Eddy Hamel facts for kids
Hamel in 1925
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| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | October 21, 1902 | ||
| Place of birth | New York City, New York, United States | ||
| Date of death | April 30, 1943 (aged 40) | ||
| Place of death | Auschwitz-Birkenau, German-occupied Poland | ||
| Playing position | Right winger | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 1917-1920 | AFC | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps† | (Gls)† |
| 1920–1922 | AFC | ? | (?) |
| 1922–1930 | Ajax | 125 | (8) |
| Teams managed | |||
| 1932–1933 | Alcmaria Victrix | ||
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Eddy Hamel (born October 21, 1902 – died April 30, 1943) was an American soccer player. He played as a right winger for the Dutch club AFC Ajax. Eddy Hamel was special because he was the first Jewish player for Ajax. Sadly, he was killed by the Nazis in 1943 at Auschwitz concentration camp.
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About Eddy Hamel
Eddy Hamel was born in New York City, New York, USA. His parents, Moses and Eva, were Jewish immigrants from the Netherlands. They had moved to the US in 1901.
When Eddy was just six months old, in 1903, his family moved back to Amsterdam. In 1928, Eddy married Johanna Wijnberg. Later, in 1938, they had twin boys named Paul and Robert.
His Soccer Journey
Playing for AFC and Ajax
As a young player, Eddy Hamel started his soccer journey with a team called Amsterdamsche FC (AFC).
He then joined AFC Ajax in 1922 and played there until 1930. He was a right winger and played in 125 matches. During his time with Ajax, he scored 8 goals.
Ajax fans often call themselves "Joden," which means "Jews" in Dutch. This nickname shows the team's and Amsterdam's connection to Jewish heritage. This tradition started before World War II. At that time, many of the Netherlands' 140,000 Jewish people lived in Amsterdam.
A Fan Favorite
Eddy Hamel became a regular player for Ajax's main team. He was the first Jewish player to play for Ajax's first team. He was also the first American to do so. Only a few other Jewish soccer players have played for Ajax since him.
Eddy was very popular with the fans. A famous player from before World War II, Wim Anderiesen, said Eddy was part of the strongest team he ever played with. Eddy even had his own fan club in the 1920s! His fans would stand on his side of the field during the first half of games. Then, they would switch sides to be with him in the second half.
After Playing
After he stopped playing professionally, Eddy Hamel became a manager. He managed Alcmaria Victrix for three years. He also continued to play soccer with a team of former Ajax players.
His Tragic End
Eddy Hamel was the only player from Ajax's first team who died during the war.
After Nazi Germany took over the Netherlands in May 1940, local groups helped them find Jewish people. Even though Eddy was an American citizen, the Nazis arrested him in late 1942 because he was Jewish.
He was forced to do hard labor for four months at Birkenau. Sadly, during a Nazi health check, he was found to have a swollen mouth. Because of this, the Nazis killed him in a terrible way at Auschwitz concentration camp on April 30, 1943.
A fellow prisoner, Leon Greenman, later shared his memory in a TV show. He said he was right in front of Eddy Hamel during a health check. Eddy told him about his swollen mouth. Leon passed the check, but Eddy was sent to his death because of his health issue. Eddy was one of many Jewish soccer players, including some Olympians, who were killed by the Nazis.
See also
- List of select Jewish football (association) players
