 Shelly Saltman grew up during the Great Depression years as the child of Russian and Ukrainian Orthodox Jewish parents in Cambridge, Massachusetts.His father, Nate Saltman, was involved in Boston area politics.Saltman's father and an uncle, Louie, both played football for the Boston Braves (today, the Washington Redskins); another uncle, Eddie, pitched for the Boston Braves baseball team; and his uncle Miltie played for the Philadelphia Athletics (today, the Oakland Athletics).