Joe Magidsohn Joseph " Joe " Magidsohn ( December 20 , 1888 – February 14 , 1969 ) was an American football player and official . He played halfback for the University of Michigan Wolverines in 1909 and 1910 and was selected as a second - team All - American by Walter Camp in 1909 and a first - team All - American in 1910 . He was the first Jewish athlete to win a varsity " M " at the University of Michigan and is the first athlete known to have refused to compete on the Jewish High Holy Days . Biography . Early years . In 1888 , Magidsohn was born in Tukums , a town that was then part of Russia , but which is now part of Latvia . He was the son of Herman Magidsohn , a merchant born in Russia in July 1863 , and Bessie Magidsohn , born in August 1864 in Russia . His father emigrated to the United States in 1889 , and his mother followed in 1892 with two sons , Joe and Sam . At the time of the 1900 U . S . Census , the family had grown to four children and was living in Oliver Township in The Thumb region of Michigan . Magidsohn attended high school in Elkton , Michigan . After graduating from high school , Magidsohn enrolled at Alma College . He had never played football before and took up the sport at Alma . University of Michigan . In 1907 , Magidsohn transferred to the University of Michigan where he played two years of varsity football ( 1909 – 10 ) under head coach Fielding H . Yost . Magidsohn was 5 feet , 10 inches tall and weighed 163 pounds when he played football at Michigan . Magidsohn and Dave Allerdice were the starting halfbacks for the 1909 Michigan football team that finished the season with a 6 – 1 record and outscored its opponents 116 – 34 . In Michigan ' s 15 – 6 win over Minnesota in 1909 , Magidsohn scored both of Michigan ' s touchdowns , including a run for a touchdown in the first half and a interception return for a touchdown return in the second half . 1909 football season . The 1909 season marked the first time that any school from the " West " defeated one of the " Big Four " eastern schools , as Michigan defeated Penn by a score of 12 – 6 in Philadelphia . Penn came into the 1909 Michigan game with a 23 - game winning streak in which they had allowed their opponents only 44 points . Magidsohn scored both of Michigan ' s touchdowns in the 1909 win over the Penn , including a touchdown reception from Allerdice and a run around Penn ' s right end for a touchdown . Magidsohn later said of the Penn game : " That 1909 Michigan - Penn game is the one I regard as my greatest . . . My All - America teammate , halfback and captain , Dave Allerdice , had a broken left hand so I was obliged to do most of the ball carrying . " At the end of the 1909 season , eastern football expert Walter Camp selected both of Michigan ' s halfbacks ( Magidsohn and Allerdice ) as a second - team All - American s . Both Michigan halfbacks were also picked by Walter Eckersall as first - team selections for his All - Western team . 1910 football season . In 1910 , Magidsohn started all six games at left halfback for an undefeated Michigan team ( 3 – 0 – 3 ) that outscored its opponents 29 – 9 . Following Michigan ' s win over Syracuse in November 1910 , the press called Magidsohn , who scored both of Michigan ' s touchdowns , the " Star of the Game " and noted that " his plunges were one of the features of the game . " At the end of the 1910 season , Magidsohn was selected as a first - team All - American by the " New York Telegraph " , and Outing magazine named him to its " Honor List " of the best college football players . He was also selected by E . C . Patterson as a first - team All - Western halfback in 1910 . During Magidsohn ' s two seasons on the Michigan football team , the Wolverines lost only one game . First Jewish letter winner at Michigan . Magidsohn was the first Jew to win an " M " , the varsity letter awarded to competitors on the University of Michigan ' s varsity sports teams . After Magidsohn broke the barrier , other Jewish football players starred for Michigan , including All - Americans Benny Friedman , Harry Newman , Merv Pregulman and Dan Dworsky . According to several publications on Jews in sports , Magidsohn was the first athlete known to have refused to play on the Jewish High Holy Days . Magidsohn later recalled that Coach Yost " reluctantly excused me from workouts for two days to attend Rosh Hashanah services . " When teammates learned that Magidsohn had gotten two days off for the Holy Days , several reportedly responded , " Next year I ' m going to be a Jew . " Later years . After graduating from Michigan , Magidsohn served as a Big Ten Conference football official from 1912 to 1946 and was often assigned to officiate at many of the sport ' s biggest events , including the Army – Navy Game , the Rose Bowl , and the College All - Star Game . In a World War I draft registration card completed in June 1917 , Magidsohn stated that he was a naturalized United States citizen residing in Chicago , working as a civil engineer , and married with one child . At the time of the 1920 U . S . Census , Magidsohn was listed as a civil engineer residing in Chicago with his wife Jennie ( nee , Golden ) , age 30 , son Elliot , age 5 , and daughter Dorothy ( age 2 years , 1 month ) . Magidsohn was one of the organizers of Knollwood Country Club , its first secretary and its second president . He was also a former president of the Men ' s Club of Temple Beth El and served on the board for six years . He also served on the boards of the Jewish Community Center and the University of Michigan Alumni Association .