The Most Badass Jewish Sports Figures of All Time

If you buy into stereotypes then the commonly associated positions for Jews in sports aren't quarterback, point guard, or starting pitcher. They're usually something like owner, general manager, and agent. Those who are up on game know that plenty of Jews who have dominated—all right—at least excelled, at various sports throughout history. Some have pitched perfect games, some have coached teams to championships at practically every level, and some have even taken home an NFL MVP.

So the next time you plan an impromptu game of pick-up basketball in the employee parking lot, you may want to think twice about picking the Jewish dude last—we're just sayin'. The month of December is dominated by Christmas, but before St. Nick comes down the chimney, Chanukkah Harry spreads the gelt around like the Joker rolling through the streets of Gotham. In celebration of the festival of lights, we scoured the annals of history to find the most prolific Jews to ever lace up a pair of kicks, or put on a helmet. From Hammerin' Hank Greenberg, to Red Auerbach, we present the Most Badass Jewish Sports Figures of All Time.

RELATED: The 50 Hottest Jewish Women

Written by Adam Silvers (@silversurfer103)

Team(s): N/A
Sport: Boxing
Years Played: 1929-1938

Accolades: Triple Division Champion (Lightweight, Light Welterweight, and Welterweight), 74-4-3 (22 wins by KO)

Badass Justification: Barney Ross' roots hail from NYC and Chi-town—no wonder this dude was a badass brawler. Ross' original plan was to be a Talmudic scholar. That all changed when his father was murdered while trying to defend his small store in Chicago. Ross turned on the faith after that, he started running around with gang-bangers, including the notorious Al Capone. Eventually Ross found boxing, and used his prize winnings to support his family. Despite turning his back on his religion, he carried the Jewish race on his back. Ross was particularly vocal during Hitler's rise to power in Europe. He went on to achieve a boxing rarity, becoming a triple division champion with titles in the lightweight, light welterweight, and welterweight divisions. Holding a record of 74-4-3, Ross was never knocked out. We're guessing the Bear Jew had nothing on this dude.

Team(s): Detroit Tigers, Pittsburgh Pirates
Sport: Baseball
Years Played: 1933-1947

Accolades: 5x All-Star (1937-1940, 1945), 2x World Series Champion (1935, 1945), 2x AL MVP (1935, 1940), MLB Hall of Famer

Badass Justification: "Hammerin'" Hank, was born in Greenwhich Village, New York to Romanian immigrant parents. Greenberg quickly became one of the premier power hitters of his generation, a five-time All-Star, two-time MVP, and a two-time World Series champion. Hank became the first major leaguer to hit at least 25 homers in both divisions. In 1938 he went yard an astounding 58 times—a single-season record at the time. Greeny also has the seventh highest slugging percentage in major league history. Stand up sons of Israel.

Team(s): Chicago Bears
Sport: Football
Years Played: 1939-1950

Accolades: 4x NFL Champion, Joe F. Carr MVP (1943), Most TD Passes in a Game (7), 5x All-Pro, 3x League Leader in TD passes, NFL 1940s All-Decade Team

Badass Justification: The NFL isn't exactly known for producing a ton of Jewish talent. Sure you have Igor Olshansky, Gabe Carimi, and a few others, but none of these guys could hold a candle to Sid Luckman. Luckman wasn't just a Jew in the NFL, he was the quarterback of the Chicago Bears—no, this isn't a movie. In 12 seasons with the Bears, Luckman won four NFL Championships, and is considered the greatest deep ball passer of his time. Luckman even took home an MVP trophy in 1943, no dammit, this still isn't a movie. A Jew won an NFL MVP award, crazier things have happened, we think. Anyway, salute to one of the best passers in Bears history, Jewish or not.

Team(s): N/A
Sport: Tennis
Years Played: 1944-1952

Accolades: Ranked No. 2 in the World (1951), Australian Open Winner (1951), Wimbledon Winner (1951), 2x Macccabiah Games gold medalist (1961)

Badass Justification: 1951 was quite the year for Dick Savitt. Two Grand Slam titles and a World No. 2 ranking for the American. Savitt became one of just four American men to win the Australian and British championships in one year, joining American tennis gods Jimmy Connors and Pete Sampras. Savitt also became the first Jewish player to win either tournament. His victories sparked those in the Jewish North London area to pick up rackets for the first time. He also became the first Jewish athlete to appear on the cover of Time magazine. Savitt was a controversial figure due to a severe lack of Jews in tennis overall. Many clubs banned Jews from playing on their grounds and his religion is believed to have cost him a Davis Cup place.

Team(s): Cleveland Indians
Sport: Baseball
Years Played: 1947-1956

Accolades: 4x All-Star (1952-1955), World Series Champion (1948), AL MVP (1953)

Badass Justification: Before Ryan Braun was jacking out dingers, this dude was the original "Hebrew Hammer." A four-time all-star, World Series champion, and an AL MVP, Al Rosen drove in 100 or more runs five years in a row. Rosen, who once tried to hide his heritage while in the minors, became a proud Jew once he became a superstar in the bigs. He would often challenge players and fans that hurled anti-Semitic insults at the third baseman. Trust us, you didn't want to mess with this guy. In addition to his strength and talent, Al Rosen achieved the ultimate. He appeared on the cover of Sports Illustrated in 1955.

Team(s): Syracuse Nationals, Philadelphia 76ers
Sport: Basketball
Years Played: 1949-1964

Accolades: NBA Champion (1955), 12x NBA All-Star (1951-1962), 6x All-NBA First Team (1952-1955, 1957-1958),NBA Coach of the Year (1966), NBA's 50th Anniversary All-Time Team, NBA Rookie of the Year (1949)

Badass Justification: Another New York native, Dolph Schayes could flat out hoop. A 12-time All-Star and one-time champion, Schayes broke onto the scene in 1949 to take home Rookie of the Year honors. He was especially known for his high-arcing outside shot, often referred to by his teammates as "Sputnik." While Schayes was drafted by Knicks in the 1948 BAA draft, he was also drafted by the Tri-Cities Blackhawks in the NBL draft. The Blackhawks then traded his rights to Syracuse, who offered Schayes more guap. Schayes dogged the Knicks for 'Cuse, where he balled for his entire career until they became the 76ers.

Team(s): Boston Celtics
Sport: Basketball
Years Played: 1950-2006

Accolades: 9x NBA Champion & 938 wins as a coach, Seven titles as GM and Team President of the Celtics, NBA Coach of the Year (1965, 1967), NBA Hall of Famer (1969), Named the Greatest Coach in NBA History (1980) by the Professional Basketball Writers Association of America

Badass Justification: It's simple, Red Auerbach is one of the most successful team officials in North American professional sports history. Don't take our word for it, take a look at his 16 titles in 29 years. Numbers never lie. Hailed as the greatest coach in NBA history by the Professional Basketball Writers Association of America, Red was one of those dudes who is ingrained in the game of basketball forever. A pioneer of the modern game, Auerbach drafted the first African-American to play in the NBA, Chuck Cooper. Additionally, he introduced the first all African-American starting five in 1964. Red knew how to celebrate like a pimp too, he was noted for breaking out the victory cigar when the Celtics were on the verge of a win. After he won NBA Coach of the Year in 1965, they renamed the award "The Red Auerbach Trophy," just two years later.

Team(s): N/A
Sport: Broadcaster
Years Played: 1953-1993

Accolades: Named the All-Time Best Sportscaster (1993) by TV Guide, ranked No. 47 on TV Guide's 50 Greatest TV Stars of All Time (1996), called Joe Frazier vs. George Foreman, called the "Battle of the Sexes" (Bobby Riggs vs. Billie Jean King), first broadcaster for Monday Night Football, Arthur Ashe Courage Award winner (1995)

Badass Justification: Way before Jon Gruden was bringing guys on the truck to review tape and talk shop, Howard Cosell was the key figure of Monday Night Football. One of the godfathers of American sportscasting, Cosell was years ahead of his time. He was the first announcer to be brash, and not just take the game at face value. He said what he felt, and while he was ridiculed at first, he soon became the gold standard for broadcasting. Cosell was hired as one of the original broadcasters for Monday Night Football. It was here that he coined the phrase, "he could go all the way." Chris Berman has been thanking him every Sunday since. Cosell covered the Israeli hostage situation at the Munich games in 1972, the Bronx fires in 1977, was Muhammad Ali's go-to reporter, and announced the death of John Lennon to the world during a Monday Night Football broadcast. A true pioneer for sports journalism, Howard Cosell is one of the most badass sports figures in history, temple tot, or not.

Team(s): Los Angeles Dodgers
Sport: Baseball
Years Played: 1955-1966

Accolades: 7x All-Star, 4x World Series Champion, 3x Cy Young Award, NL MVP (1963), 2x World Series MVP, 3x Triple Crown, MLB All-Time Team, MLB Hall of Famer

Badass Justification: This dude was the G.O.A.T. At least as far as Jewish sports figures are concerned. The numbers are absolutely filthy. Koufax threw four no-hitters and a perfect game—most teams don't achieve this, let alone individuals. This little anecdote from Koufax's career sums up just what kind of man, and athlete, he was: Koufax declined to pitch in Game 1 of the 1965 World Series, because of his observance of Yom Kippur. The Dodgers lost this game, and the next, putting them in an 0-2 hole against the Twins. The Dodgers rallied back to win Games Three and Four, setting the stage for Koufax in Game Five. *cue the movie music* Koufax came out and delivered a complete game shutout. Fast forward just two days later, Koufax again was called on to deliver in a deciding Game 7. Sandy pitched a three-hit shutout to clinch the Series, win the MVP award, and take home SI's Sportsman of the Year award. Talk about riding off into the sunset.

Team(s): N/A
Sport: Broadcaster
Years Played: 1964-2001

Accolades: Mastermind of NFL Media Day at the Super Bowl, Worked with NBC Nightly News, Today Show, ABC World News Tonight, 20/20, ESPN's The Sports Reporters, 5x Emmy Award Winner

Badass Justification: The pride of Freeport, Long Island, Dick Schaap was another innovator of sport, despite the fact he never shot a single jumper, or ever rushed for a first down. A five-time Emmy Award winner, perhaps Schaap's greatest contribution to the game was his masterminding of the circus that is, Media Day at the Super Bowl. Schaap hired two players to go undercover and grill players and coaches at Super Bowl IX. Fast forward some 40 years later, Media Day at the Super Bowl has become one of the biggest media outlet gatherings in the calendar year. Also a well known theatre critic, Schaap has voted for the Tony Awards and the Heisman Trophy. You can be entertained by Dick's son, Jeremy, who currently trolls the ESPN airwaves. #chipofftheoldblock

Team(s): Cincinnati Reds, NY Mets, Chicago Cubs, Oakland A's
Sport: Baseball
Years Played: 1965-1972

Accolades: World Series Champion (1969), National Jewish Sports Hall of Fame (1994)

Badass Justification: Shamsky (pictured third from the let) is a hero for many a Jew from the New York area for one simple reason. He helped bring the New York Mets their first championship in 1969. That season, Shamsky hit .300 with a .375 on base percentage and also batted .538 in the NLCS. Shamsky, like Koufax, refused to play on Yom Kippur; a decision that won him the admiration of many Mets fans. Later in life Shamsky would quip that it wasn't that big of a deal, because the Mets ended up winning both ends of a double header that day. Props for staying true to the faith, and bringing the Metropolitans one of only two championships in franchise history.

Team(s): USA Olympic Team
Sport: Swimming
Years Played: 1965-1972

Accolades: 9x Olympic gold medalist (7 at the 1972 games in Munich, setting a world record in each event), 8x NCAA Champion, 3x World Swimmer of the Year

Badass Justification: Mark Spitz was to a swimming pool what Michael Jordan was to a basketball court. Spitz is a nine-time Olympic gold medalist, winning seven at the 1972 Munich games (all of which were world records). No swimmer since 1900 has ever won so great a percentage of the medals awarded for Olympic events held in a single games. Between 1968 and 1972 Spitz set 35 world records. His record of seven gold medals in Munich stood until the lovable, bong-ripping wonder that is, Michael Phelps, bested that by one in 2008. Oh well, score one for the goyim. World Swimmer of the Year in 1969, 1971, and 1972, according to Swimming World magazine, Spitz was just the third athlete to win nine Olympic gold medals. Side note: Spitz's mustache during the Olympics puts him right up there on the legends bracket with Ron Jeremy.

Team(s): Chicago Cubs, Oakland Athletics, Baltimore Orioles, New York Yankees
Sport: Baseball
Years Played: 1965-1979

Accolades: 2x All-Star (1972-1973), 3x World Series Champion (1972-1974)

Badass Justification: Ken Holtzman was one of those rare things Cubs fans could actually be happy about. He was the first pitcher since the 1880s to throw two no-hitters for Chicago, and he helped the Cubbies achieve winning seasons from 1967 through 1971. Fam also won three straight rings with the A's in the 70s—that's Kobe and MJ status, son. Holtzman holds the record for all-time career victories in the major leagues by a Jewish pitcher. That's right, not even Koufax can claim that honor. Later in life, Holtzman ran the gymnasium for the St. Louis Jewish Community Center and coached the St. Louis baseball team for the Maccabi Games.

Team(s): Maccabi Tel Aviv
Sport: Basketball
Years Played: 1966-1980

Accolades: Maccabiah Games Gold Medal (1965, 1969), Israeli Sportsman of the Year (1967), University of Illinois "Man of the Year" (1996), International Jewish Sports Hall of Fame (1996), Israeli Basketball Hall of Fame

Badass Justification: There aren't too many ballers who can say they flat out turned down a chance to play in the NBA, then again, not everyone is Tal Brody. With the 12th overall pick in the 1965 NBA draft, the Baltimore Bullets selected Brody out of the University of Illinois. In August, before he was slated to begin his career with the Bullets, Brody travelled to Israel for the first time. He played for Team USA in the Maccabiah Games, and lead the squad to a gold medal. After the tournament, Brody was enticed to play for Maccabi Tel Aviv, which would, of course, prevent him from playing in the NBA.

As passionate as Brody was, he decided to take up the challenge and embark on a journey that would change Israeli basketball forever. Brody became a legend in Israel and an ambassador of the game, elevating the Israeli game to unthinkable heights. Salute to following your heart and paying your dues. What a champ.

Team(s): New Orleans Buccaneers, Oakland Oaks, Washington Caps, Virginia Squires, Denver Rockets
Sport: Basketball
Years Played: 1967-1972

Accolades: ABA Champion (1969), ABA All-Star MVP (1968), 3x ABA All-Star (1968-1970), 3x ABA Coach of the Year (1973, 1975-1976), NBA Coach of the Year (2001), NCCA D1 Champion as a coach (1988), Naismith College Coach of the Year (1988), NBA Champion as a Coach (2004), Naismith Hall of Fame as a coach

Badass Justification: Where Brooklyn at? BK's own, Larry Brown, began his illustrious career at Long Beach High School before running the floor as a Tar Heel at UNC. Brown went on to do work in the ABA, racking up three consecutive All-Star nods, and collecting a championship with the Oakland Oaks along the way. While Brown was no slouch of a player, LB really made his mark when he traded in his kicks for the clipboard. A three-time ABA Coach of the Year, one-time NBA Coach of the Year, and Naismith College Coach of the Year in 1988, Brown showed his propensity to guide players to success. He remains the only coach in NBA history to take eight different teams to the playoffs, and he's the only coach in history to win both an NCAA National championship (Kansas, 1988) and an NBA Championship (Pistons, 2004). Plus, he had to deal with Allen Iverson. We see you, coach Brown. Oh yeah, Brown also has the SMU Mustangs off to an 8-1 starts this season, dude's still got it.

Team(s): N/A
Sport: Raquetball
Years Played: 1976-1990

Accolades: 8x Professional Raquetball Player of the Year (1977-1982, 1986, 1989), Named No. 1 Raquetball Player of All Time by the National Raquetball Magazine, USA Raquetball Hall of Fame (1997), First Millionaire in the History of Raquetball, Winner of the Pro Raquetball Nationals, Outdoor Raquetball Nationals, and the Paddleball Nationals (1979)

Badass Justification: Okay, okay, before you say raquetball isn't a real sport, just hear us out. Marty Hogan wasn't just a raquetball player, he was like the Bobby Fischer of the damn thing. He was an eight-time Professional Player of the Year and was ranked as the number one raquetball player of all time. Come on son, how many people can say they're in the top 10 of anything, let alone number one? A member of the USA Raquetball Hall of Fame (we didn't know that existed either), Hogan was also the first millionaire in the history of the sport. This guy really is the model candidate for a list of badass Jewish sports figures. Here's one more for you. Hogan lost only four matches in three years during his prime. Game, set, match.

Team(s): USA Olympic Team
Sport: Gymnastics
Years Played: 1991-1996

Accolades: Olympic Gold Medalist in Team Gymnastics (1996), Member of the Magnificent Seven of the 1996 US Women's Olympic Gymnastics Team

Badass Justification: You'll do well to remember the iconic scene from the 1996 Olympic games in Atlanta, a hobbled Kerri Strug being carried to the podium by her coach after sustaining a third-degree lateral sprain and tendon damage. After injuring herself during her first vault against the Russians, Strug needed to go out and land a second vault in order to clinch gold for the USA. Strug landed the routine on both feet before falling to the ground in agony. It was enough to clinch the gold, and send Strug into Olympic lore for years to come. She became a national sports hero, and was featured in an ESPN "This is SportsCenter" ad campaign making fun of the injury.

Team(s): Seattle Storm
Sport: Basketball
Years Played: 2002-Present

Accolades: 7x WNBA All-Star, 2x WNBA Champion, All-WNBA First Team (2002-2005), WNBA All-Decade Team, 3x Olympic Gold Medalist, 2x NCCA National Champion

Badass Justification: She got game. You may laugh and snicker at women's basketball, but this seven time WNBA All-Star is no joke. She's done it at home and abroad, racking up numerous trophies and accolades along the way. By winning her first WNBA championship in 2004, Bird became one of just nine women to receive an Olympic Gold Medal, an NCAA Championship, and a WNBA Championship. She's reached the postseason in all but one season with the Seattle Storm, who picked her first overall in the 2002 Draft. What is it about Birds and basketball? And word is, Sue is single and ready to mingle. Best bring your A-game to this court.

Team(s): Boston Red Sox, Chicago White Sox
Sport: Baseball
Years Played: 2004-Present

Accolades: 3x All-Star, 2x World Series Champion (2004 and 2007), Gold Glove Award (2007), Hank Aaron Award (2008), ML Record 238 games w/o an error at 1B (2008)

Badass Justification: "Youuuuuuk," as he's known around the league, is another son of David doing it big on the diamond. A two-time World Series champ with the Boston Red Sox, and a Gold Glove to go along with it, Kevin Youkilis has become one of the more sought after names in baseball. A good hitter with a good glove, and obviously a good sense of humor. The Cincinatti native exchanged Red Sox for White Sox last season, and is rumored to be on the move again. We hear the slugger is bound for pinstripes in the Bronx. A Jew in New York, how could he ever go hungry?

Team(s): Milwaukee Brewers
Sport: Baseball
Years Played: 2007-Present

Accolades: NL MVP (2011), 5x All-Star, 5x Silver Slugger, NL Rookie of the Year (2007), 3x NL Slugging Percentage Leader, NL Batting Champion (2009), NL Home Run King (2012), 2x Member of the 30/30 Club

Badass Justification: The "Hebrew Hammer," as he's been donned, can flat out hit. A five-time Silver Slugger, and last year's Home Run King, Braun has made more than a splash since landing on the scene in 2007. He claimed NL Rookie of the Year honors first, and already has an MVP award to his name as well. The Hammer clearly has his eyes on a ring and will be in Milwaukee through 2020. We wonder how the matzoh ball soup and knishes are in Wisco anyway. Sure hope mom sends plenty of care packages from Cali.