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Sellout Crowd Watches Israel Olympic Baseball Team Play Bethesda Big Train

The Israel National Baseball team defeated Bethesda Big Train Sunday under the lights before a sold-out crowd at the Shirley Povich Field days before heading to the Olympics in Tokyo.

During a Friendship game that featured “Take Me Out to the Ballgame” sung in Yiddish and food trucks with Jewish treats from Attman’s Potomac Deli and Schmaltz Brothers, the two teams played a close seven-inning game that ended with the Israel National team winning 8-7.

“For Team Israel to come to the U.S. capital as part of our tour has special significance for the team, as Israel and the United States are strong allies and this cooperation manifests itself in all fields,” Team Israel General Manager Peter Kurz wrote.

“We are so honored to be able to host the Israel National Baseball Team,” Bruce Adams, founder and president of the Bethesda Community Base Ball Club wrote on the back of the commemorative ticket.

Team Israel features former Major League Baseball players Ian Kinsler and Danny Valencia.

At the start of the game, the Charles E. Smith Jewish Day School’s Shir Madness vocal group sang the national anthem of both countries. Many politicians attended the game, including Maryland Attorney General Brian Frosh, State Sen. Cheryl Kagan and Delegates Marc Korman and Jared Solomon, Councilmembers Andrew Friedson and Gabe Albornoz, Vice Chair of the Montgomery County Planning Board  Natali Fani-Gonzalex and former County Executive Ike Leggett.

(Photo courtesy Maggie Laird/Bethesda Big Train)

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