Eddy Hamel

Infobox Football biography
playername = Eddy Hamel


fullname = Edward Hamel
dateofbirth = October 21, 1902
cityofbirth = New York
countryofbirth = United States
dateofdeath = death date and age|1943|4|30|1902|10|21
cityofdeath = Auschwitz
countryofdeath = Poland
position = Right Winger
youthyears =
youthclubs = AFC Amsterdam
years = 1922-1930
clubs = AFC Ajax
caps(goals) = 0125 0(8)
manageryears = 1932-1935
managerclubs = Alcmaria Victrix

Eddy Hamel (21 October 1902 - 30 April 1943) was a Jewish football player for Dutch club AFC Ajax.

Die-hard Ajax supporters call themselves "Joden" — Dutch for "Jews" — a nickname that reflects both the team's and the city's Jewish heritage. This nickname for Ajax fans dates back to before World War II, when Amsterdam was home to most of the Netherlands' 140,000 Jews.

Hamel was the first Jewish player for Ajax. Born in New York, he moved to Amsterdam in his teenage years. As a right winger, Hamel became a first team regular for Ajax. He was the first player with a Jewish background who made it to the first team, and to date only three others have followed in his footsteps. Hamel was a fan favourite and was cited by pre-World War II club legend Wim Anderiesen as part of the strongest line-up he ever played with.

After his retirement as a player, he managed Alcmaria Victrix for three years and continued to play in an Ajax veteran squad.

Unfortunately, he was also to become the club's only war victim who played for the first team of Ajax. He was murdered in the Auschwitz concentration camp on 30 April 1943.

External links

* [http://www.ajax-usa.com/history/kuper/the-warm-back-of-eddy-hamel.html The warm back of Eddy Hamel (article)]