Dawgs Softball in Israel | ñåôèáåì éùøàì - äãåâæ

From our reporter, Lowell Blackman (click on title for complete story) March 9, 2003 ______________________________________________________________________ The road sliced through the fields where Greek hoplites and Roman legions once marched as they tried in vain to keep their hold on this land of stiff-necked people with customs and beliefs so strange to the mercenaries from across the sea. Suddenly, piercing the enveloping blackness of the star-studded, March night sky an explosion of white light bathed an isolated island on earth. This plot, this sod of earth, this field of dreams at Baptist Village near Petach Tikvah lay still and quiet under the lights, the rich green grass and the ruddy clay infield beckoning the night’s action to come. A sense of foreshadowing – at once also promising - hung in the air. The Dawgs came out early for warm ups, stretching, and throwing. Well before the game, everyone knew the lineup, and places, positions, and roles had crystallized in the mind’s eye of every Dawg. A West Point marching drill team could not have been more finely tuned. Barking and howling, fired up, in heat – yet subdued and modest in their Gary Cooper-like sense of mission – the Dawgs were ready to take on Penticon, last year’s ISA champs. On the mound for an absent Ami Baran, the ISA’s premier all star hurler, stood the bespectacled professor, Bruce Maddy, the veteran softballer whose history with the league stretched way back to a time, like the feuding Shepherdsons and Grangerfords of Mark Twain’s Huckleberry Finn, that no one could remember. The big question was what Bruce could bring to his team after his much-publicized baseball fantasy camp attendance with the Yankees in January (a Jerusalem Post prize drawing he won). Bruce, Penticon’s number two pitcher, had mastered a repertoire of three pitches - change-up, slower change-up, and lob – but he placed much confidence in the ability of his team to build two walls of defense against the Dawgs. The Dawgs, energized and enthused, did some first inning barking, jumping on the ball, but long outs and popups frustrated early hopes of packing the bases and rattling the nerves of the Penticon patrone. The Dawgs, taking the field, showed some new faces – David Sommer at second, newly arrived Yechezkel Gantz from Buenos Aires, in right field and later behind the plate in the 4th, 5th, and 6th innings, and Jake Miller, the Dawg’s pup. At 15 1/2 years old, Jake brings his experience as a star on Israel’s national baseball team to the softball diamond, catching Shmuel Goldstein the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd innings. Dawg starter, Shmuel Goldstein, began a stellar performance, sending a K-onfused, whiffing, and surprised Howie Hirsch, the Penticon leftie slugger, back to warm the bench. Penticon scored a pair of runs before it was the Dawgs turn to come out of the kennel. After Albert and Jeremy walked, Jon Dym, the Dawgs coach – and ironically, the midwife of the team that became Penticon (Lachish Tours) – smashed a double that sent Albert home and Jeremy to third. Yechezkel, an Argentinean Maccabi ballplayer, roped a double, sending both Jeremy and Jon flying home. One more run later in the game was all the Dawgs would manage to get up on the scoreboard. In the meantime, Shmuel, the tireless workhorse of the staff, remained relaxed, focused, and quietly in command despite Penticon pressure and some misplayed chances in the Dawgfield. Some Dawg defensive plays stood out: David snagged a ball, held the runner at third and threw the batter out, while Albert caught a mile high foul pop-up hauling the ball in backhanded over his right shoulder. MASH-Crazy Richard veteran, Lowell Blackman, coming on the field in the fifth inning at second base, made two consecutive put-outs in the same inning - both on Penticonians trying to advance. Instead of safety at second, they met the backside of Lowell’s buddy, Mr. Wilson, cradling Mr. Rawlings. And steady and reliable as always were Danny Epstein in left, Jon at first, rabbit-fast Yaniv Gohary in center, and veteran Robert Even in right. But, as in history, and in literature, and in architecture, and in baseball, there is a tipping point, a final straw, a cave-in, and it came to the Dawgs. Penticon players, ever savvy at the plate, broke the game open by chipping away at Dawg defense with by some smart hitting, some hard hitting, and some well placed shots that some Dawgs couldn’t reach fast enough. Noteworthy was Roy, Penticon’s young slugger, who tagged some long balls with his dream swing. And, as someone once said, “Many streams a mighty river make,” serial Penticon hits and baserunners kept their numbers increasing on the big board. Shmuel left in the 6th inning to the applause and appreciation of his teammates. He had shined on the field, accounting for five assisted put-outs, but after tiring, Jeremy came in to attempt to put out the fire and close out the game. Yehudah Kronengold came in at second, and Lowell went to third, with Albert at short. Some additional walks and hits inflated the Penticon totals further, and the game ended 14-3. For more details, see the "Games" link at left. Special mention should go to the umpires, veteran Shayela Mayk and rookie Wendy Halley, both of whom called an excellent game with nary a word of complaint from any hapless ballplayers. Undaunted by this first outing against the league champs, the Dawgs look forward to their second game at Kibbutz Gezer, lying at the foothills of one of Solomon’s ancient fortified cities. They will be playing the Movers, another highly rated team, but one against which the Dawgs will fight hard.