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Sports

Shawn Green: "It's been a great
thrill for me to learn more
about my heritage. Since I've
been in the major leagues, peo-
- ple have really reached out.

The Blue Jays'
Jewish slugger and
All-Star is raising
more than a few
eyebrows.

noted on the calendar in the
team's press guide.
Green's religion may be
coming up for discussion more
and more in the next several
months. He will become a free
agent following the 2000 sea-
son, and there have been
rumors that New York Yankees
owner George Steinbrenner
might want to bring Green to
the Big Apple because of its
large Jewish population.
While Green said he would
love to remain in Toronto, he'd
also relish playing for a con-
tender — something the Blue
Jays haven't been in recent

JEFF SEIDEL
Special to the Jewish News

s

Baltimore
hawn Green walked
quietly through the
Toronto locker room
at Camden Yards
about two hours before the
Blue Jays' game with the
Orioles. But every teammate
offered some type of congratu-
lations to the soft-spoken outfielder,
age with 25 homers and 70 RBIs,
who just couldn't stop grinning.
plus a .638 slugging percentage. In
Green, one of the few Jewish play-
addition, he recently hit his 100th
ers in Major League Baseball today,
career homer.
had just been named to the American
Fregosi called Green "a complete
League's All-Star team for the first
player, tool-wise. He's always aggres-
time in his career. Heading into the
sive. There's nothing he can't do. I
All-Star game, the
think he's well-
Toronto outfielder was
deserving of the [All-
among the league's lead-
Star selection]."
"He's going to be
ers in several categories
As Green has
and had established
become more well-
one of the best
himself as one of the
known throughout
in the game."
game's top players.
the country, his pop-
Though Green, 26,
ularity among all fans
Blue Jays pitcher Kelvim Escobar,
had fared well in his
has grown, especially
on Shawn Green .
first three seasons, he
among the Jewish
broke through last year.
ones.
That's when then-manager Tim
Green said he's enjoyed hearing
Johnson finally made Green a regular.
from Jewish folks and getting a better
The outfielder responded with 35
feel for where he comes from. Its
homers, 100 RBIs and .278 batting
been a great thrill for me to learn
average. In addition, Green stole 35
more about my heritage," he said.
bases and became the first player in
"Since I've been in the major leagues,
team history to hit at least 30 homers
people have really reached out."
and steal at least 30 bases -- and just
He said he did not become a bar
the ninth in American League history.
mitzvah while growing up in Illinois
New manager Jim Fregosi kept
and later in California, but said the
Green as a regular this season, and the
idea lately has been on his mind.
player responded with even bigger
"I'm probably going to [become a
numbers. Going into the All-Star
bar mitzvah]," Green said. "That's
break, Green had a .327 batting aver-
something I'd like to do one of these

Shawn Green signs
autographs during
the Blue Jays series
at Camden Yards
last week.

days."
Green also said he looks out for
the Jewish holidays. He said he'd play
on Rosh HaShana, but Yom Kippur
could be a different story.
Thinking for a moment, he said,
"I'd have to decide [whether to play
on the holiday]. I've gotten lucky for
the past five years. So far, I haven't
had to make that decision."
He got lucky again this year.
Toronto will be traveling from home
to Boston on Yom Kippur this year,
Sept. 20. The holiday even is duly

years since capturing back-to-back
World Series titles in 1992 and 1993.
The Jays won 88 games last year but
weren't strongly in contention for a
playoff spot, while New York won the
World Series.
But if Green keeps putting up
good statistics, a lot of teams will be
interested in obtaining his services.
"He's going to be one of the best
in the game," said Toronto pitcher
Kelvim Escobar. "He's young and
strong, and he knows what he's doing
up there." fl

7/23
1999

Detroit Jewish News

105