IAB Camp of Giants, Exceeds all Expectations

Over 100 Israeli baseball players honed up on their baseball skills during the 2 week baseball festival. The first joint venture of IAB and the Israel Baseball League(IBL), included two weeks of camp (1 week in Yarkon Sports Complex and 1 week in Kibbutz Gezer), 2 evening clinics for players 14+ and one clinic at Bet Shemesh for minors.

The star studded staff included 2 Jewish ex-major leaguers Elliott Maddox and Bob Tufts, head coach of Yeshiva University Norman Ringel, veteran coaches Bob Ruxin of the IBL and Leon Klarfeld of the IAB, and a host of IBA star players from the senior and junior leagues. Among the campers were 18 members of the Juvenile National Team, who will be competing for the European Championship in the Czech Republic the end of July. Twelve year old Josh Abady, made the trip all the way from the USA to Israel just to attend the camp. When ask by reporters if he was glad to come he replied "Boy am I ever". His dad, Sam Abady, who also assisted with the coaching, was full of praise for staff, particularly head coach Leon Klarfeld.

The IBL's new commissioner, Dan Kurtzer (former US Ambassador to Israel) showed up to visit the campers and coaches, and presented IAB president Haim Katz with the first official IBL bat.

When asked about his opinino regarding the first joint venture between the IAB and IBL, IAB president Katz stated "I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship."

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