From Fastballs to Fasts: Sandy Koufax Inspired Me

For the past number of years, the Chicago White Sox have listened to their season ticket holders when it comes to playing home games on Yom Kippur. In 2013, the White Sox played an afternoon game ahead of Kol Nidre. In previous seasons, they played a traditional midweek evening game, one which thousands of observant Jews could not and would not attend.  

And, while Koufax, Hank Greenberg and other baseball stars refused to play on the Day of Atonement, many other Jewish players have played. (Greenberg once sought the advice of a rabbi as to whether he should play on Rosh Hashana during a pennant race. The rabbi gave him the OK.) Of course, that’s up to them. They may be judged harshly by others, or they may not be judged at all.  Just because Koufax chose to pray on that day, doesn’t mean that every other Jew must follow suit. Koufax wasn’t even an observant Jew; he just felt that sitting out Yom Kippur was the right thing to do.

The other interesting part of Yom Kippur and sports has to do with Yom Kippur fasting. Gabe Carimi, a 6 foot 8 inch 300 pound offensive lineman who played for three NFL teams, recalled the time, at the University of Wisconsin, when he fasted all day, and then played a night game against Iowa.  

The Badgers won. Carimi said he was inspired by a teammate, Matt Bernstein, who broke his fast with an IV bag prior to the game, and then ate turkey slices on the bench. During the game he feasted on the Penn State defense. Wisconsin won that game too.

And just to show you that Yom Kippur and sports are serious business, a Birmingham Alabama synagogue (yes, they have Jews in Alabama) once warned its congregation that there would be no uttering of football scores when ‘Bama took on Texas A&M, and Auburn battled Mississippi State. There would be no discussion and no insinuation of the scores, said a newspaper ad, because “it is a violation of the Holy Day and ruins the Post-Break-The-Fast experience some of us hope to have when the day ends.” It goes on to say “No scores, No high-fives, No ‘Roll Tide’ or ‘War Eagles’ chants.”

 It reminds me of the story of the Jewish man who approaches his rabbi and says, “I’m a huge Yankees fan, but I don’t know if I should watch the game on Yom Kippur.” The rabbi replies: “That’s what the PvR on the TV is for.”

“Really?” says the man, “You mean I can record Yom Kippur?”

(Note: I can hear the kvetching as I write this “why is he talking Yom Kippur when it’s only june!”. I know its very early to talk Yom Kippur but as my mother always told me I’m ahead of the times!)