AUGUST 10 • 2023 | 35
the same crew for a while,”
he said. “I’m grateful for
that consistency at a time
when the number of sports
officials is dwindling.
The players in the league
know the umpires, and the
umpires know the players.”
Landaw remembers
umpiring LeVine’s games
in a West Bloomfield Parks
men’s softball league.
“Steve was a nice guy
who never let his handicap
affect him,” Landaw said.
This isn’t the first time
Landaw has been honored
for his umpiring.
He received a Pillars of
Excellence award from
the Michigan Jewish
Sports Foundation at
the foundation’s annual
Michigan Jewish Sports
Hall of Fame induction
dinner in 2016 and, in
2018, USA Softball of
Metro Detroit honored him
for his 40 years of service.
He’ll be honored by the
organization for his 45
years of service later this
year.
Friedman certainly
has gone beyond the call
of duty for the Inter-
Congregational League.
Besides being a player
and manager for Temple
Israel No. 3, he gathers the
scores of games each week
and updates the division
standings on the league’s
website, and before the
season, he makes sure each
player has signed a waiver.
He also oversees the
league’s archival material
on the website.
“I appreciate the award,
but I didn’t need it. It’s a
pleasure to help out the
league,” Friedman said. “I
get much more out of the
league than what I put in.
Everyone in the league gets
a chance to be a kid again,
playing ball during the
summer.”
The league’s double-
elimination playoffs began
earlier this month after the
completion of the regular-
season schedule July 30.
The regular-season
division winners were
Temple Israel No. 6 in the
Greenberg Division and
Congregation Shir Tikvah
in the Koufax Division.
Temple Israel No. 6 went
15-5 in the regular season.
It was followed by Temple
Israel No. 2 at 14-6, Temple
Beth El No. 1 at 9-10-1,
Temple Shir Shalom No. 2
at 9-11, Temple Israel No.
1 at 8-11-1 and Temple
Israel No. 3 at 7-13 in
the Greenberg Division
standings.
Shir Tikvah also went
15-5. It was followed by
Temple Israel No. 3 at 13-7,
Congregation Shaarey
Zedek at 12-8, Temple Shir
Shalom No. 3 at 10-9-1,
Adat Shalom Synagogue
No. 1 at 9-11, Congregation
Beth Ahm at 4-16 and
Temple Beth El No. 2
at 3-16-1 in the Koufax
Division standings.
The league plays its
weekly games at Drake and
Keith sports parks in West
Bloomfield.
Send sports news to
stevestein502004@yahoo.com.
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