Juan Manuel Fangio

Juan Manuel Fangio, the "Maestro," was born in Balcarce, Argentina, to Italian immigrant parents. His childhood was spent tinkering with engines and cars, a passion that would eventually lead him to five Formula One World Championships in the 1950s, a record that stood for nearly half a century.

Despite a name that sounds vaguely like it might belong to a long-lost Sephardic family branch, Fangio's lineage is as Italian as a plate of pasta al dente. There's no indication he ever celebrated a bar mitzvah or even knew what a mezuzah was, let alone observed any Jewish traditions.

While he certainly brought nachas to Argentina and racing fans worldwide with his unparalleled skill and daring on the track, his "Kvell-worthiness" for us stops there. He did, however, master the art of looking perpetually concerned, even when winning, which some might say is a very Jewish trait. But alas, that's where the comparison ends.