TOTS hold annual luncheon at Randolph GC; Tom Waddell guest speaker

The Tucson Old Timers Baseball Club, the world's oldest baseball team, held its annual luncheon yesterday afternoon (April 8) in the Copper Room at the Randolph Golf Course. Former Cleveland Indians pitcher Tom Waddell was the guest speaker and he admitted he wasn't sure what to say in front of a bunch of old timers, ranging in age from 60 to 90, whom still play baseball for the love of the game.

"I spend most of my day working with and instructing kids on how to play the game," said Waddell, who owns The Yard, an indoor instructional facility on Tucson's east side. Waddell, who pitched for the Cleveland Indians in 1984, 1985 and 1987, figured giving advice to the members of the TOTS baseball club on how to play the game just didn't seem to be the right approach to take for this particular speaking engagement.

Instead, Waddell related some of the many "inside the locker room stories" which he witnessed during his days as a hurler for the Indians. At the top of the list, was his teammate Bert Blyleven, who had a habit of pulling off his share of "boys will be boys" antics, on and off the field of play. Waddell recalls Blyleven took the well-known "hot foot" prank to a new level. "Lighting up a teammate's laces was one thing, but Burt would pour rubbing alcohol over the entire shoe and then light it up," recalls Waddell.

He had plenty of other stories to tell, but he figured, as he glanced around the Copper Room at the many ladies in attendance, it just wasn't the right road to go down.

As for Waddell's pro career, he went 15-11 as a relief pitcher with the "Tribe". Tom finished his stint in the majors with 118 strike outs and a 4.30 ERA. He also recorded 15 saves.

As for the TOTS, they enjoyed having Waddell as their guest speaker and they also enjoyed rehashing some old stories of their own. Of course, some of their stories go way, way back! For instance, 73-year-old Bob Katz (top photo), a member of the TOTS since 2004, recalls his teenage days in Philadelphia, Pa.

"I grew up in Philly and my mother would give me 60 cents and I'd hop on the trolley and head for a Phillies game," Katz said, as he sipped on a glass of tea at his table during the luncheon. "It cost a quarter for the trolley and another 35 cents to get into the game."

My goodness, have times changed. You can barely buy a stamp these days for what Bob's mother dished out to him in the summer of 1950. Bob certainly got his monies worth sixty years ago. He walked through the turnstiles at Shribe Park, found his seat, and watched baseball greats like Richie Ashburn, Robin Roberts, Dick Sisler and "Schoolboy" Rowe play the game of baseball.

Tom Waddell has his fond memories of the "game" tucked away in the corner of his mind. As for the members of the TOTS, they too, have their own memories to rekindle. It just takes them a little longer to remember.