It is 2:43 am in Jerusalem. Our Man Elli in Israel is hard at work on the latest developments in an international story that is bound to put him in Pulitzer Prize contention. The commissioner of the Israel Baseball League and nine of its board members have resigned in wake of his revelations about the league's first season and the controversy and rebellion from players that followed.
We spoke with Elli shortly after he tried to get comment from former commissioner Daniel Kurtzer. Kurtzer responded:
"I am boarding a flight to Frankfurt and won't be back until after the weekend. Sorry."
Sent via BlackBerry from T-Mobile
"Along with the commissioner, nine board members have resigned," says Elli. "I've spoken to four of of them. They all gave Larry Baras the credit for having the vision and energy for creating baseball in Israel. They also felt-- all of them--extreme sadness at circumstances led them to resign from the league. They all said they feel that the lack of transparency in the financial operation of the league made their continuing roles in the league untenable. They still believe that the notion of professional baseball in Israel is a viable venture-- if properly managed and marketed."As for the lawsuit (a federal securities fraud suit filed in September and revealed here this week), they said it was not in and of itself a determining factor in their resignations. What was a factor, they told me, was that Baras did not disclose to them that he was in fact being taken to court-- and that they had to read about it-- pissed them off."
Elli, you've been called a sucker puncher, a leech, and recently sodomite. You've been subject to character assassination. Any gloating this morning?
"Gimme a break. As a consummate baseball fan, nothing hurts me more than to see the dream of professional baseball in Israel die in front of me. The fact that I saw early on that there were problems with the league, and that others chose to criticise the messenger instead of the message, is unfortunate. The whispering campaign that was launched against me was the desperate act of either true believers or true criminals. I'll be getting to the bottom of that soon enough. But I get no satisfaction saying, 'I told you so.'"
But Our Man Elli did indeed tell the world. We left Elli with his work in his small apartment in the Baka neighborhood of Jerusalem. We await his next report.
Players,
ReplyDeleteI wanted to let everyone know what is going on with the league. Our Commissioner as well as several others who you may or may not know, have decided to resign and I wanted you all to know about it first. On behalf of the IBL, we thank each of them for their help in launching this amazing venture.
I want you all to know that this will have no effect on the incredible things going on right now with the League. Dan Duquette, Larry Baras, Ami Baran and I are working tirelessly to make the 2008 season one to remember. We have every intention of playing next season and will be updating the website shortly with exciting news.
As always, if you have any questions, do not ever hesitate to drop me a line.
Martin Berger
MARTIN , R u nuts? Why don't you say why they resigned? Is it possible that Larry has not divulged one iota of financial info to the Board? Dan Kurtzer and Marty Arpel are great guys. Their reputations are impeccable as opposed to Larry who is just a ----- expletive expletive.
ReplyDeleteWhy are you standing by him? Is he paying you off? I thought you were smarter than that. R u nuts?
Pay the players.
Someone posted this letter that Martin wrote to the players via email. He did not actually post on this board, he may not even know it exists.
ReplyDeleteI posted my message to the players on Tabloidbaby.com in order to reach the players.
ReplyDeleteIt is not the critic who counts, not the man who points out how the strong man stumbled, or where the doer of deeds could have done better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood, who strives valiantly, who errs and comes short again and again, who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotions, and spends himself in a worthy cause, who at best knows achievement and who at the worst if he fails at least fails while daring greatly so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who know neither victory nor defeat.
ReplyDeleteFrom a speech given by Theodore Roosevelt in Paris at the Sorbonne in 1910
to the person pretending to be Martin i. Berger.
ReplyDeleteYou know that you are not Martin, and you know that you did not post it on here..you know why?
because I know the person who did.
Oh do you know that I am not me, Anonymous? Because I know who I am. Martin I. Berger. I emailed the players to let them know of the recent turn of events, and then I posted on Tabloidbaby.com because this site, like it or not, has become the players' forum, and is possibly a better and quicker way to reach as many as possible.
ReplyDeleteAnonymous posters can make any claims they choose under the cover of cyberspace.
I sign my name, anonymous.
Martin Berger
Martin,
ReplyDeleteYou are right. I will sign my name too. No more anonymous posting for me.
TRIBUNE INVESTIGATION: HIDDEN HAZARDS
ReplyDeleteFinger-pointing furious in deal gone sour
Magnetix becomes a major problem for its new owner
By Patricia Callahan | Tribune staff reporter
May 7, 2007
Article tools
E-mail Share
Digg Del.icio.us Facebook Fark Google Newsvine Reddit Yahoo Print Single page view Reprints Reader feedback Text size: Magnetix building sets were such hot sellers for Rose Art Industries that a rival toymaker bought the family-owned company. Now the legacy of that toy is haunting Mega Brands, the Canadian firm that purchased Rose Art.
Mega Brands officials allege in a lawsuit that Jeffrey and Lawrence Rosen -- the brothers who sold them Rose Art, then led that division after the merger -- didn't fix the problems with the dangerous toy in part because they didn't want to jeopardize personal multimillion-dollar payouts tied to profit targets.
Kenny Sweet Jr., a suburban Seattle toddler, died, and at least 27 other children suffered serious intestinal injuries after swallowing tiny magnets that fell out of Magnetix toys.
Hey Wogelegereteree ere or whatever your friggin name is here is another scoop for you!!!!!!
lets see you go after this guy before he screws up the league also