Holy Land Hardball (2008) is a documentary film about starting a professional baseball league in Israel. It is the story of the founding of the Israel Baseball League.

Holy Land Hardball
Theatrical release poster
Directed byBrett Rapkin
Erik Kesten
Produced byBrett Rapkin
Erik Kesten
StarringKen Holtzman
Art Shamsky
Ron Blomberg
Edited byBrett Rapkin
Erik Kesten
Music byJeremiah Lockwood[2]
Distributed bySnagFilms
Release date
  • January 19, 2008 (2008-01-19)[1]
Running time
83 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish

Synopsis

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Boston bagel maker Larry Baras, who had no sports management experience,[3] wanted to create a professional baseball league in Israel. He recruited former Jewish major leaguers Art Shamsky, Ken Holtzman, and Ron Blomberg as team managers in the Israel Baseball League.

Film festivals

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It premiered at the Silverdocs AFI/Discovery Channel Documentary Film Festival and was shown at many other film festivals.[1]

Reviews

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Fandango.com says of Holy Land Hardball:

An entertaining documentary, showing a side of Israel far from the news headlines - one of peace, normalcy and discovering the joys of the great American pastime.[4]

Indiewire.com says of Holy Land Hardball:

All things considered, Kesten and Rapkin respect their subjects to the point where "Holy Land Hardball" functions as a warm portrait of people guided by spiritual unity and athletic ambition.[5]

References

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  1. ^ a b http://www.reelhardball.com/2010/01/holy-land-hardball-premiere/
  2. ^ "JDub Records: Innovative Jewish music, community and cross-cultural dialogue". Archived from the original on 2011-06-12. Retrieved 2011-01-10.
  3. ^ "News - Entertainment, Music, Movies, Celebrity".
  4. ^ http://www.fandango.com/holylandhardball_117140/movieoverview Fandango.com Movie Review
  5. ^ http://www.indiewire.com/article/still_searching_for_a_home_run_holy_land_hardball_travels_with_chutzpah/# Indiewire.com Movie Review
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