Zeke Frumin - Knoxville Jewry's baseball hero

The Jewish Post - December 28, 1945

I'd never heard of Zeke Frumin, so off I went to my usual research haunts.

I was able to find a Seamore Frumine and his family living in Chattanooga at the time of the 1930 Census.

Year: 1930; Census Place: Chattanooga, Hamilton, Tennessee; Roll: 2250; Page: 15A; Enumeration District: 0008; Image: 806.0; FHL microfilm: 2341984 Description Enumeration District : 8; Description: CHATTANOOGA CITY, WARD 2 (PART), BOUNDED BY (N) W. 6TH; (E) MARKET; (S) W. 9TH, CARLILE PL., WARD LINE; (W) BOYNTON TR. Source Information Ancestry.com. 1930 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2002. Original data: United States of America, Bureau of the Census. Fifteenth Census of the United States, 1930. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1930. T626, 2,667 rolls.

I found Seymore Frumin in the Chattanooga High School annual for 1937.

The Dynamo (1937)
Ancestry.com. U.S., School Yearbooks, 1880-2012 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2010. Original data: Various school yearbooks from across the United States.

Why the change of names from Seymour (and variants) to Zelig/Zeke (and variants) I cannot explain.

I was able to find Zelik and his family living in Chattanooga at the time of the 1940 Census.

Year: 1940; Census Place: Chattanooga, Hamilton, Tennessee; Roll: T627_3951; Page: 13A; Enumeration District: 96-16 Description Enumeration District : 96-16; Description: CIVIL DISTRICT 1, CHATTANOOGA CITY WARD 4 (AREA A - PART) Source Information Ancestry.com. 1940 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2012. Original data: United States of America, Bureau of the Census. Sixteenth Census of the United States, 1940. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1940. T627, 4,643 rolls.

His player page at Baseball-Reference doesn't list a place of birth.  The census images above indicate Poland.

After his baseball career was over Zeke was in Knoxville, playing basketball for the Jewish Community Center.

The Knoxville News-Sentinel - February 17, 1947

Zeke passed away in 2015.  Below is his obituary as it appeared in The Knoxville News-Sentinel.

FRUMIN, ZELIG (ZEKE) - 94, formerly of Knoxville, passed away Saturday, January 17, 2015, at his home in Sarasota, FL. He was a long time member of Heska Amuna Synagogue. Zeke was a loving husband to Rosie Cooper Frumin (deceased), and a devoted father and Papa to his family. He was a lifelong sports fan having played second base for the Chicago Cubs minor league from 1943-1947. In later years, he was an avid tennis player, a devoted UT fan, and a dedicated cheerleader for the Atlanta Braves. Zeke is preceded in death by his parents Dora and Sol Frumin; sister, Ann Busch, and brother, Walter Frumin. He is survived by his brother, Isidore Frumin of Chattanooga, his daughters and sons-in-law, Joani and Gary Leeds and Ardell Terry and Jim Atsaides; grandchildren and spouses, Jennifer Zlotogura (Pete) Littleton, Michel Zlotogura (Ken) Morrow, Jonathan (Carmen) Terry, and Ben (Lynn) Terry; great-grandchildren Zoe Littleton, Lauren Knight, and Emma and Dustin Terry. Family and friends will meet Wednesday at 9:45 AM at the New Jewish Cemetery for a 10:00 AM graveside service with Rabbi Alon Ferency officiating. Pallbearers: Jim Atsaides, Arnold Cohen, Gary Leeds, Pete Littleton, Ken Morrow, Ben Terry, and Jonathan Terry. The family request that in lieu of flowers, memorial donations be made to the Pat Summitt Foundation at patsummitt.org, Heska Amuna Synagogue at heskaamjna.org, or Tidewell Hospice at tidewell.org. Online condolences may be sent to www.rosemortuary.com. Arrangements by Rose Mortuary Mann Heritage Chapel. Knoxville News Sentinel (TN) - Tuesday, January 20, 2015