Seth Returns To U.S.A.

September 16, 2007

About The Israel Baseball League... And My Comments

Arrow (Aaron Rosdal), on the right and Seth Binder getting ready to bat. Arrow has incredible speed and a good glove, Seth is a great athlete. (From a post by Ari Alexenberg, player\assistant coach of the Petach Tikvah Pioneers.) Ari posted more pictures of the league. Seth is in one. There is music to watch it by.

Seth will be home this Sunday, September 16th.

Much has been written about the IBL since the season ended in August. Most of it has not been positive. These includes articles by Elli Wohlgelernter that criticized the leagues organization, the housing accommodation's, lack of air conditioning, the food for players, lack of ice and a weight room, field conditions, a serious injury to one player due to lack of batting cages and safety protections (Seth's teammate), the umpiring, paychecks, lack of marketing to Israeli's and one coach who left before the end of the season. (Also, Seth team... my opinion, he just did not want to be there... the team did much better when he left.)

There have also been some positive things written. One article by Jeremy Wimpfheimer tells the story about taking his son to his first baseball game. He writes, "As an immigrant to Israel, I might have thought that my new homeland would have deprived me of the chance to participate in this special connection between father and son. Yet, thanks to the newly formed Israel Baseball League, I was afforded this remarkable opportunity on my “home turf” and one which arguably was no less magical than had it been shared by 50,000 screaming fans in Yankee Stadium." That magical moment came as he wrote, "I was holding a souvenir far more valuable than any Barry Bonds record-breaking homerun ball could ever be. Today, as in thousands of bedrooms all across the American heartland, my son’s shelf is adorned with a baseball from his first game."

Another who wrote positively about the Israel Baseball League was Ari Alexenberg, the player/coach from Seth's team. In this post he writes, "This summer I lived a multi-layered dream. I played professional baseball in Israel, I signed autographs for smiling children and excited adults, I helped to introduce a sport I love to a country I love, and I made friends with ball players from around the world who share my passion for baseball." After discussing many of the problems listed above he concludes his post, written after returning to the United States with the following. "I miss the sound of 'Hatikvah' being played everyday while the Israeli flags waved on the outfield fences. Maybe it was a perfect summer."

My opinion:. As a parent of one of the players, I heard of most of the problems that were reported in the articles as they happened. I have to believe that the people who put together the Israel Baseball League did so to introduce baseball to the state of Israel and had only honorable intentions from the beginning. I do not believe that they intended for any of the problems to happen. With that said, I hope that they have learned from this past season and make changes that will improve the Israel Baseball League and make the experience for the coming years for the players, coaches and fans even more enjoyable.

As for Seth, I believe that he has given an opportunity to do what he loves, play baseball. This time in Israel. As the name of his team says, he was a pioneer, playing in the inaugural season of baseball in Israel. This gave him the opportunity to experience more than most do in a life time. Following the baseball season, my brother in law David, joined Seth and they visited different parts of Israel, Petra Jordan, parts of Egypt including Cairo and the pyramids. After this, Seth met up with one of his teammates in Tel Aviv and they left to tour parts of Greece, Italy, Switzerland and France. As Seth just graduated Oberlin College, this past May, I can only say what a great graduation present Seth has given himself. Or as Ari above said, maybe it was a perfect summer.

I look forward to discussing this when Seth gets home.

Seth's Unofficial Israel Baseball League Stats

People have asked me, how did Seth do in the Israel Baseball League? So, I went through the statistics from the leagues Leaders section. This is what I came up with.

Stat In League On His Team

Average .250 30th 4th
OBP .479 6th 1st
BB 26 tie 3rd 1st
HBP 10 tie 4th 1st
SB 11 tie 16th 2nd

OPB = on base percentage
BB = base on balls
HBP = hit by pitch
SB = stolen bases

Seth played short stop, 3rd base and catcher. He was injured after the first game in practice and was out about one week. He started the first game ever played in the Israel Baseball League at short stop. He started batting in the 9th position, moved up over time to bat second and then eventually to lead off batter. Seth's team was the Petach Tikvah Pioneers. They came in last place.

On University of Michigan Football

Even I root for University of Michigan Football. I have been gone from the state of Michigan and Michigan State University long enough, that I can root for any Big Ten football team. Of course, that excludes Ohio State.

Today Michigan played Notre Dame. Michigan won big 38-0. The loss for Notre Dame comes after the loss to Penn State. This loss has even more significance to those of us here in Oak Park, California. Jimmy Clausen, the freshman quarterback for Notre Dame, played high school football at Oaks Christian, a private high school rival of Oak Park High School, Oak Park California. Oaks Christian's semi pro recruited team (the majority of last year starting football team went to division one colleges, some were relatives of big time college players or professional players) caused Oak Park headaches for years. Jimmy Clausen is an excellent football player and probably will go on to have an excellent college football career and even go on to become a professional, however it has been nice to see the Big Ten give him a nice welcome. It would be even nicer if Michigan State could continue this next week.

On College Football...

Michigan State may loose all their games from this point on, however who would have thought that they would be 2-0 and Michigan and Notre Dame would be 0-2 after the first two weeks of college football.

When was the last time this happened, if ever?

Already a winning season on that aspect. If only Ohio State was 0-2, now that would be like winning the national championship.

Update To The September 1991 Binder Family Newsletter

In 1991, I wrote the following:

As was mentioned above, ISADORE & HELEN Binder moved out of Michigan in May 1991. They sold their condo, most of their furniture and excess baggage and headed to California to visit their children and grandchildren. Their first stop was in Huntington Beach to see their new grandson, Jared Adam Binder. After leaving there they moved north in their new Plymouth Vanagon to see the rest of their children, In Los Angeles and Agoura. Following their stay, they once again headed out on the road with no home and set sails for the Silver State, Nevada, specifically Las Vegas Upon arrival in Los Vegas they started to look for a place to live and started to contact a number of people they knew that lived there. With this new freedom, they were out to start a new life. Within a week, they found residence and began to start setting up a new household. The stores in Las Vegas were glad to see them and their money. With their children and grandchildren only 5 hours away by van, they were on their way. THEN in August, Sunny was having a little chest pain and went to the hospital only to find out he needed to have a bi-pass surgery. Six were done and he was out of the hospital in one week. Recovering now, Helen & Sunny are taking everything in stride.

Flash forward to August 2007.

The senior Binders are on the move again. This time making it one more time heading west to California.

A few months ago they made the decision that is was time to move out of Las Vegas. They put the house up for sale. What seemed like a long time became very short when the house sold and the buyer wanted them out in a month. That started a process where they had to sell, donate, throw out and decide which of their belongings were going to make the trip. They enlisted Michael, Brandon, Arlene, Matthew and myself. Michael and Arlene went twice and I went three times. Matthew went with me the second time and stayed the last week and drove them to California. They moved into their new home in Chatsworth on August 20th.

To welcome them here, the weather has been over the 100 degree mark, just like in Las Vegas. The stores also have been glad to see them, just like their prior move.

They also have visited the doctor. This time just for check up and checking in with a new doctor. My father has also visited the VA for the same reason.

When I left their home this evening, they still have a lot of unpacking, organizing and rearranging to do. The phone and cable are in and they are waiting for internet to be hooked up.
It will take a little longer as we try to get everything in order. Matthew & Arlene has been over a few times. I have stopped over either at lunch, after work, and on the weekend in an attempt to help. It is just going to take more time.

When Seth gets back from traveling, it will be the first time in years that all the Binders will be living in the same state.

It has been awhile....

since I have posted. We have been busy and I hope to get you up to date asap...

Hallelujah!!!!!!

Well, here it is! What we have been waiting for. Now he just needs to find a job. Offers accepted.

I even smiled.

The “Best” of Memories

The “Best” of Memories by Robert Binder

(Written for the 1966 6^th grade class of Paul L. Best Elementary School and others)

The last time I saw a number of you, was at my Bar Mitzvah in November of 1967. We were already in 8^th grade and my parents had moved us to a larger house on the other side of Oak Park. I guess they needed a larger house when my youngest brother showed up after no children for nine years. The 2 bedroom, den and one bathroom on Ithaca had gotten to small that August 1965 and it took my mother about 2 years to convince my father that we needed to move. I commuted to Lincoln Jr. High School the last few months of 7^th grade before starting 8^th grade at Clinton Jr. High School in the Oak Park School District. This story however is about the “Best” memories that I have of attending the “best” school and living in that area of Oak Park.

I remember…. (just in order of remembering, not importance, )

Hot dog luncheons, (hotdog, celery, carrots, milk and that Twinkie), oh wasn’t it great that we could eat at school one day. Did we really go home for lunch the others days?

The paper drives to raise money so that we would be able to go to camp with the class.

The annual fair, playing ring toss to win a cane. You tried to win as many canes as possible. The time I asked a girl to go with me, for which I saved my allowance to buy her something.

Walking a girl home from school, carrying her books.

All those cute little girls, who were probably taller than I was.

Being a safety, that white strap sure made you feel more important.

Cub Scouts, a number of local kids were, we had meetings at homes and some at the school.

6^th grade (or 5^th) that my brother gave me chicken pox and I could not go to the overnight camp.

Carrying a pocket knife to school.

Carrying a brush (or comb) to brush my hair in my back pocket. I had a great brush with a curved end that I used to comb my hair back when we combed it back and then to the side when that was the style. No need for that anymore.

Puske’s (sp) store that you either rode your bike to or walked to for the penny candy, oh, the flavored bubble gum, the jaw breakers, the wax lips, mustaches, fingers, the candy cigarettes, the small wax bottles filled with sugar water…

The small streets around Puske’s.

Marching in the Best School band for the Memorial Day parade, down Livernois?

Box hockey.

Summer recreation at the school.

Winning 3^rd place in the 50 yard dash, not that that was that great, but it meant that there were only 2 faster than me.

Breaking my front tooth playing basketball in gym on the playground in 6^th grade.

The PA announcements and the one that we wish we never heard on November 22, 1963 about President Kennedy and that walk home that day.

Those long summers that never seemed to end, staying out as late as you could, playing hide and seek, riding a skate board with metal wheels, only to go home when it turned dark or your mother screamed down the block for you to come home.

Those winters when you got snowed in and did not have to go to school, ice skating on the street or in your back yard.

The streets by my house going away from the school: Rosewood, Ithaca(my street), Majestic, Manistee, Oneida, Seneca, Rennselaer, Geneva, and Scotia.

Knowing who lived in every house on the block on my side of Northfield.

The Ithaca kids from our class, Linda Lublin, Cindy Segal, Marla Applebaum, Neal Golden, Bruce Lowen and Rene Kaplan. There could have been more.

A few notes about the writer of these memories. As I stated before, we moved to the other side of Oak Park when I was in eighth grade. I graduated from Oak Park High School, Michigan State University and then California College of Podiatric Medicine in San Francisco, California. I came back to Michigan in 1979 -1980 and lived in the city of Riverview, downriver, where I did my surgical training. I left in 1980 because of the unemployment (recession?) that was happening in Michigan at the time. I moved back to California, this time southern California and lived in Van Nuys, Northridge and ended up in Oak Park, California. My wife, Arlene, who I met when she was in 8^th grade and I in 10^th were graduates from Oak Park High School, as are our two sons, Matthew (24) and Seth(22), only they graduated Oak Park High School in California. They both graduated college recently. Matthew, a computer information systems major is seeking employment. Seth, a history major, is currently playing professional baseball in Israel. Our hope is that their lives in Oak Park gave our sons the “best” of memories.

(This was written after I heard that the Paul L. Best Elementary school class of 1966 was having a reunion. I later found out that it was on the same weekend as the Ferndale High School Class of 1972. That's 35 years out of high school. It would have been great to see my classmates. Oak Park is not having their next reunion until 4o or 5o years..... ouch. I thank the organizers for letting me relive the memories.)

Pictures Of Israel By Matthew

A few pictures of Jerusalem and a sunset somewhere in Israel.

My Little Jewish Boy In Israel....

Just a select few from the nearly 800 pictures that Matthew took (or were taken of him) when in Israel.

WoW!!!!!!

It was late last night and I decided to check my gmail one more time. I have google send me any articles written about the Israel Baseball League . It is called google alerts and it works great. Well there were 3 alerts. The first one was by Brian Blum in his blog This Normal Life that I have been reading for years. Brian settled in Israel and is raising a family there. He is originally from California. I do not know him personally, however, a week or two ago I emailed him and told him about the IBL and Seth and thought that he might want to take his children. I have no idea is he even received my email. I read his blog, looked for anything about Seth, nothing there, and was glad he got to go there with his children whether I had anything to do with it or not.

Next the third alert caught my eye. It said ' LA 'boys of summer' take to the diamond in Israel
The Jewish Journal of greater L.A - Los Angeles,CA,USA
At least that's the hope of the new Israel Baseball League (IBL). With six teams, three stadiums and a 45-game schedule, IBL is ready to play ball, ...' . I thought could Seth be in this article. There were two recent articles in the Los Angeles Times and the Daily News about LA players, and Seth was in neither. So I clicked on the link and WoW!!!!!, the image that you see above. The link above takes you to the whole story. What a surprise! I got Arlene up to look, emailed the link to some family and friends, downloaded the picture, printed 2 copies, one on glossy paper and then went to bed. I got up early this morning to go to the deli to see if they had the paper in. Agoura Deli did not get theirs in so I went to Brents Deli in Northridge and they did not get their shipment either. Guess what I will be doing at lunch. The most asked question by friends and family has been where can I get his baseball card. The answer is I do not know. I searched the IBL web site and nothing there. I emailed Seth, however, it is Friday there (everything closed) and he probably will not be able to get to the library to use the internet to at least Monday. Until then.

Matthew's Trip To Poland and Israel

Matthew has recently returned from Israel. He went with Birthright Israel. The group that organized his trip was March of the Living International. This trip goes to Poland and Israel. This is the description according to their website.

‘In Poland you will witness the destruction of European Jewry through visits of concentration camps. It is an opportunity to remember those who were murdered and honor those who survived. You will also immerse yourself in historic Jewish sites which showcase the richness of Jewish culture that once prospered in Europe.

In Israel you will experience the natural beauty of Israel, meet Israeli peers and connect to your Jewish heritage in ancient, beautiful and modern sites in Jerusalem, Massada, Golan Heights, the Galilee, Tel Aviv and more. Your trip will allow you to learn first hand about life in Israel and participate in lots of fun activities such as: hiking, jeep riding, floating in the Dead Sea, enjoying Bedouin hospitality, camel riding and so much more. You will make friendships and memories that will last forever.’

When asked if he had a good time on the trip, he said he had a better than excellent time.

Hopefully, he will download the pictures from the trip soon and maybe I will be able to put some on this site or link to them.

Matthew has now rested after the long trip and has started his search for a job. He graduated from the University of the Pacific in May 2007 with a degree in computer science. Job offers accepted. Prior to going to Israel, Matthew was working a contract job that ended before he left.

Update to ‘The Mystique of “5”

Just thought I would add an update to ‘The Mystique of “5”’.

http://robertbinder.blogspot.com/2007/06/mystique-of-5.html

Seth has been in Israel since the end of June. http://www.israelbaseballleague.com/main/

He started the first game of the season at shortstop, and yes, was wearing the number “5”.

A week after that first game we watched it on KCET TV, a PBS station in Los Angeles.

Sometime before the second game he hurt his wrist and was out for a week. He came back to pinch hit and play 3^rd base one game. The next game he started at 3^rd base and finally got his first hit. We know that there will be many to follow.

Since I wrote “5”, Seth was given an award at the senior scholar-athletic awards luncheon. He won the Andrews Family Award for Academics, Athletics and Leadership.

Something else that I did not put in Mystique is that Seth was a two year captain of the baseball team. In his junior year, he shared this with 2 seniors and in his senior year he was the lone captain.

Just thought i would throw is some older post from an old blog.... some things are the same, but most have changed....

Summer Update...Monday, 3. July 2006, 11:13:27
July 3rd...., Arlene at work, Matthew still in bed late in the morning (nothing unusual), I took the day off, Seth in Ohio..., the summer has been sort of busy for us... this is the first weekend we have been home.....

Two weeks ago, I attended the Western Podiatry Conference/Seminar at the Disneyland Hotel, Arlene came with, though not to the meetings...she did lots of walking as usual, we did not go to Disneyland..., did go to an Angels baseball game, stayed at a Crown Plaza, very nice rooms and the cost for the 3 days was the same as one day at the Disneyland Hotel... also while down there we saw Michael and his family (Sheryl, Jared, Brandon & Haley), had dinner and spent some money at Steve & Barrys.... if you have not gone to one, look it up and get there, bought a baseball jacket and a University of Michigan coat for my father, no Michigan State coats here in California, each coat and everything in the store is under $8.98 at this store, Seth bought me a coat in Ohio for $5.98... Michael's boys hair is getting longer and they are getting taller... Haley is a year out from her Bat Mitzvah.., at the seminar I saw 18 of my classmates that I went to professional school, how come they all seemed to be older ....

Last weekend was a very busy one, we, Arlene & I, went up to the wedding of the son of our next door neighbor, it was in Sacramento, we went up on Friday, stopped in Stockton, had lunch, went to the University of the Pacific, walked around, took some pix... with the digital, did not see Matthew, he was busy doing???? something...,see Photos, and then went up to Sacramento and checked into the Doubletree hotel... Arlene went to the gym to use the treadmill and I went to look for people from the wedding to find where the out of town dinner would be... it was 105+ in Stockton and Sacramento and I was looking forward for the outdoor ceremony the next day.. the wedding was very nice, see Pix of Arlene & Matthew afterward in the room... however...

Prior to the wedding, I got up early on Saturday morning and drove approximately 40 minutes to Fairfield California to go to temple, I know, hard to believe, but I wanted to see a Rabbi I knew, that I haven't seen for many years, since the boys were young, I knew him from Michigan where he lived for a few years... his name is Rabbi Steve Vale, he has a small congregation in an area near Travis Airforce Base where he served as a Rabbi in the Airforce....it was a conservative service with a twist, the twist was that everyone got to read, in English translation, and then there was a discussion, as part of the service,... I stayed after while everything was being put away and we talked of family, his and mine, had a great time and then I had to get back to Sacramento for the wedding...

So what else is going on....
-Seth has stayed in Ohio and is playing baseball and working, see prior post..., in August he will be going to New York City to stay with Uncle David and friends of his before he starts school in September...his senior year...
-Matthew is home for the second of three mini semesters during summer school, taking an online class and will go back for the third summer part at the end of the month, and will stay for the fall, hopefully to graduate in December...
-I will be going to another seminar in August in Las Vegas, I know, just a little warm there, will spend the week and see my parents and friends there... hopefully Arlene will get off and join me....

until next time... Robert

Trying........

*it has been a 'trying time', whatever that means, with arlene out of town (in Michigan) for the past week plus, matthew at school and las vegas and seth in Ohio playing baseball and now working, he stopped in to Michigan to see his mother... to top it off my dsl was not working at home...(digital subscriber line...someone recently asked me...

*so i had time to do some of those things that you want to do but never seen to have or want to have time to do.... such as clean the pool and pool filter... clean up the backyard, go thru those piles of mail/ads/medical info/journals/ and other stuff that gets in the pile to do later.... i even found an online seminar (when the dsl was briefly working) for free (savings of about $200) that i earned 12 cme credits..., washed the cars or at least the car wash did...,
*stayed up late, watched to much tv, sports etc... even watched hsn and bought something for arlene... no not the sex videos, more on that later... something even i should use... of course no one will tell her since i did not tell her yet....
*as for in Las Vegas, Matthew went with a few friends (guys) from Stockton... drove late at night to get there early the next morning to pick up Penina (recently 21 year old) who flew in from LAX... my parents were running a boarding house, bodies all over the place... who probably slept most of the day and partied at night,...heard that one, the one with the curly hair had a little to much beer to drink.... and to be consistant with that schedule they dropped one of the guys at the airport in LV at 12 midnight and then drove back to Stockton for Matthew to get to class that morning at 9am... Penina left the next afternoon...
*in Ohio, heard that Seth has had 2 baseball games which they won, no word on whether he got a hit or even played, this league is a wood bat collegiate league.... and today he started work..
*on Sunday, i went to Gary & Renee Glickmans house for a pre Memorial Day party, BarBQ, had a boca burger, chili, potato salad and other stuff to make up for the food that i did not eat this past week,... (ate mostly a big salad (all sorts of veggies) that i made earlier in the week and added tuna fish to)....was good food and nice to have someone to talk to....
*on Monday, i actually went out to dinner, other that fast food... Maria's Italian Kitchen, had my favorite... Chicken Picatta... mine is better, and minestrone soup... very good, a little pricey...
*which leaves me to now...sitting in my office typing this where the dsl works, (i was told that the dsl was to be fixed at home, but i have been told that before...) waiting before i go for dinner and the traffic eases, yeah right, and head out to the airport to pick up Arlene...

Away

Wednesday, 24. May 2006, 22:49:42

Arlene has been away in Michigan visiting her father, sister and family,... Seth also came in from Ohio... where he will be for most of the summer, playing baseball...what else...., he will be staying in Lorain Ohio and will be working somewhere at the college..Oberlin College.... back to Michigan... I was thinking today and talking with a patient and remembering things... a few things came up.... no particular order... the milk man.., used to deliver the milk to a box in the back of the house that opened from the outside and from inside of the house, guess that was what the box was for good in the winter so the milk would not freeze) (no problem when we lived on Greenbriar since the milkman lived next door... or was it to crawl thru when you were young.... another was the laundry chute that went from the bathroom to the basement where the laundry was... no basement here, just a box in the bedroom....was also good to yell down stairs and drop stuff down when your brother looked up.... the 3rd thing i was thinking about was gas prices (while driving to work today and seeing the $3.49 price...having only been around for 51+ years, sorry mom, how come i can remember $2.49, $1.49, $.49, and even $.19 which is the cheapest that i remember paying on 8 mile road in Oak Park, there was $.17 not to far into Detroit but i did not trust that station.... just think you could fill up the car from the change that you found in the sofa..... Hopefully will be able to post more now... my dsl was down most of the last month, comments welcome, sharing with others welcome, check out the different areas, blog, photos, links and about...

Gas again+

Friday, 12. May 2006, 22:46:34

corner shell station now at $3.49.....regular....
cheaper in las vegas... temperature to get up to 100....
-arrived in las vegas to see the ma & pa... went out to dinner and then arlene and my dad went out to get more food, guess they think that we will not have enough food... went to a resturant named Jason's, they have a nice little salad bar, feel like i do not get my money's worth (or my mother's in this case), seems that i can only go thru once... so how come it looks like i went thru many more times???

Ouch!!!!!!

Thursday, 27. April 2006, 17:53:36

local gas prices at Shell..... 101 freeway & kanan rd....
regular.... $3.33\gallon
92 octane.... $3.59\gallon

Getting Started....

Thursday, 27. April 2006, 08:34:30

found this site and thought i would give blogging a try.... so be patient and give me some time to figure out the ins and outs of the site.... add some thoughts.... links.... pictures.... etc.... thanx... robert

About

Name:

Robert Binder

Location:

Somewhere lost in California

Occupation:

podiatrist, husband, father, computer repair, chief bottle washer, photographer.....

The Mystique of “5”

It started a few of years ago, in 1993, to be exact. Agoura Pony Baseball’s league coaches selected Seth to his first of many All Star and travel teams. They handed out the uniforms by lining up from shortest to tallest. Number one went to the shortest and so on. It was hard to tell the difference between the first seven or so. They were all short. Seth getting the number 5 was just a matter of fate. From then on, he would get that number on a jersey as often as he could. Sometimes the numbers were pre-selected and he had no choice. One time he selected 55, one time 15, and another 25, just as long a 5 was on his uniform. This continued into high school and included his jerseys for baseball, football and basketball. He was successful most of the time. In high school and college he wore the number “5” in his sophomore, junior and senior years. It seemed that each freshman year that he had to wait until some upperclassman graduated and the number was free.

For a period, Seth even had a chain necklace with the number “5” on it. His room is cluttered with 5’s, some he picked up, others given to him. Arlene’s and my cell phones speed dials are set to “5” for Seth. He even put a picture of a “5” on my cell that comes up when he calls. Occasionally I will answer the phone saying, hello “5” when he calls.

Now that Pony, travel baseball, JCC Maccabi games, high school and college baseball are over, we can look back at how well Seth and his number “5” did. There were many trophies, tournament wins and awards all the way through high school. This continued in college, except to a higher level. His junior year, he set several school records, including most hits in a single season (43), most runs scored in a single season (35), and tying the record for the most hit by pitch in a single season (14). He earned honorable mention all-conference for the NCAC (North Coast Athletic Conference). He accomplished this batting .387 and committing only 11 errors in 187 chances to lead all NCAC shortstops in fielding percentage (.941). In his sophomore year, he committed only 4 errors and this helped him get selected as a first team Jewish All American by the Jewish Sports Review. The numbers did not stop in his senior year either. Seth tied the previous record for most stolen bases in a single season (25), although another teammate passed him with 27. He also tied the career hit by pitches (30) and moved into the third place for most career hits with 130. To top his senior year off, he was selected to the 2^nd team all conference NCAC (missed first team by one vote) and finished third in the player of the year voting.

Seth’s college baseball career ended May 5^th, that’s right, 5\5. Not only that, May 5^th was the birthday of Arlene’s father, Moniek (Zedah) who just passed this past December. Zedah (as well as the Bubbie) were holocaust survivors. This leads us to the next chapter. By now Seth has signed a contract to play baseball in a new professional baseball league in Israel. (The Israel Baseball League) http://www.israelbaseballleague.com He will be a member of the Petach Tikva Pioneers. Odds are that if he is given a choice he will choose the number “5”. Will it be in Hebrew? In addition, to quote an article about Seth in the Jerusalem Post, “Imagine, coming to play the quintessential American game in the Jewish state that rose up from the ashes of the Holocaust. Now that is a strange yet exciting mix." (http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1173823732906&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull )

And the mystique of “5” continues…