Avram Barokas (25 July 1926 – 4 July 2003), known as with his given nickname Börek, was a Turkish international basketball player, coach and

horse racing Horse racing is an equestrian performance sport, typically involving two or more horses ridden by jockeys (or sometimes driven without riders) over a set distance for competition. It is one of the most ancient of all sports, as its basic p ...

enthusiast.

Career

Barokas started to play basketball as a team player at men's basketball branch of

Beşiktaş J.K. Beşiktaş Jimnastik Kulübü (), also known simply as Beşiktaş (), is a Turkish sports club founded in 1903 that is based in the Beşiktaş district of Istanbul. The club's football team is one of the Big Three in Turkey and one of the most ...

, where he was promoted to senior squad at the age of 13. He won Istanbul Basketball League both under Galatasaray and

Beyoğlu S.K. Beyoğlu (, ota, بك‌اوغلی, script=Arab) is a district on the European side of İstanbul, Turkey, separated from the old city (historic peninsula of Constantinople) by the Golden Horn. It was known as the region of Pera (Πέρα, meani ...

squads. Barokas represented Turkey at international competitions, earning total of 23 caps. He competed at EuroBasket 1949 where Turkey finished the tournament at 4th place. He was also in Turkey's squad at EuroBasket 1951 in which Turkey earned 6th place. Following his basketball career, he was involved in horse racing competitions in Turkey. He owned horses as well as being a member of the board of directors at the

Jockey Club of Turkey Jockey Club of Turkey (Turkish: ''Türkiye Jokey Kulübü'', TJK) was founded on 2 November 1950. The club was recognized as public benefit society by the resolution of Council of Ministers in 1953 and named as Jockey club of Turkey by adding the ...

Personal life

Barokas was born in Bakırköy, Istanbul, to

Turkish-Jewish The history of the Jews in Turkey ( tr, Türkiye Yahudileri or ; he, יהודים טורקים, Yehudim Turkim; lad, Djudios Turkos) covers the 2400 years that Jews have lived in what is now Turkey. There have been Jewish communities in An ...

parents Reyna and Samuel Barokas. He studied at Ulus Private Jewish High School ( tr, Ulus Özel Musevi Lisesi). He married Suzet Meyohas in 1952 and the couple welcomed their daughter, Cina, in 1952. Barokas passed away on 4 July 2003. His funeral was held at Neve Shalom Synagogue and he was buried in Ulus Jewish Cemetery.

Legacy

The Jockey Club of Turkey organizes an annual "Avram Barokas Derby".

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Barokas, Avram 1926 births 2003 deaths 20th-century Turkish Jews Basketball players from Istanbul Jewish basketball players Turkish men's basketball players Beşiktaş men's basketball players Galatasaray S.K. (men's basketball) players