2008 Woodie Awards
Political silence
Paul McNeill
Issue date: 10/16/07 Section: Sports
Sandy Koufax, one of the greatest major league pitchers in baseball history, refused to start in game one of the 1965 World Series because game day fell on Yom Kippur, the Jewish Day of Atonement. Koufax's decision to put his religion before his team sparked a debate between those who believed Koufax was obligated to play and those who believed a game should never come before a player's personal life. Many historians still argue that Koufax's duty to his teammates should have trumped his faith.
Koufax's dilemma is a reminder that some things are more important than the game. His decision also shows that sports and politics or religion often don't mix. Most fans are willing to tolerate the constant references to God from athletes who inexplicably believe that God roots for them more than the other players who prayed just as hard for victory. Many fans, however, draw the line at politics and lash out when players use the national stage to showcase their opinions as well as their talents. Sports are a form of escapism and political agendas ruin the reverie.
Many times, sports are a reflection of society-a gauge of how far society has come and how far it has to go. Jackie Robinson stepping onto the diamond in 1947, Tommie Smith and John Carlos raising their fists in 1968, Jesse Owens racing to victory in 1936, these events transcended competition. Robinson, Smith, Carlos, and Koufax are respected because their causes were honorable and just. No doubt these men were making political statements, intentionally or unintentionally, but theirs were calls for progress and sports amplified their cries like no other medium could.
We've made a lot of progress since the days of Koufax and Robinson. Yet, as the case of Ashkan Dejagah shows, we still have a long way to go.
Dejagah, an Iranian-born soccer player for Bundesliga club VfB Wolfsburg who migrated to Germany when he was young, withdrew from a European Championships qualifier last week because the match was set in Tel Aviv, Israel. Iran refuses to recognize Israel's right to exist, therefore Iranian citizens are forbidden from traveling to Israel. Dejagah said last week that the reasons he chose to skip the match were 100 percent political. As of last week, the German Football Association (DFB) had no plans to punish Dejagah.
Koufax's dilemma is a reminder that some things are more important than the game. His decision also shows that sports and politics or religion often don't mix. Most fans are willing to tolerate the constant references to God from athletes who inexplicably believe that God roots for them more than the other players who prayed just as hard for victory. Many fans, however, draw the line at politics and lash out when players use the national stage to showcase their opinions as well as their talents. Sports are a form of escapism and political agendas ruin the reverie.
Many times, sports are a reflection of society-a gauge of how far society has come and how far it has to go. Jackie Robinson stepping onto the diamond in 1947, Tommie Smith and John Carlos raising their fists in 1968, Jesse Owens racing to victory in 1936, these events transcended competition. Robinson, Smith, Carlos, and Koufax are respected because their causes were honorable and just. No doubt these men were making political statements, intentionally or unintentionally, but theirs were calls for progress and sports amplified their cries like no other medium could.
We've made a lot of progress since the days of Koufax and Robinson. Yet, as the case of Ashkan Dejagah shows, we still have a long way to go.
Dejagah, an Iranian-born soccer player for Bundesliga club VfB Wolfsburg who migrated to Germany when he was young, withdrew from a European Championships qualifier last week because the match was set in Tel Aviv, Israel. Iran refuses to recognize Israel's right to exist, therefore Iranian citizens are forbidden from traveling to Israel. Dejagah said last week that the reasons he chose to skip the match were 100 percent political. As of last week, the German Football Association (DFB) had no plans to punish Dejagah.
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