by M. Stephen Brown
Last year, JVibe (the magazine for Jewish teens) talked to Kevin Youkilis, rookie sensation, who helped the Boston Red Sox break their 86-year-old "curse" and win the World Series.
Last year you began the season with the Red Sox' Double-A affiliate, the Portland Sea Dogs. Just as you're about to break a minor league record for most consecutive games a player has reached base (71 games), you get moved to the team's Triple-A affiliate, Pawtucket—only to get called up to the majors a few short weeks later. Then, in your rookie season, you win the World Series. What was that experience like?
It's a lifelong dream. It's everything you ever worked hard at and wanted to accomplish in your life. For me it happened so quickly. Several years from now, when I look back on it, it's going to hit me just how incredible it was.
When you initially got called up to play with the Sox, it was supposed to be temporary. But from your first game, you've proven to be an important member of the team. How does it feel knowing that the veteran players on the team value your contributions?
It's great. They showed me that I'm one of the guys they're counting on for the future. The team doesn't have a lot of young guys in the system that can come up and play for them, so that was a big deal.
Do you see yourself playing out your professional career in a Red Sox uniform
I love being a Red Sox and wouldn't want to leave, but you never know. I could be traded tomorrow, or wind up being with the team my entire career.
Last season you and fellow teammate Gabe Kapler received criticism for playing on Yom Kippur. I know it was an important game against your division rival, the New York Yankees, but why did you decide to play?
I asked my parents what I should do. It was a family decision. In fact, I didn't play, but I did suit up in the dugout to support my team. In my mind, there was nothing wrong with that.
Do you have any regrets about that decision?
No. Everyone has to make their own personal decisions. Unfortunately, as a professional ballplayer, my decisions come under public scrutiny. I try not to judge whether a person's level of observance is right or wrong. You're your own person, and you have to make decisions that are right for you.
What kind of comments did you and former Jewish teammate Gabe Kapler get from fans about suiting up on Yom Kippur?
I got a couple of passing comments, nothing big, but I remember some [Jewish] fans actually wrote a letter to Gabe saying that thanks to his decision to play on Yom Kippur the team wouldn't win a world series. I guess those fans were wrong, huh?
What advice would you give to younger Jewish athletes faced with having to play on Shabbat or the High Holidays?
Make decisions that are right for you. In the end, it is you that has to live by your decision.
This article originally appeared in the pages of JVibe, the magazine for Jewish teens. To get a free copy of JVibe, please click here.
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