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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