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Observance by athletes

Since the early 20th-century, numerous Jewish athletes took the decision to sit out Yom Kippur rather than take part in their sport due to a clash between a sporting event and the High Holy Day. Such incidents throw into sharp highlight the conflict many Jewish people face between social pressures and personal beliefs on a daily basis. Athletes observing Yom Kippur are often lauded for their decision not to play, which is also seen as a source of pride by many in the Jewish community.

The most famous example of this is Sandy Koufax of the Los Angeles Dodgers who refused to play on Yom Kippur when it clashed with Game 1 of the 1965 World Series which Koufax, as the team's best pitcher, was meant to start. Koufax garnered national attention for his decision which was seen as an example of the conflict between social pressures and personal beliefs.

Similary Hall of Fame first baseman Hank Greenberg attracted national attention in 1934, when he refused to play baseball on Yom Kippur, even though the Tigers were in the middle of a pennant race, and he was leading the league in runs batted in. When Greenberg arrived in synagogue on Yom Kippur, the service stopped suddenly, and the congregation gave an embarrassed Greenberg a standing ovation.

The examples of Greenberg and Koufax have been followed by numerous athletes, including fellow baseball players Shawn Green, Kevin Youkilis, Brad Ausmus, and Art Shamsky. Outside of baseball, notable players to sit out Yom Kippur include: football player Gabe Carimi, golfer Laetitia Beck, chess player Boris Gelfand, and professional wrestler Bill Goldberg.