GREEN OUT ON YOM KIPPUR DODGERS HR, RBI LEADER WILL MISS GAME WITH GIANTS.

DENVER - Following in the footsteps of Hank Greenberg and Sandy Koufax, Dodgers right fielder Shawn Green informed manager Jim Tracy that he won't play Sept. 26 against the San Francisco Giants in observance of Yom Kippur.

The game will conclude a three-game series with the Giants. It's also the season finale at Dodger Stadium and could have a profound impact on the Dodgers' playoff chances. The Dodgers entered Wednesday trailing Arizona by three games in the National League West and were 1 1/2 games behind the Giants.

``I'm definitely not looking forward to missing a game, especially with the Giants and a few days left in the season, but it's something that I have to do,'' Green said. ''There are not too many Jewish players and to go out there and play would be disrespectful, I think. It doesn't mean that I'm extremely religious, that I go to temple all the time. It's just a matter of respect.''

Yom Kippur, the holiest day on the Jewish calendar, begins sundown on Sept. 26 and concludes sundown Sept. 27, on which the Dodgers are idle. It's the first time Green's been scheduled to play on that day.

Green's decision is being lauded by the Jewish community.

``It's long overdue to have key figures in entertainment and in sports proud of their heritage and proud to say, 'Look, Yom Kippur is the holiest day of the year and we're not going to play ball on that holiday,' '' said Rabbi Marvin Hier, founder and dean of the Simon Wiesenthal Center in West Los Angeles.

``I think he's to be commended and in a sense he's a role model to many young Jews who don't know how religion should fit into their lives.

``When you get somebody that is well-known and a major-league ballplayer and a Dodger that stands up and says, 'I'm not going to play on Yom Kippur,' the Jews are certainly going to be proud of that.''

Several of Green's teammates declined comment on the issue, but first baseman Eric Karros was supportive.

``He has his beliefs and we, as teammates and an organization, have to respect that,'' Karros said. ``If it's something you feel strongly about, we, as teammates, have to respect him and support him.''

Green leads the Dodgers with 42 homers, 109 RBI and 100 runs scored. He's batting .294 and also has the major leagues' longest active streak of consecutive games played. Barring anything unforeseen, Green's streak will end against the Giants at 422.

``I respect his feelings very much,'' Dodgers manager Jim Tracy said. ``It's his religion and, to me, to say anything any differently or to feel any differently, I would be wrong and I feel that it would be totally out of my place.''

It's not the first time it's happened, not even with the Dodgers. Koufax elected to observe Yom Kippur and not pitch in the first game of the 1965 World Series for the Dodgers, who went on to beat the Minnesota Twins in seven games.

Asked about it years later, Koufax said, ``I don't know why people insist upon making something big out of that. I am not a devout, but I have religious principles by which I've lived, and by which I intend to keep living.''

Greenberg sat out a game late in 1934 for the Detroit Tigers, who went on to the World Series that season.

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Shawn Green will miss the Dodgers' final home game with the Giants in observance of the Jewish holy day of Yom Kippur.

Kevork Djansezian/Associated Press