Random Famous Athletes Who Are Jewish (20 items)

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  (#1) Sandy Koufax

  • 84

  Dodgers pitcher Sandy Koufax was born and raised by a Jewish family in New York. He is often remembered as one of the greatest Jewish athletes of all time.
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  (#2) Dara Torres

  • 52

  Dara Torres was born half Jewish on her father's side, and she fully converted before marrying her husband Itzhak Shasha.
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  (#3) Hank Greenberg

  • Dec. at 75 (1911-1986)

  Detroit Tigers slugger Hank Greenberg (aka The Hewbrew Hammer) was raised as an orthodox Jew in New York.
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  (#4) Brad Ausmus

  • 50

  Former major league catcher Brad Ausmus was born to a Jewish mother and Protestant father in New Haven, Connecticut. He went on to manage the Israel national baseball team and become the first Jewish manager of the Detroit Tigers. He was inducted into the National Jewish Sports Hall of Fame in 2004.

  He told the Jewish Journal, "I wasn't raised with the Jewish religion, so in that sense I don't really have much feeling toward it. But, however, in the last 10 or so years, I have had quite a few young Jewish boys who will tell me that I am their favorite player or they love watching me play or they feel like baseball is a good fit for them because it worked for me or it worked for Shawn Green or other Jewish players at the major league level. It has been a sense of pride. If you can have a positive impact on a kid, I'm all for it."
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  (#5) Oksana Baiul

  • 42

  Former figure skating world champion Oksana Baiul was raised Christian, but her paternal grandmother was Jewish. She says, "being Jewish, that feels good. It feels natural, like a second skin."
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  (#6) Kevin Youkilis

  • 40

  MLB star Kevin Youkilis was featured in the 2010 documentary Jews and Baseball: An American Love Story.
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  (#7) Craig Breslow

  • 39

  Red Sox pitcher Craig Breslow is Jewish. He says, "being Jewish is more difficult in baseball... but I try to do what I can in terms of paying attention to holidays."
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  (#8) Jordan Farmar

  • 33

  NBA star Jordan Farmar is Jewish and attended Hebrew school in Tarzana, California.
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  (#9) Lou Boudreau

  • Dec. at 84 (1917-2001)

  Baseball Hall of Famer Lou Boudreau was raised Catholic, but his mother was Jewish.
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  (#10) Sasha Cohen

  • 35

  Olympic figure skater Sasha Cohen's mother is a Jewish immigrant from Ukraine.
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  (#11) Antonio Garay

  • 40

  NFL star Antonio Garay grew up with a Jewish mother and Catholic father. He says, "Even though I am diverse, first and foremost, I am Jewish."
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  (#12) Shawn Green

  • 47

  Shawn Green has one of the best home run records of any Jewish MLB player. He has been known to miss games during Yom Kippur.
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  (#13) Morrie Arnovich

  • Dec. at 49 (1910-1959)

  Major league outfielder Morrie Arnovich was devoutly Jewish and kept a Kosher diet throughout his life.
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  (#14) Harry Danning

  • Dec. at 93 (1911-2004)

  New York Giants catcher Harry Danning was born and raised Jewish.
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  (#15) José Bautista

  • 39

  Toronto Blue Jay José Bautista was raised in a small Jewish community in the Dominican Republic.
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  (#16) David Binn

  • 47

  The NFL's David Binn was born to a Jewish father and he also practices the faith.
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  (#17) Adam Podlesh

  • 36

  NFL punter Adam Podlesh is Jewish.
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  (#18) Mike Lieberthal

  • 47

  Mike Lieberthal has one of the best home run records of any Jewish MLB player.
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  (#19) Igor Olshansky

  • 37

  Ukrainian-born defensive end Igor Olshansky said of being Jewish, "It's who I am; my culture; my roots."
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  (#20) Nat Holman

  • Dec. at 99 (1896-1995)

  One of the earliest pro basketball players, Nat Holman was Jewish. He died at the Hebrew Home for the Aged in 1995.

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