By Philissa Cramer
Israel’s improbable quest for an Olympic medal in baseball ended on Tuesday, Aug. 3, after the team featuring several former Major League ballplayers fell in a close match to the Dominican Republic.
Israel led 6-5 in the game going into the ninth inning, but a home run followed by a string of singles propelled the Dominican Republic to a final score of 7-6.
The loss means that Israel will leave Tokyo with just one win out of five games, a poor showing in what many had hoped would be a breakout year for Israeli baseball.
The Associated Press had predicted that Team Israel, made up of both Israeli ballplayers and American Jews, would win a bronze medal. Instead, the team lost to South Korea and the United States in opening-round games, defeated Mexico in the first round of competition, and then lost again to South Korea in round two before facing the Dominican Republic.
Ian Kinsler, the team’s only former All-Star, told the Jewish Telegraphic Agency before the Olympics that his goal in playing for Team Israel was to increase the profile of baseball in Israel. “Medaling for Team Israel would create that buzz,” he said, and “obviously bring more attention to the sport. So it’s exciting to think about all that.”
Before going to the Olympics, Team Israel played a series of exhibition games in the northeastern United States, including in Aberdeen and Rockville.
At the Aberdeen game on July 19, Team Israel lost 9-3 to the Cal Ripken Collegiate Baseball League All-Stars. (Check out photos from the game.) At the Rockville game the previous day, Team Israel defeated the Bethesda Big Train 8-7.
Among the local groups that attended the game were the Baltimore Jewish Council, The Associated: Jewish Federation of Baltimore, Pikesville Jewish Congregation, Harford Chabad, Congregation Kneseth Israel in Annapolis, Congregation Beth El in Bethesda, Temple Adas Shalom-The Harford Jewish Center, Chabad of Anne Arundel County and Pikesville’s Moses Montefiore Anshe Emunah Hebrew Congregation. (The singing of “The Star-Spangled Banner” and “Hatikvah” was performed by the Temple Adas Shalom Choir.)
Among those traveling with the 28-member Team Israel on the northeastern tour were Jordan Gladstone and Spencer Rapkin, a pair of students from Pikesville’s Beth Tfiloh Dahan Community School. Both 12, Jordan and Spencer helped with the team’s workout camps and serving as ball boys and batboys.
Jordan’s father, Mount Washington resident Adam Gladstone, served as Team Israel’s assistant general manager and director of baseball operations. He was with Team Israel in 2017 when it competed in the World Baseball Classic, spending 23 days in South Korea and Japan.
Philissa Cramer is the editor-in-chief of the JTA global Jewish news source. Jmore editorial staff members contributed to this article.
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