Designated Hitters: The Story of Israel Baseball

How tiny Israel managed to produce a world-class baseball team that beat a string of baseball Goliaths to secure a trip to the Tokyo Olympics [Sponsored]

New York Yankees' Ron Blomberg heads for first after as he grounds out against the California Angels during a baseball game at Yankee Stadium in New York. Blomberg became the first major league designated hitter in an opening-day game, on June 6, 1973. (Harry Harris/AP)

Catch up with ‘Designated Hebrew’ Ron Blomberg, baseball’s first designated hitter

April 24, 2022

49 years ago, this proud Jew from Atlanta made history while wearing Yankee pinstripes

Israel's Blake Gailen runs towards the home plate to score during the seventh inning of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games baseball round 1 game between Israel and Mexico at Yokohama Baseball Stadium in Yokohama, Japan, on August 1, 2021. (KAZUHIRO FUJIHARA / AFP)

Designated Hitters: The Story of Israel Baseball

Batting Cleanup: Blake Gailen

October 1, 2021

How Gailen's turbulent journey through the minor leagues and playing in Australia during the pandemic led him to play a crucial role in helping Team Israel qualify for the Olympics

Israel's Danny Valencia plays during a baseball game at Yokohama Baseball Stadium during the 2020 Summer Olympics, Aug. 2, 2021, in Yokohama, Japan. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)

Designated Hitters: The Story of Israel Baseball

First Base: Danny Valencia

September 26, 2021

How being raised as a proud Jew by his mother led the MLB journeyman to become the first baseman for the Israel national team that made it all the way to the Olympics.

The glove of Israel Olympic baseball player Jake Roseberg sits on the field at Salt River Fields spring training facility, Wednesday, May 12, 2021, in Scottsdale, Arizona. Israel has qualified for the six-team baseball tournament at the Tokyo Olympic games which will be its first appearance at the Olympics in any team sport since 1976. (AP Photo/Matt York)

Designated Hitters: The Story of Israel Baseball

Israel Baseball Takes on America

September 17, 2021

Where does a team with no professional league in their home country hone their skills? In baseball's home-country, of course!

Israel's national baseball team at a team practice in Tel Aviv, January 14, 2020. (AP/Ariel Schalit)

Designated Hitters: The Story of Israel Baseball

Olympic Dreams

September 9, 2021

Israel's first Olympic team in forty years was a baseball squad composed of all different types of dreamers