Kesher Talk

When the Kansas City Royals picked up relief pitcher Al Levine from the Tampa Bay Devil Rays ... manager Tony Pena probably didn't realize he was bringing aboard the third Jewish player in Royals history.

Pena caught Levine when both were players with the Chicago White Sox in 1996. At that time, Pena was at the end of a long and distinguished career and Levine was a rookie. This year, as Royals manager, Pena coveted the 35-year-old right-hander's slider and made him the third recent addition to the Royals bullpen, following Curtis Leskanic and Graeme Lloyd.

Levine (pronounced with a long "I") said in an interview Sunday he was happy to get the news, going from a last-place team to one in first place and a pennant race.

("Jewish Royalty," by Rick Hellman, Kansas City Jewish Chronicle, Aug. 8, 2003)

posted by William @ 8/26/2003 08:48:44 AM