baseball
Levi Sterling, left, and Ryan Prager were selected 37th and 81st overall, respectively, in the 2024 MLB Draft. (Courtesy of USA Baseball; Getty Images)
July 18, 2024, 4:25 pm
Meet the 6 Jewish baseball players selected in the 2024 MLB Draft
The new picks include an Ivy League grad and the grandson of a political couple honored for their efforts to free Soviet Jews.
By Jacob Gurvis
Willie Mays, left, with Jacob Shemano and the Dodgers’ Leo Durocher. (Courtesy of Gary Shemano via the Forward)
June 20, 2024, 8:19 am
‘Best friends I ever had’: Willie Mays’ treasured bond with a Jewish family
Mays, who died Tuesday at 93, counted Jacob Shemano as a friend and financial advisor — and golf coach
By Louis Keene
Hank Greenberg scores after hitting a home run to give the Detroit Tigers a 2-1 victory over the Boston Red Sox, Sept. 10, 1934. (UPI/Bettmann Archive/Getty Images)
September 20, 2023, 10:39 am
Remembering Jewish baseball legend Hank Greenberg’s 1934 Rosh Hashanah dilemma
"I hope I did the right thing." — Hank Greenberg
By Jacob Gurvis
Jake Gelof playing for the University of Virginia, April 10, 2022. (Samuel Lewis/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
July 19, 2023, 11:24 am
These 5 Jewish baseball players were just drafted into the MLB
Power-hitters and pitchers make up the class
By Jacob Gurvis
New York Yankees relief pitcher Scott Effross and J Cafe diner Velma Leocadio. Photo by Adam Reinherz
December 27, 2022, 9:15 am
Jewish Yankees pitcher visits JCC, delights lunch-goers
Scott Effross and his dad Stefan Effross throw J Cafe diners an enjoyable changeup
By Adam Reinherz
From left: Richard Kantrowitz, Roberto Clemente and Ken Kantrowitz. Photo courtesy of Sam Kantrowitz
December 15, 2022, 11:51 am
The gift of a winter coat results in Hall of Fame friendship
Sometimes the seemingly most 'insignificant action' is the seed of generational bonds
By Adam Reinherz
Jewish pitcher Eric Reyzelman has his sights set on a career in Major League Baseball. (Courtesy)
July 18, 2022, 6:46 pm
Jewish pitcher Eric Reyzelman drafted by the New York Yankees
The son of two Jewish immigrants — his mother from Ukraine and his father from Moldova — Reyzelman said he is looking forward to putting down Jewish roots in New York.
By Jacob Gurvis
The new Sandy Koufax statue at Dodger Stadium. (Jacob Gurvis)
June 23, 2022, 11:02 am
Sandy Koufax honored with a statue at Dodger Stadium
Emceed by Dodgers broadcaster Charley Steiner, who is Jewish, the ceremony was attended by dozens of Koufax’s friends and family, plus members of the Dodgers organization.
By Jacob Gurvis
Gabe Kapler kneels during the playing of the National Anthem prior to a game at Oracle Park on July 31, 2020 in San Francisco, California. (Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)
June 7, 2022, 9:56 am
Gabe Kapler is following in the footsteps of other Jewish activist athletes, from Hank Greenberg to Aly Raisman
Here are some examples, from then and now, of Jewish advocacy in the sports world
By Jacob Gurvis
Sandy Koufax (Publicity still, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons)
March 16, 2022, 4:03 pm
Sandy Koufax statue to be unveiled at Dodger Stadium this summer
Among Jewish fans, Koufax is best known for a game he did not pitch. Game 1 of the 1965 World Series fell on Yom Kippur, and Koufax famously declined to play.
By Jacob Gurvis
Ron Blomberg talks baseball. Screenshot by Adam Reinherz
January 14, 2022, 10:01 am
‘Designated Hebrew’ Ron Blomberg reflects on years with the Yankees
Former Yankee recalls historic at-bat, representing the Jewish people and continued efforts to get Thurman Munson into Baseball Hall of Fame
By Adam Reinherz
Max Fried (Photo by TheRealOne523, CC BY-SA 4.0 creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons)
November 3, 2021, 10:57 am
Max Fried pitches Atlanta Braves to first World Series win in 26 years
The 27-year-old lefty held the Houston Astros to four hits, overcoming a potentially serious injury to strike out six without surrendering a run or a walk.
By Jacob Gurvis
Elie Kligman (Photo from Instagram via JTA)
July 14, 2021, 9:39 am
Elie Kligman becomes second Orthodox baseball player drafted into MLB in 2 days
Jacob Steinmetz, selected on Monday, was the first observant Orthodox player ever drafted
By Gabe Friedman
This will be the first Israeli baseball team to play in the Olympics. (Courtesy of Israel Baseball)
July 9, 2021, 11:16 am
Israeli Olympians help American baseball players get in touch with Judaism
Most of the men on Team Israel are American Jews who obtained Israeli citizenship
By Gabe Friedman
Gwen Goldman, 70, was named the honorary batgirl by the New York Yankees for a game against the Los Angeles Angels at Yankee Stadium, June 28, 2021. (Sarah Stier/Getty Images)
June 30, 2021, 2:05 pm
Yankees make Jewish woman batgirl 60 years after turning her down
In 1961, Gwen Goldman was turned away because she was a girl
By Andrew Silow-Carroll
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