by Ron Kaplan
NJJN Staff Writer

January 10, 2008

Lyle Alzado, the first high-profile player in the NFL to admit to using performance-enhancing drugs, was one of seven Jewish sports figures elected to the International Jewish Sports Hall of Fame.

Alzado, a three-time All-Pro and six-time All-AFC defensive lineman, played for the Denver Broncos, Cleveland Browns, and Los Angeles Raiders from 1971 to 1985. He died in 1992 at age 43 from a brain tumor he had attributed to his use of steroids.

The Hall, which is located on the campus of Israel’s Wingate Institute for Physical Education and Sports in Netanya, has inducted 328 athletes and sports personalities from 24 countries since it opened in 1979.

The rest of the Class of 2008 includes:

• Swimmer Keren Leibowitz, Israel’s most celebrated Paralympic athlete, with four gold, two silver, and one bronze medal in the 2000 and 2004 Paralympics games in Sydney and Athens, respectively.

• Bob Olin, who beat Maxie Rosenbloom in a 15-round match in 1934 to win the world light-heavyweight boxing crown.

• Joe Reichler, the ranking Associated Press baseball writer from 1943 to ’66 and author of more than a dozen books. Reichler was elected to the Major League Baseball Hall of Fame in 1980.

• Al Schacht, a pitcher for the Washington Senators who became known as the Clown Prince of Baseball‚ performing at major- and minor-league ballparks for nearly 50 years.

• Earl Strom, a long-time referee who was elected to the Basketball Hall of Fame in 1955.