Glickman

Many are aware that the great African American runner Jesse Owens humiliated Hitler when he triumphed during the 1936 Berlin Olympics, but few are likely to be familiar with the related story of one of Owens' teammates, 18-year-old Brooklyn native Marty Glickman. Two days before he was scheduled to compete as part of the U.S. 400-meter relay team, Glickman and teammate Sam Stoller were abruptly pulled in favor of Owens and Ralph Metcalfe; Owens vehemently protested the decision, but to no avail. The fact that Glickman and Stoller were the only Jewish members of the U.S. track team was no coincidence, and Glickman claimed that the Americans were under pressure from their Nazi hosts not to run Jewish athletes (although black runners were apparently not a problem for the Aryan Olympic organizers). More than six decades would pass before the U.S. Olympic Committee formally apologized for how the runners were treated. Filmmaker James L. Freedman's HBO-aired documentary highlights the shameful anti-Semitism of the 1936 Olympics, but also celebrates Glickman's second career as one of the pioneer sportscasters of the postwar years. Glickman's colorful command of the language and his enthusiastic play-by-play descriptions made him a fan favorite across a number of professional sports, and he influenced a second wave of commentators including Marv Albert and Spencer Ross. This is an entertaining documentary that offers a wonderful tribute to Glickman's talents and his ability to re-invent himself. DVD extras include an introduction by Freedman, sports broadcasts by Glickman, and a remembrance by Albert, Bob Costas, and Jim Brown. Highly recommended. Aud: C, P. (P. Hall)