Guide to the David "Lefty" Abrams Papers, 1900-1955 (bulk 1915-1920)
- Repository
- Heinz History Center
- Title
- David "Lefty" Abrams Papers,
- Creator
- Abrams, David "Lefty"
- Collection Number
- MSS 536
- Extent
- .25 linear feet (1 box)
- Date
- 1900-1955 (bulk 1915-1920)
- Abstract
- Born on April 7, 1895, David "Lefty" Abrams grew up in the Hill District of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, where a significant population of Jewish immigrants resided. He was a participant in various activities at both the Irene Kaufmann Settlement and Central High School. Abrams played on both the baseball team in the outfield and the basketball team as a forward for the Coffey Club, Central High School, and Carnegie Institute of Technology. He played on the Coffey Club basketball team before becoming captain of the Carnegie Tech basketball team in 1916. He is credited for being the first Jewish man to hold that position.
- Language
- The material in this collection is in English.
- Publisher
- Heinz History Center
- Address
- 1212 Smallman St.
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15222
library@heinzhistorycenter.org
URL: https://www.heinzhistorycenter.org
History
David "Lefty" Abrams was born on April 7, 1895 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and grew up in the Hill District. Lefty Abrams was active at both the Irene Kaufmann Settlement and Central High School. Throughout his high school and college career, he established himself as a well known star athlete playing baseball and basketball for Central High School, Carnegie Institute of Technology and the Coffey Club. As a baseball player, Abrams played left field and dominated the forward position on the basketball team.
Organized in 1910, with a mission to promote "clean living and clean thinking," the Coffey Club sponsored competitive basketball and baseball teams for young Jewish men. The Coffey Club teams were popular on the court, with a strong and often victorious presence. The Coffey Club would play such teams as Oakmont, Westinghouse, Homestead, and the Buhl Club from Sharon, Pennsylvania. Abrams played on the Coffey Club basketball team before becoming captain of the Carnegie Tech basketball team in 1916. He is credited for being the first Jewish man to hold that position.
Lefty Abrams postponed his education at Carnegie Tech and joined the United States aviation corps in early 1918. Due to lack, of players, the Coffey Club teams were disbanded during the duration of the American involvement in World War I. When Abrams returned from the service in 1919, he began playing for the Coffey Club and the Carnegie Tech Skibos.
In 1920, David "Lefty" Abrams graduated from Carnegie Institute of Technology obtaining a degree in engineering. Because he was Jewish, he had a difficult time finding a job in his field. He had previously worked for a cousin whose chain of shoe stores had gone bankrupt during the Depression and decided to pursue that line of work.
In 1936, a good friend of Abrams, Jake Horne, and Abrams went to DuBois, Pennsylvania, to look at a shoe store that was for sale. Abrams did not trust the owner and decided not to buy the store. On the way back, Abrams and Horne passed through Indiana, Pennsylvania, where they saw another shoe store for sale. A bank lent them $10,000, and the family moved to Indiana in 1936, opening Ash's Shoe Store on Philadelphia Street.
Abrams had acquaintances in Indiana from when he had been a basketball player on the Coffey Club and became very involved in the community, including coaching the minor league basketball team. He served on the building committee for the construction of Beth Israel Congregation which stands on the corner of Washington and Fifth Streets in Indiana, Pennsylvania.
David "Lefty" Abrams died in August or September 1982.
Scope and Content Notes
The papers of David "Lefty" Abrams consist primarily of newspaper clippings from his basketball and baseball careers with Central High School, Coffey Club, and Carnegie Institute of Technology, now Carnegie Mellon University. Included in the collection is his yearbook from Central High School, tickets for commencement and program for the 40th reunion in 1955. In relation to his sports career, the collection contains both the scorebook and its transcription from the 1915 and 1916 Coffey Club basketball season, as well as a copy of the memory book that Abrams kept with newspaper clippings from games and photographs dating from 1916 to 1919. The memory book includes photographs of him and others during World War I, in which he served in the United States aviation corps.
Arrangement
- The David "Lefty" Abrams collection is housed in one archival box and arranged in alphabetical order by folder and chronological order within each folder.
Conditions Governing Access
No restrictions.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Gift of Howard Abrams on June 21, 2005.
Gift of Howard Abrams on December 24, 2005.
Physical Characteristics and Technical Requirements
Due to the fragility of the memory book, it has been photocopied for general access and use in the collection. The memory book is currently wrapped as a shelf volume and may be accessed under staff supervision.
Preferred Citation
David "Lefty" Abrams Papers, 1900-1955, MSS#536, Rauh Jewish Archives, Senator John Heinz History Center
Processing Information
This collection was processed by Theresa E. Rea on July 7, 2009.
Conditions Governing Use
Property rights reside with the Senator John Heinz History Center. Literary rights are retained by the creators of the records and their heirs. For permission to reproduce or publish, please contact the Library and Archives of the Senator John Heinz History Center.
Separated Materials
One box of photographs have been separately arranged and described as MSP#536.
Six oversize photographs have been separated and describes as MSR#536.
Two oversize documents have been separated and described as MSO#536.
Subjects
- Ash's Shoe Store
- Irene Kaufmann Settlement
- Central High School
- Carnegie Institute of Technology
- Beth Israel Congregation
- Coffey Club
- Westinghouse
- Abrams, David "Lefty"
- Horne, Jake
- Indiana, (Pa.)
- Sharon, (Pa.)
- DuBois, (Pa.)
- Homestead, (Pa.)
- Oakmont, (Pa.)
- Hill District, Pittsburgh (Pa.)
- Jews--Pennsylvania--Pittsburgh
- Jewish Education--Pennsylvania--Pittsburgh--History
- Jewish Athletics--Basketball--Pennsylvania--Pittsburgh
- Jewish Athletics--Baseball--Pennsylvania--Pittsburgh
- United States Military--Aviation Corps--World War I
- High School Athletics--Pennsylvania--Pittsburgh
- Collegiate Athletics--Pennsylvania--Pittsburgh
- Club Athletics--Pennsylvania--Pittsburgh