Team Israel is heading to the A Pool of the European Championships in Bonn, Germany in early September, on the road to the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. Finishing in the top 5 in the tournament will take Team Israel straight through to the Olympics qualifiers in Italy.
Let's hear from team member Shlomo Lipetz, who is a true veteran of Israel Baseball.
Bio
Age: 40
Height: 6’4”
Weight: 201lb
Position: RHP
Current Team: NY Cubs (Zorilla League)/ The Twins (Metro League)
A brief history
Shlomo Lipetz, VP of Programming at City Winery in New York, lives a double life as a baseball pitcher. Born and raised in Tel Aviv, Israel, Shlomo is one of Israeli baseball first byproducts and first generation players to come out of Israel. Immediately after his military service he moved the US. After pitching for San Diego Mesa College and US San Diego as their closer, he returned to Israel to pitch for the Netanya Tigers in Israel's first and only professional league (IBL) season in 2007. He led the league with a 0.98 ERA and walked only three. This year will mark Shlomo's 30th year playing for Israel National teams. In 2008 and 2011, he pitched for Team Israel in the European Championship Qualifiers, and in the World Baseball Classic in 2013 and 2017.
Your standout moment as a player for Team Israel
During the 2012 European Baseball Championship qualifiers in 2011, I pitched in 3 of the 5 games. We beat Georgia in the opener, and I pitched 7 innings and striking out 9. During the first game of the home/away finals against Great Britain, I pitched a complete game shutout, giving up 6 hits and 3 walks while striking out five. Later that same day, I started again, pitching an additional 4.1 innings, giving up one earned run on 6 hits, while recording 4 strikeouts. I threw a total of 214 pitches in the doubleheader.
Your baseball mantra
Life always offers you a second chance. It's called tomorrow.
What you are most looking forward to in Germany
Looking forward to seeing just how far we can get with this team
You’re a fan of…
Ice cream...any flavor, but ideally chocolate
Superstitions
Always even…never odd...and if possible, some tie-in to the number 12