First Racial Incident at Israeli Sport Event

The first publicized racial-incident during a basketball game in Israel took place on the night of December 10 in the Yod Eliyahu Stadium where the heavily favored Tel Aviv Maccabi five defeated their arch rival, the Hapoel Tel Aviv team by a score of 90-87. During the game, vociferous Hapoel fans shouted racial slurs at Aulcie Perry and Earn Williams, the Black stars of the Tel Aviv Maccabis.

It was a home game of the Hapoel club and the preponderance of the fans were from that group’s organization. They repeatedly yelled the Hebrew equivalent of the opprobrious English slur, “nigger.” Perry, who converted to Judaism, understands enough Hebrew to know what the tans were calling him and he passed it on to Williams. The game was a rough one which the Maccabis managed to win in the closing moments.

Immediately after the final whistle, Perry, normally a placid individual, hurled a basketball into the stomach of Schmuel Nachmias, of the Hapoel term. Nachmias responded by spitting in Perry’s face, whereupon Williams rushed to the aid of his fellow-American and a near riot ensued before both teams were cleared from the floor.

PLAYERS SUSPENDED

The Israel Basketball Federation’s Arbitration Board held a he ring last Thursday that lasted 11 hours. Testimony was offered by Alberto Allon, physical therapy specialist at the Wingate School of Physical Education. The Board subsequently ordered Perry and Williams suspended for the next ten league games. Nachmias was suspended for the next four Hapoel games and the Hapoel organization was fined IL 15,000 because the game was played at its home court and the crowd was unruly.

Sports writers in the Israeli press were disturbed by the severe penalty imposed on the Maccabi team which could, conceivably lose enough games without the aid of the Black stars in the upcoming league schedule to drop them to last place. This would eliminate the Maccabis from the National League and relegate them to what is referred to as the First League, the American equivalent of the minor league.

The Prony is that Maccabi represents Israel in the European Cup Play and has been performing beautifully in the elimination tournaments that will end some time in April. It had been a foregone conclusion that the Tel Aviv Maccabis would be a finalist in the European Cup championship competition which it won in 1977. Israeli sports writers cannot understand the severe penalty imposed on the nation’ premier team.

Both Perry and Williams are former professionals. As recently as last year, Williams played 23 games for the Boston Celtics, while Perry was a steady performer for the Virginia entry in the ABA and had been working with the New York Knicks prior to signing on with the Maccabis two years ago. After he converted to Judaism, it became possible for the Tel Aviv Maccabis to latch on to Williams who was approved by the Federation of International Basketball Association, permitting him to revert to amateur standing.