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B'nai B'rith honors 25-year player.
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August 16 2007
Since 1972
1287050
arry Wax has been playing
in the B'nai B'rith softball
league for 25 years. At age 51,
he admits he's having a tougher time
keeping up with the younger guys.
But Wax certainly has the respect of
his fellow players and league manag-
ers, who voted him the 2007 winner of
the Michael Yendick Pure Heart Award.
The award winner is revealed each
summer at Drake Sports Park in West
Bloomfield on the final Sunday of the
league's regular season. It's always a
surprise for the recipient and an emo-
tional moment.
"When I heard my name
announced, I said, 'Who, me?" Wax
said. "I wasn't expecting it at ally'
The award goes to a player who is
a real mentsh, who understands the
importance and delicate balance of
camaraderie, competition and sports-
manship.
A sense of humor doesn't hurt, either.
"When my wife, Fay, found out I
won the award, she told me she was
proud of me and now she's glad she's
let me play softball for 25 years;' Wax
said. "Like she could have stopped me:'
Wax quickly added with a laugh.
Even though Wax was surprised to
receive the award, it's obvious why the
West Bloomfield resident and long-
time Brotherhood II player was an
appropriate choice.
"I'm a real team player. I'll do any-
thing that's asked of me:' Wax said. "I
never lose my cool out there. It's great
to be competitive and want to win, but
the bottom line is it's just a game and
you should have fun."
Michael Yendick played basketball,
softball and volleyball in local B'nai
B'rith leagues for more than 20 years
before he died of cancer in 2000 at age
36. Wax said he didn't know Yendick
personally, but he remembers him as a
formidable opposing player. "He was a
great leadoff batter with a lot of speed
and a good shortstop, and you could
tell he was a team leader," Wax said.
"The guys on his team looked up to
him."
Previous award winners were Steve
Dines in 2001, Steve LeVine in 2002,
Gary Klinger and Stuart Litt in
2003, Ron Silberstein in 2004, Jon
From left are Bernice and Al Yendick
(Michael Yendick's parents), Barry
Wax and Marty Melton.
Goldberg in 2005 and Al Mudryk in
2006.
Wax is a Flint Northern High School
and Michigan State University gradu-
ate. He and his wife have two daugh-
ters, Jessica, 23, and Samantha, 19.
Off To Colorado
Ben Rosenfeld has headed west to
continue his athletic career. The four-
sport athlete at Detroit Country Day
School in Beverly Hills is a freshman
at Colorado College, a Division III
school in Colorado Springs.
Rosenfeld will play quarterback for
the football team and defense for the
lacrosse team — at least for now.
"I'll try playing lacrosse for a year
and see what happens," the 5-foot-11,
165-pounder said. "It might be too
much to play two sports in college."
Rosenfeld earned eight varsity let-
ters at Country Day, four in hockey. He
received two letters in football, and
one each in baseball and lacrosse.
Last fall, Rosenfeld quarterbacked
the Country Day football team to an
8-3 record and its first state playoff
appearance since 2002. The Huntington
Woods resident wants to bring the
same success to his new football team.
"Even though I'll have to learn a
more difficult offensive system at
Colorado College, I'm looking forward
to it because they do a lot more pass-
ing than Country Day:' Rosenfeld said.
Colorado College finished 5-5 last
season, a jump from the Tigers' corn-
bined 6-22 record the prior 3 years.
Rosenfeld wanted to attend a small
university to reflect the small-school
atmosphere of Country Day.
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sports@thejewishnews.com .