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New York Storm to play in 2012 GFI baseball tournament

The New York Storm, a successful semi-pro baseball team in the U.S., will be playing at the Grand Forks International baseball tourney.
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Owner and manager Mike Leiderman founded the New York Storm in 1987 and it is one of the most successful semi-professional baseball programs in the U.S. and the team will be at this year's GFI.

To slightly paraphrase the lyrics of that popular song from the late 1970s, New York, New York, “Start spreading the news, they are leaving soon, I want to be part of it, New York, New York.”

The New York Storm will be making their first appearance at the Grand Forks International Baseball Tournament (GFI) since 2005. Mike Leiderman founded this organization in 1987, and he continues to be the owner and manager of one of the most successful semi-professional baseball programs in the United States.

His teams have won 43 national tournaments and 11 national championships in addition to capturing the 2005 title at the GFI.

A year after its win in Grand Forks, the Storm added the coveted Stan Musial World Series crown to its long list of achievements on the baseball diamond.

The Storm has enjoyed success internationally beyond Grand Forks. In 2009, the team travelled to the Dominican Republic to play its professional teams in winter league competition and won three out of four games.

The Storm also travelled to Cuba in 2003 and became the first international team to beat Cuba at home in 17 years. The team has a remarkable winning percentage of .797 and at least 100 professional players have been part of the organization.

In 2007, Leiderman launched another highly effective venture, the Junior Storm Travel Baseball Program. It has quickly developed into one of the most successful youth baseball organizations in the Long Island/New York Metro area with over 16 teams ranging in ages from eight to 18. He says, “The Storm organization is all about the kids and our goal is to make every individual the best player and person he/she can be.”

Beyond baseball, Leiderman runs the Atlantic Group in Manhattan, a commercial furniture distributor, which he owns and founded. He is regarded as one of the most influential and respected business furniture experts in America.

Jim Rose, the president of the Long Island Stan Musial Baseball League, in describing the Storm said, “They are the New York Yankees of amateur baseball.”

The GFI organizing committee is excited to announce that this outstanding baseball team from the Big Apple, on the occasion of its 25th anniversary year, has accepted an invitation to compete in the 2012 tournament.

So “start spreading the news and plan to be part of it”, the Storm will be back to once again play ball at beautiful James Donaldson Park in Grand Forks.

This year’s GFI begins on Wednesday, Aug. 29 and runs until Monday, Sept. 3.

– Submitted by the Grand Forks International Baseball Tournament organizing committee.