A Diamond In The Rough

Baseball is probably not the first thing that springs to mind when you think of Israel. But according to former Boston Sox General Manager Dan Duquette, that's about to change. Together with former U.S. Ambassador to Israel, Daniel Kurtzer, and Miami-based attorney Martin Berger, Duquette is launching an Israeli Baseball League . And he is coming to Miami later next month in search of a few good men.

"We're going to sign about 120 players and break them up into six different teams," says Berger, the league's personnel director. Teams will play 45 games throughout Israel during the sport's two month-long season that begins in June.

What's more, the IBL has no pre-requisites: no age limits, no religious affiliations, and no required level of expertise. The Miami tryouts -- scheduled for December 29 at the Miami Country Day School, with registration beginning at 8:30 a.m. -- is the third city Duquette has scouted for players. Approximately 28 athletes have already been signed, from a seventeen-year-old to a forty five-year-old pitcher.

Think you've got what it takes? Tokhis oyfin tish (Put up or shut up, for you non-Yiddish speakers).-Joanne Green