Learning how to pitch at age 65...

Playing with the "boys of summer" at Tucson Udall Park is certainly a kick, even though there are times when the old body takes a little punishment. Our 60-and-over baseball league, the Tucson Old Timers (TOTS), gets together three times a week in the early-morning hours and normally we put in a good three hours on the ball field.

This time of year some of us add a fourth and fifth day with added games against the likes of two southside teams, the Arizona Rattlers and the Old Pueblo Club. And add to that a Saturday practice at Tucson Electric Park (TEP) with our MSBL World Series team, the Tucson Golden Aces, who gather for a two to three hour practice to fine tune for the annual MSBL event, scheduled for mid October in Phoenix. That's a lot of baseball for a few of us oldtimers who range in age from 60 to 85. And now yours truly is trying something else -- pitching.

We have one gentleman on our team who, at the age of 72, still answers the call and takes to the mound when called upon. His name is Chico and he's a kind of a legend around Tucson, a competitor who still puts everything he's got into it when he toes the rubber. Last year at the MSBL World Series, Chico got locked into a pitching duel with a hard-throwing hurler from St. Thomas. Chico pitched a complete game that day and came out the winner. It was a big win for us. So, I got to thinking this summer, if I could give pitching a try.

I normally take a beating at third base. They call third base the "hot corner" for a reason! But, I like it. It's become my favorite position. Any any rate, Chico can still make pitching look easy. Nice easy motion on his release and his fastball and breaking ball will curl into the strike zone on a regular basis.

I can do that, right! So, it's been a work in progress this summer. Somehow, I've managed to go 5-0 in our league this summer and I've gone the distance in three of the five games. There are times I think I should head back over to third and forget this pitching thing. It is just not as easy as it looks. My control leaves me rather quickly. Finding that catcher's mitt consistently is the key, but I guess I'm wild enough at times to be affective. Chico makes it look easy. Those major leaguers make it look easy. I, on the other hand, look a little erratic out there. But I'm trying. Why did I wait until 65 to take to the mound.

My former teammates from yesteryear could probably tell you why.