICTOR IN 16 MORE FINALS; Gubner and Savitt Triumph as Maccabiah Games End|website=The New York Times}}</ref><ref name="auto"/><ref name="auto1"/> Canadian [[Vicki Berner]] won medals in tennis in singles and doubles.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://thecjn.ca/arts/sports/rogers-cup-andreescu-win-recalls-memories-of-vicki-berner/|title=Rogers Cup: Andreescu win recalls memories of Vicki Berner|date=August 12, 2019|website=The Canadian Jewish News}}</ref> South Africans Rod Mandelstam and [[Marlene Gerson]] won the mixed doubles gold medal; Gerson also won a gold medal in women's doubles.<ref name="auto5"/> American [[Sidney Schwartz]] competed in men's tennis singles, where he was defeated in the third round by Israeli [[Elazar Davidman]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1961/09/02/98542217.html?pageNumber=11|title=U.S. Gains Four Gold Medals In Maccabiah Games Swimming; Abramson, Zakim and Misses Miller and Chesneau Score &ndash; Herman Sets Mark in Retaining Decathlon Crown|website=The New York Times.}}</ref>

 
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.<ref name="auto3kp">{{Cite web|url=http://www.tennisabstract.com/cgi-bin/wplayer.cgi?p=EvaDuldig|title=Eva Duldig Match Results, Splits, and Analysis|website=Tennis Abstract}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1961/09/05/archives/us-squad-victor-in-16-more-finals-gubner-and-savitt-triumph-as.html|title=U.S. SQUAD VICTOR IN 16 MORE FINALS; Gubner and Savitt Triumph as Maccabiah Games End|website=The New York Times|date=September 5, 1961}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1963/06/19/89538131.html?pdf_redirect=true&site=false|title=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|website=The New York Times|date=June 19, 1963 |author=Fred Tupper}}</ref> 
Duldig met Dutch [[Maccabiah]] tennis player Henri de Jong on a Tel Aviv tennis court at the 1961 Maccabiah Games.<ref name="auto22">{{Cite web|url=https://www.australianjewishnews.com/the-wheel-comes-full-circle/|title=The wheel comes full circle; From one Maccabiah athlete to the next generation - remembering the special moments.|first=Eva de|last=Jong-Duldig|website=Australian Jewish News|date=August 8, 2022}}</ref><ref name="auto6a">Rabbi Glasman (February 2020). [https://www.duneraassociation.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/No.107-Dunera-News-Feb-2020.pdf "Obituaries; Henri Antonie de Jong; 27 December 1934 – 5 October 2019; Minyan, St Kilda Hebrew Congregation, 10 October 2019"], ''Dunera News'', No. 107.</ref><ref name="auto5a">{{Cite web|url=https://www.tennis.com.au/vic/news/2022/03/28/driftwood-the-musical-a-story-on-eva-de-jong-duldig|title=Driftwood The Musical – A story on Eva de Jong-Duldig|website=Tennis Victoria|date=28 March 2022}}</ref> They became engaged five days after they met, and married in February 1962.<ref name="auto6a"/><ref name="auto5a"/><ref name="auto22"/> Thereafter, they were married for 57 years, until his death in 2019.<ref name="auto6a"/><ref name="auto5a"/><ref name="auto22"/>

In track and field, Canadian Olympian [[Stan Levenson]] won the 100 m sprint.<ref name="auto3">{{Cite web|url=https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1961/08/31/98445128.html?pdf_redirect=true&site=false|title=AMERICANS TAKE 3 TRACK EVENTS; U.S. Also Wins Gold Medal in Rifle at Tel Aviv|website=The New York Times}}</ref> Olympic bronze medalist [[David Segal (athlete)|Dave Segal]] of Great Britain won the 200 m race, and won a gold medal in the 1600 m relay.<ref name="auto4"/><ref name="auto6">{{Cite web|url=https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1961/09/04/98445711.html?pdf_redirect=true&site=false|title=Former N.Y.U. Star Wins Pole Vault &ndash; Stieglitz, Damashek, Brandeis, Bocks Score --Miss Katz First in Swim|website=The New York Times}}</ref> American Olympian [[Elliott Denman]] won the 3,000 m racewalk.<ref name="auto4">{{Cite web|url=https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1961/09/01/101474620.html?pdf_redirect=true&site=false|title=GUBNER, HERMAN EXCEL IN ISRAEL; U.S. Stars Set Meet Marks in Shot-Put, Broad Jump|website=The New York Times}}</ref> American [[Gary Gubner]] won a gold medal in discus.<ref name="auto3"/> [[Judy Shapiro]] won a bronze medal for the U.S. in the 800 m run.<ref name="autoetryh">[https://www.maccabiusa.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/MaccabiNL-Fall13.pdf "Sportscene; Halls of Fame,"] Maccabi USA, Fall 2013.</ref><ref name="auto3"/> Israeli Olympian [[Ayala Hetzroni]] won the women's shotput gold medal.<ref name="auto3"/> [[Gene Zubrinsky]] won a silver medal for the U.S. in the high jump.<ref name="auto3"/>

In swimming, American [[Jane Katz]] won the 100 m butterfly, and won a gold medal in the 400 m relay.<ref name="auto6"/><ref name="auto5"/> In wrestling, Canadian future Olympian [[Phil Oberlander]] won a gold medal in the middleweight class of Greco-Roman.<ref>[https://www.jewsinsports.org/olympics_sport_olympics_ID_560.html "Oberlander, Phil"]</ref>
 	
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.<ref name="auto"/><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1961/09/02/98542221.html?pdf_redirect=true&site=false|title=Barak Gym Victor|website=The New York Times.}}</ref> [[Angelica Rozeanu]] of Israel, who in her career won 17 world titles, was the women's table tennis singles champion. [[Allen Rosenberg (rower)|Allen Rosenberg]] and future Olympian and world champion  [[Donald Spero]] of the US won gold medals in rowing.<ref name="maccabiusa1"/>

==Participating communities==
The United States won 58 gold medals, Israel won 28 gold medals, and South Africa was third with 11 gold medals.<ref name="auto7"/> First-time participants in 1961 included Colombia, Guatemala, Uruguay, and Congo-Kinshasa.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.maccabiah.com/know-us-history |title=Maccabiah: History |publisher=maccabiah.com |accessdate=December 8, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141228204921/http://www.maccabiah.com/know-us-history |archive-date=2014-12-28 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

{{Div col|colwidth=13em}} 
* {{Flag|Argentina|1816}}
* {{Flag|Australia|civil}}
* {{Flag|Austria}}
* {{Flag|Belgium}}
* {{Flag|Brazil}}
* {{Flag|Canada|1957}} (35)<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.maccabicanada.com/about-us/history-and-milestones/6th-maccabiah-1961|title=6th Maccabiah 1961|website=Maccabi Canada}}</ref>
* {{Flag|Chile}}
* {{Flag|Colombia|civil}}
* {{flag|COD|1960|name=Congo-Léopoldville}}
* {{Flag|Denmark}}
* {{Flag|Finland}}
* {{Flag|France}}
* {{Flag|Guatemala|civil}}
* {{Flag|India}}
* {{Flag|Ireland}}
* {{Flag|Israel}}
* {{Flag|Italy}}
* {{flag|Katanga}}
* {{Flag|Mexico|1934}}
* {{Flag|Netherlands}}
* {{flag|Rhodesia and Nyasaland|name=Rhodesia}}
* {{flag|South Africa|1928}}
* {{Flag|Sweden}}
* {{Flag|Switzerland}}
* {{Flag|Turkey}}
* {{Flag|United Kingdom}}
* {{Flag|United States|1912}} (135 athletes)<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://newspapers.library.in.gov/cgi-bin/indiana?a=d&d=JPOST19650820-01.1.3&e=-------en-20--1--txt-txIN-------|title= 20 August 1965|website=Jewish Post}}</ref>
* {{Flag|Uruguay}}
 {{div col end}}

==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.<ref name=uspart/>

=== Medals by sport ===
{{Medals table
 | caption    = 
 | team       = Sport
 | hide_rank  = yes
 | leading    = 
 | gold_1  = 1  | silver_1  = 0  | bronze_1  = 0  | name_1  = [[Image:Basketball pictogram.svg|25px]] Basketball 
 | gold_2  = 3  | silver_2  = 4  | bronze_2  = 2  | name_2  = [[Image:Fencing pictogram.svg|25px]] Fencing 
 | gold_3  = 1  | silver_3  = 0  | bronze_3  = 0  | name_3  = [[Image:Golf pictogram.svg|25px]] Golf 
 | gold_4  = 8  | silver_4  = 1  | bronze_4  = 1  | name_4  = [[Image:Gymnastics pictogram.svg|25px]] Gymnastics 
 | gold_5  = 3  | silver_5  = 0  | bronze_5  = 0  | name_5  = [[Image:Rowing pictogram.svg|25px]] Rowing 
 | gold_6  = 4  | silver_6  = 2  | bronze_6  = 2  | name_6  = [[Image:Shooting pictogram.svg|25px]] Shooting 
 | gold_7  = 17 | silver_7  = 9  | bronze_7  = 5  | name_7  = [[Image:Swimming pictogram.svg|25px]] Swimming 
 | gold_8  = 2  | silver_8  = 1  | bronze_8  = 0  | name_8  = [[Image:Tennis pictogram.svg|25px]] Tennis 
 | gold_9  = 16 | silver_9  = 11 | bronze_9  = 13 | name_9  = [[Image:Athletics pictogram.svg|25px]] Track and Field 
 | gold_10 = 0  | silver_10 = 1  | bronze_10 = 0  | name_10 = [[Image:Volleyball pictogram.svg|25px]] Volleyball 
 | gold_11 = 0  | silver_11 = 0  | bronze_11 = 1  | name_11 = [[Image:Water polo pictogram.svg|25px]] Water polo 
 | gold_12 = 5  | silver_12 = 1  | bronze_12 = 0  | name_12 = [[Image:Weightlifting pictogram.svg|25px]] Weightlifting 
 | gold_13 = 7  | silver_13 = 6  | bronze_13 = 8  | name_13 = [[Image:Wrestling pictogram.svg|25px]] Wrestling 
 | source = <ref name=uspart/>
}}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==Link==
*[http://www.jewishsports.net/the_maccabiah_games.htm Summaries of each of the Games]

{{Maccabiah Games}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:1961 Maccabiah Games}}
[[Category:1961 Maccabiah Games| ]]
[[Category:1961 in multi-sport events|Maccabiah]]
[[Category:1961 in Israeli sport|Maccabiah]]
[[Category:Maccabiah Games]]
[[Category:1960s in Tel Aviv]]