Hallowed Halls: One in an ongoing series of profiles on South Philadelphia’s hall of fame inductees.
Estelle Goldstein can’t walk down a South Philly street without hearing "Hi, Ms. Stella!"
The greetings come from the former athletes — now all grown up — that Goldstein once coached through the Philadelphia Department of Recreation.
The resident of the 300 block of Daly Street coached tennis, basketball, judo and other sports during her 25 years of service at city rec centers.
Following the example set by her late mother, Helen Goldstein, she also was a fine athlete in her own right, lettering in seven sports.
Next month, the mother-daughter duo will receive recognition that transcends the old neighborhood. The Goldsteins will be among nine inductees to the Philadelphia Jewish Sports Hall of Fame at the seventh annual ceremony Nov. 9. The event will be held at the Gershman Y, Broad and Pine streets. The other inductees are Mel Brodsky, Joe Brown, Frank Dolson, Ed Lerner, Al Shier, Dave Smukler and Frank Spellman.
Goldstein said she "almost fell out of my seat" when she received the news in July. She is convinced that her mom, who died of liver cancer in 1996, will be watching the ceremony from above.
"It’s a joyous moment," said Estelle, 66. "She is in my head and in my heart. The ceremony will certainly bring tears in my eyes. I am a very emotional person."
Each of the inductees — or the person representing them — is allotted three minutes to give a speech and thanks. Goldstein is deferring her mother’s honor to close family friend Al Heller.
"I would want to talk 50-60 minutes about my mom, but we only get three minutes," she said. "Al knows as much about my family as I do."
When Estelle gets her turn, she will thank both her parents for helping her excel in sports.
"That was the key that opened many doors," she said.
Estelle Goldstein developed her love for sports at a time when female athletes didn’t have the opportunities they do today, like Division I scholarships and professional leagues.
But it was almost inevitable that she would inherit an athletic gene. Her late father, Fred Goldstein, competed in just about every sport there was, and earned national prominence in swimming. Helen captained seven sports at South Philadelphia High, including swimming, tennis, basketball and softball, and went on to play for the Philadelphia Bobbies, a semi-pro baseball team. The players were paid by the hit — $1 for a single, $5 for a home run.
Like Estelle, Helen used her abilities to help aspiring athletes. That included founding the girls’ branch of the Police Athletic League in 1945, in which she remained active through the mid-1970s. Goldstein was named Mother of the Year in 1947 and ’48 by the Mother’s March on Polio, now the March of Dimes. In ’52, she was named PAL Woman of the Year, the first such honor bestowed by that organization.
Despite the recognition, both Helen and Estelle struggled for opportunities to pursue their interest in sports.
"You were grudgingly accepted, especially if you could play," Estelle said. "I wouldn’t take no for an answer, and my mom wouldn’t take no for an answer. It was better being ‘All-School Yard’ than All-America. The days on the playground were very formative."
Estelle proved a fierce competitor from an early age. At 8, she was playing basketball against 12-year-old boys. She also played on the 1947 PAL championship team that went on to win four straight titles. Like her mom, the standout athlete earned individual recognition that included the National PAL Woman of the Year in 1956.
Estelle’s athletic skills opened doors to compete at the Maccabiah Games in Israel. At the time, girls couldn’t play basketball, so she trained to compete in shot put and javelin. At the 1965 games, she won a silver medal in the javelin and a bronze in the shot put. Four years later, she added a silver medal in the discus.
When basketball was opened to women in 1981, Estelle served as a member of the selection committee for the U.S. team.
She insists her best athletic memories are culled from those 25 years she spent working in South Philadelphia. Among the highlights were guiding Our Lady of Mount Carmel’s fifth- and sixth-grade team to a Catholic Youth Organization championship.
While in the city’s Recreation Department, Estelle Goldstein worked at Murphy Recreation Center, Fourth and Shunk, and Burke Playground, Second and Jackson.
"I probably touched the lives of over 1,000 kids over the course of 25 years," she said. "It was great to go to work and get a paycheck for people smiling and having fun."
She retired in ’83 and started her own consulting business, which includes helping Native Americans start sports programs on reservations.
Goldstein’s many connections over the years mean she will have a huge cheering section at the Nov. 9 induction ceremony. She invited 130 people, including some from North Dakota and California, and expects 25 to attend.
With the hall-of-fame induction, Helen and Estelle Goldstein will join the likes of legends Harry Litwack, a longtime Temple University head basketball coach, and Eddie Gottlieb, a coach of the Philadelphia Warriors basketball team.
"It’s a very humbling and great honor," Estelle said. "It’s probably the most special thing that could possibly happen."
�
For tickets to the seventh annual Jewish Sports Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony and Dinner, being held Nov. 9 at the Gershman Y, Broad and Pine streets, call Sloane Milstein, 215-446-3036, or visit www.pjshf.com.
