Stan Friedland, a resident of Syosset, recently published his second book entitled Play it Again Sam, which was published by Xlibris Corporation.

During a discussion with his personal physician, Bob Schoenfeld, in Feb. 2003, Friedland revealed that he went to Thomas Jefferson High School. Dr. Schoenfeld then realized a family connection - Friedland went to high school with his father Sam Schoenfeld.

Friedland remembered Sam Schoenfeld. Sam was a famous and legendary coach and also a legendary basketball player, camp owner, college official and made unbelievable contributions to the game of basketball.

Bob Schoenfeld knew that Friedland wrote a book, which was an autobiographical memoir of his growing up in an orphanage in Brooklyn. That book was called An Orphan Has Many Parents and was published in 1998. The book sold out its first printing edition.

Bob Schoenfeld had compiled a family library of newspaper clippings about his father that he had discovered after his mother had died. He approached Friedland about writing a book about his father Sam Schoenfeld. Play it Again Sam was the result.

Friedland explained that the phrase "Play it Again Sam" was used in the 1950s by Woody Allen. After checking the copyright trademark process, Friedland found that the trademark expired years earlier. "It was a title too good to pass up," he said.

According to Friedland, the book describes the early part of the culture of the 20th century including when basketball was invented in 1891 in Massachusetts. "Along comes this wave of immigrants from Eastern Europe and they settled in dense ghettos in New York City where there is no room for anything but a basketball court," said Friedland. "Basketball became the centerpiece of growing up in a ghetto, whether you were Jewish, Irish-Catholic - you had a basketball court. It quickly became a sport of first generation Americans - Jewish, Irish etc. In the early part of the 20th century, Jewish kids dominated the sport. It was their entry into a society and assimilation into American society."

Friedland went on to explain that the book uses basketball to describe the culture of the early part of the 20th century. "When we get into the Depression years, basketball games became part of the social theme in the Jewish community center," he said. "There were dances and basketball games at a good price. They were the professional basketball scene at the time and Sam Schoenfeld dominated. He was one of the most sought after athletes. He was likable and very skilled. He was an excellent coach and leader. Whenever he was going to appear in a JCC, he sold out the show."

Sam Schoenfeld went on to become a very successful high school coach at Thomas Jefferson High School in Brooklyn. He went onto Columbia University and led them to an Ivy League title and he was all-Ivy League. He then went on to play professional sports while assuming his coaching responsibilities at Thomas Jefferson High School. "He immediately catapulted Thomas Jefferson into one of the top high school teams in the city for many years that he was there," said Friedland. "And, as if he wasn't busy enough, he became one of the top collegiate basketball officials at Madison Square Garden."

Sam Schoenfeld died in 1956 at the age of 49 from a sudden onset of pancreatic cancer. After his death, the Sam Schoenfeld Memorial Award for Excellence in Sportsmanship was established. "Fifty-eight years later it is still one of the most prestigious awards given to a collegiate team and coach who exemplifies the outstanding features of good sportsmanship," said Friedland. "The impact of Schoenfeld on the game of basketball during his life was great, and it is just as great now. The book has become the centerpiece for our application for Sam Schoenfeld's candidacy to the National Hall of Fame in Springfield, Massachusetts."

Friedland has a doctorate from Columbia University and is a retired high school principal with a 34-year career in education. He has presented many workshops and seminars throughout the country. Friendland has written extensively in the field of education. Stan and his wife have four children and three grandchildren. His book Play it Again Sam is available at bookstores and on-line now.