For former major league baseball player Ron Blombger, coming to Israel to help launch the all-American game is more than just a sporting event.
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.
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Blomberg has never been to Israel before, turning down an invitation in the 1970s by Moshe Dayan and then prime minster 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 its wonderful that I have been chosen in my later years to go there and bring the game of baseball to the Israeli people."
"I'm a very proud Jew, and being able to go over to Israel, where the promised land is, and introduce the game to Israelis, is going to be fun," he said. "Israel is where the world started, where my family started. What goes around comes around. I feel that God wants me to go over there and help teach baseball to the Israelis," Blomberg told Ynetnews.
Blomberg, who also authored Designated Hebrew - a book recounting his entry and success in American baseball - said he is confident that baseball can succeed in Israel, although not immediately.
"I think its 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," he said.
"If you look at the game of baseball, its like soccer in that anyone can play. It's going to take time to catch on, this is the first time its being promoted in Israel," he said.
"All of the Americans that are over in Israel, miss the game of baseball. I think they will support it," Blomberg affirmed.
The former Yankee player will be heading to Bet Shemesh to manage the local Blue Sox team.
"My goal is for the kids to come out and watch the Americans play the game of baseball. If we can put it all together, it will be fun for the kids," he said.
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