The Boys of Summer at Udall: TOTS May stats

Tucson Old Timers (TOTS)

60-and-over baseball

The Boys of Summer at Udall Park, better known locally as the 60-and-over Tucson Old Timers, just completed a busy month in May, logging 13 games in 29 days as 42 members -- including a couple of rookies and a new father-son combination-- combined for 362 hits in 796 official at-bats for a club batting average of .455.

The usual suspects led the way with Randy Livingston (top photo) collecting the most hits (25 for 41 and the most runs scored with 16, while John Mathews was the top RBI-man with 14. Mathews maintained a .724 batting average in 11 games (21 for 29).

Joe Opocensky, 76, and Danny 'Pigpen" Price, 80, were the two most active players as both played in all 13 games. Opocensky went 22 for 44, a .500 average, while Price managed to collect 32 at-bats and had eight hits. The TOTS 'real' oldtimer, 88-year-old Ted Roberts, who doubles as the club announcer and scorekeeper, came off the bench and went 3 for 16.

Other super seniors (75-and-over) who hit the ball well during May included Bob Daliege (15 for 32) and Mike Steele (12 for 27).  Other notable hitters in the 60-and-over crowd included Mike Dawson (20 for 37), Sam Dean (18 for 30), Tim Tolson (16 for 36), and Reed Palmer (15 for 21).

Making noise at the plate in seven games or fewer included Dan Gruneisen (above photo), who went 17 for 25, David Musavi (13 for 20), and rookie Paul Montes (shown in photo below Gruneisen), who went 10 for 13 in six games while wearing an old crash helmet. Montes received his share of jibes from the dugout, but the helmet seemed to help in his view of the pitches thrown as he batted a hefty. 769.

As for the new father-son combination, that belongs to Pigpen Price, who turns 81 on July 2, and his son, Michael, 61 (pictured above in the sweater). Michael is just getting his feet wet as the newest member of the club and went 3 for 10, with a double and three RBI in his first week.

Another newcomer this month is lefty Scott Bultman (pictured above, Michael), who is starting to hit the ball with regularity. Bultman, 67,  went 13 for 34, a .382 average.

The two pitchers shown in the photos above continue to be the workhorses on the mound for the TOTS. Glen Vann went 3-1 in May and recorded the most strikeouts (13), while Dawson logged the most innings (41) and was second in strikeouts with 12.

Way to go, TOTS! And now, June awaits! 

Congrats to the TOTS' new father-son combination, Dan 'Pigpen' Price and Michael Price (photo below), only the second father-son combo to play on the TOTS at the same time in the history of the organization (1968-2026).

   

A new father-son combo with the 60-and-over Tucson Old Timers

Tucson Old Timers (TOTS)

60-and-over baseball

Finally, the second father-son 60-and-over combination to play for the Tucson Old Timers. The first: Brad and Tim Tolson. Today at Udall Park: Michael Price, 61, and Danny ‘Pigpen’ Price, 80. Michael needs two more games and approval from the organization to make it official. Michael would then become the youngest member of the TOTS, and the old man will reach 81 on July 2 with 19 years with the organization.

Photo: Michael and Danny 'Pigpen' Price

Livingston's 25 hits best in April for Tucson Old Timers

60-and-over baseball at Udall Park

Randy Livingston went 25 for 35 (.714) in 11 games to lead the 60-and-over Tucson Old Timers in April, while Jon Beady was second with 22 hits in 36 at-bats (.611) in 12 games, and John Mathews finished 21 for 34, a .618 clip.

Doug Harding (.500), Joe Opocensky (.486), and Dan Gruneisen (.621) were next in line with 18 hits apiece. Mike Dawson followed with 16 hits, while Dave Musavi and Bob Daliege collected 15 hits for the month.

Opocensky was the RBI leader with 17.

On the mound, it was Pete Maldonado leading the way with a 3-1 record. He pitched in five games and logged 32 innings. Livingston and Glen Vann tied for the most strikeouts with six apiece.

Way to go, TOTS!

Time to focus on baseball

 

With college basketball put to rest for the year, I can now focus on baseball. March Madness was once again March Madness! Congrats to Michigan, the 2026 National Champs.

The Major League Baseball clubs are off and running, each with close to 20 games in the books as we reach the final days of April. It's no surprise the LA Dodgers lead all clubs with a 15-4 record.

Who can dethrone the defending champs in 2026? Maybe San Diego, currently the second-best team in the NL West. And how about those New York Yankees? Where will they be by October?

As for the Arizona Diamondbacks. Will it be another so-so season? Will the Diamondbacks' starting pitching hold up? And how about the bullpen? Arizona is 12-8 and in third place as we head into the weekend. Could the NL West be the best division in baseball in 2026?

As for my Arizona Wildcats. Not good as they sport a 14-23 overall record after a 2-1 loss last night at Hi Corbett Field to Kansas State.

That leaves my 60-and-over Tucson Old Timers, who are four months into the 2026 season (they play all 12 months of the year...no let-up by the oldtimers).

In fact, the TOTS are enjoying their best season ever with an active roster of over 50 players -- including a new batch of 60-year-olds who are ripping the ball all over the TOTS' home field at Udall Park every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.

As for me, I'm back playing as I edge closer to my 81st birthday in July. I had a good week at the plate this past week with 5 hits in 7 at-bats -- including a 3-for-3 day last Friday.

Michigan Blows by Arizona at Final Four in Indy

 It was all Michigan in Indianapolis tonight at the NCAA Final Four.

Arizona (36-3) was blown out of the Lucas Oil Stadium by the Wolverines, who won easily, 91-73, ending the Wildcats' magical season.

It was all Michigan (36-3) from the opening tip as the Wolverines advanced to Monday night's championship game against UConn (34-5).

Koa Peat led the Wildcats with 16 points, while Brayden Burries and Jadon Bradley finished with 13 points apiece. 

TOTS diehards keep 59th season rolling

Tucson Old Timers (TOTS)

60-and-over baseball

The 60-and-over Tucson Old Timers are a rare group of baseball junkies, a "family of not over-the-hill" ballplayers who gather at Udall Park three days a week to play America's Favorite Pastime, but more importantly, keep the historic baseball club running.

The club has been around since 1968, and in 2026, the club membership is at its peak. It's not unusual to have 25 players warm up and participate in a seven-inning game that may last upwards of two to three hours, depending on how many pitches are thrown and how many hits are recorded inside the confines of their home baseball diamond, located behind the Udall Senior Center.

In March, nine players saw action in all 11 games played, and they include, along with their hitting stats: Bob Daliege (9 for 32), Brack Whitaker (1 for 23), Doug Harding (14 for 34), Jerry Callen (7 for 26), Jon Beady (16 for 25), Pete Peters (the ump), Randy Livingston (20 for 33), Steve Parks (3 for 25) and Ted Roberts (scorekeeper).

Playing in 10 of the 11 games were: Joe Opocensky (13 for 29), Ken Nebesny (5 for 16), Mike Dawson (13 for 27), Mike Steele (5 for 23), and Tim Tolson (7 for 14).

Livingston led the club in March in hits (20) and runs-scored (14), while Beady collected the most RBI (19).

Of course, a few 60-somethings are still working for a living, and they include a couple of doctors, Che Guevara, and Herb McReynolds. When those two are at the ball park, they are doing double duty, offering advice (Guevara is a urologist), and McReynolds does the on-site mending when needed. Guevara was 0 for 6 in three games, while Dr. McReynolds was 1 for 3 in four games.

Of course, the walking wounded were on hand and managed to get in a few games despite their ailments.

The old-timer Danny "Pigpen" Price, 80, played in six games and went 3 for 16, David Byars, 78, went 6 for 26, Steve Parks, 77, went 3 for 25,  and Carl Schwanbeck, 79, went 6 for 19.

Other notables who collected 10 or more hits included Spiro Roberts (11 for 22), Sam Dean (11 for 25), Reed Palmer (11 for 20), and Dave Musavi (11 for 21).

As a club, the TOTS batted .382 (248 of 649).

On the mound, it was Dawson leading the way again. Dawson went 4-0. Livingston was the strikeout king with 10.

With over 50 active members, the TOTS are still adding members. The newest addition is Paul Montes, who received his TOTS hat this month. Montes, 68, went 5 for 13 in five games.

"We are a family," said Pigpen Price, the oldest active player, who turns 81 in July. "Its such a pleasure being a member of this organization. "I've been a member for two decades, and I'm still swinging."

April will be a busy month for the organization. On April 3, the TOTS will don their blue jerseys and head for Hi Corbett Field for its annual trip to support, as a group, the Arizona Wildcats, who take on the Arizona State Sun Devils at 6 p.m. 

On April 9th, the TOTS will hold its annual luncheon/award ceremony at the Sonoran Dance Hall, located at 4231 S. Pauline Lane. The event gets underway at 11:30 a.m.

The dance hall is located off Harrison Road, between Golf Links Road and Irvington (access off East Millmar Road).

Photo: The TOTS

 

Arizona reaches Final Four

 Arizona Wildcats Basketball

Arizona (36-2) turned a seven-point halftime deficit into a 15-point win over Purdue (30-9) with a 79-64 win tonight over the Boilermakers at the West Regional in San Jose, California, to punch its ticket to next week's NCAA Final Four.

Freshman Koa Peat led Arizona with 20 points, seven rebounds, and three assists, along with plenty of support from teammates Ivan Karchenkov with eight rebounds and 18 points, while Jaden Bradley and Brayden Burries each scored 14 points. Moe Krivas, with Tobe Awaka in foul trouble in the second half, grabbed 12 rebounds and scored six points.

Arizona, which set a school record for the most wins in a season, made its run in the second half without committing a turnover. The Wildcats canned 20 of 22 free throws and outscored Purdue in the paint 40-24.

Way to go, Wildcats!