GFI: Grand Forks to be taken by the Storm

New York Storm; Photo, submitted

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 (GFI) since 2005. This organization was founded in 1987 by Mike Leiderman, 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 their win in Grand Forks they added the coveted Stan Musial World Series crown to their long list of achievements on the baseball diamond.

The Storm have enjoyed success internationally beyond Grand Forks. In 2009 they travelled to the Dominican Republic to play their professional teams in Winter-League competition and won three out of four games. 

They 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 8 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, Mike 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 their 25^th anniversary year, have 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.