Big Train Hosts MLB Trainer, Maryland Senator among others on Jewish Heritage Night

Shlomo Lipetz, Ben Cardin and Barry Weinberg by Mark Thalman

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ROCKVILLE, Md. - The Big Train celebrated Jewish Heritage Night on Sunday. The team invited longtime MLB Trainer Barry Weinberg, Senator Ben Cardin and Israeli Pitcher Shlomo Lipetz. Weinberg and Lipetz helped coach a clinic for young baseball players on Sunday to kickoff Jewish Heritage Night at the ballpark. The crowd of nearly 500 witnessed an 8-4 Big Train victory over the Olney Cropdusters. Founder Bruce Adams and the Big Train honored Sunflower Bakery and Jewish Council for the Aging as the game’s community heroes. 

Lipetz grew up in Israel. In 1986, the pitcher traveled to New York to visit family where he went to a New York Mets game. Lipetz fell in love with the sport and immediately gravitated towards it. 

“I got the bug,” Lipetz said regarding his love for baseball. “I played basketball. I played soccer. I played track, but something about baseball always intrigued me.”

Lipetz started his baseball career in second grade and was already on the Team Israel youth team just a couple of years later. At the time, Lipetz was playing just for fun but has since realized the impact of playing for your country.

“The longer I’ve played for the team, the more I understood how important it is,” Lipetz said. “It means more when you play for something as opposed to just playing for yourself.”

Longtime MLB trainer Barry Weinberg grew up in nearby Silver Spring and played baseball all the way through college. Growing up, Washington Senator Frank Howard moved across the street. 

“Next to my father, [Howard] was the greatest mentor to me,” Weinberg said. “The things he told me stuck with me, and I still use them today.” 

Weinberg had the opportunity to work with basketball coach Bobby Knight when he got his Master’s Degree. Over the years, the trainer became close with the legendary Indiana coach. 

“The experience of being with Knight, who was the most intimidating human being I’ve ever seen, was all learning life lessons.” 

Senator Cardin loves representing and helping the community. That passion is why Cardin entered the political landscape in the first place.

“It’s an opportunity to help people,” Cardin said. “It was my legislation that established early detection screening in the medicare system.”

Bruce Adams presents U.S.Senator Ben Cardin with a Big Train Community Hero jersey accompanied by Maryland Delegate Marc Korman.

Cardin’s work has helped save lives, and he has also worked on human rights legislation. The senator is proud of the work he’s accomplished. Cardin played a variety of sports growing up and has understood the life lessons that children learn through athletics. 

Lipetz has always been a pitcher at heart and has loved controlling the flow of the game. 

“Nothing happens in the game until I throw the ball,” Lipetz said. “Being involved in every single pitch is great, and I love the psychological warfare you have with every batter.” 

Cardin consistently worked across party lines and wants to be remembered for his work in the community and the work that got done under his leadership

“I thought it was just as important to listen than to speak,” Cardin said. “I tried to bring people together.”

As Weinberg returned to the location where grew up playing the game he loved, he spoke to the next generation of athletes. 

“The one thing I’ve told a lot of kids is anytime we get to see another teammate from our Israel baseball experience is a real bond we have. You appreciate your heritage and how proud you should be.”

Lipetz and Weinberg led a clinic for young players at Shirley Povich Field by Bruce Adams

Weinberg wrote a book called Eating my Way Through Baseball. The book details the trainer’s over forty years of eating at different restaurants when he traveled across the country and all the great people he has met along the way. Weinberg pointed out that nobody knows where they will end up in life and one day you could end up anywhere.

“You work hard, keep your eye on the ball, and you never know where your journey is going to lead,” Weinberg said. “Never follow your dreams, always chase your dreams. If you follow something, you never catch it.”

The Big Train will hit the road to face the Southern Maryland Senators today at 7 p.m. The Big Train will return to Shirley Povich Field to host the Gaithersburg Giants on Wednesday June 25 at 7 p.m.