Israel baseball league
Encyclopedia
The Israel Baseball League (IBL) (Hebrew: ליגת הבייסבול הישראלית, Ligat ha-Beisbol ha-Israelit) was a six-team professional baseball
league in Israel
. The first game was played on June 24, 2007. The 2008 season was cancelled due to financial difficulties, and the league did not re-form.
, Netanya Tigers
, Bet Shemesh Blue Sox
, Petach Tikva Pioneers
, Modi'in Miracle
, and Ra'anana Express
.
The teams played games at three ballparks. The Yarkon Sports Complex
, seating 15,000, in the Baptist
Village in Petach Tikva, just outside of Tel Aviv
, was home to the Ra’anana Express and the Petach Tikva Pioneers. Gezer Field, about halfway between Jerusalem and Tel Aviv
, was home to the Bet Shemesh Blue Sox and the Modi’in Miracle. Sportek Baseball Field, in Tel Aviv, is shared by the Tel Aviv Lightning and the Netanya Tigers.
On August 19, in Petach Tikva, Ron Blomberg’s Bet Shemesh Blue Sox shut out Art Shamsky’s Modi’in Miracle 3–0 in the IBL’s inaugural championship game. Californian RHP Rafael Bergstrom (7–2, 2.44) pitched a complete game shutout for Bet Shemesh, downing Dominican RHP Maximo Nelson (5–3, 3.55 ERA) who pitched for Modi’in.
The Israel Baseball League announced on February 20, 2008, that eight players from the inaugural 2007 IBL season went on to other professional leagues.
The eight players were:
The IBL had many objectives when it was launched. It particularly wanted to provide its players with a great experience while also showcasing their skills so that they could continue their career pursuits.
(16), Israel (15), Canada (9), Australia (7), Colombia
, Japan, New Zealand, and Ukraine
. The league had hoped to be made up of at least 25% Israelis by its fifth year. About 40% of the league was Jewish.
The league held tryouts in 2007 in Los Angeles, Massachusetts
, Miami, Israel, and The Dominican Republic. Those selected were current and former U.S. minor leaguers
, professional baseball
players from other countries, and starting college
players. The quality of play was similar to low Class AA ball in the United States.
The first pick in the draft was infielder
Aaron Levin, 21, who played for Cuesta College
and was selected by Modi'in. The first player signed was former Midwood High School
and Binghamton University
left-handed
hitting outfielder Dan Rootenberg.
Pitcher Sandy Koufax
was the last player chosen in the draft, by the Modi'in Miracle. "His selection is a tribute to the esteem with which he is held by everyone associated with this league," said Art Shamsky, who will manage the Miracle. "It's been 41 years between starts for him. If he's rested and ready to take the mound again, we want him on our team." He'll be working on 14,875 days rest, as has been pointed out. Koufax did not pitch Game 1 of the 1965 World Series
for Los Angeles so that he could observe the Jewish holiday of Yom Kippur
.
minor league
r Eladio Rodriguez
of Modi'in was the league batting champion (.461) and had 16 home runs in 102 at bats, and 23-year-old Australian right fielder
Jason Rees led the league with 17 home runs and 50 RBIs in 130 at bats. Rodriguez, 28 years old, and Rees, 24 years old, were both subsequently signed in October to minor league deals by the New York Yankees
. Third baseman Gregg Raymundo, who hit .292 in 7 minor league seasons and played for the Texas Rangers
' and Pittsburgh Pirates
' AAA teams, was a close second in batting with a .459 batting average.
, held opposing batters to a .170 batting average. And 6' 6" Maximo Nelson from San Pedro de Macoris
, in the Dominican Republic
, led the league with 85 strikeouts; he pitched for the Gulf Coast Yankees
in 2004 (posting a 6–5 record, with a 2.63 ERA). Israel native Shlomo Lipetz (3–1) 1SV 0.98 ERA of Netanya, Mike Etkin (4–0) 2SV of Tel Aviv, and Scott Perlman
(3–2) 1SV 1/13 P INH Rr of Bet Shemesh were the league's top relievers.
Award for Most Valuable Player was shared by Eladio Rodriguez and Raymundo. The Commissioner's Award for Sportsmanship and Character went to Pribble and infielder Brendan Rubenstein (Ra'anana Express). The Commissioner's Award for Distinguished Service was awarded to shortstop Eric Holtz of Bet Shemesh, a player-coach who filled in as player-manager. The award for best pitcher went to Feliciano, and the Most Valuable Israeli Player was pitcher Dan Rothem of Tel Aviv. In a leaguewide vote of the players (referred to as the 'Schnitzel Awards'), Player of the Year was awarded to Leon Feingold.
of the IBL were three of the best-known Jewish former major leaguers: Ron Blomberg
was the manager of Bet Shemesh. Due to other commitments, Blomberg turned over managerial duties to player/coach
Eric Holtz, while Scott Perlman
took over as bench coach
for several weeks during the middle of the season. Art Shamsky
managed Modi’in and Ken Holtzman
managed Petach Tikva until he resigned a week before the season ended. In addition, Steve Hertz
managed Tel Aviv, Shaun Smith, an Australian, managed Ra'anana, and Ami Baran, an Israeli originally from Chicago, managed Netanya.
The League was the brainchild of Larry Baras, a businessman from Boston
.
Martin Berger, President and Chief Operating Officer, is a Miami trial attorney. The league's Director of Baseball Operations is Dan Duquette
, former general manager
of the Boston Red Sox
and Montreal Expos
. Berger and Duquette were involved in selecting the inaugural season players. Bob Ruxin is Director of Business Operations; Ruxin has served as vice president of a sports products and management business. Leon Klarfeld is Director of Israeli Operations; he is a resident of Even-Yehuda
, and has been involved in Israeli Baseball for over 20 years, was the president of the Israel Association of Baseball (IAB) between 1994 and 2002, and is a certified umpire for the Confederation of European Baseball
. Jeremy Baras is the Director of Game (fan) Experience.
The Commissioner in 2007 was Dan Kurtzer
, former U.S. Ambassador to Israel and Egypt
. The league's Board of Advisors in 2007 included: Bud Selig
(Major League Baseball Commissioner), Wendy Selig-Prieb
(former Milwaukee Brewers
owner), Marshall Glickman (former president of the NBA Portland Trail Blazers
and former president of a minor league baseball team), Professor Andrew Zimbalist
(baseball economist), Marvin Goldklang
(minority owner of the New York Yankees
and principal owner of four minor-league teams), Randy Levine (President of the Yankees), and Marty Appel
(former NY Yankees public relations
director).
On November 15, 2007, Kurtzer and nine advisory board members (including Zimbalist, Goldklang, Levine, and Appel) resigned. They commended Baras for having the vision to bring pro baseball to Israel, but in their letter of resignation, summing up the concerns of all, Goldklang and Zimbalist wrote that: "it has become apparent that the business leadership of the league has ceased to perform in an effective, constructive or responsible manner and has failed to manage its capital and other resources in a manner likely to produce successful results." The advisers who resigned said the league was unwilling to provide financial information. Berger, the league president, said: "They were asking us for things that we didn’t have yet. We haven’t done our financials for this year. We are upset and disappointed that they’re leaving, but we are going ahead for next year. We have been talking to people who potentially are going to purchase the teams."
in Petach Tikva
. Israel sends national teams of various age groups to international baseball tournaments each year. The best recent showing to date in International Play (Pool A) was a 1st place by the Israeli Juvenile (ages 10–12) in the 2009 European Championships (CEB). Between 500 and 1,000 Israelis regularly play baseball in amateur league play. Baseball is growing at an accelerated pace, with much greater baseball identity associated with the country.
In November 2007 it was announced that a new six-team league, the Israel Professional Baseball League, was taking shape, and would play its first season in 2008. Those behind the new league included billionaire Jeffrey Rosen, a major IBL investor who also owns the Maccabi Haifa
basketball team, which he bought in the summer of 2007, and is the chairman of Triangle Financial Services of Aventura, Florida
; Andrew Wilson, who was a facilitator on the ground for the IBL and now works for Rosen; Alan Gardner, a lawyer from New York, who was the centerfielder for the Bet Shemesh Blue Sox; and Michael Rollhaus, a businessman from Queens and major IBL investor.
. They were, however, invited to participate in the newly created qualifying round of the 2013 World Baseball Classic
Professional baseball
Baseball is a team sport which is played by several professional leagues throughout the world. In these leagues, and associated farm teams, players are selected for their talents and are paid to play for a specific team or club system....
league in Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
. The first game was played on June 24, 2007. The 2008 season was cancelled due to financial difficulties, and the league did not re-form.
Teams
The six league teams were the Tel Aviv LightningTel Aviv Lightning
The Tel Aviv Lightning is an Israeli baseball team from Tel Aviv in the Israel Baseball League.The Lightning finished the inaugrual 2007 season in second place with a 26-14 record, and lost to the Modi'in Miracle in the semifinals of the 2007 IBL championship.6' 5" lefthander Aaron Pribble was...
, Netanya Tigers
Netanya Tigers
The Netanya Tigers is an Israeli baseball team from Netanya in the Israel Baseball League.The Tigers finished the inaugrual 2007 season in fourth place, 19-21 , and were defeated by the Bet Shemesh Blue Sox in the semifinals of the 2007 championship, 6-3.-History:The team's Manager is Israeli Ami...
, Bet Shemesh Blue Sox
Bet Shemesh Blue Sox
The Beit Shemesh Blue Sox are an Israeli baseball team from Bet Shemesh.It is one of the inaugural teams in the Israel Baseball League. They had the best regular season record , and won the inaugural championship August 19, 2007, in Petach Tikva, shutting out Art Shamsky’s Modi’in Miracle 3-0 in...
, Petach Tikva Pioneers
Petach Tikva Pioneers
The Petach Tikva Pioneers is an Israeli baseball team from Petah Tikva in the Israel Baseball League.They finished the inaugrual 2007 regular season in last place , and lost to the Modi'in Miracle in the quarterfinals of the 2007 championship....
, Modi'in Miracle
Modi'in Miracle
The Modi'in Miracle is an Israeli baseball team from Modi'in in the Israel Baseball League.The Miracle finished the inaugrual 2007 season 22-19 in third place, and after upsetting the # 2 Tel Aviv Lightning in the semi-finals, lost to Ron Blomberg's Bet Shemesh Blue Sox 3-0 in the championship...
, and Ra'anana Express
Ra'anana Express
The Ra'anana Express was an Israeli baseball team from Ra'anana in the now-defunct Israel Baseball League.The Express finished the inaugrual 2007 season in fifth place, 17-24 , and lost to the Netanya Tigers in the quarterfinals of the 2007 championship.-History:In 2007 the team was managed by...
.
The teams played games at three ballparks. The Yarkon Sports Complex
Yarkon Sports Complex
The Yarkon Sports Complex, is located in the Baptist Village in Petah Tikva, just outside of Tel Aviv....
, seating 15,000, in the Baptist
Baptist
Baptists comprise a group of Christian denominations and churches that subscribe to a doctrine that baptism should be performed only for professing believers , and that it must be done by immersion...
Village in Petach Tikva, just outside of Tel Aviv
Tel Aviv
Tel Aviv , officially Tel Aviv-Yafo , is the second most populous city in Israel, with a population of 404,400 on a land area of . The city is located on the Israeli Mediterranean coastline in west-central Israel. It is the largest and most populous city in the metropolitan area of Gush Dan, with...
, was home to the Ra’anana Express and the Petach Tikva Pioneers. Gezer Field, about halfway between Jerusalem and Tel Aviv
Tel Aviv
Tel Aviv , officially Tel Aviv-Yafo , is the second most populous city in Israel, with a population of 404,400 on a land area of . The city is located on the Israeli Mediterranean coastline in west-central Israel. It is the largest and most populous city in the metropolitan area of Gush Dan, with...
, was home to the Bet Shemesh Blue Sox and the Modi’in Miracle. Sportek Baseball Field, in Tel Aviv, is shared by the Tel Aviv Lightning and the Netanya Tigers.
2007 season
The league had an eight-week, 45-game season. Bet Shemesh (29–12; .707), led by hitters Gregg Raymundo and Jason Rees, had the best regular season record in the league, and finished with a 2.5 game lead over Tel Aviv (26–14; .650), led by pitchers Aaron Pribble and Daniel Kaufman.On August 19, in Petach Tikva, Ron Blomberg’s Bet Shemesh Blue Sox shut out Art Shamsky’s Modi’in Miracle 3–0 in the IBL’s inaugural championship game. Californian RHP Rafael Bergstrom (7–2, 2.44) pitched a complete game shutout for Bet Shemesh, downing Dominican RHP Maximo Nelson (5–3, 3.55 ERA) who pitched for Modi’in.
The Israel Baseball League announced on February 20, 2008, that eight players from the inaugural 2007 IBL season went on to other professional leagues.
The eight players were:
- Eladio RodriguezEladio RodriguezEladio Y. Rodriguez is a professional baseball player. Rodriguez formerly went under the aliases of Ivan Rodriguez and Carlos Aleman....
, who was signed by the New York YankeesNew York YankeesThe New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the The Bronx, New York. They compete in Major League Baseball in the American League's East Division...
, and in 2008 played for their A+, AA, and AAA teams - Jason Rees, who also was signed by the New York YankeesNew York YankeesThe New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the The Bronx, New York. They compete in Major League Baseball in the American League's East Division...
- Maximo Nelson, who signed with the Japanese champion Chunichi DragonsChunichi DragonsThe are a professional baseball team based in Nagoya, the chief city in the Chubu region of Japan. The team is in the Central League. They won the 2007 Japan Series and 2007 Asia Series.-History:...
- Juan Feliciano, who turned down AAA offers from the Washington NationalsWashington NationalsThe Washington Nationals are a professional baseball team based in Washington, D.C. The Nationals are a member of the Eastern Division of the National League of Major League Baseball . The team moved into the newly built Nationals Park in 2008, after playing their first three seasons in RFK Stadium...
, Houston AstrosHouston AstrosThe Houston Astros are a Major League Baseball team located in Houston, Texas. They are a member of the National League Central division. The Astros are expected to join the American League West division in 2013. Since , they have played their home games at Minute Maid Park, known as Enron Field...
, and Pittsburgh PiratesPittsburgh PiratesThe Pittsburgh Pirates are a Major League Baseball club based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They play in the Central Division of the National League, and are five-time World Series Champions...
to sign with the Sultanes de Monterrey of the Mexican League - Rafael Bergstrom, who signed and played with the Bridgeport BluefishBridgeport BluefishThe Bridgeport Bluefish is an American professional baseball team based in Bridgeport, Connecticut. They are a member of the Liberty Division of the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball, which is not affiliated with Major League Baseball...
(Atlantic LeagueAtlantic League of Professional BaseballThe Atlantic League of Professional Baseball is a professional, independent baseball organization located primarily in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern United States, especially the greater metropolitan areas of the Northeast megalopolis. It operates in cities not served by Major or Minor League...
) - Jason Benson, who signed and played with the Newark BearsNewark BearsThe Newark Bears are an American professional baseball team based in Newark, New Jersey. They are a member of the Canadian American Association of Professional Baseball, which is not affiliated with Major League Baseball. Since the 1999 season, the Bears have played their home games at Bears &...
(Atlantic LeagueAtlantic League of Professional BaseballThe Atlantic League of Professional Baseball is a professional, independent baseball organization located primarily in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern United States, especially the greater metropolitan areas of the Northeast megalopolis. It operates in cities not served by Major or Minor League...
) - Josh Doane, who was invited to spring training to try out for the Boston Red SoxBoston Red SoxThe Boston Red Sox are a professional baseball team based in Boston, Massachusetts, and a member of Major League Baseball’s American League Eastern Division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight charter franchises, the Red Sox's home ballpark has been Fenway Park since . The "Red Sox"...
, and in 2008 hit .278 for Texas of the Continental League - Noah Walker, who was also invited to spring training to try out for the Boston Red SoxBoston Red SoxThe Boston Red Sox are a professional baseball team based in Boston, Massachusetts, and a member of Major League Baseball’s American League Eastern Division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight charter franchises, the Red Sox's home ballpark has been Fenway Park since . The "Red Sox"...
The IBL had many objectives when it was launched. It particularly wanted to provide its players with a great experience while also showcasing their skills so that they could continue their career pursuits.
Players
The IBL had 120 players from nine countries in 2007: the United States (77 from 19 states), the Dominican RepublicDominican Republic
The Dominican Republic is a nation on the island of La Hispaniola, part of the Greater Antilles archipelago in the Caribbean region. The western third of the island is occupied by the nation of Haiti, making Hispaniola one of two Caribbean islands that are shared by two countries...
(16), Israel (15), Canada (9), Australia (7), Colombia
Colombia
Colombia, officially the Republic of Colombia , is a unitary constitutional republic comprising thirty-two departments. The country is located in northwestern South America, bordered to the east by Venezuela and Brazil; to the south by Ecuador and Peru; to the north by the Caribbean Sea; to the...
, Japan, New Zealand, and Ukraine
Ukraine
Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...
. The league had hoped to be made up of at least 25% Israelis by its fifth year. About 40% of the league was Jewish.
The league held tryouts in 2007 in Los Angeles, Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
, Miami, Israel, and The Dominican Republic. Those selected were current and former U.S. minor leaguers
Minor league baseball
Minor league baseball is a hierarchy of professional baseball leagues in the Americas that compete at levels below Major League Baseball and provide opportunities for player development. All of the minor leagues are operated as independent businesses...
, professional baseball
Professional baseball
Baseball is a team sport which is played by several professional leagues throughout the world. In these leagues, and associated farm teams, players are selected for their talents and are paid to play for a specific team or club system....
players from other countries, and starting college
College baseball
College baseball is baseball that is played on the intercollegiate level at institutions of higher education. Compared to football and basketball, college competition in the United States plays a less significant contribution to cultivating professional players, as the minor leagues primarily...
players. The quality of play was similar to low Class AA ball in the United States.
The first pick in the draft was infielder
Infielder
An infielder is a baseball player stationed at one of four defensive "infield" positions on the baseball field.-Standard arrangement of positions:In a game of baseball, two teams of nine players take turns playing offensive and defensive roles...
Aaron Levin, 21, who played for Cuesta College
Cuesta College
Cuesta College is a public community college located in San Luis Obispo County near the Central Coast of California. It currently offers 76 Associate's degree programs and 96 certificate programs...
and was selected by Modi'in. The first player signed was former Midwood High School
Midwood High School
Midwood High School, at Brooklyn College, is a public, urban, co-ed high school located on Bedford Avenue in Brooklyn, New York City.Midwood High School was for many years the recipient of multiple accolades because of its competitive educational programs and for the achievements of its students...
and Binghamton University
Binghamton University
Binghamton University, also formally called State University of New York at Binghamton, , is a public research university in the State of New York. The University is one of the four university centers in the State University of New York system...
left-handed
Left-handed
Left-handedness is the preference for the left hand over the right for everyday activities such as writing. In ancient times it was seen as a sign of the devil, and was abhorred in many cultures...
hitting outfielder Dan Rootenberg.
Pitcher Sandy Koufax
Sandy Koufax
Sanford "Sandy" Koufax is a former left-handed baseball pitcher who played his entire 12-year Major League Baseball career for the Brooklyn/Los Angeles Dodgers...
was the last player chosen in the draft, by the Modi'in Miracle. "His selection is a tribute to the esteem with which he is held by everyone associated with this league," said Art Shamsky, who will manage the Miracle. "It's been 41 years between starts for him. If he's rested and ready to take the mound again, we want him on our team." He'll be working on 14,875 days rest, as has been pointed out. Koufax did not pitch Game 1 of the 1965 World Series
World Series
The World Series is the annual championship series of Major League Baseball, played between the American League and National League champions since 1903. The winner of the World Series championship is determined through a best-of-seven playoff and awarded the Commissioner's Trophy...
for Los Angeles so that he could observe the Jewish holiday of Yom Kippur
Yom Kippur
Yom Kippur , also known as Day of Atonement, is the holiest and most solemn day of the year for the Jews. Its central themes are atonement and repentance. Jews traditionally observe this holy day with a 25-hour period of fasting and intensive prayer, often spending most of the day in synagogue...
.
Hitting
Catcher and former Boston Red SoxBoston Red Sox
The Boston Red Sox are a professional baseball team based in Boston, Massachusetts, and a member of Major League Baseball’s American League Eastern Division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight charter franchises, the Red Sox's home ballpark has been Fenway Park since . The "Red Sox"...
minor league
Minor league
Minor leagues are professional sports leagues which are not regarded as the premier leagues in those sports. Minor league teams tend to play in smaller, less elaborate venues, often competing in smaller cities. This term is used in North America with regard to several organizations competing in...
r Eladio Rodriguez
Eladio Rodriguez
Eladio Y. Rodriguez is a professional baseball player. Rodriguez formerly went under the aliases of Ivan Rodriguez and Carlos Aleman....
of Modi'in was the league batting champion (.461) and had 16 home runs in 102 at bats, and 23-year-old Australian right fielder
Right fielder
A right fielder, abbreviated RF, is the outfielder in baseball or softball who plays defense in right field. Right field is the area of the outfield to the right of a person standing at home plate and facing towards the pitcher's mound...
Jason Rees led the league with 17 home runs and 50 RBIs in 130 at bats. Rodriguez, 28 years old, and Rees, 24 years old, were both subsequently signed in October to minor league deals by the New York Yankees
New York Yankees
The New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the The Bronx, New York. They compete in Major League Baseball in the American League's East Division...
. Third baseman Gregg Raymundo, who hit .292 in 7 minor league seasons and played for the Texas Rangers
Texas Rangers (baseball)
The Texas Rangers are a professional baseball team in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex, based in Arlington, Texas. The Rangers are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League, and are the reigning A.L. Western Division and A.L. Champions. Since , the Rangers have...
' and Pittsburgh Pirates
Pittsburgh Pirates
The Pittsburgh Pirates are a Major League Baseball club based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They play in the Central Division of the National League, and are five-time World Series Champions...
' AAA teams, was a close second in batting with a .459 batting average.
Pitching
One of the leading pitchers was Juan Feliciano of Bet Shemesh, who had pitched for the 2005–06 Hiroshima Carp in Japan. He was 7–1, with a 1.97 ERA, and in 50.1 innings gave up only 28 hits while striking out 73. 6' 5" lefthander Aaron Pribble of Tel Aviv was 7–2, with a league-leading 1.94 ERA. Rafael Bergstrom was 7–2, with a 2.44 ERA. Daniel Kaufman, who pitched for Emory UniversityEmory University
Emory University is a private research university in metropolitan Atlanta, located in the Druid Hills section of unincorporated DeKalb County, Georgia, United States. The university was founded as Emory College in 1836 in Oxford, Georgia by a small group of Methodists and was named in honor of...
, held opposing batters to a .170 batting average. And 6' 6" Maximo Nelson from San Pedro de Macoris
San Pedro de Macorís
San Pedro de Macorís is a municipality and the capital of the San Pedro de Macorís province in the Dominican Republic.-Demographics:...
, in the Dominican Republic
Dominican Republic
The Dominican Republic is a nation on the island of La Hispaniola, part of the Greater Antilles archipelago in the Caribbean region. The western third of the island is occupied by the nation of Haiti, making Hispaniola one of two Caribbean islands that are shared by two countries...
, led the league with 85 strikeouts; he pitched for the Gulf Coast Yankees
Gulf Coast Yankees
The Gulf Coast League Yankees are the Rookie League affiliate of Major League Baseball's New York Yankees. The GCL Yankees play in Tampa, Florida at the Yankee Complex...
in 2004 (posting a 6–5 record, with a 2.63 ERA). Israel native Shlomo Lipetz (3–1) 1SV 0.98 ERA of Netanya, Mike Etkin (4–0) 2SV of Tel Aviv, and Scott Perlman
Scott Perlman
Scott Perlman , is a former professional baseball player, and served as a starter/relief pitcher for the Bet Shemesh Blue Sox in the Israel Baseball League. The Union College graduate finished the 2007 season 3-2 with 1 save, and allowed only 1 of 13 inherited runners to score which led the league...
(3–2) 1SV 1/13 P INH Rr of Bet Shemesh were the league's top relievers.
Awards
The Hank GreenbergHank Greenberg
Henry Benjamin "Hank" Greenberg , nicknamed "Hammerin' Hank" or "The Hebrew Hammer," was an American professional baseball player in the 1930s and 1940s. A first baseman primarily for the Detroit Tigers, Greenberg was one of the premier power hitters of his generation...
Award for Most Valuable Player was shared by Eladio Rodriguez and Raymundo. The Commissioner's Award for Sportsmanship and Character went to Pribble and infielder Brendan Rubenstein (Ra'anana Express). The Commissioner's Award for Distinguished Service was awarded to shortstop Eric Holtz of Bet Shemesh, a player-coach who filled in as player-manager. The award for best pitcher went to Feliciano, and the Most Valuable Israeli Player was pitcher Dan Rothem of Tel Aviv. In a leaguewide vote of the players (referred to as the 'Schnitzel Awards'), Player of the Year was awarded to Leon Feingold.
Managers
Among the first managersManager (baseball)
In baseball, the field manager is an individual who is responsible for matters of team strategy on the field and team leadership. Managers are typically assisted by between one and six assistant coaches, whose responsibilities are specialized...
of the IBL were three of the best-known Jewish former major leaguers: Ron Blomberg
Ron Blomberg
Ronald Mark Blomberg , nicknamed Boomer, is a former Major League Baseball designated hitter, first baseman, and right fielder...
was the manager of Bet Shemesh. Due to other commitments, Blomberg turned over managerial duties to player/coach
Player-coach
A player-coach, in sports, is a member of a sports team who simultaneously holds both playing and coaching duties. The term can be used to refer to both players who serve as head coaches, or as assistant coaches....
Eric Holtz, while Scott Perlman
Scott Perlman
Scott Perlman , is a former professional baseball player, and served as a starter/relief pitcher for the Bet Shemesh Blue Sox in the Israel Baseball League. The Union College graduate finished the 2007 season 3-2 with 1 save, and allowed only 1 of 13 inherited runners to score which led the league...
took over as bench coach
Coach (baseball)
In baseball, a number of coaches assist in the smooth functioning of a team. They are assistants to the manager, or head coach, who determines the lineup and decides how to substitute players during the game...
for several weeks during the middle of the season. Art Shamsky
Art Shamsky
Arthur Louis Shamsky is a former Major League Baseball player. He played right field, left field, and first base from to for the Cincinnati Reds, New York Mets, Chicago Cubs, and Oakland Athletics. In he was the manager of the Modi'in Miracle of the Israel Baseball League.-Early life:Shamsky...
managed Modi’in and Ken Holtzman
Ken Holtzman
Kenneth Dale Holtzman is a left-handed former starting pitcher in Major League Baseball who played most of his career for the Chicago Cubs and Oakland Athletics...
managed Petach Tikva until he resigned a week before the season ended. In addition, Steve Hertz
Steve Hertz
Stephen Allan Hertz is a former Major League Baseball player. He is now manager of the Tel Aviv Lightning in the Israel Baseball League.-High school:...
managed Tel Aviv, Shaun Smith, an Australian, managed Ra'anana, and Ami Baran, an Israeli originally from Chicago, managed Netanya.
Management
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
.
Martin Berger, President and Chief Operating Officer, is a Miami trial attorney. The league's Director of Baseball Operations is Dan Duquette
Dan Duquette
Daniel F. Duquette is the Executive Vice-President of Baseball Operations for the Baltimore Orioles. He was the General Manager of the Montreal Expos from September through January and for the Boston Red Sox from through March...
, former general manager
General manager (baseball)
In Major League Baseball, the general manager of a team typically controls player transactions and bears the primary responsibility on behalf of the ballclub during contract discussions with players....
of the Boston Red Sox
Boston Red Sox
The Boston Red Sox are a professional baseball team based in Boston, Massachusetts, and a member of Major League Baseball’s American League Eastern Division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight charter franchises, the Red Sox's home ballpark has been Fenway Park since . The "Red Sox"...
and Montreal Expos
Montreal Expos
The Montreal Expos were a Major League Baseball team located in Montreal, Quebec from 1969 through 2004, holding the first MLB franchise awarded outside the United States. After the 2004 season, MLB moved the Expos to Washington, D.C. and renamed them the Nationals.Named after the Expo 67 World's...
. Berger and Duquette were involved in selecting the inaugural season players. Bob Ruxin is Director of Business Operations; Ruxin has served as vice president of a sports products and management business. Leon Klarfeld is Director of Israeli Operations; he is a resident of Even-Yehuda
Even-Yehuda
Even Yehuda is a town in the central Sharon region of Israel west of Netanya. In 2011, Even Yehuda had a population of 12,000. -History:Even Yehuda is named for Eliezer Ben-Yehuda, one of the leading figures in the revival of the Hebrew language. It was founded in December 1932 by the Bnei...
, and has been involved in Israeli Baseball for over 20 years, was the president of the Israel Association of Baseball (IAB) between 1994 and 2002, and is a certified umpire for the Confederation of European Baseball
Confederation of European Baseball
The Confederation of European Baseball , is the governing body of baseball within Europe. The CEB was founded in 1953 with 5 members, which were Belgium, France, Germany, Italy and Spain. As of today, there are 38 members, excluding Armenia...
. Jeremy Baras is the Director of Game (fan) Experience.
The Commissioner in 2007 was Dan Kurtzer
Daniel C. Kurtzer
Daniel Charles Kurtzer served as the United States ambassador to Israel from 2001 to 2005. He had been serving as U.S. ambassador to Egypt, to which post he had been appointed by Bill Clinton, when he was tapped for the Israel posting by George W. Bush.-Biography:Kurtzer's parents are Nathan and...
, former U.S. Ambassador to Israel and Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
. The league's Board of Advisors in 2007 included: Bud Selig
Bud Selig
Allan Huber "Bud" Selig is the ninth and current Commissioner of Major League Baseball, having served in that capacity since 1992 as the acting commissioner, and as the official commissioner since 1998...
(Major League Baseball Commissioner), Wendy Selig-Prieb
Wendy Selig-Prieb
Wendy Selig-Prieb is the former CEO of the Milwaukee Brewers team in Major League Baseball, having served in that position from 1998 to 2004, during which time she was Major League Baseball's only female CEO...
(former Milwaukee Brewers
Milwaukee Brewers
The Milwaukee Brewers are a professional baseball team based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, currently playing in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League...
owner), Marshall Glickman (former president of the NBA Portland Trail Blazers
Portland Trail Blazers
The Portland Trail Blazers, commonly known as the Blazers, are an American professional basketball team based in Portland, Oregon. They play in the Northwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association . The Trail Blazers originally played their home games in the...
and former president of a minor league baseball team), Professor Andrew Zimbalist
Andrew Zimbalist
Andrew S. Zimbalist is an American economist. He is currently the Robert A. Woods Professor of Economics at Smith College....
(baseball economist), Marvin Goldklang
Marvin Goldklang
Marvin Goldklang is a minority owner of the New York Yankees. He is also the principal owner of four minor league baseball teams, and assists in the management of others.-Minor League Baseball:...
(minority owner of the New York Yankees
New York Yankees
The New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the The Bronx, New York. They compete in Major League Baseball in the American League's East Division...
and principal owner of four minor-league teams), Randy Levine (President of the Yankees), and Marty Appel
Marty Appel
Martin E. Appel , is an American public relations executive and author.Appel graduated from SUNY Oneonta in 1970 with a degree in political science. He began his career in baseball while a student after writing to then-Yankee public relations chief Bob Fishel.Appel began his tenure with the New...
(former NY Yankees public relations
Public relations
Public relations is the actions of a corporation, store, government, individual, etc., in promoting goodwill between itself and the public, the community, employees, customers, etc....
director).
On November 15, 2007, Kurtzer and nine advisory board members (including Zimbalist, Goldklang, Levine, and Appel) resigned. They commended Baras for having the vision to bring pro baseball to Israel, but in their letter of resignation, summing up the concerns of all, Goldklang and Zimbalist wrote that: "it has become apparent that the business leadership of the league has ceased to perform in an effective, constructive or responsible manner and has failed to manage its capital and other resources in a manner likely to produce successful results." The advisers who resigned said the league was unwilling to provide financial information. Berger, the league president, said: "They were asking us for things that we didn’t have yet. We haven’t done our financials for this year. We are upset and disappointed that they’re leaving, but we are going ahead for next year. We have been talking to people who potentially are going to purchase the teams."
Miscellaneous
- PBS aired the opening game, which had attendance of 3,112, on a one-week delay (July 1, 2007), in Boston, New York, Chicago, Washington DC, Los Angeles, and Miami. MLB.comMLB.comMLB.com is the official site of Major League Baseball and is overseen by Major League Baseball Advanced Media, L.P. . MLB.com is a source of baseball-related information, including baseball news, statistics, and sports columns...
carries coverage of the league's games.
- While most of the umpires are international, some were Israeli. There were two umpires per game, with three on Sunday nights.
- Games were seven innings, with a home run hitting contest (a "home run derbyHome Run DerbyThe Home Run Derby is an event played prior to the Major League Baseball All-Star Game. It is a contest among the top home run hitters in Major League Baseball to determine who can hit the most home runs. The event is currently sponsored by State Farm Insurance...
") to decide a tie.
- Following the conclusion of the IBL Duquette managed to place over 25 players in other professional sports around the globe.
Baseball in Israel
Baseball was first played in the British Mandate of Palestine on July 4, 1927. The first field in Israel was built in Kibbutz Gezer in 1979, and the country now has a baseball field at the Yarkon Sports ComplexYarkon Sports Complex
The Yarkon Sports Complex, is located in the Baptist Village in Petah Tikva, just outside of Tel Aviv....
in Petach Tikva
Petah Tikva
Petah Tikva known as Em HaMoshavot , is a city in the Center District of Israel, east of Tel Aviv.According to the Central Bureau of Statistics, at the end of 2009, the city's population stood at 209,600. The population density is approximately...
. Israel sends national teams of various age groups to international baseball tournaments each year. The best recent showing to date in International Play (Pool A) was a 1st place by the Israeli Juvenile (ages 10–12) in the 2009 European Championships (CEB). Between 500 and 1,000 Israelis regularly play baseball in amateur league play. Baseball is growing at an accelerated pace, with much greater baseball identity associated with the country.
In November 2007 it was announced that a new six-team league, the Israel Professional Baseball League, was taking shape, and would play its first season in 2008. Those behind the new league included billionaire Jeffrey Rosen, a major IBL investor who also owns the Maccabi Haifa
Maccabi Haifa
Maccabi Haifa is a sports club in Israel, founded in 1913, and part of the Maccabi association. It runs several sports clubs and teams in Haifa which have competed in a variety of sports over the years, such as Football, Weightlifting, swimming, Tennis, Table tennis, Volleyball, Team handball,...
basketball team, which he bought in the summer of 2007, and is the chairman of Triangle Financial Services of Aventura, Florida
Aventura, Florida
Aventura is a planned, suburban city located in northeastern Miami-Dade County, Florida. The city name is from the Spanish word for "adventure", and was named "Aventura" after one of the developers of the original group of condominiums in the area remarked to the others, "What an adventure this is...
; Andrew Wilson, who was a facilitator on the ground for the IBL and now works for Rosen; Alan Gardner, a lawyer from New York, who was the centerfielder for the Bet Shemesh Blue Sox; and Michael Rollhaus, a businessman from Queens and major IBL investor.
World Baseball Classic
Israel applied, unsuccessfully, to participate in the 2009 World Baseball Classic2009 World Baseball Classic
The 2009 World Baseball Classic was an international baseball competition. It is the only international baseball tournament to feature a large number of players from the major leagues of North America and Asia. It began on March 5, 2009, and finished March 23, 2009.Japan emerged victorious for the...
. They were, however, invited to participate in the newly created qualifying round of the 2013 World Baseball Classic
2013 World Baseball Classic
The 2013 World Baseball Classic will be an international baseball competition. The Classic was expanded to 28 teams, from 16.Japan won the first two World Baseball Classics, in 2006 and 2009.- Qualification:...
External links
- Documentary, "Holy Land Hardball." http://www.hulu.com/watch/91195/holy-land-hardball
- "Holy Land Hardball" (film). 24/6 Studios Productions LLC. Retrieved 2010-08-20
- The Israel Baseball League
- Israel Association of Baseball
- "Israel Baseball League: An Idea Who's (sic) Time Has Come"
- Announcement of NY Yankees signing of two IBL players after first Israel Baseball League season
- "The new ball game," interview with Dan Kurtzer, 3/13/07
- "Israel Baseball League starts in June," 4/11/07
- "St. Louisan plays big role in IBL," 4/11/07
- "The Dream Comes True: Israel Baseball Season Starts in 2 Weeks," 6/10/07
- Nate SilverNate SilverNathaniel Read "Nate" Silver is an American statistician, psephologist, and writer. Silver first gained public recognition for developing PECOTA, a system for forecasting the performance and career development of Major League Baseball players, which he sold to and then managed for Baseball...
, "L’Chayim to the IBL," BaseballProspectus.com, 7/2/07 - "Hardball in the Holy Land," by Marty Appel, 7/11/07
- "Baseball, kosher-style," 8/17/07
- "Shalom, Y'all. Local Ump Spends Summer In Israel," 9/28/07
- Biblemetrics—Blog for Israel Baseball League Statistical Analysis