[(Yarkon Sports Complex, Petach Tikvah, Israel] – Maccabi USA Men’s (35 Over) Master’s Fastpitch Softball team won the Gold Medal at the 18th World Maccabiah Games. Team USA defeated Maccabi Canada Masters 9-1 in the Gold Medal Game. Dave Blackburn got the starting pitching assignment for team USA, and David Strauss got the starting assignment for Canada. It was Blackburn’s 4th World Maccabiah Games Gold Medal, a record for Softball players.

Maccabi USA was coached by Southern Californian and former Vista Bomber and Long Beach Painter catcher Kenny Schwartz. Schwartz was assisted by Barry Schoenbrun, who has successfully organized and run the Los Angeles Synagogue Softball League for 14 seasons.

Maccabi Canada Masters were coached by ISC Hall of Famer Larry Lynch (you don’t have to be Jewish to coach in the games) who was making his first trip to Israel.

Other Californians on the Maccabi USA Master’s team were:

Larry Silfen (SCIFL, San Diego Prime Time)
Mark Weinstock (Burbank, Cowboys)
Larry Lorin (Burbank, Dominators)
Brett Reisner (Burbank, Dominators)
Michael Feldman (SCIFL, San Diego Prime Time)
Corey Angel (Burbank, Yankees)

Two time ISC All World outfielder Steve Schucker was named MVP and the leading hitter of the 18th Maccabiah Games Master’s Fastpitch Softball Tournament. Schucker sported a .706 Batting Average, and a big 2-Run Home Run in the first inning of the Gold Medal Game. Lead off man, and shortstop Jeremy Spear also provided great offensive spark for team USA throughout the Tournament. Spear is well known in Fastball circles as the film maker whose award winning documentary film “Fastpitch”, introduced many people to the pageantry of the ISC World Tournament.

At the Softball Awards Ceremony, Dave Blackburn was inducted in the International Player Category to the Israel Softball Hall of Fame, along with Pitchers Mark Bendahan of Canada, and Ricky Landau of Venezuela.

In the Men’s Open (no age restriction) fastpitch Tournament, Maccabi Canada edged Maccabi USA 2-1 in a hard fought Gold Medal Game, leaving the USA with a silver medal. Maccabi Canada’s Tom Berube, got 14 K’s in the pitching victory over Maccabi USA’s young up and coming pitcher Jason Gluckman, who threw the best game of his short pitching career, in almost stopping the Canadians. Maccabi Canada’s Mike Smulevitch’s RBI base hit in the bottom of the 7th inning spelled the difference, and delivered Maccabi Canada the Open Softball Gold Medal.

Maccabi USA’s Josh Persell (SCIFL, Long beach Black Sox) was the leading hitter of the Open Tournament. Besides Gluckman and Persell, other Californians on Maccabi USA included:

Daniel Cosgrove (Burbank Dominators)
Andrew Kirsh (Burbank Dominators)
Dan Winters (Burbank Dominators)
Dan Winnick (Bay Area Pirates)

Over 8,000 Jewish athletes, competing in 32 sports, from over 60 countries gathered for two weeks in Israel, making the 18th World Maccabiah Games the 3rd Largest Sporting Event in the world, next to the Olympics, and the World University Games. Maccabi Canada’s Masters Softball Second Baseman Lorne Swartz was given the honor of leading the entire Canadian delegation by carrying the Canadian Flag into Ramat Gan Stadium for the Opening Ceremonies in front of 55,000 spectators.

Maccabi USA and Beijing Olympics swimming phenom Jason Lezak was given the honor of lighting the Maccabiah torch at the festive 18th Maccabiah Games Opening Ceremonies.

This entry was posted on Monday, July 27th, 2009 at 12:49 pm and is filed under International, Nor Cal, So Cal, Tournaments. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.