A convert to Judaism, Newman enjoyed a 9-year career as a catcher for Oakland and Boston. He didn’t reach the big leagues until he was 27, making his debut in June, 1976. Initially a part-time player, Newman became one of Oakland’s fixtures in 1979. He played in 143 games, hitting 22 homers with 71 RBIs. The performance earned him a selection in the ’79 All-Star Game. Newman was traded to Boston in 1983 and retired after the ’84 season. His post-playing career included coaching positions with Oakland, Cleveland and Seattle.

Here’s SABR’s biography of Newman