ME AND ‘’DAN THE MAN”

By Harvey Tobkes

Let me preface this story with this tidbit…way back in 1990 Dan Marino bought a Mercedes from our dealership. I was not the selling salesman as he dealt directly with the owner, but when I asked if he would take a picture shaking hands with me he was nice enough to agree.

As it turned out, we began the conversation with the usual sports chit chat and then in a husky voice made even more so by booze, (Dan likes a drink or 2 or 4) he said…”Harv, you look like a nice guy so I’m going to tell you a secret…I am Jewish and had my Bar-Mitzvah back in Beaver Falls, Pennsylvania. Oh! In case you’re wondering, our original family name was Marinofsky. Anyway, i’ll never forget that night, you know why? That night at my own Bar-Mitzvah party, that was when I threw my first completed pass, as someone yelled “pass the challah Dan” (challa: a loaf of bread that is usually braided or twisted before baking and is traditionally eaten by Jews on the Sabbath and holidays) so I picked up the whole damn thing and lobbed it over the waiters head. Touchdown!