In the second installment in our series on IAB representatives abroad, we travel to Germany to find Yoni Werchow, the shortstop of the Benningsen Beavers. The 25-year old son of Israeli-born parents, an IAB flyer in his local community center at Kfar Saba caught his eye at age 10. He joined a team and his life was changed for ever.

Yoni quickly became a star, not only for his local Kfar Saba team, but also for Israel national youth teams, beginning that same year, when he was selected to the Israeli Juvenile national team which played in a European tournament in Ramstein, Germany. His annual participation on national teams climaxed in 1998, when the Junior national team achieved a second-place finish in the European 'B' pool championships in Italy. As there was no Israeli Senior (adult) baseball league at the time, Yoni moved his energy to softball. His abilities were recognized by the IDF, which granted him "active athlete" status, thus allowing him to continue training and playing during his military service.

Upon discharge, Yoni wanted to study in economics Europe. When he discovered that Germany has a thriving baseball league with 2 divisions, it became an obvious choice.

In 2002 he enrolled in the economics program of Hanover University; simultaneously, he became the starting shortstop of the Division II Bennigston Beavers. German league rules allow only 2 foreign players per team, and Yoni is the only foreigner in the league who does not hail from the Western hemisphere. "I feel like I am representing Israel baseball in Germany, so I try to do my best," he says. Indeed, Yoni represented us well in his first year of play, helping his team take the Division II championship and earn an upgrade to the coveted and highly competitive Division I.

Last year, both Yoni and the rest of the Beavers struggled at the plate and ended up with only 1 win in 23 games. Nonetheless, he displayed his defensive prowess at shortstop, ending the season as league runner-up in assists.
What is like for an Israeli playing the American game of baseball in Germany, we asked Yoni? "It is a little weird playing here. I'm an Israeli talking to my German teammates in German about an American game. Sometimes I detach myself from the situation and laugh at it."

Last August Yoni found himself playing shortstop in Germany again, only not for the Benningston Beavers, but for the Israel National Team at the European 'B' Pool Championships in Regensburg. "We had a big chance to come to the finals, but we failed, which was disappointing to everybody. All in all the team did real well, way above our expectations."