Maccabiah Baseball
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Pag e | 2 From the President’s Desk Haim Katz, President Another successful year is reaching its climax as all our leagues are in full swing. The חיים קץ – נשיא summer promises to be very exciting one for Israel Baseball. We will be sending two teams Peter Kurz, Secretary General to the Tuscany series tournament in Grossetto Italy, we will again be holding our summer clinics for the younger players, and the icing on the cake will be hosting the 18’th Maccabia פיטר קורץ - מזכיר כללי baseball tournament. Ephraim Keren, National Director On another note, the IAB has entered into an agreement with the Field of Dreams LLC to explore the possibility of creating a new Professional Baseball League in Israel. We are אפרים קרן Yaron Erel, Treasurer very excited about working with Marv Goldklang, Jeff Rosen and their partners, “Marv’s experience with minor and independent professional leagues and Jeff ‘s proven record of גזבר success withthe Maccabi Heat basketball team which in just one year climbed from the Miriam Fima, Office Administrator doldrums of second tier Israeli basketball to prime time recognition in the premier league, .indicate that we are on the verge of a new era in baseball in Israel מירים פימה - מנהל אדמינסטריבי The Pittsburgh Federation has made it easy to make your tax Mel Levi, Sharon Regional Director deductable donation to the IAB. Just surf to רכז השרון www.ujfpittsburgh.org and click on donate now. Scroll to the Simon Pack, Jerusalem Regional bottom of the page and type “ Israel Baseball” in the comments field. Director We would also like to thank Arye Zacks for our new website. The name is easy to remember – www.baseball.org.il . It includes continuous updated information, scores and רכז ירושלים stats. Haim Katz ([email protected]). Maccabiah Baseball – July 10 – 22 Sportek Tel Aviv The Maccabiah baseball Junior divison by Howard Knieval and Craig Dunning tournament (ages 15‐18), will respectively, have been preparing for commence on July 12 with four teams over a year, with many of the the ‐ Israel, USA, Canada and Mexico ‐ players having faced off last summer competing for medals. The 18’th in the Freeport “For the Love of the Maccabiah games will be held in the Game” tournament. Mexico will make Sportek Tel Aviv. Veteran USA coach its first appearance in the Maccabiah Dennis Weiner held several tryouts baseball games. The IAB and the 1Canadian Coach Howard Knievel acceptin g silver medal at 17’th Maccabiah games throughout the USA to attract the top Maccabiah organizing committee plan Jewish baseball prospects. The to make this a memorable event. Canadian and Israeli teams, coached Dodger Owner Jamie McCourt to Attend Maccabiah Games Baseball Featured Sport at Maccabiah The organizing committee of the the Los Angeles Dodgers. The 18th Maccabiah has designated the Maccabiah organization plans to opening baseball game as the create a baseball park atmosphere feature sporting event for the for the games and the Dodger games. We expect a large organization will be supplying attendance for the opening game plenty of Dodger souvenirs for all which will include Mrs. Jamie the fans and players. The IAB also McCourt, the owner and CEO of has stepped up to the plate and ת.ד. 48159 , תל אביב 61481 P.O.B. 48159, Tel Aviv 61581 EMAIL: [email protected] web: http://www.baseball.org.il Pag e | 3 will make a major facelift to the interested in advertising or Add pricing is below: Tel Aviv Sportek field. With help promoting in the booklet please • Full Book Sponsorship 8,000 NIS from the JNF’s Project Baseball contact Barry Spielman at $2,000 Fund, the infield and outfield will [email protected]. • Back Cover 3,200 NIS $800 be improved and new dugouts and David Schenker is the tournament • Inside Covers 2,000 NIS $500 a batting cage are to be installed. chairman. Anyone interested in • Full Page (Color) 1,600 NIS $400 In addition the IAB will produce a assisting with the organization of • Full Page (B&W) 1,200 NIS $300 • promotional program similar to the tournament please contact Half Page 800 NIS $200 • Quarter Page 500 NIS $125 [email protected]. the one produced in 2005. Anyone David at • Greeting 200 NIS $50 IAB's 2009 Summer Fun baseball clinic at Kibbutz Gezer. The IAB's annual summer baseball clinic will be held again this year at Kibbutz Gezer from Weds. July 1 until Friday July 10. (No sessions on July 4, Shabbat or Thursday July 9) . This program will be run by IAB experienced coaches. It is geared for boys and girls born in 1997, '98, and '99 who have some experience playing baseball. Drills, game situations, and 'scrimmages' will be used to teach and practice the fundamentals of the game in a serious but fun manner. The daily baseball session will run from 8:30 a.m. until 12:30 p.m. An hour of recreational swimming, until 1:30 p.m. will follow in the kibbutz' pool, at no extra charge. The cost: NIS 1,300 for the 8 day program. Program participants will be given a NIS 100 discount on their IAB league fee for the 2009-10 regular season. IAB Announces New Pro Baseball Initiative The IAB has signed an agreement with a group of prominent North American sportsmen who are planning the development of a new professional baseball league in Israel. The group, Field of Dreams LLC, is headed by Marv Goldklang, a part owner of the New York Yankees and principal owner of four minor league professional baseball teams in the United States, Jeff Rosen, owner of the Maccabi Haifa Heat Professional Basketball Club of the Israeli Premier League and Chairman of Triangle Financial Services, and other prominent individuals involved in Major League Baseball and other sports endeavors. The initial agreement, in the form of an exclusive option covering not less than one, nor more than two years, would permit the group to conduct due diligence regarding both marketing and facility objectives to determine the long‐term economic viability of a professional baseball league. As part of the arrangement, the group also would provide financial and other support for the Israeli and international amateur baseball programs operated by the IAB. The IAB operates under the authority of the Israel Ministry of Science, Culture Sport, which supports this new initiative to establish a viable professional baseball league in the country. “The IAB is very excited about working with Marv Goldklang and his partners,” said Haim Katz, IAB Chairman. “Marv has over 25 years of experience with Major League‐affiliated professional baseball leagues, and with independent professional leagues as well. We feel the concepts that he promotes in sports, including unique entertainment features designed to appeal even to non‐baseball fans, can revolutionize not only baseball in Israel, but other sports as well. Jeff Rosen, a prominent American businessman, is committed to promoting sports in Israel and has a proven record of success by taking the ת.ד. 48159 , תל אביב 61481 P.O.B. 48159, Tel Aviv 61581 EMAIL: [email protected] web: http://www.baseball.org.il Pag e | 4 Maccabi Heat basketball team in just one year from the doldrums of the lower league to prime time recognition in the Israel premier basketball league.” Professional baseball was attempted during the summer of 2007 by an organization known as the Israel Baseball League (IBL), with six teams sharing three fields and completing a 46 game schedule. The IBL was not a financial success, and was unable continue its baseball operations. “The IAB has learned many lessons from its experience with the IBL and our decision to move forward with this new group was not taken lightly,” said Katz. “We feel this group is composed of high caliber, professional, experienced and very reputable individuals. They are not spending other people’s money but investing their own at this point and performing all the necessary groundwork required to protect their potential investment and develop a viable structure for professional baseball in Israel. We have no doubt that there is no better group to carry out this task and we look forward to building baseball in Israel with them.” The North American group hopes to establish a fully staffed professional baseball league in the next one or two years, depending on the results of its efforts during the initial agreement which, as noted, would include development of strategies designed to create additional and improved baseball facilities appropriate for the game at the professional level. US Charge D’Affair Supports Israel Baseball The myth that only North American immigrants play baseball in Israel, was shattered completely at the Sportek Friday May 29, in a clash of 10‐12 year olds between the North and the South (Tel Aviv). The ‘southern’ players represented by the newly formed Jaffa team under the tutelage of Ophir Katz, never held a baseball in their hand prior to last September. The ‘North’ players, the Mike’s Place Tel Aviv Comrades, coached by Amit Kurz and Dov Hammer, also were made up of primarily players who just started their baseball career. Both teams were excited to test their newly developed skills they have been learning for the past 3 months. They were greeted by the Charge d’Affairs of the US Embassy Mr. Louis Moreno who graced the event by throwing out the first ball. Mr. Moreno gave an inspiring speech to fledgling players. “You are the future, you are the next prime minister, you will be the entire cabinet, you will be the leaders.