The Red Sox Foundation and Ruderman Family Foundation have honored former MLB star Kevin Youkilis for his standing up against antisemitism at a time when it is surging across the US. Youkilis participated in a viral social media campaign with 19 other Jewish former major league baseball players and coaches, where they called on fans to support Israel and speak out against antisemitism.
Youkilis increased his advocacy against antisemitism in the wake of the October 7 terrorist attacks, as he put it: “Antisemitism is on display for the world to see. Some turn a blind eye, but we cannot. We must confront it head-on. As athletes, we have a unique platform. My voice, unexpectedly, became bigger within the Jewish baseball community. Let’s be a fraternity that stands up for one another. Let’s use our voices to combat hate. Together, we can make a difference.”
Kevin Edmund Youkilis, 45, played as first baseman and third baseman, primarily for the Boston Red Sox. Known for his ability to get on base, Youkilis was nicknamed the “God of Walks” by Michael Lewis, the author of the best-seller “Moneyball.”
In the 2023 World Baseball Classic in Miami, Florida, Youkilis was the hitting coach for Team Israel, under manager Ian Kinsler.
Youkilis was born in Cincinnati, to Carolyn and Mike Youkilis. His father was Jewish, and his mother converted to Judaism. Youkilis has described his father as a “well-known third baseman in the Jewish Community Center fast-pitch softball league.”
“The Ruderman Foundation is honored to present Kevin Youkilis with this award,” said Jay Ruderman, President of the Ruderman Family Foundation. “With antisemitism on the rise in the United States and across the world, Kevin has been a source of moral clarity at a time when it’s needed the most. With so much hate circulating across social media, Kevin has shown how athletes and public figures with large followings have the power to instead wield it for the greater good, using their influence in a positive way.”
