{{Short description|South African rugby union player}} {{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}} {{Infobox rugby biography | name = Louis Babrow | image = | image_size = | birth_name = | birth_date = {{birth date|1915|04|24|df=y}} | birth_place = Smithfield, Free State <!--| birth_date = {{birth date|1915|04|24|df=y}}--> | death_date = {{death date and age|2006|01|26|1915|04|24|df=y}} | death_place = Rondebosch, Cape Town | height = {{convert|1.77|m|abbr=on}} | weight = {{convert|74.84|kg|abbr=on}} | occupation = Medical doctor | school = Grey College, Bloemfontein | university = Cape Town University<br />Guy's Hospital | position = | currentclub = | amatyears1 = | amatteam1 = | years1 = | apps1 = | points1 = | provinceyears1 = 1935–1936 | province1 = Western Province | provinceapps1 = | provincepoints1 = | repyears1 = 1937 | repteam1 = South Africa | repcaps1 = 5 | reppoints1 = 9 | repupdate = }} '''Louis Babrow''' (24 April 1915 – 26 January 2004)<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.espnscrum.com/southafrica/rugby/player/4507.html | title=Louis Babrow | work=ESPNscrum | publisher=ESPN | access-date=3 February 2011}}</ref> was a South African rugby union player and medical doctor.<ref name=Godwin>Godwin, p32</ref>

==Personal life== Babrow was Jewish.<ref name="MaccabiahUSArugby">{{Cite web|url=http://www.maccabiusa.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=category&sectionid=15&id=50&Itemid=93|title=Maccabi USA {{!}} Building Jewish Pride Through Sports|website=www.maccabiusa.com|language=en-US|access-date=2018-01-03}}</ref> His great-granddaughter is Sarah Levy, a South-African born American Olympic bronze medalist, rugby union and rugby sevens player.<ref name=spr>Jaime Uranovsky (February 1, 2022). [https://cjc.org.za/2022/02/01/cape-town-born-sarah-levy-shines-in-the-international-rugby-arena/ "Cape Town-born Sarah Levy shines in the international rugby arena,"] ''Cape Jewish Chronicle''.</ref>

==Playing career== Babrow attended, and played for, Grey College, Bloemfontein and the University of Cape Town in South Africa, as well as Guy's Hospital in England, where he finished his medical training.<ref name=Godwin/> He later played for Western Province and {{nrut|South Africa}}.<ref name=Godwin/>

In 1937, Babrow faced the dilemma of whether or not to play a game against {{nrut|New Zealand}} on Yom Kippur, a Jewish holy day. In the end, Babrow played, with the rationale that he was playing in New Zealand, not his homeland:

:"''I'm a South African Jew, not a New Zealand Jew and New Zealand is eight hours before South Africa in time. When we are playing our holy day will not yet have dawned in South Africa''".<ref name=Quandary>{{cite web|url=http://www.espnscrum.com/southafrica/rugby/story/123712.html| title=Babrow's quandary | work=EPSNScrum | publisher=ESPN | access-date=24 April 2011}}</ref>

At 22, Babrow was the youngest member of the touring party.<ref name=Quandary/> One of Babrow's cross-kicks set up a try for Ferdie Bergh to score.<ref name=Quandary/> He recalled that some members of the Springbok party were Greyshirt sympathisers, but that he never experienced anti-semitism on the tour.<ref name=Quandary/>

=== Test history === {| class="wikitable sortable" |- ! No. !! Opponents !! Results<br />(SA 1st) !! Position !! Tries !! Dates !! Venue |- | 1. || {{ru|AUS}} || align="center"|9–5 || Centre || || 26 Jun 1937|| Sydney Cricket Ground, Sydney |- style="background: #D0E6FF;" | 2. || {{ru|AUS}} || align="center"|26–17 || Centre || align="center"|1 || 17 Jul 1937 || Sydney Cricket Ground, Sydney |- | 3. || {{ru|NZL}} || align="center"|7–13 || Centre || || 14 Aug 1937 ||Athletic Park, Wellington |- style="background: #D0E6FF;" | 4. || {{ru|NZL}} || align="center"|13–6 || Centre || || 4 Sep 1937 || Lancaster Park, Christchurch |- | 5. || {{ru|NZL}} || align="center"| 17–6 || Centre || align="center"|2 || 25 Sep 1937 || Eden Park, Auckland |}

==Personal life and opinions== Babrow was the cousin of Morris Zimerman, the first Jewish Springbok.

Babrow was a lifelong opponent of apartheid, campaigning for the release of Bram Fischer, the radical lawyer, and against the whitewashing of the Steve Biko affair.<ref name=Quandary/>

In 2004 he said: :"''Rugby in South Africa has always had its prejudices and it could take another 20 years until those issues are sorted out in the game. But if you look at the game in the country now, for the first time ever there is not one Jewish player in the Currie Cup [in 2004].''

:"''It used to be a good luck superstition for the Boks to have at least one Jewish player and a policeman in the side. Now there are neither.''"<ref name=Concern/>

In 2004, Babrow voiced concern that rugby was becoming mainly an Afrikaner sport in South Africa.<ref name=Concern>{{cite web | url=http://www.espnscrum.com/scrum/rugby/story/51220.html | title=SA veteran concerned for rugby's future | work=EPSNScrum | publisher=ESPN | access-date=24 April 2011}}</ref>

==Professional career== Babrow was an elected member of the Medical and Dental Council for 21 years, and was on the University of Cape Town council for 25 years.<ref name=Quandary/>

==See also== *List of select Jewish rugby union players *List of South Africa national rugby union players – Springbok no. '''246'''

==Bibliography== * Godwin, Terry ''The Complete Who's Who of International Rugby'' (Blandford Press, England, 1987, {{ISBN|0-7137-1838-2}}) * {{cite book| last = Richards| first = Huw| title = A Game for Hooligans: The History of Rugby Union| publisher = Mainstream Publishing| year = 2007| location = Edinburgh| url = https://archive.org/details/gameforhooligans0000rich| isbn = 978-1-84596-255-5| url-access = registration}}

==References== {{Reflist}}

==External links== * [http://www.scrum.com/scrum/rugby/story/51220.html SA veteran concerned for rugby's future] * [https://web.archive.org/web/20120306000103/http://www.rugbyrugby.com/news/story_211209190400.php Book review: The Glory of the Game], about the Ten Jewish Springboks. * [http://www.genslin.us/bokke/PlayerData.aspx?PlayerID=172 Springbok Rugby Hall of Fame - Louis Babrow] {{1937 Springboks}} {{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Babrow, Louis}} Category:South African rugby union players Category:South Africa international rugby union players Category:Jewish rugby union players Category:Jewish South African anti-apartheid activists Category:South African anti-apartheid activists Category:South African anti-racism activists Category:20th-century South African medical doctors Category:University of Cape Town alumni Category:People from Mohokare Local Municipality Category:1915 births Category:2004 deaths Category:Jewish South African sportspeople Category:Stormers players Category:Rugby union players from the Free State (province) Category:Rugby union centres Category:Alumni of Grey College, Bloemfontein Category:Guy's Hospital RFC players Category:20th-century South African sportsmen