Israel forms Professional Baseball League

**TomT** · December-31st-2006, 01:59 PM

Israel forms Professional Baseball League

..... the league, which is welcoming Jews and non-Jews alike in the hope of exporting America's pastime to Israel and turning the Jewish state - a country with only one full-size diamond - into the next great baseball power.

"Hopefully, the region will be stable so we can play ball in the summertime," said player development director Dan Duquette, a former general manager for the Boston Red Sox and Montreal Expos. "But you know, baseball could very well be a unifying force for the country. And wouldn't that be something if it was?"

The league has attracted castoffs from Major League Baseball teams, former college and high school players who never got a shot at the pros, and ordinary fans with a dream.

.....Duquette ....plans to hold additional tryouts before the six-team league opens its season on June 24.

The teams will be the Beit Shemesh Blue Sox, Netanya Tigers, Petah Tikva Pioneers, Jerusalem/Gezer Lions, Haifa/Nahariya Stingrays and Tel Aviv Lightning.

"This is what Israelis need. Israelis need family time, time away from the stress," said operations director Martin Berger, a Miami lawyer.

Officials also said they hope to compete in the 2009 World Baseball Classic with Jewish major and minor league players such as Jason Marquis of the Chicago Cubs and Boston's Kevin Youkilis.

Berger said the league will also bring equipment to Israel, build baseball fields, improve the few smaller diamonds and offer youth training.

"Baseball, to us, is the great American game and there's so many Americans in Israel and there's so many great supporters of Israel in America," Berger said. "It's just a logical thing to do."

http://web.israelinsider.com/Articles/Culture/10188.htm

**Daniel** · December-31st-2006, 02:26 PM

Wonder what some of the team names will be?

For awhile, hats and jerseys from the Japanese league were popular, I'll bet these will be, too.

**TomT** · December-31st-2006, 06:10 PM

Originally Posted by Daniel

Wonder what some of the team names will be?

For awhile, hats and jerseys from the Japanese league were popular, I'll bet these will be, too.

Per the article the teams will be the:

1. Beit Shemesh Blue Sox,
2. Netanya Tigers,
3. Petah Tikva Pioneers,
4. Jerusalem/Gezer Lions,
5. Haifa/Nahariya Stingrays and
6. Tel Aviv Lightning

**jesussavedtroy** · December-31st-2006, 07:54 PM

I's support it if I were in Israel, I love the game.

I hope there will be baseball in heaven!

**TomT** · December-31st-2006, 09:31 PM

You can already purchase your Israeli baseball T-shirts and caps here:

http://www.israelbl.com/ibltshirts.html

**Daniel** · January-1st-2007, 12:42 AM

I hope there will be baseball in heaven!

Two baseball players roomed on the road and thought about this constantly, will there be baseball in heaven?
One of them died tragically in a car wreck. A few nights later he appeared to the other one and said, "Hey, there is baseball in heaven!" His friend said, "Great!"
Then the one who has past on said, "You're pitching tomorrow."