Team Israel to Play Boulders
Published on July 7, 2021 under Frontier League (FL)
New York Boulders News Release
Rockland County, NY - As the Tokyo Games approach, the Team Israel National Baseball Team will be making a stop at Palisades Credit Union Park to play the Frontier League's New York Boulders in an exhibition game as they prepare to compete for a medal.
Team Israel, with a number of former Major League players including four-time All-Star Ian Kinsler, will play the Boulders in an exhibition game on Monday, July 12, at 7 p.m., which will be followed by a fireworks extravaganza shortly after the game's conclusion.
Team Israel won the round-robin tournament featuring the top 5 teams from the 2019 European Championship in Italy, Sept. 18-22, 2019.ÃÂ As the winner of that tournament, it qualified to be one of the six national teams that will compete in Tokyo.
Host Japan, Mexico, South Korea, the USA and the Dominican Republic round out the six-team field.
Japan, Mexico and the Dominican Republic will play in Group A in the Tokyo Games, while the USA joins Israel and South Korea in Group B.
The Games are scheduled for July 23 through Aug. 8.
Kinsler, 38, broke into the major leagues with the Texas Rangers in 2006 and also played with the Detroit Tigers, Los Angeles Angels, Boston Red Sox and San Diego Padres in a career that spanned 14 years. He retired after the 2019 season with the Padres. Kinsler was an All-Star in 2008, 2010, 2012 and 2014.
Team Israel's roster also includes infielders Ty Kelly and Danny Valencia, as well as Boulders' shortstop Zach Penprase.
Kelly, 31, saw time with the New York Mets and Philadelphia Phillies between 2016-18, while Valencia, 34, logged time with six teams from 2010-18.
Tickets for the exhibition games are on sale now. A portion of the proceeds will benefit the Israel Baseball Association to help offset their expenses and help grow the sport of baseball in Israel.
Team Israel team will possess a local flavor with Westchester County resident Eric Holtz as the team's manager. Additionally, Yorktown Heights native Jonathan DeMarte, 27 and a pitcher in the Chicago Cubs' organization, is expected to represent Israel.
"As a Westchester resident for 30 years and the head coach of the Israel NationalÃÂ team, playing the Boulders in Rockland could not possibly get any better for me," Holtz said. "Like a homecoming where both of my worlds collide. (I) couldn't be more excited to get out there and also get the Rockland community behind our boys in blue and white."
To be eligible to represent a country at the Olympic Games, a person must hold citizenship in that land.
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