Throwback: March 27, 2025

(From the March 27, 1925 issue of The Kansas City Jewish Chronicle)

It was a tired but happy crowd of AZA’s that rolled into Kansas City last Monday. They were happy because the Kansas City chapter of Aleph Zadik Aleph had won first place in both the debate and basketball tournaments held in Omaha, March 21 and 22.

Eight chapters representing eight Middle Western cities sent basketball and debate teams to Omaha to compete in the first annual Aleph Zadik Aleph basketball and tournament. The cities represented were:  Omaha, Neb.; Council Bluffs, Iowa; Gary, Indiana; Lincoln, Neb.; St. Paul, Minn.; Des Moines, Iowa; and Kansas City, Mo. Some of these chapters had eliminated other cities in their own localities.

The first games were held Saturday night in Omaha’s largest high school, Tech high. Three games were played the first night. In the first game, Lincoln, Neb., eliminated Omaha in a slow, uninteresting fracas. The second contest, between St. Paul and Des Moines,  was as full of thrills as the other was unentertaining, and it was only after a hard fight that St. Paul won out. Kansas City demonstrated class in the third game by completely outplaying Council Bluffs by the score of 41-3. It is noteworthy to mention that Council Bluffs did not score a single point until the final five minutes of play.

The second semi-final contest was perhaps the most exciting of the entire tournament. It was only after a fierce struggle that the Kansas City cagers emerged with the right to play in the finals.

The Gary crows also put up a good fight when it met the Kansas City team in the finals. 31-25 was the score, and it might have been different if the lanky Hoosier center had not tired as he did. This lad scored nearly all of Gary’s points. This lad scored nearly all of Gary’s points. In fact, it was the case of five men against one, and the five man team was the victor.

Sidney Magazine, Phil Copland, Lewis Sutin, Julius Peltzman. Harry Kauffman and Isidore Pesmen constituted the championship basketball team. Sid Magazine and Phil Copland were directly responsible for the large scores of the local quintet, while Lewis Sutin and Julius Peltzman came in for their share of the glory. Sidney Magazine and Phil Copland were chosen as forwards on the All-Star team picked by the Omaha Bee. Julius Peltzman made honorable mention.

The debate tournament was no less exciting than was the basketball contest. After three interesting verbal frays, the Kansas City debating emerged with a firm grasp on the first place cup.

William Horowitz  and Philip Klutznick were the Kansas City debaters. Both are experienced speakers, and their forceful delivery, superior rebuttals and better material assured them of a comparatively easy victory. William Horowitz made the varsity debate team at the University of Kansas this year, while Philip Klutznick is a member of the freshman squad at the same school.

By winning the first annual tournament, the basketball team secured possession of the Malashock Cup and the debate team acquired the Simon Memorial Cup. Individual gold medals were also awarded to the six basketball players and the two debaters.

Harry Brenner, Max Wolfe, Joe Levy, Morris Abrams and Isaac Rabinowitz made up the moral support of both debate and basketball teams. Morris H. Sogolow, physical director of the YMYWA, coached the basketball team. Members of the team say that had it not been for Mr. Sogolow, the local AZA would not be in possession of the first place cup.

The members of the team desire to take this opportunity to thank Coach M.H. Sogolow for the aid and advice he tendered them.

See the box score from The Omaha Morning Bee.

Read the recap from The Omaha Jewish Press.