|
|
| By: Israel Insider staff and partners |
| Published: February 26, 2007 |
| |
Former New York Yankee Ron Blomberg is coming to Israel to help bring the classic all-American pastime to the Holy Land.
The Israeli baseball league will be formally launched at a press conference in New York on Monday evening. In addition to Blomberg, former professional Jewish players Ken Holtzman and Art Shamsky will also come to Israel to manage three of the league's six teams. The league will begin play in June.
Blomberg has never been to Israel before, having turned down an invitation in the 1970s by Moshe Dayan and then Prime Minister Golda Meir due to regional instability.
Speaking on the phone from his Atlanta home, Blomberg said he was excited to "go over there and meet my fellow Jews. I'm a proud Jew and a proud American. I think it's wonderful that I have been chosen in my later years to go there and bring the game of baseball to the Israeli people."
Blomberg, author of Designated Hebrew: The Ron Blomberg Story - a book recounting his participation and success in American baseball - said he is confident that baseball can succeed in Israel, although not immediately.
"I think it's going to be extremely successful in a couple of years. Once it catches on, people will get together with baseball bats, throw a ball, run around bases, and I think they will get excited about it. Will they understand it in its first year? No.
The former Yankee will be heading to city of Bet Shemesh to manage its local Blue Sox team.
Read more on Ynetnews. |
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
Click on the blue headline to read a Talkback comment and respond to it. Click on the  icon to send a private email to the talkback writer. The icon appears only if the writer has decided to be contacted. If no popup window appears, please make sure your popup blocker allows israelinsider.com.
|
|
| |
|
| |
|
