Dual honours for Maccabi basketball legend
AFTER five decades of service to Australia’s sports administration, Tom York OAM was last week honoured with an induction into the Australian Basketball Hall of Fame and life membership with Maccabi NSW.
AFTER five decades of service to Australia’s sports administration, Tom York OAM was last week honoured with an induction into the Australian Basketball Hall of Fame and life membership with Maccabi NSW.
York has held several posts with the Maccabi Basketball Club in Sydney, Maccabi NSW and Maccabi Australia, as well as playing key roles in the success of Basketball Australia and the national team, the Boomers.
“I’m absolutely honoured,” York told The AJN.
“To be in the Hall of Fame together with some wonderful administrators, coaches and players is wonderful.”
The 67-year-old becomes just the second Jewish person on the list, behind Michael Wrublewski, and said he has loved every role he has taken on since beginning his administrative career as treasurer of the JASA – now Maccabi – basketball club in 1963.
“I fell in love with the game, and I loved what I was doing and always wanted to improve,” York said.
“But I worked for it; it didn’t just come naturally to me. I’m a person who sets certain goals and strives to achieve them.”
York admits he has his wife to thank, who allowed him to devote so much of his life to the sport he adores.
“This award would not have been possible if not for the most understanding wife anyone could want,” York said.
“Faye had no idea what she was getting into. When we married the last thing on my mind was to go to 38 sporting trips in 80 countries – including an Olympics, three world championships and five Maccabiah Games.
“But life takes you in so many directions and she was my rock.”
He also joins 12 others as a life member of Maccabi NSW, which honours his 51 years with the Maccabi movement as a player and administrator.
“It’s very rewarding and I don’t do these things to get rewards, so it’s nice to receive them,” York said.
“I am just as passionate about Maccabi today as I was in 1962 … and I’m always happy to lend my years of experience – I won’t say no.”
ASHLEY SHENKER
Photo: Peter Haskin
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