American Civic Life

Three Jewish Players Set a World Series Record by Walking onto the Field

November 1, 2021

(RNS) — As the 2021 baseball season opened, of the 750 players on active Major League Baseball rosters, eight were Jewish. This is a typical number in recent years. What’s remarkable — even historic — is that three of those eight players are still playing on baseball’s biggest stage, the World Series.

Indeed, the three — Houston Astros third baseman Alex Bregman, Atlanta Braves outfielder Joc Pederson and pitcher Max Fried — represent the largest contingent of Jews ever to take the field in a single World Series.

Bregman and Pederson have become World Series fixtures in recent years — and have even played in a World Series before. The Astros’ all-star third baseman, Bregman has appeared in three World Series in the past five seasons. Pederson, who joined the Braves midseason in a trade, has now played in four of the past five World Series, the first three with the Los Angeles Dodgers. When the Astros beat the Dodgers in seven games in 2017, the two played key roles.

Atlanta Braves’ Dansby Swanson, right, celebrates his home run with Joc Pederson during the seventh inning in Game 4 of baseball’s World Series between the Houston Astros and the Atlanta Braves, Saturday, Oct. 30, 2021, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/John Bazemore)

Atlanta Braves’ Dansby Swanson, right, celebrates his home run with Joc Pederson during the seventh inning in Game 4 of baseball’s World Series between the Houston Astros and the Atlanta Braves, Saturday, Oct. 30, 2021, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/John Bazemore)

– In this Oct. 6, 1966 file photo, Los Angeles Dodgers’ Sandy Koufax pitches against the Baltimore Orioles in game two of the World Series baseball game in Los Angeles. In 1965, Koufax didn’t pitch the Dodgers’ Series opener at Minnesota because of Yom Kippur and lost to Jim Kaat the following day. Koufax pitched a four-hit shutout on three days’ rest to win Game 5, then came back with a three-hit shutout on two days’ rest to win Game 7. (AP Photo/File)

– In this Oct. 6, 1966 file photo, Los Angeles Dodgers’ Sandy Koufax pitches against the Baltimore Orioles in game two of the World Series baseball game in Los Angeles. In 1965, Koufax didn’t pitch the Dodgers’ Series opener at Minnesota because of Yom Kippur and lost to Jim Kaat the following day. Koufax pitched a four-hit shutout on three days’ rest to win Game 5, then came back with a three-hit shutout on two days’ rest to win Game 7. (AP Photo/File)