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This Year's Inductees
Michigan Jewish Sports Foundation

Michigan Jewish Sports Foundation 25th Anniversary Hall of Fame Induction Gala Hall of Fame Class of 2009

Stephen D. Greenberg joined Allen & Company as a Managing Director in January 2002, focusing on the sports and media industries, as he has throughout his business career. Mr. Greenberg has represented the owners of the Milwaukee Brewers, the Cincinnati Reds and the Atlanta Braves in the sales of those baseball teams; the Wilpon family in the acquisition of 100% of the New York Mets; Dan Gilbert in the acquisition of the Cleveland Cavaliers; the New York Mets in the formation of a regional sports network in New York (SNY) as well as the Mets historic Citi Field naming rights deal; the White Sox, Cubs, Bulls and Black Hawks in the formation of a regional network in Chicago (Comcast SportsNet Chicago); the Big Ten Conference on the creation of a Big Ten Cable Network in partnership with Fox Sports; and Major League Baseball on a variety of television-related matters, including the formation of the MLB Network. Mr. Greenberg also advised PBS on its joint venture with Sesame Street Workshop and Comcast leading to the creation of the PBS Sprout Network. Immediately prior to joining Allen & Company, Mr. Greenberg was the Co-founder and Chairman of Fusient Media Ventures, a New York-based sports and media company. Prior to starting Fusient, Mr. Greenberg and his business partner Brian Bedol co-founded Classic Sports Network in 1993, one of the few successful independently owned new cable networks launched in the 1990's, featuring "classic" sporting events licensed from virtually all of the major sports organizations in America. Soon after its launch in 1994, the network began to attract the attention of sports fans, national advertisers and other media companies. In 1997, Greenberg and his partner sold Classic Sports Network to ESPN, the cable sports juggernaut and division of The Walt Disney Company. Mr. Greenberg stayed on at ESPN until the end of 1998, during which time he helped to oversee the smooth transition of Classic Sports into the ESPN portfolio of networks. Now known as ESPN Classic, the network is currently carried in more than 70 million cable and satellite television homes throughout the United States. Mr. Greenberg also teamed with Mr. Bedol to co-found CSTV: College Sports Television, a 24-hour cable network devoted exclusively to college sports and college athletes, which was launched in April 2003, with Mr. Greenberg serving as its non-executive Chairman. CSTV was sold to CBS, Inc. in January 2006. Drawing on his love for baseball and his extensive legal and business experience, Mr. Greenberg previously served as the Deputy Commissioner and Chief Operating Officer of Major League Baseball under Commissioner Fay Vincent from 1990 until 1993. Prior to MLB, Mr. Greenberg practiced law from 1977 through the end of 1989 with the Los Angeles firm of Manatt, Phelps & Phillips where he specialized in Sports and General Business Law and served as the firm's managing partner in 1987 and 1988. The son of baseball legend and Hall-of-Famer Hank Greenberg, Steve played first base and was captain of the baseball team during his undergraduate years at Yale University. After college, he was drafted by the Washington Senators and spent five years playing for minor league affiliates of the Senators (who later became the Texas Rangers). Subsequently, he enrolled at UCLA Law School where he earned his J.D. degree in 1977.

Kathryn Krickstein-Pressel (of Blessed Memory) had a long career in tennis, encompassing tournament play, coaching, and administration. As a junior player, she won several State of Michigan championships and also played Number One on her high school boy's tennis team. On the national level, Kathy was runner-up in the 18 and under National Girl's Doubles. She also won the State of Michigan Women's Doubles and twice the Michigan Mixed Doubles Championship. Kathy played on the University of Michigan Women's Tennis Team and won several Big Ten tennis championships for the Wolverines. After graduation, she was a Tennis Director at the famed Nick Bollettieri Tennis Academy, where she ran national junior tournaments and led the college scholarship program. She coached and traveled to tournaments with many players, including Andre Agassi, Jim Courier, Carling Bassett, and her brother, Aaron, himself a member of the Michigan Jewish Sports Hall of Fame. For many years, Kathy was Director of Operations and Director of Tennis at Harbor Island Athletic Club in Tampa, Florida. While there, she directed several sanctioned men's professional tournaments for the US Tennis Association. Unfortunately, Kathy's life was cut short by breast cancer. She had three children — Morgan, Madison, and Mitchell. Morgan plays on the LPGA Tour, and in the last two years, she has raised over one million dollars through her Morgan and Friends Golf Tournaments and Polo Pink Pony shirt sales, all to honor her mother, Kathy, in the fight against breast cancer.

Dr. Stuart Kirschenbaum was the State of Michigan's Boxing Commissioner for 11 years (1981 to 1992), the second longest tenure in State history. As Commissioner, he was instrumental in the establishment of federal regulations for boxing and co-founded the Association of Boxing Commissions, which sets standards and regulates all state boxing commissions. He judged over a dozen world boxing championships. As an outstanding amateur boxer, Kirschenbaum won a medal in the 1967 NY Golden Gloves light heavyweight division. In 1993, Sports Illustrated and the Detroit Institute of Arts, honored Kirschenbaum as the recipient of the Joe Louis Award in recognition of his humanitarian efforts. Stuart Kirschenbaum serves on the Michigan Jewish Sports Foundation Board of Governors and is a MJSF past President. He is past Vice President of the Michigan Sports Hall of Fame and on the boards of the International African-American Sports Hall of Fame, Advisory Board of the Athletes with Disabilities Hall of Fame, and Founder and President of the Michigan Boxing Hall of Fame. Dr. Kirschenbaum earned his medical degree in 1970 from the New York College of Podiatric Medicine. He is a practicing podiatrist in Detroit.

Richard A. Loewenstein was a two sport standout from 1978-1982 at Babson College (in Wellesley, Massachusetts), earning him Outstanding Senior Athlete (1982), the Colin "Chip" Brown Freshman Athlete of the Year Award (1979), and the George Macy Wheeler Award for the student who "best represents the qualities of naturalness, sincerity, friendliness, persistence, and loyalty" (1982). A three-time captain of the baseball team, with a second all-time career batting average of .374 and fourth all-time season batting average of .431, Loewenstein earned four varsity letters and Most Valuable Player and All New England selections in 1982. He played in the prestigious Cape Cod Baseball League, finishing the season with a .389 average in the summer of 1981. Loewenstein's collegiate hockey career included four varsity letters and a trip to the NCAA tournament. As a student athlete at Cranbrook School, Rick Loewenstein's achievements included: three varsity letters, team captain (1978), All-Conference (1976) in baseball; three varsity letters, team captain (1978), All-State selection (1978) in hockey; and two varsity letters and an All-State selection (1978) in soccer. Rick's passion for sports has continued into adulthood, being selected as a 2008 Inductee to the Detroit Men's Senior Baseball League Hall of Fame (over .500 lifetime batting average in league). In 2001, he was selected to the USA Men's Fastpitch Softball team for the World Maccabiah Games in Israel; however, the team did not participate in the Games due to the Palestinian conflict. He served as a Youth Baseball coach from 1996 to 2006 and a Youth Hockey coach from 1996 to 2009. He appeared in Sports Illustrated magazine in 1981 and 1999, and is presently a rookie USA Hockey on-ice official. Off the fields of play, Rick Loewenstein has distinguished himself in the world of business: Crain's Detroit Business "40 under 40" and Leadership Detroit XIX. Following a career in executive management in the food industry, he became President of Gleaners Community Food Bank, and the Chief Advancement Officer of Cranbrook Educational Community. In 2008, Rick became Chief Executive Officer of JARC, a Farmington Hills based nonprofit, nonsectarian agency dedicated to enabling people with disabilities to live full, dignified lives in the community.

Dr. Steven Rosen was a natural in many sports from a young age including baseball, basketball, tennis, and track. Prior to attending the University of Michigan, Steve was a track star at Mt. Clemens High School, winning the Macomb County championship in the high jump and was the runner-up in the 180 yard hurdles in 1967, during his senior year. At the University of Michigan, he competed on the track team. Freshmen were not eligible for varsity competition, but at the final meet for all state of Michigan freshman at Eastern Michigan University, in 1968, Steve placed in the long, triple, and high jump events as well as the low hurdles and made the final heat of the 60 yard dash. During his sophomore and senior years, he placed in the Big Ten Championships and in most dual meets and several invitational meets. He lettered in track at the University of Michigan in 1971. Steve went on to graduate from Wayne State Medical School and practiced Radiology from 1978-2006. He won teaching awards at North Oakland Medical Center and had an article published. He still teaches occasionally at NOMC. In 1993, Rosen played as a starter for the U.S.A. basketball squad in the 35 and over division of the Maccabiah International Games in Israel which included former college players. He made the 200l team, as well. Steve continues to be involved with Michigan track as an official for the University of Michigan track program.

Alvin Foon Humanitarian Award

Emanuel Steward has enjoyed great success in the sport of boxing. He began boxing at the age of eight and won consecutive Detroit amateur championships until the age of 18. In 1963, he won the U.S. National Golden Gloves Tournament of Champions in Chicago, leading Detroit to its first team title in 24 years. Emanuel's talent as a boxing trainer and manager transformed Kronk Recreation Center in Detroit from a neighborhood recreation center, to the most famous boxing gym in the world. He has trained/managed 39 Professional World Champions and 6 Olympic Gold Medal Winners. In 1996, Steward was inducted into the International and Michigan Boxing Hall of Fame. Today he is a distinguished boxing broadcaster for HBO, while continuing to work with young boxers at the Kronk Gym.

Jewish News High School Athletes of the Year
Bill Hertz Memorial Scholarship Award

In addition to the Class of 2009 Hall of Fame and Alvin Foon honorees, the MJSF will also honor the Jewish News High School Male Athlete of the Year: co-winners Eric Fishman, Cranbrook Schools, and Eric Glanz, Walled Lake Central H.S; the Jewish News High School Female Athlete of the Year Abigail Cohen, Cranbrook Schools; and the Bill Hertz Memorial Scholarship Award winner Michelle Lapin, Berkley H.S.

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