Monday, March 24, 2008

Tryouts & want ads: Upstart league in last-ditch push for pro baseball in Israel in the Summer of '08


While all may seem quiet on the Israel baseball front, behind the scenes there’s much activity in a well-financed effort to play ball this summer under the aegis of the Israel Professional Baseball League.

The upstart organization, which has looked very good on paper since it was announced in November as an alternative to the Israel Baseball League, which had entertained hundreds in 2007 before imploding in acrimony, unpaid bills and lawsuits, seeking backers and workers, negotiating playing fields in Israel and advertising player tryouts for March 30th in Miami, Florida.

While the IBL was headed by a Boston bagel baron, the IPL’s frontman is Miami millionaire Magnetix maven Jeffrey Rosen (right), under the aegis of his Triangle Financial Services, which staked its claim in Israel sports last summer when it bought the Maccabi Heat Haifa Heat adult basketball team of the Israel National League.

Our Man Elli in Israel was the first to report on the continuing efforts of Rosen and company to continue the Israel professional baseball tradition, despite general consensus that it’s all too little, too late for the summer of 2008.

The IPBL canceled a first round of coed tryouts that had been set for February, but after several rumoured shifts, are advertising 9 a.m. hopeful displays next Sunday, March 30th, at Miami Dade College.

Hopefuls are urged to register online or:

“Please bring $25 (Cash) to the tryouts…”

The IPBL webpage also seeks backers and workers:

Contributors
If you or your company is interested in becoming an official sponsor, investor, or friend of the (IPBL) please let us know. In the comments field, please indicate how you would like to become involved with the (IPBL).

Job Openings
The (IPBL) will be posting full-time, part-time, internship and volunteer opportunities soon. Please indicate your areas of interest, skill sets, and whether or not you will be in Israel during the summer of 2008.

Our Man Elli touches down in the States tomorrow as he begins his much-anticipated lecture tour. He'll be hitting the ground running, so stay tuned here for the latest.

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