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Revision as of 20:01, 3 February 2007 by Epeefleche (talk | contribs)(diff) ← Previous revision | Latest revision (diff) | Newer revision → (diff)The Israel Baseball League is a new professional baseball league in Israel. The first game is scheduled to be played on June 24, 2007.
Players
Players will be Jewish or non-Jewish, native Israelis and others. Those already selected are current and former U.S. minor leaguers, professional baseball players from other countries, and starting college players.
The League has held tryouts in Massachusetts, Miami, and Israel. Upcoming tryouts will be in Los Angeles on April 15, 2007.
It is expected that the quality of play will be that of Class A ball in the U.S.
The players receive around $2,500 for the 45-game from June to mid-August, a round-trip flight, and housing during their summer-long stay.
Former Midwood High School and ] baseball player Dan Rootenberg, a 4-year standout and 1994 graduate of Binghamton, was one of the first players signed by the IBL. A prolific left-handed hitting outfielder, Rootenberg played at Binghamton from 1990-1994. During his senior season, he led the team in nearly every major offensive category, including a .407 batting average, garnering both All-SUNYAC and All-State honors. Rootenberg has played professionally for the Chillicothe Paints of the independent Frontier League, and has coached and played in Europe in the Swiss professional league.
Teams
Four IBL teams are set so far -- the Netanya Tigers, Tel Aviv Lightning, Bet Shemesh Blue Sox, and Modi'in Miracle, Haifa/Nahariya Stingrays, and Petach Tikvah Pioneers. . The teams will play games at three ball parks: one in Petach Tikvah, just outside of Tel Aviv; another at Kibbutz Gezer, approximately halfway between Tel Aviv and Jerusalem; and one at a site to be determined.
Management
The Commissioner of the league is Dan Kurtzer, former U.S. Ambassador to Israel and Egypt. The league's Director of Player Development is Dan Duquette, former General Manager of the Boston Red Sox and Montreal Expos. The League is the brainchild of Larry Baras, a businessman from Boston.
The league's Board of Advisors includes among others: Professor Andrew Zimbalist (baseball economist), Marvin Goldklang (minority owner of the New York Yankees, and principal owner of four minor league teams), Marshall Glickman (former president of the NBA Portland Trailblazers, and former president of a minor league baseball team), and Marty Appel (former NY Yankees public relations director).
Baseball in Israel
Baseball was first played in Israel on July 4, 1927. The first field in Israel was built in Kibbutz Gezer in 1979, and Israel now has a first-class baseball field at the Yarkon Sports Complex in Petach Tikva. Israel sends National teams of various age groups to international baseball tournaments each year.
Israel has between 2,000 and 3,000 people regularly playing baseball in amateur league play. Baseball is growing at an accelerated pace, with much greater baseball identity associated with the country.
Israel has applied to participate in the next World Baseball Classic. Jewish-American professional ball players would be eligible for the team, making it highly competitive from the start.
External links
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