Jews make baseball all-star squads

By · July 7, 2008

At least three players of Jewish descent made the lineups of Major League Baseball’s All -Star teams.

Boston Red Sox first baseman Kevin Youkilis will start for the American League when the game is played at Yankee Stadium in New York on July 15. Ian Kinsler, the second baseman from the Texas Rangers, will be a reserve for the American League.

Milwaukee Brewers outfielder Ryan Braun will start for the National League.

The all-star selections were announced Sunday

Youkilis, whose nickname is “The Greek God of Walks,” openly identifies as Jewish. In explaining his charity work, he once told mlb.com, “In my religion, the Jewish religion, that’s one of the biggest things that’s taught, is giving a mitzvah, forming a mitzvah.”

He also said, “I was always taught as a kid giving to charity. You’re supposed to give a good amount of charity each and every year.”

Both Braun and Kinsler have Jewish fathers and reportedly identify as half-Jewish.
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