It may not have had the hype of the NFL draft-fest, and Aaron Levin may not be JaMarcus Russell. But he will be the answer to the trivia question: "Who was the first player selected for the Israel Baseball League?"

The infielder from Los Angeles was the number one pick in the IBL draft held April 26 at the Cardozo School of Law in Manhattan and will play for the Modi'in Miracle under the stewardship of former major leaguer Art Shamsky.

Representatives of the six teams – which will each carry a 20-man roster – picked 72 players from nine countries, including the United States, Canada, Israel, Dominican Republic, Venezuela, Australia, Ukraine, Japan, and Belgium. The remaining athletes – mostly students still in college – will be assigned following their academic baseball seasons. At that time, each team will see what they still need and select from the remaining pool of players, so that each roster is filled properly.

Pitcher Adam Crabb and outfielder Dan Rootenberg – the first two players signed by the IBL in October – will play for the Tel Aviv Lightning and the Netanya Tigers, respectively.

One name selected at the draft raised some eyebrows: 71-year-old Hall of Famer Sandy Koufax.

"We never have a meeting of this league where Sandy's name doesn't come up with great reverence," said Marty Appel, a member of the league's executive committee. "So with the final pick of the evening, Art Shamsky's team, the Miracle, picked Sandy Koufax as a show of respect."

Koufax retired in 1966 after years of battling with arm problems. "Shamsky said, 'He's had 41 years between starts. If he's rested and ready to go, we want him,'" Appel said.

While Appel said Koufax has no official connection with the IBL, "he likes being kept posted. He's not, at this point, playing any role, but he's a friend of the league."

Dr. Martin Abramowitz, a member of the IBL board of advisers, traveled to Cardozo from his home in Newton, Mass.

"I thought it was a great event, very well organized. I was very impressed with the scouting evaluations," said Abramowitz, vice president of planning at the Combined Jewish Philanthropies of Boston. "A draft makes sense only when the drafters really know the players and have a real feel for the possible composition of the team."

Abramowitz, the creative force behind the popular Jewish Major Leaguers baseball card set, promises a similar collectible once the rest of the players are placed on the teams and the uniforms are distributed.