This is kind of cool: Three former big leaguers are going to help start-up a pro baseball league in Israel.
Former pitcher Ken Holtzman, outfielder Art Shamsky and baseball's first designated hitter Ron Blomberg will manage three of the league's six teams during the inaugural 45-game schedule that begins on June 24.The brainchild of Boston businessman Larry Baras, the league boasts former [Expos and Red Sox] general manager Dan Duquette as its director of baseball operations, and former U.S. Ambassador to Israel Daniel Kurtzer as commissioner.
Organizers said they believed Israel was ripe for another professional sport besides soccer and basketball.
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While the majority of players drawn to the venture are of Jewish lineage, the league has no restrictions. About 15 Israelis have made the league, a number that is expected to grow as the country is more exposed to the sport.
"We're going to build up the infrastructure of the sport, so we can perpetuate the growth of baseball," said Duquette, who said the league has already applied to compete in the 2009 World Baseball Classic.
