Al Lerner's Take on What's Happening in Sports

Basketball is a special sport, played by special people. People who play basketball love the game. Everyone can either play it in their backyard,the park across the street or nearby schoolyard. Every kid who ever picks up a basketball dreams of the day he will play in the NBA. Even if he knows he doesn’t have the talent to make it to the NBA he still imagines that he has the ball with 5 seconds to go in the game and takes the shot to win the game.

The players in the NBA must realize that they have the ultimate talent in this unique and special sport. They are doing what they dreamed of all their lives. However they will only be able to play this sport for only a small percentage of their life. The average number of years a player in the NBA plays is five years. For a player in the NBA to lose one of those years, it is unconscionable. There is no amount of money that can make up for that loss of a year in the players professional life. This year can never be regained.

The players must take the initiative in this dispute and tell both the owners and union that this impasse must end and end now. THEY MUST TELL THEM TO SIT DOWN AT THE BARGAINING TABLE AND NEGOTIATE THE BEST DEAL THAT THEY BOTH CAN LIVE WITH.

I only wish I could reach all the parties in this situation with this message. The Players, The Owners and the Players Union. This is one time where money is not the prime issue. Survival of the game, the players and the venue is the issue. That can only happen with reasonable action by reasonable people. I hope that all the parties involved come to this same conclusion and do the right thing before it is too late.

Many people think of sports as fun and pure pleasure. Although that is true, Sports Marketing is a big business. Year after year sports organizations pull in millions of dollars from fans and corporate sponsorships. This money attained by using professional athletes in sports marketing plays an important part in paying for the huge salaries that players earn. Many corporations plan expensive advertising and promotional campaigns built on endorsements by famous athletes. One of the top companies for utilizing athletes to market companies is Lerner Sports Marketing. Lerner Sports Marketing has been in the business of helping companies promote their services and products for over 20 years. Lerner Sports Marketing can help your company effectively market it’s products and services in a cost effective way. Lerner Sports Marketing has an extensive base of professional athletes and sports celebrities to draw from and is in constant touch with most of the agents that represent current professional athletes in baseball, football, basketball, hockey and Soccer. Lerner Sports Marketing will consult with you to help you choose the right athlete, for your company, negotiate a reasonable fee for the athletes services and work with you on developing a marketing and advertising strategy for your promotion. Be sure to contact click the following link lernersportsmarketing to learn how Lernr Sports Marketing can help you promote your company by using professional athletes to endorse it’s products, attend company dinners, appear at trade shows, grand openings, company golf outings, and other company special events. Below you will find more information on the field of Sports Marketing.

The people who work in the field of Sports Marketing are called Sports Agents, or Sports Marketing Specialists. The people who handle the business side of sports marketing are given titles as sports director, marketing director or VP in charge of player personnel. Some sports marketing specialists work for a Sports agency that represents professional athletes, where they negotiate contracts and endorsements, and otherwise managing an athlete's career. Others in the sports marketing field work for a league or sports association, like the National Football league or Major League Baseball or the National Basketball Association. Others Sports Marketing specialists work for teams, like the Boston Celtics, the New York Yankees, or the Detroit Pistons. Some work on behalf of major companies, like IBM or Pepsi Cola. There they manage promotional campaigns and sponsorships of domestic and international sporting events. Still others in sports marketing organize sports related events on behalf of sports organizations, associations, teams, or companies. Many convention and visitors bureaus and tourism offices use sports marketing people to help a city lure important sports events and teams to there convention centers

Sports marketing directors build the visibility and reputation of an athlete, team, or company. They oversee a team or company' in outside sales, from advertising to merchandising and product development. In sports marketing fields there are promotions managers who plan and coordinate game-day activities to attract sponsors and fans. In sports marketing there are community relations directors who work to ensure that professional sports teams maintain good relations with the community. The sports marketing director works to develop bonds with the public through off-field events, like charity auctions and festivals. In sports marketing fields there are sports agents represent athletes. They help negotiate contracts and strategize with their clients to improve their marketability, visibility, and earnings


Another Sports Marketing position is a public relations directors who works on behalf of teams, athletes, sports manufacturers and facilities. They write press releases, produce publications, organize press box activities, and compile and update statistics. Some also run websites or in house-broadcasting departments. Another sports marketing position is the directors of corporate sales person who works on behalf of teams to form partnerships with businesses. They sell luxury sky boxes and sponsorship packages. They help produce public announcements, and help with TV production and promotional events.

Also in sports marketing is the position that we forget about because it is done everyday and we take it for granted. That position is the ticket operations directors who are responsible for the sale of single game tickets, season ticket packages, loge boxes, club boxes and luxury skybox tickets. An important sports marketing position is the facilities directors who manage sports facilities. They make sure everything remains in working order, including the lights, field and concession stands

Sports Marketing researchers conduct surveys on sports trends and sports statistics for teams, sports associations, sports retailers and manufacturers. Sports marketing specialists get ahead by gradually representing bigger, more important and more prestigious sports teams, companies, associations, and athletes. While education in this area depends on the exact job, generally, people in this field need a master's degree in business administration with an emphasis in sports marketing or sports management. Certainly, the most prestigious jobs with well-known organizations, teams, and companies go to people with MBAs. However, smaller teams, organizations and agencies often accept people with only a bachelor's degree in sports management or business.

I hope you have found useful information about sports marketing and I want to remind you to feel free to call Lerner Sports Marketing at 516 752-7557 or email us at al@lernersportsmarketing.com to find out how we can help you improve sales and profitability for your company by using current and retired athletes.

Today in Little League, High School and College baseball metal bats are used in the games. This is a total lose, lose situation. First of all it is very dangerous for the youngsters playing the game. This is especially true on the little league level where many of the children are not vry adept at fielding a batted ball. At this level their is a wide diversity of ability level between the participants. Some of the youngsters are very good and can hit a ball very hard, while others are not so good and have difficulty in fielding a ball. Those children are at risk even with a wooden bat but with a metal bat the ball is propelled at them at a much higher velocity thus giving them less time to react and causing a greater chance for someone to get hurt badly.

When you get to the high school and college level the ability of the players does equalize somewhat. You have to have a pretty decent ability to play baseball at this level. However the chance of getting hurt as a result of batting with a metal bat still is much greater than if it was a wooden bat. Some of the players have great power even at the high school level and definitely at the college level. When they hit the ball the increased velocity will cause the baseball to get to the pitcher or infileder in a shorter time period than if it was hit by a wooden bat. The fielder especially the pitcher has much less time to react and protect himself. Therefore he is more likely to get seriously hurt.

Major League baseball players have told me that in the majors pitchers would literally be seriously injured if not killed by using metal bats instead of wooden bats. They say for that reason it will never be used in the major leagues. But many College baseball pitchers throw almost as fast as major league pitchers and College batters are almost as big and strong as major league players so the danger at this level is great for a pitcher.

A college position player who gets used to batting with a metal bat will now have to adjust to a wooden bat once he gets into professional baseball. It is not helping him improve his skills by using a metal bat instead of a wooden bat at the college level. I have already covered the danger to a college pitcher so why use metal bats at this level? The answer that is given is that it is more economical to use metal bats than wooden bats. That arguement is totally ridiculous! First of all the amount of extra money it would cost at the little league, high school or college level is negligent compared to the other expenses of playing at that level. Secondly at any of these levels the cost can easily be absorbed by the league, sponsor, school or parents. What cannot be absorbed at any level of sports is endagering the athletes performing in that sport for monetary savings even if it was more than a nominal amount. I conclude it is time for all good people, coaches, parents, educators and school administrators to come forth and say no more metal bats in Little League, High Scool or College Baseball.

When a Jewish boy turns thirteen he partakes in a religious ceremony called a Bar Mitzvah (for a girl it is called a Bat Mitzvah and this happens when she turns twelve years of age). Under Jewish law at this time the boy or girl is considered an adult and is obligated to fulfill the commandments in the Talmud (this is the book that specifies all the Jewish laws and traditions. Before the age of thirteen ( twelve for girls) boys are not required to required to observe the commandments and laws of the Jewish faith. The Bar Mitzvah ceremony , which is supposed to be held as close to the Jewish boys thirteenth birthday as determined by the Jewish calendar changes this situation. From this point on he is supposed to participate in religious services, perform certain religious ceremonies on a daily basis and observe Jewish laws, customs and traditions.

The preparation for the Bar Mitzvah ( or Bat Mitzvah) is a long and rigorous procedure. The child attends religious school, usually at the Synagogue that the family belongs to for a minimum of five to six years. The degree of study and content covered in his studies will depend upon whether his family observes the Orthadox, Conservative or Reform traditions of the Jewish faith. The Orthodox sect of the Jewish Religion is the most rigorous in their acceptance of the Torah and its commandments and its observance. To make this as simple as possible let me say that they believe in the exact literal translation of the Torah, its laws and traditions. If it is written in the Torah that you must not do something then that is it and it must be obeyed.

On the other hand the Conservative Sect of the Jewish people believe that the times that the Torah was written in must be taken into consideration when deciding which laws must be obeyed exactly and which ones can be modified. For example an orthodox jewish person will not ride on the Sabbath but many conservative Jewish people will. The conservative person might argue that when the Torah was written there were no cars, so it was not possible to ride to Sabbath Services in a car. They might further argue that riding to Synagogue in a car is not doing work and therefore the law should be changed. The orthodox person would counter that in order to change the laws in the Torah certain conditions must prevail and that until they do one can not ride in a car on the Sabbath. Thus you have two different perspectives on the degree of religious observation that should be observed by Jewish people. If you have two types of perspectives on religious observation then you will have two types of study for the Jewish child to learn in his Jewish education. Thus the child who comes from an orthodox family will undergo much more rigorous and strict training for his Bar Mitzvah than the child who comes from a family that follows the traditions of the conservative sect of the Jewish people.

The reform sect of the Jewish people is very similar to the conservative sect in that they do not believe in the strict interpretation and observance of the Torah. As a matter of fact they are much more liberal than the conservative Jewish sect. They believe that we are living In a totally different world that the Jewish people were when the Torah and its laws were given to the Jewish people. Therefore they are very aggressive in attempting to modernize the Jewish religion and its traditions. This difference of opinions between the orthodox, conservative and reform jewish sects sometimes cause conflicts between them and definitely significantly affect the training that the Bar Mitzvah boy ( or Bat Mitzvah girl) will recieive in preparation for the day of becoming a man or woman in the eyes of the Jewish faith. Finally it must be understood that each Synagogue that a Jewish family belongs to may modify there own interpretation as to the best way to train the Bar Mitzvah boy or Bat Mitzvah girl.

The actual training that the Bar Mitzvah boy undergoes may take from as little as one year to as much in most cases as two or three years. This training is above and beyond the youngster attending Hebrew school. The child must learn to read hebrew fluently. He will be called up during the Sabbath service to read and chant portions of the service. Again, this will differ greatly between the different Jewish sects, synagogues, families and ability of the child. There is no correct amount for the child to participate in the service. It is hoped that he will try an ddo as much as he is capable of doing. In addition to participating in the service each child is usually given a portion of the Haftorah to chant during the service. This is a difficult task and takes up much of the child’s preparation for his Bar Mitzvah. To help the child accomplish this task the school that the child attends will assign a teacher or tutor to work with the child once or twice a week for a period of time usually 6-8 months before the Bar Mitzvah. It is this teacher or tutor’s job to teach the Bar Mitzvah candidate to read and learn the appropriate pronunciation and melody for chanting the haphtarah. In some Synagogues the Bar Mitzvah boy will learn the entire haphtarah portion read the entire weekly Torah portion and lead the congregation in prayer for part of the prayers for the services.

In addition the child is expected to study the meaning of that portion that he is reading. He will discuss this passage with his Hebrew teacher, his Bar Mitzvah tutor, the Rabbi and his parents. He will try and understand how the passage that he is learning for his Bar Mitzvah affects his life and the traditions of the Jewish people. He will use it to try and gain insight into Judaism and its observance. The child will also get up and give a speech in English where he discusses the portion that he has read and its meaning. He will also talk about his upbringing by his parents, teachers and rabbis and thank them for all their help.

The Bar Mitzvah celebration is a big party usually catered to celebrate the Bar Mitzvah Boys or Bat Mitzvah Girls accomplishment of having studied for so many years to attain the skill to perform at the Bar Mitzvah service. Most Jewish families believe that the actual performance during the services that that Saturday is the most important part of the Bar Mitzvah but they will now have a lavish party after that religious service to commemorate and honor the entering into adulthood of the Bar Mitzvah or Bat Mitzvah youngster.

Different parts of the country celebrate the party part of the Bar Mitzvah in different ways. In the east, mainly the New York Area the party is very lavish with high intensity music, entertainment, appearances by celebrities, computer and other expensive games for the children to play and a band or DJ. Floral decorations are both lavish and expensive, special themes decorate the room and each table. A baseball theme may have each table decorated with the emblems and insignias and memorabilia of a specific team. The room may have blown up baseball player dolls and in some cases where the parents want to make a statement and differentiate there party from the rest they may invite a current or retired baseball player to attend the function.

The first thing that usually happens in a New York Bar Mitzvah is that the family has a one hour cocktail hour smorgasbord when the guests arrive. This can take many forms but is usually quite extensive. As a matter of fact there is usually more food available and more food eaten at this cocktail hour smorgasbord than at the five or six course dinner to follow. Hot and cold dishes abound all over. Chicken this (usually 2 or 3 different chicken dishes) meat that (also several meat dishes), hot dogs And hamburgers for the kids, meat balls and stuff cabbage for the adults, pasta dishes, rice dishes, platters of cold dishes, such as lox, gefilte fish, white fish, and other assorted cold delicacies. Then there are fruit platters, drinks ( both sodas and juices as well as any type of liquor the guests might envision being there. This smorgasbord lasts for an hour or slightly more. By the time it is over most of the guests are stuffed to the gills. However now the area is cleared and the guests make there entrance into the dining room where a lavish 5, 6 or even 7 course gourmet dinner is about to be served. Fortunately this banquet dinner is served very slowly and from start to finish lasts approximately 4 hours, thus giving the guests a chance to digest the enormous amount of food they have just devoured at the smorgasbord.

The crowd now enters the dining room and finds their tables and is seated. Now the party is in the hands of the DJ or band leader, who will now be in charge of the events to follow and the timing of them. The entertainment for the party whether it be a DJ or a band has got to be able to interact with the guests at the affair. They need to take music requests from the guests, encourage them to dance and participate in group dances and activities. Most Bar Mitzvah parties start with a grand entrance by the Bar Mitzvah boy and his family. The MC will tell the crowd to get into their seats, set the tone with some music and then in a loud and excited voice announce the entrance into the room of the Bar Mitzvah boy and his family. The family now enters the room. Usually all the guests stand at their tables and give them a round of applause. In some parties the guests form two lines and the family walks in between and shake hands with all their guests.

Everybody is then seated and the band or DJ plays music while the first course is served. It is now the time for people at the table to introduce themselves to each other and find out what their common connections are. Tables are usually arranged with a common connection between the people sitting there. They may be brothers and sisters, cousins, or just people of the same age or people who share common interests.

At a Bar Mitzvah the next big order of business is usually the candle lighting ceremony. Thirteen candles are lit to signify the Bar Mitzvah Boys thirteenth birthday. This is the family’s chance to honor their guests or as many as they can. The usual order is the older members of the family first, such as the grandparents, Great uncles and aunts, Other older relatives, Uncles and Aunts, Cousins, younger relatives, friends of the Bar Mitzvah Boy or Bat Mitzvah girl, their siblings and parents.

Bar Mitzvah parties usually have a theme. This theme is carried through the whole party. The most popular theme for Bar Mitzvahs is either the sports theme or a specific sports theme such as a baseball theme, football theme, basketball theme, hockey theme, soccer theme, lacrosse theme or wrestling theme. The tables are all decorated to emphasize the theme that has been chosen. For example if it is a baseball theme then all the tables may have the names of famous baseball teams or famous baseball players. Pictures of the players or team logos will be present on each table in the room. Other sports memorabilia may be around the room such as the sign in board may be in a sports motif to correspond with the particular sports theme.

To really make a sports them Bar Mitzvah special an athlete may be hired to attend the bar mitzvah. The athlete will spend most of his time with the Bar Mitzvah boy and his friends. He will talk to them about his career, what it is like to be a professional athlete. He will sign autographs for them usually on photos or balls related to the sport, such as baseballs or basketballs. He may show them some inside info on playing the sport such as how to dribble a basketball, position oneself to field a ground ball, pass a soccer ball or some other sports tips.

A new idea that some Bar Mitzvahs are using is to have the Bar Mitzvah Party in a place that has a sports facility. While the parents are at the cocktail hour and even during part of the dinner the boys and girls attending the Bar Mitzvah can participate in sports activities such as basketball or soccer or some other sports endeavor. The sports guest will participate with the kids and show them special skills in the sports arena being used for the Bar Mitzvah. Just imagine the boys and girls actually playing basketball with and getting instruction from a professional basketball player at this Bar Mitzvah and then going home with a photo or ball as a favor. It is an experience they will remember for the rest of their lives.

For parents who are interested in finding out how they can find information on hiring a professional athlete for their son’s Bar Mitzvah or their daughters Bat Mitzvah it is best to call the leader in arranging such appearances: Lerner Sports Marketing. Lerner Spots Marketing specializes in arranging athlete appearances for Bar Mitzvahs, other parties and celebrations, corporate events, speaking appearances and fundraising events at affordable prices. Call Lerner Sports Marketing at (516) 752-7557 or (866) LERNER1 or email Lerner Sports Marketing at Al@lernersportsmarketing.com. Lerner Sports Marketing also has a website which shows photos and videos of past Bar Mitzvah appearances that had professional athlete in attendance and testimonials by some of the parents of the Bar Mitzvah boys. The website is www.Lernersportsmarketing.com and is well worth your taking the time to visit it. On the website are many links to sporting teams, past sports celebrities and athletes who have done appearances for Lerner Sports Marketing and information on Lerner Sports Marketing and all the events that they arrange athlete appearances for.

Labels: Bar Mitzvah, Bar Mitzvah Celebration, Bar Mitzvah Ceremony, Bar Mitzvah Party, Bar Mitzvah Sports Theme

In this book “Designated Hebrew” The Ron Blomberg story Ron tells it all. What it was like growing up Jewish in the deep south. What it was like being the first player drafted in the 1967 amateur draft. What it was like being the first significant Jewish player to play for the New York Yankees. What it was like being heralded as the next great Yankee. What it was like being the first designated hitter in baseball.

Ron was born in Atlanta, Georgia on August 23, 1948. Ron was a good athlete and dreamed of playing baseball in the major leagues. As Ron got older he refined his playing skills and started telling his friends of his ambitions. His friends laughed at him and ridiculed him. Jewish kids in the late 1950’s did not become major league baseball players, with the exception of a superstar like Sandy Koufax. Ron would not give up on his dream. He continued to work towards this goal. Fortunately Ron’s parents were supportive of this effort. They wanted Ron to be happy. If he wanted to be a doctor, lawyer or a ballplayer they were fine with it. So Ron went ahead with his dreams and prepared himself to take his baseball skills and ability as far as he could go with it.

It wasn’t easy being Jewish in the deep south in the fifties and sixties. Ron witnessed many things in his life that people living in the rest of the country would find shocking and hard to believe. The Ku Klux Klan was very active in that era. In the book Ron tells how many of the ball players on his high school baseball team were members of the Ku Klux Klan and after their baseball games would put on their robes and do cross burnings. Ron, personally did not face much hostility from his team-mates and did not encounter much anti-semitism in growing up even though it was all around him. Ron was the ‘chosen one’ the ‘designated Hebrew’.

Ron was drafted number 1 in all the country in the 1967 major league baseball amateur draft by non other than the New York Yankees. Now you have to understand something here. The New York Yankees, even though they played in New York City with the largest Jewish population in the country did not look to sign Jewish ballplayers. They had Hank Greenberg, perhaps the greatest Jewish ballplayer ever, right down the road in James Monroe high school and weren’t interested in him. The Dodgers had Jewish ballplayers and so did the Giants but with one minor exception the Yankees did not. Jimmie Herman Reese played second base for the New York Yankees in 1930 and in 1931. This was not his real name. Jimmie was Jewish and his real name was James Herman Soloman. But the Yankees were not drawing well in the sixties. They needed a special player to bring in more people into the stadium. It was time for a Jewish ballplayer to play for the New York Yankees. One who had great batting skills. One who could excite the crowd with his power by hitting long home runs. Ron Blomberg was to be the ‘chosen one”.

Ron was a trailblazer. Ron made no effort hide the fact that he was Jewish even though Ron faced bigotry by other players both on his team as well as opponents because they did not agree with or understand his religious beliefs. Ron was an extremely likeable person. Remember he came from Atlanta, Georgia. He played in one of the most difficult environments any Jewish ballplayer could play in and succeeded and flourished in that setting. He eventually became a popular player both on the Yankees and with players on other teams too. He became a New York icon. He was loved and adored by the people of New York, both Jews and Non Jews alike.

The Yankees gave Ron massive publicity when they brought him up. He was going to be the next great legend in Yankee history. He was going to be the next great first baseman for the New York Yankees. Befitting Ron’s aura the Yankees decided to room Ron with Mickey Mantle. Ron roomed with Mickey Mantle. Ron was also with the Yankees when George Steinbrenner arrived in 1973. Ron played for manager Billy Martin and played with such Yankee greats as Thurman Munson, Reggie Jackson, Sparky Lyle, Lou Piniella and Bobby Bonds.

Ron was proud of his Jewish heritage and was happy to show everyone that he was a Jewish Athlete. He always wore his Chai Necklace. He had a Jewish Star drawn on his hat and his bat and glove. His lifetime batting average was 293 and he was nicknamed “Boomer” because of the power he displayed in hitting a tremendously long home run in only his third major league at bat. Ron’s best year was in 1973 when he batted 329 for 301 at bats and was batting over 400 in June of that same year.

If you are interested in having Ron appear at your event contact Lerner Sports Marketing today. If you are interested in purchasing autographed copies of Ron’s book “Designated Hebrew”you’re your members contact Lerner Sports Marketing today.

There is no other book like this! There is no other Jewish Athlete like Ron! I look forward to hearing from you.

Lerner Sports Marketing wants this special book to be special for you and is offering you a signed copy by Ron for $25.98. This is just six dollars over the normal cost of the book.

To order a signed copy please send $25.98 + $ 8.95 for shipping and handling charges,
For a total of $34.93

Or if you prefer an unsigned copy send $28.93

If you want to order more than one copy please call 516 752-7557

Lerner Enterprises, Inc.
P.O. Box 814
Plainview, NY 11803

Ron Blomberg- “Designated Hebrew” , Ron Blomberg 1st DH in Baseball, Ron Blomberg

In this book “Designated Hebrew” The Ron Blomberg story Ron tells it all. What it was like growing up Jewish in the deep south. What it was like being the first player drafted in the 1967 amateur draft. What it was like being the first significant Jewish player to play for the New York Yankees. What it was like being heralded as the next great Yankee. What it was like being the first designated hitter in baseball.

Ron was born in Atlanta, Georgia on August 23, 1948. Ron was a good athlete and dreamed of playing baseball in the major leagues. As Ron got older he refined his playing skills and started telling his friends of his ambitions. His friends laughed at him and ridiculed him. Jewish kids in the late 1950’s did not become major league baseball players, with the exception of a superstar like Sandy Koufax. Ron would not give up on his dream. He continued to work towards this goal. Fortunately Ron’s parents were supportive of this effort. They wanted Ron to be happy. If he wanted to be a doctor, lawyer or a ballplayer they were fine with it. So Ron went ahead with his dreams and prepared himself to take his baseball skills and ability as far as he could go with it.

It wasn’t easy being Jewish in the deep south in the fifties and sixties. Ron witnessed many things in his life that people living in the rest of the country would find shocking and hard to believe. The Ku Klux Klan was very active in that era. In the book Ron tells how many of the ball players on his high school baseball team were members of the Ku Klux Klan and after their baseball games would put on their robes and do cross burnings. Ron, personally did not face much hostility from his team-mates and did not encounter much anti-semitism in growing up even though it was all around him. Ron was the ‘chosen one’ the ‘designated Hebrew’.

Ron was drafted number 1 in all the country in the 1967 major league baseball amateur draft by non other than the New York Yankees. Now you have to understand something here. The New York Yankees, even though they played in New York City with the largest Jewish population in the country did not look to sign Jewish ballplayers. They had Hank Greenberg, perhaps the greatest Jewish ballplayer ever, right down the road in James Monroe high school and weren’t interested in him. The Dodgers had Jewish ballplayers and so did the Giants but with one minor exception the Yankees did not. Jimmie Herman Reese played second base for the New York Yankees in 1930 and in 1931. This was not his real name. Jimmie was Jewish and his real name was James Herman Soloman. But the Yankees were not drawing well in the sixties. They needed a special player to bring in more people into the stadium. It was time for a Jewish ballplayer to play for the New York Yankees. One who had great batting skills. One who could excite the crowd with his power by hitting long home runs. Ron Blomberg was to be the ‘chosen one”.

Ron was a trailblazer. Ron made no effort hide the fact that he was Jewish even though Ron faced bigotry by other players both on his team as well as opponents because they did not agree with or understand his religious beliefs. Ron was an extremely likeable person. Remember he came from Atlanta, Georgia. He played in one of the most difficult environments any Jewish ballplayer could play in and succeeded and flourished in that setting. He eventually became a popular player both on the Yankees and with players on other teams too. He became a New York icon. He was loved and adored by the people of New York, both Jews and Non Jews alike.

The Yankees gave Ron massive publicity when they brought him up. He was going to be the next great legend in Yankee history. He was going to be the next great first baseman for the New York Yankees. Befitting Ron’s aura the Yankees decided to room Ron with Mickey Mantle. Ron roomed with Mickey Mantle. Ron was also with the Yankees when George Steinbrenner arrived in 1973. Ron played for manager Billy Martin and played with such Yankee greats as Thurman Munson, Reggie Jackson, Sparky Lyle, Lou Piniella and Bobby Bonds.

Ron was proud of his Jewish heritage and was happy to show everyone that he was a Jewish Athlete. He always wore his Chai Necklace. He had a Jewish Star drawn on his hat and his bat and glove. His lifetime batting average was 293 and he was nicknamed “Boomer” because of the power he displayed in hitting a tremendously long home run in only his third major league at bat. Ron’s best year was in 1973 when he batted 329 for 301 at bats and was batting over 400 in June of that same year.

If you are interested in having Ron appear at your event contact Lerner Sports Marketing today. If you are interested in purchasing autographed copies of Ron’s book “Designated Hebrew”you’re your members contact Lerner Sports Marketing today.

There is no other book like this! There is no other Jewish Athlete like Ron! I look forward to hearing from you.

Lerner Sports Marketing wants this special book to be special for you and is offering you a signed copy by Ron for $25.98. This is just six dollars over the normal cost of the book.

To order a signed copy please send $25.98
+ $ 9.95 for shipping and handling
For a total of $35.93

Or if you prefer an unsigned copy send $29.93 to

If you want to order more than one copy please call 516 752-7557

Lerner Enterprises, Inc.
P.O. Box 814
Plainview, NY 11803Ron Blomberg- “Designated Hebrew” , Ron Blomberg 1st DH in Baseball, Ron Blomberg

In this book “Designated Hebrew” The Ron Blomberg story Ron tells it all. What it was like growing up Jewish in the deep south. What it was like being the first player drafted in the 1967 amateur draft. What it was like being the first significant Jewish player to play for the New York Yankees. What it was like being heralded as the next great Yankee. What it was like being the first designated hitter in baseball.

Ron was born in Atlanta, Georgia on August 23, 1948. Ron was a good athlete and dreamed of playing baseball in the major leagues. As Ron got older he refined his playing skills and started telling his friends of his ambitions. His friends laughed at him and ridiculed him. Jewish kids in the late 1950’s did not become major league baseball players, with the exception of a superstar like Sandy Koufax. Ron would not give up on his dream. He continued to work towards this goal. Fortunately Ron’s parents were supportive of this effort. They wanted Ron to be happy. If he wanted to be a doctor, lawyer or a ballplayer they were fine with it. So Ron went ahead with his dreams and prepared himself to take his baseball skills and ability as far as he could go with it.

It wasn’t easy being Jewish in the deep south in the fifties and sixties. Ron witnessed many things in his life that people living in the rest of the country would find shocking and hard to believe. The Ku Klux Klan was very active in that era. In the book Ron tells how many of the ball players on his high school baseball team were members of the Ku Klux Klan and after their baseball games would put on their robes and do cross burnings. Ron, personally did not face much hostility from his team-mates and did not encounter much anti-semitism in growing up even though it was all around him. Ron was the ‘chosen one’ the ‘designated Hebrew’.

Ron was drafted number 1 in all the country in the 1967 major league baseball amateur draft by non other than the New York Yankees. Now you have to understand something here. The New York Yankees, even though they played in New York City with the largest Jewish population in the country did not look to sign Jewish ballplayers. They had Hank Greenberg, perhaps the greatest Jewish ballplayer ever, right down the road in James Monroe high school and weren’t interested in him. The Dodgers had Jewish ballplayers and so did the Giants but with one minor exception the Yankees did not. Jimmie Herman Reese played second base for the New York Yankees in 1930 and in 1931. This was not his real name. Jimmie was Jewish and his real name was James Herman Soloman. But the Yankees were not drawing well in the sixties. They needed a special player to bring in more people into the stadium. It was time for a Jewish ballplayer to play for the New York Yankees. One who had great batting skills. One who could excite the crowd with his power by hitting long home runs. Ron Blomberg was to be the ‘chosen one”.

Ron was a trailblazer. Ron made no effort hide the fact that he was Jewish even though Ron faced bigotry by other players both on his team as well as opponents because they did not agree with or understand his religious beliefs. Ron was an extremely likeable person. Remember he came from Atlanta, Georgia. He played in one of the most difficult environments any Jewish ballplayer could play in and succeeded and flourished in that setting. He eventually became a popular player both on the Yankees and with players on other teams too. He became a New York icon. He was loved and adored by the people of New York, both Jews and Non Jews alike.

The Yankees gave Ron massive publicity when they brought him up. He was going to be the next great legend in Yankee history. He was going to be the next great first baseman for the New York Yankees. Befitting Ron’s aura the Yankees decided to room Ron with Mickey Mantle. Ron roomed with Mickey Mantle. Ron was also with the Yankees when George Steinbrenner arrived in 1973. Ron played for manager Billy Martin and played with such Yankee greats as Thurman Munson, Reggie Jackson, Sparky Lyle, Lou Piniella and Bobby Bonds.

Ron was proud of his Jewish heritage and was happy to show everyone that he was a Jewish Athlete. He always wore his Chai Necklace. He had a Jewish Star drawn on his hat and his bat and glove. His lifetime batting average was 293 and he was nicknamed “Boomer” because of the power he displayed in hitting a tremendously long home run in only his third major league at bat. Ron’s best year was in 1973 when he batted 329 for 301 at bats and was batting over 400 in June of that same year.

If you are interested in having Ron appear at your event contact Lerner Sports Marketing today. If you are interested in purchasing autographed copies of Ron’s book “Designated Hebrew”you’re your members contact Lerner Sports Marketing today.

There is no other book like this! There is no other Jewish Athlete like Ron! I look forward to hearing from you.

Lerner Sports Marketing wants this special book to be special for you and is offering you a signed copy by Ron for $25.98. This is just six dollars over the normal cost of the book.

To order a signed copy please send $25.98 + $ 8.95 for shipping and handling
For a total of $34.93

Or if you prefer an unsigned copy send $28.93 to:

Lerner Enterprises, Inc.
P.O. Box 814
Plainview, NY 11803

If you want to order more than one copy please call 516 752-7557

I look forward to hearing from you.

Sincerely,
Allan Lerner

Playing Little League Baseball

Playing Little League baseball is especially great for kids to do. It is extremely important in both their physical and mental development. It helps them become more coordinated and develop the physical skills they will be need in their everyday lives. It helps them gain confidence in their own abilities and learn that practicing a physical skill can lead to improvement of physical skills. So many kids are afraid to play little league baseball or join a soccer team or play basketball because they are not that good at it. Not encouraging these children to participate is sending the wrong message. It is telling the kids that if something is physically hard to do then they should not even attempt it. Today most sports leagues for kids have beginning level teams that encourage participation by poor athletes do not even keep scores at their games and work hard at practice sessions to improve the physical ability of children. It is very important that parents support their kids in their efforts and encourage them to improve, complement their efforts, attend their games and practices and find the time to practice with them in a non-critical way. There is always some risk in every physical activity but the benefits of youngsters playing baseball or some other team or individual sport in my opinion far outweighs the risk.

Visit a Baseball Card Show with your Children

Going to a baseball card show is a great way for families; father and son, mother and son, father or mother and daughter or the whole family to enjoy a leisurely day and enjoy meeting current and retired professional athletes, buying sports memorabilia and getting autographs from these stars of today and yesteryear. This is a fun activity that parents and children can enjoy together. A complete baseball card show will include tables where venders sell sports memorabilia, including old and new sports cards, autographs and novelty sports items and where there is one or more autograph guests attending the show to sign autographs. On May 20th and May 21st, 2006 a major baseball card show will be held at the Wayne New Jersey PAL building, at 1 PAL Drive in Wayne New Jersey. At this show there will be many current New York Yankee and New York Mets players attending and signing autographs as well as many great Yankees and Mets of the past. Current players attending will be: Chien-Ming Wang, Tanyon Sturtze, Robinson Cano, Shawn Chacon, Aaron Small from the New York Yankees and Chris Woodward and Rick Peterson from the New York Mets. Retired players will include former Yankees Rudy May, Oscar Gamble, Gene Michael, Art Ditmar, Johnny Blanchard, Ross Mochito and Gene Michael and former New York Met hall of famer Tom Seaver. For further information regarding this show you should call the show promoter at 201 612-0006.

Take the Family to a Baseball Game

Take me out to the ball game is not only a song, it is the desire of almost all kids of all ages. For sheer pleasure and enjoyment there aren’t too many other things that a kid wouldn’t rather do on a weekend than go to a professional league baseball game. It can be a major league baseball game, but it can also be a minor league baseball game. Today there are minor league baseball teams all over the country. The level of play is not as high as that of the major league teams but is still very good and they are far less expensive than major league games, costing about as much as movie tickets. The games are competitive and enjoyable. Most minor league teams have mascots and entertainment, such as relay races and contests going on in between the innings throughout the game to keep the crowd entertained at all times. The phrase “buy me some peanuts and crackerjacks I don’t care if I never get back” has real meaning at these games because a baseball game to the kids and adults is an escape, a true escape and a stress breaker from the pressures of school, family and work. Sports is there for all to enjoy and the best way to do that is to play the game, watch the game and participate in other activities relating to sports. So whether you are a kid or an adult (an older kid) get out there and enjoy the sport of your choice. I think you will find it a worthwhile endeavor.

In my last blog I talked about athlete appearances at sports collectible shows and how nice it would be for parents to take their kids to these types of events so that the kids could meet the players both current and retired. These shows exist in most parts of the country. If you do not know how to find them you can just go to my website http://www.lernersportsmarketing.com/ click on links of interest, then click on major sports sites and then click on the signings website listed there. It will give you a pretty complete list of all or most of the shows in your area where athlete appearances are going on. Most of the shows are very similar as far as the athlete appearances. You purchase a ticket at the front of the show and you go to a selected area where either you get right on line and wait for the athlete to get there or you wander the show and wait for the show promoter to call line up numbers for the athlete appearance. Most show promoters are very professional and very courteous and will be glad to assist you in getting your autograph, saying a few words to the athlete, introducing your child to the athlete and even taking a photo of your child with the athlete. If you encounter any problems at the show then it is advisable to find the show promoter and let him know of your problem. He will usually be very helpful. If he is not then you can ask if the athlete has his agent with him and speak to him. If, however you feel that you have not been treated right or that the autograph price is way over what you think it should be or what other shows charge for autographs then you should not attend this show any more. Like most things in life autograph prices are set by supply and demand. If the demand is high regardless of the price then the athlete will want a high price and the show promoter will charge a high price for the autograph. Select the sports collectible shows that treat you well, provide good athletes and have fair prices.

Athlete appearances at store promotions are done in most parts of the country and are only advertised in daily newspapers, local weekly newspapers and in some areas on radio and television. The purpose here is to promote the store by giving away free autographs of a current or retired popular athlete and draw attention to the store and possibly new customers who will continue to come back to the store. If the event is well advertised the promotion usually works well. People love free things, especially free autographs from professional athletes. If you own a store or manage a store or are part of a store chain then email me at al@lernersportsmarketing.com and I will help you set up an autograph appearance at your store that will help promote the store and bring in new and old customers. If you are an autograph collector or sports fan then I strongly suggest you read over the ads in your local papers to catch any of these promotions in your area. Remember though if you go to one of these store promotions the lines will be large and in some cases so large that not everyone will get an autograph. In this case you will just have to settle for getting a glimpse of this athlete in person and in civilian clothes. The best thing to do is get there a half hour or even an hour before the event time. If there is a line you can get right on it or if they give out numbers you can get one of the first numbers so that when there is a line you will be among the first to be on it. If it is not crowded then you have the opportunity to shop around at this store and see what they have to offer.

Athlete appearances at fundraisers are fun to attend. You get to see the athlete up close, you get to participate in an event that will help raise money for a worthwhile cause and any money spent here is usually tax deductible. There are many different fundraisers that have athletes in attendance; such as fundraising dinners, fundraising golf outings and fundraising sports auctions. If you are a charitable organization please stop now and call me at 516 752-7557. I will be glad to help you plan your fundraising event and show you how an athlete can make your event a huge success and bring in substantial amount of money for your cause. If you are interested in going to one of these events then again the best way to find out about them is to look in your daily newspapers and look through the weekly ones mailed to your home or included with your Sunday newspaper. These events can be a lot of fun. Imagine golfing either in a foursome with this athlete or even in the foursome behind him or in front of him. Talking to him and giving him your opinions as well as getting his at the kickoff breakfast or lunch or at the awards dinner and getting autographs and taking photos with him. This is a day you will remember all your life. Fundraising golf outings do cost a considerable amount of money with or without an athlete but with an athlete there they become memorable events in your life and are usually worth every cent you spend. If you play in fundraising golf outings that do not have sports celebrities then tell the sponsors to email me at al@lernersportsmarketing.com and I will help them upgrade their event at little or no cost to the charity or just tell them to go to my website http://www.lernersprtsmarketing.com/ and click on my fundraising page for more details on this type of event. Fundraising dinners are usually run by local charities or religious or fraternal organizations. Here the athlete usually is available to talk to the people attending the dinner during the cocktail hour and usually stays for the whole event and sits either at the dais or at a lead table. Sometimes autographs are free at these events (included in the price you pay to attend) and other times there is a set time set aside for people to visit the athlete and pay a nominal fee (usually tax deductible) which goes to the fundraising organization. This type of event is usually very successful for the fundraising organization and very enjoyable to all the participants and guests. Sports auctions are sometimes combined with either golf outings or banquet dinners or run on their own as a major event. In either case they are usually a lot of fun. Athlete appearances at sports auctions really make them fun. The athletes themselves are usually quite enamored with all the sports memorabilia that is on display and being auctioned off either as a live auction or as a silent auction. The athlete is very available to talk to and take photos with and get autographs from. Usually there is a slight charge for this but the money is going to a good cause and again is tax deductible. Choose the athlete appearance of your choice or go to all of them or as many as you can find in your area. Athletes are generally polite, cordial and anxious to talk to you. This is a fun activity and people need to have fun activities in their life.