What's in the Water at Fairfax High School?!

To date, 5 Jewish MLB players have graduated from Fairfax High School in California. Larry Sherry, Norm Sherry, Barry Latman, Mike Epstein, and Al Silvera were all at one time Colonials. Larry and Barry (who pitched a perfect game for Fairfax) were actually teammates. And while Silvera never amounted to much, his uncle, Sam Nahem, had a very good season for the St. Louis Cardinals in 1941. He was 5-2 with 1 save and a 2.98 ERA in 81 innings. Larry and Barry would later meet up again, this time on opposing sides in the 1959 World Series. And in 1967, they were reunited as teammates on the Houston Astros. Silvera and Latman also both went to the University of Southern California. Last but certainly not least, Mila Kunis went to Fairfax High School. More like Fairfox. Corny, yes. But oh so true.

Ken Holtzman and Art Shamsky also graduated from the same high school. They went to University City High School in St. Louis. In 1969, Shamsky's Mets famously overtook Holtzman's Cubs and went on to win the World Series. On August 19, the Cubs had a 9½ game lead over the Mets after a no-no by Holtzman. But it was not to be for the Northsiders. Holtzman and Shamsky were ever so briefly together on the '72 Oakland A's, along with Mike Epstein.

Gabe Kapler and Jordan Farmar both went to William Howard Taft High School in California.

Here come the big guns. Sandy Koufax and Kevin Youkilis are both alumni of the University of Cincinnati. How did the Reds' and Indians' scouts miss these guys?!

And we're not done with Shamsky yet. Shamsky and Ian Kinsler both went to the University of Missouri. Mizzou and Jews evidently go together.

Al Rosen, Ross Baumgarten, and Steve Rosenberg went to the University of Florida. So did David Eckstein. (Granted, he's not Jewish. But with a name like that he damn well should be!)

Scott Schoeneweis and Art Heyman went to Duke University. Jon Scheyer (who once scored 21 points in 75 seconds in a high school game) currently plays basketball for Coach K.

As far as I know the noteworthy professional sports connections end there, but Saul Rogovin attended Abraham Lincoln High School in New York with some pretty cool cats. Other alumni of Lincoln High include Marv Albert, Mel Brooks, Neil Diamond, Joseph Heller (wrote Catch-22), Harvey Keitel, Arthur Miller, and Neil Sedaka.

And NBA Hall of Famer Dolph Schayes went to DeWitt Clinton High School in New York. Other alumni of the school include Paddy Chayefsky, George Cukor, Bill Finger (created Batman characters with Bob Kane), Judd Hirsch, Robert Klein, Stanley Kramer, Ralph Lauren, Stan Lee, and Neil Simon.