Happy Hanukkah: 8 baseball players you may not know are Jewish

Put on your baseball-themed yarmulke, because it's more than just Christmas Eve: It's the first night of Hanukkah. Baseball will be joining in the Hanukkah spirit too, as Jewish players, coaches, and managers will be getting together with their families to take part in the Festival of Light this week. So as you light your menorah and spin your dreidels each night during this very happy Hanukkah, remember that the baseball world, from Greenberg to Koufax and back, is celebrating along with you - and also that the list of Jews in baseball is far longer than just that one leaflet.

In honor of Hanukkah, here are eight baseball players - both past and present - you may not have known are Jewish.

Jason Marquis

Though his surname might not show it, Marquis - the grandson of Holocaust survivors - grew up in a traditional Jewish home on Staten Island. He's been one of the most vocal and proud Jews during his lengthy career that's seen him win a World Series, appear in an All-Star Game, and win a Silver Slugger. "My religion has shaped me into the person I am today. I am the product of growing up in a Jewish household," he said in September. Though he hasn't pitched in the majors since 2015, the 38-year-old ranks third in both wins and strikeouts among Jewish hurlers, trailing only Sandy Koufax and Ken Holtzman in both categories. Marquis is still active, though: He helped Israel win September's World Baseball Classic qualifier, and will likely be part of its roster for the main tournament in March.

Kevin Pillar

They call him "Superman," but he's also "Super Jew" - and he's even got the T-shirt to prove it. Born to a Jewish mom and Catholic dad in California, Pillar was raised in both religions, though he studied hard and became a bar mitzvah at age 13. Pillar's not strictly observant, but he's quite proud of his roots, and Jewish baseball fans continue to be proud of him in return. In June, he said that since joining the Blue Jays in 2013, Toronto's large Jewish community has "embraced me. They make sure I have somewhere to go for the holidays and ask me to go to events or speak at certain things." Fans will no doubt be kvelling about Pillar's awesome defense for years to come.

Kevin Youkilis

As Denis Leary will gladly note, Youkilis is not the "Greek God of Walks." Legend has it his family name was changed from Weiner when a great-great-great-great grandfather of the beloved ex-Red Sox third baseman fled anti-Semitism in Romania, then returned to his homeland years later under the Greek alias. That eventually led to the "Youuuuk" cheers at Fenway Park, where Youkilis helped the Red Sox win the 2007 World Series while making three All-Star Games and earning the 2008 Hank Aaron Award over his nine years in Beantown. Youkilis, who was bar mitzvahed in Cincinnati, has never shied away from his faith; in 2012, his father Mike said Kevin "can still read (Hebrew) - with the vowels." Well, now we know who's leading Hanukkah blessings at the Youkilis house.

Larry and Norm Sherry

They may not be as well-known, but the Sherry brothers - sons of Russian-Jewish immigrants - are two of the most important Jewish players. Larry, a reliever, pitched 11 years in the majors and won the 1959 World Series MVP; his 82 saves are the most in Jewish history. Norm, a catcher and the elder sibling, played 194 games over his five-year career, and later managed the Angels. Together with the Dodgers from 1959-62, Larry and Norm formed one of the sport's few all-Jewish batteries, and the only all-Jewish sibling battery ever seen.

But this Hanukkah, let's thank the Sherrys for making the single greatest contribution to Jewish athletics. During spring training in 1961, Norm instructed his pitcher, a talented but flawed lefty named Sandy Koufax, to start throwing a curveball. Koufax took Norm's advice, and the rest is baseball history.

Ian Kinsler

Here's the chosen people's leadoff man. Though he grew up in a dual-religion home, Kinsler - Judaism's stolen base leader and one of five Jews with 200 career homers - is perhaps the most prominent Jew in baseball today, something he doesn't take lightly. "If there are Jewish kids out there who look up to me or see me as a role model of what's possible, I embrace that proudly," he said in 2009 - the same year he became just the second Jew to hit for the cycle. The 34-year-old remains one of baseball's best second basemen, having won his first Gold Glove amid an offensive resurgence with the Tigers last year. Could Kinsler follow fellow Jewish Tigers great Hank Greenberg to Cooperstown some day? His JAWS score already rates pretty well - but even if he eventually falls short, Kinsler's a first-ballot inductee in the Jewish Baseball Hall.

Steve Stone

Want a Jewish Cy Young winner? Take your pick: There's Koufax, who has three, or Stone, who won the AL honor in 1980 - the penultimate season of his career. Stone's career began at Kent State University, where his catcher was Thurman Munson; while there, he also became a brother of the Jewish fraternity Alpha Epsilon Pi. Stone then embarked on his 11-year pro career with the Giants, White Sox, Cubs, and Orioles, winning 107 games while making an All-Star appearance with Baltimore in his Cy Young year. Though shoulder issues ended his career in 1981, Stone - now a White Sox broadcaster - remains one of the greatest pitchers ever produced by the chosen people, ranking fourth in wins and strikeouts among Jewish hurlers.

Alex Bregman

One of Houston's franchise cornerstones will be enjoying his latkes this week. Bregman grew up in a Jewish home in Albuquerque, and attended Congregation Albert, the oldest synagogue in New Mexico. When he wasn't busy at shul, this grandson of Russian Jews was off setting records at LSU during his decorated college career, en route to being drafted second overall by the Astros in 2015. Now he's entering his official rookie season as the starting third baseman for the suddenly potent Astros, and there's even a chance he'll suit up for team Israel at the World Baseball Classic. Make no mistake, this shining Star of David is just getting started.

Jose Bautista

No, not that one. This is Jose Joaquin Bautista, the right-hander who pitched for five teams from 1989-98, compiling a 4.62 ERA and 328 strikeouts in that time while later becoming a successful minor-league coach. Most importantly, though, he's the only Jewish-Dominican player in baseball history. Born to an Israeli mother and Dominican father, Bautista was raised in a traditional Jewish home in the town of Bani, where he became a bar mitzvah. During his career, he wore a Star of David necklace and refused to even come to the ballpark on Yom Kippur. In a 1994 interview, Bautista revealed his life goal was to return to the Dominican Republic and build a synagogue for the country's tiny Jewish community. Enjoy those kosher sufganiyot, Jose.