We might make fun of Jews obsessed with Jews in professional sports, but we’re not immune from the affliction.
From the Twitter of ESPN and NY Times baseball analyst Tyler Kepner: The New York Yankees have acquired Colorado Rockies pitcher Jason Hirsh, making him poised to be the first Jew to don pinstripes (excluding front office personnel in pinstiped suits) since Ken Holtzman back in the 1970s.
The Yankees have never been New York’s "Jewish" team. Perennial underdogs like the Brooklyn Dodgers, New York Mets, and until recently, the Boston Red Sox, have almost always felt like the semitic standins. While the Hirsh acquisition will hardly change that, he does offer the perfect scapegoat for the overlapping segments of the population who hate the Yankees as much as they hate the Jews.
The Sox had three Jews on their roster only a few seasons ago, and still have a Jewish All-Star in their starting line-up. (By which I mean, an MLB All-Star who’s Jewish, not a member of some fantasy “Jewish All-Stars” thing.)
“Would you like something t
Jews are less than 1% of the population.
Why so many Jewish sports writers and commentators?
Sounds like they get hired preference.