Louis Bookman - Biography

Louis Bookman (6 November 1890 – 10 June 1943), also known as Louis Buckhalter or Louis Buchalter, was a Lithuanian Jewish footballer and cricketer who represented his adopted country, Ireland, at both sports. The Buchalter family emigrated from Lithuania to Ireland in the 1890s to escape anti-Semitism and subsequently changed their name to Bookman.

Football career

Louis Bookman came on the public scene as a teenager, playing football for the Dublin Jewish team, Adelaide, (named after the large Adelaide Road synagogue). Adelaide, captained by William Woolfson (later founder and long time CEO of a prominent Irish industrial firm) were the winners of the All Ireland Under-18 Football Cup in 1908, and the first Jewish team to make history. It was from this beginning that Bookman went on to a professional sports life.

Club career

Bookman began his senior football career with Belfast Celtic before joining English side Bradford City in 1911. He failed to establish himself as a first team regular at City, making just 32 First League appearances in three seasons. In 1914 Bookman joined West Bromwich Albion but his football career was interrupted by the outbreak of the First World War. During the war he returned to Ireland to play for Glentoran and Shelbourne.

After the war Bookman was bought by Luton Town for £875, where despite being over thirty, he enjoyed the most successful spell of his football career. In September 1923 he was signed by Second Division Port Vale for a £250 fee. He lost his first team place in December that year and was released at the end of the season.

Bookman returned to Ireland and signed for Shelbourne.

International career

In 1911 while playing for Belfast Celtic, Bookman gained an Irish amateur cap. In 1914 Bookman, together with Val Harris, Patrick O’Connell, Billy Gillespie and Bill Lacey was a member of the Ireland team that won the British Home Championship. He won the first of four caps for Ireland in a 2–1 win against Wales on 1 January. He won a further three caps in 1921, including an impressive 1–1 draw with England on 22 October at Windsor Park.

Cricket career

Bookman played cricket for the Railway Union Cricket Club, the Leinster Cricket Club and Bedfordshire. A left-handed batsman and left-arm spin bowler, Bookman made his debut for Ireland in a first-class match against Scotland in July 1920, and went onto play for Ireland on fourteen occasions. He played in eight more first-class matches, including a match against the West Indies. His last match was against Sir Julien Cahn's XI in July 1930.

Honours

Football

with Glentoran

• Irish Cup runner-up: 1915–16
• County Antrim Shield winner: 1915–16

with Belfast Celtic

• Charity Cup runner-up: 1910–11

with Shelbourne

• Leinster Senior Cup winner: 1918–19
• Leinster Senior League champion: 1918–19

with Ireland

• British Champions: 1
  • 1914

External links

• Profile at CricketEurope Stats Zone
• Profile at Cricket Archive
• Profile at Cricinfo