The Post Game Podcast Ep. 31 - Nate Fish, The King of Jewish Baseball: Pushing Back on Conventional Wisdom, Following Your Dreams, and Israel Baseball
Nate Fish, aka the King of Jewish Baseball, has had quite the baseball journey.
After graduating from the University of Cincinnati with his dreams of playing in the big leagues squandered, he began training youth baseball players in New York City.
Over two decades later, he has played professional softball and baseball. He has traveled the world in a baseball uniform, been part of Israeli National team coaching staffs, competed in the World Baseball Classic and Olympics, coached elite college baseball players in the Cape Cod League, and helped manage the increasingly popular Savannah Bananas.
His phone has continued to ring along the way for the next opportunity.
Today, he is the CEO of Israel Baseball Americas, a 501c3 whose mission is to give Team Israel players and fans a common outlet for their interest in Israel Baseball and provide human and financial resources to the Israel National Team program.
What You’ll Learn About:
- Knowing when to shut up and learn
- The really good coaches don’t have as much to say
- The best advice is support
- Ability to focus and compete
- Different outlets for expression
- His work with Israel Baseball Americas
- Thoughts on following your dreams vs. doing something useful first
Timestamps:
(0:00) – Intro to Nate
(2:50) – Pushing back against conventional wisdom
(4:20) – His background
(7:00) – College career at Cincinnati
(8:30) – Taking a step back to develop
(9:55) – Going back to school
(11:30) – Phone Call that got him back on the field
(13:10) - Fast pitch softball
(14:20) – Still curious, How good am I?
(14:50) – What was his game like?
(16:50) – Getting into the coaching side
(18:20) – World Baseball Classic
(19:20) – Adam Greenberg
(20:45) – Imposter Syndrome
(23:50) – Lessons during his coaching journey
(25:30) – Thoughts on advice
(27:00) – Robinson Cano story
(28:10) – Separators for the guys that are the best
(29:45) – Can you teach competing?
(32:00) – His creative work
(34:50) – Israel Baseball Americas
(39:20) – He’s got a crazy story!
(40:00) – Still want to get to the big leagues
(41:00) – Following Your Dreams
(43:00) – Do something useful and it will become your passion
(44:45) – Unhappiness and entitlement
(45:30) – Becoming a father
(47:00) – His Article: “Two Things”
(48:15) – Where to find The King of Jewish Baseball
Links:
Two Things: The Unbelievable, Unlikely, Unavoidable Convergence of Israel Baseball and Me
Email: nate.fish@israelbaseball.org