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Good morning and happy 2025!
As we celebrated last week, 2024 was a solid year for Jews in sports. Now that the calendar has flipped to January, we’re already looking forward to all that 2025 will have in store, from college and pro sports to international tournaments across the globe.
It’s going to be a good year — can’t you just feel it?
Jake Retzlaff’s big week — on field and screen
BYU quarterback Jake Retzlaff reached a sponsorship deal with Jewish food brand Manischewitz. (Courtesy of Manischewitz)
Jake Retzlaff capped his breakout 2024 with two important milestones in the closing moments of the year.
On Saturday, Retzlaff and the Brigham Young University Cougars beat Deion Sanders’ Colorado Buffaloes 36-14 in the Alamo Bowl, setting viewership records for the game. Retlzaff threw 151 yards to put a bow on his stellar season.
But that wasn’t the QB’s biggest Jewish news of the past week. On Monday, the self-proclaimed “BY-Jew” and his new sponsor Manischewitz released their first commercial.
It features Retzlaff wearing an orange No. 12 “Manischewitz” jersey and running football drills in front of snow-capped mountains while talking about what “fuels” him. The answer, of course, is Manischewitz matzah — and the minute-long ad culminates in an unexpectedly intense supercut of Retzlaff posing with, and munching on, the unleavened bread.
The video ends with a klezmer riff. The ad was directed by comedian Eitan Levine, who brought Retzlaff-branded matzah to the bowl game.
Halftime report
YOU ARE CORDIALLY (RE)INVITED. After a reversal, three Israeli athletes will be permitted to compete at next week’s World Indoor Bowls Championships in England. The announcement, made Tuesday by the World Bowls Tour, came after an initial ban the WBT announced following a campaign from pro-Palestinian groups. The initial ban on the bocce-esque sport, the group said, was made due to security concerns, but drew backlash.
THEY’RE ON FIRE! A number of basketball players caught the holiday spirit during the eight-day festival of lights that concluded yesterday. The NBA’s Deni Avdija gave gifts to his teammates — though he suggested that presents are better known Stateside as a Christmas tradition. After a college basketball game between Yeshiva University and Wesleyan on Monday, Jewish members of the two teams lit Hanukkah candles together. NBA veteran Patrick Beverley, who is not Jewish but is playing professionally in Israel, lit candles on Instagram Live with Orthodox influencer Yossi Farro.
FRESH FISH. First baseman Matt Mervis got his first taste of baseball on the global stage at the Miami Marlins’ LoanDepot Park, as a member of Team Israel at the 2023 World Baseball Classic. Now the slugger is headed to Miami full-time, after the Chicago Cubs swapped the 26-year-old with another former top prospect, Vidal Bruján. Mervis struggled in 36 games across two seasons with the Cubs, batting .155 with three home runs and 40 strikeouts.
ICE SPICE. Jewish hockey star Zeev Buium, who was drafted 12th overall by the Minnesota Wild in the 2024 NHL Entry Draft, spoke with NHL Network about his hockey journey, which has featured a World Juniors gold medal with Team USA and a NCAA national title with the University of Denver.
Mourning a Jewish sports icon
Agnes Keleti performs a split in front of Hungarian young gymnasts Budapest on January 16, 2016. (Peter Kohalmi/AFP/Getty Images)
The year began on a somber note, as Olympic legend Agnes Keleti died Thursday, one week shy of her 104th birthday.
Keleti, a Budapest native, survived the Holocaust as a teenager — though her father was among the 500,000 Hungarian Jews who were killed — and went on to become her country’s most decorated Olympian.
Even after she survived the war under false papers, Keleti’s Olympic career was further delayed by a collarbone injury. But she burst onto the Olympic scene in 1952 at 31 — older than many modern-day gymnasts’ retirement age — and captured a gold medal in floor exercise, plus a silver and two bronzes. Four years later, she put on an even more dominant performance, winning four more gold medals and two silvers.
Keleti’s 10 total medals remain tied for the most in Hungary’s history and third among Jewish Olympians, behind U.S. swimmers Dara Torres (12) and Mark Spitz (11). Keleti was also the oldest living Olympic medallist, and won 10 Hungarian national championships in gymnastics.
Keleti moved to Israel in 1957, where she is credited with creating the country’s gymnastics program. She joined Israel’s 1972 Olympic team in Munich but was away from the country’s quarters when Palestinian terrorists attacked and killed 11 members of the delegation.
Click here to learn more about Keleti’s incredible story.
Jews in sports to watch this weekend
(all times ET)
🏒 IN HOCKEY…
Zach Hyman and the Edmonton Oilers host the Anaheim Ducks Friday at 9 p.m. Jakob Chychrun and the Washington Capitals host Adam Fox and the New York Rangers Saturday at 12 p.m. Jake Walman, Luke Kunin and the San Jose Sharks host Jack and Luke Hughes and the New Jersey Devils Saturday at 4 p.m. Jeremy Swayman and the Boston Bruins host the New York Islanders Sunday at 6 p.m. In the PWHL, Abbey Levy, Elle Hartje and the New York Sirens face the Minnesota Frost Saturday at 2 p.m. Aerin Frankel and the Boston Fleet host the Montreal Victoire Sunday at 4 p.m.
⚽ IN SOCCER…
Matt Turner and his Premier League squad Crystal Palace host Chelsea Saturday at 10 a.m. At the same time, Manor Solomon and his Championship team Leeds United play Hull City.
🏈 IN FOOTBALL…
In the final week of the NFL regular season, Michael Dunn and the Cleveland Browns face the Baltimore Ravens Saturday at 4:30 p.m. Anthony Firkser and the Kansas City Chiefs play the Denver Broncos Sunday at 4:25 p.m. At the same time, Greg Joseph and the New York Jets host the Miami Dolphins. Joseph joined the Jets this week, becoming the team’s fifth kicker of the season, a franchise record. The Jets are also Joseph’s fifth team of the season, though he has only appeared in games with the New York Giants and Washington Commanders.
🏀 IN BASKETBALL…
Deni Avdija and the Portland Trail Blazers face the Milwaukee Bucks Saturday at 8 p.m. Domantas Sabonis, who is converting to Judaism, and the Sacramento Kings host the Memphis Grizzlies tonight at 10 p.m. and take on the Golden State Warriors Sunday at 8:30 p.m. In the G League, Amari Bailey and the Iowa Wolves host the Santa Cruz Warriors Saturday at 7:30 p.m. Bailey was traded to the Minnesota Timberwolves’ affiliate on Monday.
⛳ IN GOLF…
Max Homa and Max Greyserman compete in the PGA Tour’s Sentry tournament this weekend in Maui. Homa, who is coming off a down year in 2024, signed a multi-year endorsement deal with Puma and its golf line.
HBD, Hammerin’ Hank
Hank Greenberg takes batting practice in 1936. (Louis Van Oeyen/Western Reserve Historical Society/Getty Images)
Last week, we wished Hall of Famer Sandy Koufax a happy 89th birthday. Two days later would have been Hank Greenberg’s 114th birthday. The Detroit Tigers legend, born Jan. 1, 1911, won two MVPs and two World Series championships across a remarkable career that also led him to Cooperstown. Greenberg hit .313 for his career with 331 home runs. He died in 1986 at age 75. And according to Gurvis family lore, he’s a distant cousin of mine. Happy belated birthday, cuz!
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