Still nothing easy for the Diamondbacks

Arizona Diamondbacks


The Arizona Diamondbacks found a way to win a game tonight at Chase Field. Arizona (9-22) beats  Colorado 5-4 as Miguel Montero hits his first walk-off home run in the bottom of the 10th inning as the D'backs salvage 1 of 3 with the Rockies.

Down 4-2 in the bottom of the ninth, Arizona scores two runs on a single up the middle by Martin Prado to even the score. Addison Reed (1-2) pitches a scoreless top of the 10th inning and Montero follows with the game winner.

Arizona takes a breather tomorrow and then heads out to San Diego for a three-games series with the Padres on Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

TOTS' player enjoying the "Life of Reilly"

TOTS Senior Baseball Network

60-and-over baseball

Brian Reilly, 63, didn't play high school ball or college ball. In fact, he didn't start playing baseball until last year. He settled in Tucson with his family over a year ago, walked out the back door of his new home one day and wandered over to Udall Park.

"There were a bunch of guys playing ball," Reilly said. I asked one of them what was going on."

One of the players replied, "We are the TOTS."

Reilly, a retired computer programmer from Seattle, joined the 60-and-over baseball club soon after his initial meeting with the TOTS and the rest is history.

Blessed with speed, Reilly is among the fastest of all the TOTS and isn't afraid to try different positions. He's played in the infield and the outfield. He's caught behind the plate and today, after just 12 months with the club...he pitched and WON!

Reilly pitched all seven innings for Team Blue today. He struck out one and walked four as Team Blue edged Team White 5-4.

"I enjoyed pitching today," Reilly said, after the game. "I'm ready to do it again."

The TOTS always need pitchers. Welcome aboard, Brian.

Since joining the TOTS, Brian has always been one of the first players to show up. He helps get the field ready for play, he gets his cuts in at batting practice and then goes out and joins in on seven innings of fun. "I love every minute of it."

He's enjoying the life of Reilly.

The 80-somethings -- the "heart" of the TOTS

TOTS Senior Baseball Network

60-and-over baseball


The Tucson Old Timers (TOTS) baseball club has been around since 1968 and the players range in age from 60 to 88, so it is understandable that the "younger ones" get all the press, so to speak, when it comes to the monthly batting statistics. It's the 60-and-somethings that grab the majority of the hits, score the most times and drive in the most runs.

But it is the 80-and-over players who are the "heart" of the organization.

They've been around a while and they've paid their dues, so to speak. By the way, the dues for the senior baseball club is five dollars a month -- some of the "old-timers" have dished out more than $1200 bucks during a 20-year span!

The older players have seen their batting averages dwindle over time. But there was a time when they posted monthly batting averages of .400, .500 or .600. There was a time when they led the ball club in hits...and runs...and runs-batted-in.

The fact is they are still at it...still performing...and still running out the grounder to short. It's what the club is all about.

We honor our old-timers:

Floyd Lance, 88,  is the oldest member of the club. Known as "Sir Floyd" due to his longevity with the organization, still plays a mean first base and bats over .300. Lance joined the club in 1999 and maintained  a .500-plus batting average until 2012. Lance is from Glen Gardner, New Jersey.

Joe Aparicio, 80, joined the TOTS in 1998 and is currently in his 16th season. Joe is from Santa Paula, California.

Archie Burke, 81, joined the TOTS in 1991 and is currently in his 23rd season. Archie grew up in La Crosse, Wisconsin.

Jack Glickman, 87, joined the TOTS in 1991 and is also in his 23rd season. Jack -- known as "Jack the Ripper" because he still pulls the ball down the line after all these years-- was born in New York, NY.

Billy Heiny, 84, will turn 85 in August and has been a member of the TOTS since 1997. A former dentist, Billy was born in Terre Haute, Indiana.

Ron Kwart, 81, has been a member of the TOTS since 2008. A retired Tucson Firefighter, Ron hails from Detroit, Michigan.

Richard McCorkle, 81, has been a member of the TOTS since 1992. Born in Tucson and retired from the Tucson Unified School District, Richard was recently awarded the club's Century Award, an award which goes to a player whose age and years of "playing time" reaches 100 years.

Dick McAnnaly, 81, has been a member of the TOTS since 1994. Born in Tulsa, Oklahoma, Richard also received the Century Award April/2014.

Jerry Smarik, 82, has been a member of the TOTS since 1991 and is in his 23rd season. Jerry, a retired Navy man and a retiree from the postal service, was born in Detroit, Michigan.

Jack Graef, 80, has been a member of the TOTS since 2001. Jack, who turns 81 in September, hails from Brooklyn, New York. (not pictured)

Chuck Harkins, 83, has been a member of the TOTS since 1997. Chuck was born in Tracy City, Tennessee. (not pictured)

and last but not least...

Brad Tolson, 84, a member of the TOTS since 1991. Brad, known as the "Chairman of the Board" retired from active duty with the TOTS in 2012, handing over the reigns, and his jersey,  to his 61-year-old son, Tim Tolson. It was the only father-son combination on the TOTS' roster.

There you have it. The "heart" of the TOTS.

Slammin' Bobby Stofft

TOTS Senior Baseball Network

60-and-over baseball

Pull hitters are dangerous.

If a right hander steps to the plate in the Majors, chances are the third baseman on the opposing team is already in position and "ready" to receive a screamer -- a bullet, if you will, and chances are the professional third sacker will glove the ball and make the play, and in the process make it look easy.

For a third baseman on the 60-and-over Tucson Old Timers (TOTS) baseball team, things are a bit different. Chances are the third baseman on the TOTS is 40...or 50...or 60 years older than the pro infielder who we see on television everyday and the reaction time of the "old-timer" at the hot corner...well, to put it mildly, the reaction time, compared to the pro, is not there.

To make matters worse, a batter on the TOTS is using an aluminum bat, for goodness sakes. If a member of the TOTS rips one down the line (the first base line if he's a lefty), well it's simply going to get there in a hurry.

Such is the case with 75-year-old Slammin' Bobby Stofft.

Stofft, a member of the TOTS since 2012, has a habit of pulling the ball. The third baseman may as well prepare himself for what's coming. It's going to be a shot, you can count on it.

In his first year with the TOTS in 2012, Slammin' Bobby Stofft played in just 34 games, a feeling out process for the former Civil Engineer, who hails from Rapid City, South Dakota. Most of his hits in 2012 were down the third baseline as he went 25 for 71 and batted a respectable .321.

The following year, Stofft played in 58 games and it was more of the same. Once again all his hits were down the line, going 45  for 147 and another respectable average of .306.

This year, Stofft has played in just 15 games through March but he's still up to his old tricks as he continues to pull the ball down the line.

"I love to pull the ball," Stofft said, after a recent game in which he "peppered" yet another third baseman.

Stofft say he loves playing with the TOTS and he fully expects to pound the ball down the line well into his late 70s and early 80s.

Bob is widowed. His wife, Mary, passed away in 2001. Bob and Mary raised two children, Jim and Lorraine. Bob smiles when he talks about his two children, Jim is in Tucson and owns the Sabino Veterinary Care Center, while Lorraine is the Director of Public Relations and Marketing at Arizona Western College in Yuma.

Back in the early 1980s, Lorraine was a basketball star at Sabino High School.

A lot of years have passed since Bob sat in the bleachers and watched his daughter and her teammates at Sabino compete for the city title against their arch-rival from crosstown, Canyon del Oro.

Bob played fast pitch softball back then, but he now concentrates on baseball and the next pitch he sees from a TOTS' hurler.

Bob knows where the next pitch is going...and so does the third baseman!

Photo: Slammin' Bobby Stofft

TOTS' Note:  Bob Stofft was born in Minneapolis, MN., but settled in South Dakota and attended and graduated with a Civil Engineering degree from the South Dakota College of the Mines in Rapid City, South Dakota.

Hawks, Grizzlies...upsets galore in the NBA playoffs

NBA Playoffs


For some reason, I have a hard time getting into the NBA postseason. When it gets down to the final four teams, then I begin to take notice.

This year it's a little different as the Western Conference is up for grabs with all the overtime games and upsets. Who would have thunk it? The Atlanta Hawks! The Memphis Grizzlies! Could one of those two teams play for the NBA title?

Does it really matter? Of course, it does to the NBA players and fans. But in the end, will the survivor out of the Western Conference be able to take down Sir James and the Miami Heat?

Probably not.

Kingery top hitter for the Wildcats

Arizona Wildcats Baseball


With 43 games in the books, Scott Kingery leads the Arizona Wildcats (18-25) with a .365 batting average. The sophomore outfielder, who hails from Phoenix and played for Mountain Pointe High School,  has collected 54 hits in 148 at bats.

Arizona's team batting average has tailed off a bit. The Wildcats are batting .285 and only three other  players are batting over the .300 mark. Zach Gibbons (.349), Trent Gilbert (.330) and Kevin Newman (.313) continue to produce.

Cody Hamlin is tops on the pitching staff with a 5-3 record.

Arizona (7-14 in the Pac-12 Conference) travels to Oregon on Friday for the first game of a three-game series against the Ducks.

Jesse Ochoacinco

TOTS Senior Baseball Network

60-and-over baseball

Jesse Ochoa, 62, joined the TOTS midway through the 2012 season. He played in just 50 games and finished the year with 28 hits in 113 at bats for a .248 batting average. Ochoa practically doubled his games played in 2013. He played in 91 games and upped his average to .463. He banged out 114 hits in 246 plate appearances and drove in 98 runs.

On the injury list to start 2014, Jesse came out strong during the month of March.  Jesse played in six games and practically knocked the cover off the ball, going 12 for 24 for a .500 average, while driving in 10 runs.

Ochoa, a retired police officer, is currently teaching at Cienaga High School and hasn't had a lot of playing time in March or April, but he did take a day off from work today and got in a few cuts with the TOTS. Playing for Team White today, Jesse went 3 for 3 and drove in two runs.

TOTS Blue won the game at Udall Park this morning 7-5, but Jesse did his best to keep his team in the game.

When Ochoa joined the TOTS, he quickly picked up the nickname "Sweeper" because he offered to sweep out the dugout before every game.  Ochoa has now earned a new nickname due to the fact he clobbers the ball to all parts of the field and his teammates have watched his batting average climb and climb and climb.

Jesse is now referred to jokingly as Jesse Ochoacinco.

Playing for the TOTS and being labeled with a nickname is not unusual. The TOTS have very distinctive nicknames like: The Turbo Turtle, The Rocket, The Communicator, The Yankee Clipper, Baby Bull, Pigpen, Pistol Pete, The Alabama Redneck...well you get the idea, the list goes on and on.

Having a nickname on the TOTS  is just part of the fun. If you're new to the ball club and can't take a little "ribbing"...well you will in due time. A player on the TOTS once said, "If we give you a hard time once in a while it just means we like you."

No one gets the "silent" treatment in a TOTS' dugout. Everyone is fair game.

A player once said, "I don't even need to play, I can sit in the dugout and have fun."

To be a TOT is just plain fun!

Photo: Jesse Ochoa...aka Jesse Ochoacinco.

Wildcats win 1 of 3 over Sun Devils

Arizona Wildcats Baseball


Arizona knocked off the ASU Sun Devils 6-1 at Hi Corbett Field tonight and salvage the third game of the three-game series. The Wildcats lost the first two by scores of 2-1 and 7-0.

With the win, Arizona improves to 18-25 overall and 7-14 in the Pac-12 Conference.

Catcher Riley Moore went 3 for 3 tonight for the Wildcats and DH Michael Hoard (Tucson Salpointe) put Arizona ahead in the first inning with a two-run double. Cody Moffett (2-2) picked up the win.

McCarthy fans 12 in loss to Phillies

Arizona Diamondbacks


You know things are going badly for your team when your pitcher fans 12 batters in seven innings and is saddled with the loss.

That's exactly want happened to the Diamondbacks Brandon McCarthy (0-5) today as he hurls a gem and then watches from the dugout in the eighth and ninth inning as Arizona goes on to lose to Philadelphia at Chase Field, 2-0.

Arizona loses the three-game series to the Phillies, 2-1, and falls to 8-20 on the season. The Diamondbacks get just five hits off Philly starter A.J. Burnett (1-1) and one hit off closer Jonathan Papelbon. The Diamondbacks have failed to produce a run in 15 consecutive innings.

Colorado comes to town tomorrow night for a three-game series.

Under the Ramada

TOTS Senior Baseball Network

60-and-over baseball


There are a dozen or so old timers who gather under the Ramada at Udall Park on Friday mornings. They meet after a 60-and-over baseball game. They pop a beer can or two, talk about the close plays, the booming hits, the dropped fly balls, the errant throws...well you name it -- everything (I mean everything) is open for discussion.

The dozen or so old-time ball players -- some with dust still clinging to their uniforms, some with bloody knees and skinned up elbows -- range in age from 62 to 82. Baseball, America's favorite pastime is generally the first subject discussed as the old timers try their best to recall stories of yesteryear  -- back in the day, back when the LA Dodgers were the Brooklyn Dodgers and the San Francisco Giants were the New York Giants. Back in the day when players like Willie Mays, Willie McCovey, Mickey Mantle, Duke Snider, Henry Aaron led their teams to victory.

The "Dirty Dozen" sit around and talk about Ebbetts Field, Fenway Park, Camden Yards and Wrigley Field. Some of the old timers tell of the day when they were just a youngster, with a bag of popcorn in one hand and a soda in the other, as Ted Williams stepped to the plate in Boston, or Ernie Banks knelt down on one knee in the on deck circle in Chicago, or when Pete Rose went 5 for 5 in Cincinnati, or when Hoyt Wilhelm unleashed a knuckleball in Baltimore.

The conversation moves on to "life in general" -- to such things as my first car, my first truck, my first job, the worst job I ever had, the best job I ever had...or there was a time I froze to death in Pittsburgh, Buffalo...or how I survived a cold and windy day at the ballpark in San Francisco...in Milwaukee, Cleveland or Chicago.

The old-timers will outdo one another with stories like: I walked five miles to school -- in a driving rainstorm, or snowstorm..or drove to my first job with ice covering the front windshield. They will recall their first week at boot camp...when they got out of the service...their first day of college...the day they met the gal they would marry...or the day they walked down the alter with the confetti swirling above them as they hopped into a convertible and sped off with nothing more than a handful  of dreams and a goal or two, written on a piece of paper and tucked away in their pocket.

The Dirty Dozen, now 50 years later, 60 years later...and in some cases 70 years later, grab their beer and toast one another. Nice hit today! Good throw! Way to run!

Somehow, someway the "Dirty Dozen" converged on the cemented bench at Udall Park, under the Ramada... on this beautiful spring day.

They had survived the game. They had survived a lifetime.

And they aren't done yet.    

  

Bookemdanosports nearing the 2,000 mark in posts

Looks like Bookemdanosports is here to stay. Sometime this summer, I'll reach and blow by the 2,000 mark in posts. Happy reading. To all my readers: Thank You.

Remember the best way to navigate through my blog:

Use the search engine in top left hand corner of my profile page or insert a subject in my blog roll on the right side of my profile page to navigate through archives. Example: Plug in MSBL,Tucson MSBL, WBL, TOTS or the newly formed TSBN to bring up stories involving a specific group or organization, or plug name of individual (example: your name, Willie McCovey, Babe Ruth...etc.). The blog roll works the best. You can read a collection of posts on the subject or name you inquire about.  If I have an article about you or them, the articles will pop up and you can read all I have on the subject.

Bookemdanosports is closing in on 2,000 posts...the above process  is just a faster way to maneuver through Bookemdanosports. You can also pick a year, like 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013 and now 2014...and then select the post that you want to read. Good Hunting! Remember to hit the Home key when you're done, it'll take you back to my profile page.

Carlson, Rein share TOT of the Year honors at annual luncheon

TOTS Senior Baseball Network

60-and-over baseball


Ron Carlson and Jeff Rein, co-managers of the Tucson Old Timers (TOTS) baseball club, were honored at the organization's annual luncheon held today at Vivace's Restaurant. Both Carlson and Rein received the 2014 TOT of the Year Award for their exceptional service to the ball club over the past 12 months.

Seventy people were on hand at the luncheon, which included guest speakers Randy Jacob, a local architect and owner of the Arizona International Baseball Consortium (AIBC), along with former professional baseball players, Eddie Leon and George Arias.

Also receiving awards were Pete Peters, who won the Joe Tappero Sportsmanship Award, and Dick McAnally and Richard McCorkle who both won the Century Award, presented to members of the organization which have the distinction of 100 years of service -- combining their age and their years of playing time.

Jacob spoke about his organization, the AIBC, which supports youth baseball in the community, while Leon and Arias, both local ballplayers who played for the University of Arizona and also enjoyed careers in Major League Baseball, talked about their experiences as they grew from local high school stars (Leon at Tucson High and Arias at Pueblo High School) to college ball and on to life in MLB.

One of Leon's favorite stories included his first battle at the plate against the great Nolan Ryan, while Arias had his fair share of stories as well -- including his first confrontation against another hard thrower,  Randy Johnson.

Bob Daliege presented a special award to 82-year-old Jerry Smarik, a 22-year member of the TOTS who has said for the past few years that he needs a rocket up his behind to give him the extra speed necessary to make it to first base.

So, Bob presented him with a toy rocket, complete with all the devices, which would give him that  extra thrust needed to out-leg a throw to first.

Smarik has earned two nicknames over the years -- one is "The Rocket" and he is also known as "The Turbo Turtle."

The former Navy man and retired postal inspector left the luncheon with his rocket, determined that he will no longer hit into inning-ending double plays.

A good time was had by all.

Photos: 1) Ron Carlson 2) Jeff Rein 3) Pete Peters 4) Dick McAnnaly 5) Richard McCorkle 6) George Arias 7) Eddie Leon and 8) The Rocket...The Turbo Turtle...Jerry Smarik.

TOTS Update: In photos below Jerry Smarik (right) at work with his new "rocket". Bob Daliege, his instructor, is on his left. In third photo Jerry presses down on the unit, then hits the ball and heads for first.

Diamondbacks earn split in Chicago

Arizona Diamondbacks

Mike Bolsinger earned his first MLB win and Addison Reed picked up his fifth save as the Arizona Diamondbacks beat the Cubs 5-2 in Chicago today. The win gave the D'backs a split in the four-game series with the Cubs. Arizona opens a three-game series Friday at home against the Philadelphia Phillies.

Arizona improves to 7-18 on the season. The D'backs were led offensively today by Miguel Montero who went 2 for 4 and drove in two runs, while Gerardo Parra went 2 for 3 and scored twice. Bolsinger helped his owns cause with an RBI single.

That's two in a row for the D'backs.

Keep battling, D'backs!

The Poet: Jerry Hamelin

TOTS Senior Baseball Network

60-and-over baseball

Jerry Hamelin is a 73-years-old baseball player and has been an active member of the Tucson Old Timers (TOTS) since 2002. Hamelin played in the Yankee organization in the late 1950s and early 1960s, but he was forced to give up his dream of playing pro ball due to his battle with spinal meningitis --an inflammation of the membranes surrounding the brain and spinal cord. Luckily, Jerry recovered, worked for and retired from IBM before settling in Arizona. Jerry found his way to the TOTS and has been active with the organization, on and off the field, for 12 years.

And he is a poet...

Jerry's poem "Owed to the Game" follows and gives plenty of insight on just how the TOTS play the game of baseball.


The "Ins" are in and the "Outs are out."
Play ball, you pilgrims! The umpire shouts.

It's hot out here.
You're delaying the game.
He snarls with a sneer,
looking for someone to blame.

And three outs after
We finally begin,
The Ins are Out,
and the Outs are in.

Let's move this along.
Let's have a batter.
Get a pig tail in back.
It's the usual chatter.

What inning is this?
Everyone shouts.
Let's have a batter.
Who made the last out?

How many innings?
We never play nine
Can we play seven?
No, six will be fine.

Someone yells, "who's on deck?"
And, "who's in the hole?"
Keep your head in the game.
What an impossible goal!

Three innings pass.
The Outs lead by four.
But it's not out of reach
If the Ins get four more.

It's the top of the fourth.
The bases are clear
It's time to produce.
Get a batter up here.

There's a hit, then a walk.
The Ins mount a threat.
The game's getting closer.
But the Outs say, "no sweat."

Two Ins are on base.
It's less than two out!
They yell, "infield fly."
You can count on that shout.

Then Casey steps in.
The game's on the line.
The pitcher stares down at
the catcher's last sign.

What sign?
Just get the ball to the plate,
and hope against hope
that Casey swings late.

The runners lead off.
Casey's bat is in his hands.
No-one calls time
as the catcher throws sand.

The wind from the right
blows the sand all about.
A mistake to be sure, about
that there's no doubt.

It blows in his eyes,
a result unexpected.
Too late now,
It can't be corrected.

It was meant as a joke,
not a distraction. But the
joke went awry and stopped
all the action.

Casey backs out, shaking
his head, sand in his eyes,
rubbing them red.

His vision obscured.
It's time-out by default.
The TOTS stand around, the
game grinds to a halt.

But Casey regroups and
steps in the box. He shakes
off the pain with no mental blocks.

The game must continue,
It's time to play ball.
He hits down the line, and
it's the catcher's call.

Fair ball, or foul?
What does it matter?
This catcher is sorry!
He meant no harm to the batter.

This tale is finished.
It's about time, you all say.
So here's the last word before
we resume play:

No more sand in the air, no need to
twitter. I'll find other ways to
harass every hitter.

The Good, the Bad and the Ugly in the MLB

Major League Baseball


With the last few days of April upon on us, it's easy to see which MLB teams are off to a good start and which teams are playing badly as well as which clubs have been just plain "ugly"and have the distinction of owning the worst won-loss percentage in baseball.

The "best" in baseball right now is the Milwaukee Brewers with a .727 percentage (16 wins, 6 losses). By the way, they have two former Diamondbacks on their roster -- first sackers Mark Reynolds and Lyle Overbay.

Of course, the Brewers have the likes of Ryan Braun and Aramis Ramariz to give them a big lift offensively. Right hander Kyle Lohse leads the Brewers' pitching staff with a 4-1 record.

The LA Dodgers (13-9) and the Atlanta Braves (14-7) are off to "good" starts in the National League as well, while over in the American League, the Texas Rangers (14-8) and the New York Yankees (12-9) lead their divisions. In the AL Central, the Detroit Tigers (10-8) are currently the only team over .500.

On the other end of the spectrum are the Houston Astros (7-15), the Chicago Cubs (7-13) and the Diamondbacks (6-18). Arizona has the worst percentage in baseball at .250 as the MLB teams head into action this afternoon.

Mark Trumbo, who leads the Diamondbacks with seven home runs, is out of action the next few weeks with a foot injury. More bad news for the D'backs.

With the exception of the Brewers, the other 29 teams are not exactly running away and hiding. Things could change drastically in May...they usually do.

5-run 9th inning lifts D'backs to win over Cubs

Arizona Diamondbacks


The Arizona Diamondbacks are now 6-18!

Another win in the books.

The D'backs score five runs in the ninth in Chicago yesterday afternoon to beat the Cubs, 7-5, and spoil the hometown celebration -- the 100th year celebration of the first game at Wrigley Field.

Typical loss for the Cubs...a not so typical win for the reeling D'backs.

The next question: Can the Diamondbacks make it two in a row and even the series at 2-2 with the Cubs.

Let's hope they get out of town today with win NUMBER 7.

The Montana Kid and the lefty from Boston

TOTS Senior Baseball Network

60-and-over baseball

It was a pitching duel of sorts at Udall Park on Wednesday morning.

Arnie White, the 72-year-old rancher from Red Lodge, Montana and the 64-year-old lefty from Boston, Dennis Crowley, locked horns for seven innings. Crowley, pitching for Team Blue, held a 1-0 lead through four innings.

The next three innings were a different story.

Crowley kept his shutout intact until the bottom of the seventh. Then a double by Thunder Tim Tolson and an opposite field single by Ron Carlson supplied the only run for Team White as Crowley and Team Blue won the game, 9-1.

The game was much closer than the final score indicates. The two teams collected seven hits apiece and surprisingly it was White who served up the blazing fastballs, while Crowley moved the ball around with his pitches, catching the corners of the plate while keeping the Team White batters from getting "extra wood" on the ball.

Crowley rarely misses a game with the TOTS, while White spends half of the year on his ranch in Montana. Crowley plays between 100 and 120 games a year with the TOTS, while White, a retired professor from the University of Arizona, plays 40 to 50 games -- mostly during the fall and winter months.

Crowley has the benefit year round of throwing to the catchers on the TOTS, while White keeps his right arm in shape by tossing the baseball to a target on the side of the barn, or (I'm joking with this next thought) keeps his cattle in line with a "plunk" now and then.

As for the game, it turned into one of the more competitive 60-and-over games for the month of April. Team Blue catcher Brian Reilly, 62, went 4 for 4 from the leadoff position and scored three runs, while power-hitter Tolson supplied the only extra-base blow for Team White. Tolson, arguably the toughest out on the TOTS, grounded out and struck out in his first two at bats off Crowley.

Said Tolson, "The strike out pitch was a bit high."

Crowley, of course, disagreed. "The pitch was right in there."

The TOTS will be at it again on Friday morning.

Photos: (top) The Montana Kid, Arnie White, (bottom) The "Lefty" from Boston, Dennis Crowley.

D'backs continue to fall deeper into cellar...

Arizona Diamondbacks


The Cubs make it two in a row over the Arizona Diamondbacks with a 9-2 thumping in Chicago last night. My goodness, 5-18. How long can this debacle go on?

Just six hits by the Diamondbacks. Chicago improves to a not-so-impressive 7-12. Two more in Chicago and then the D'backs return home to face the Philadelphia Phillies (10-10).

It's getting hard to even tune-in to a Diamondbacks' game. I'm down to a peek every now and then to see how far behind they are!

Baseball woes continue...

Baseball in Arizona


We are 20 days into April and the baseball woes continue for our pro team, the Arizona Diamondbacks, and our college team, the Arizona Wildcats.

The D'backs lost  4-1 on Sunday to the LA Dodgers and are now a dismal 5-16 -- 1-11 at home and 4-5 on the road. Arizona now heads for Chicago and a four-game series with the Cubs.

Our Arizona Wildcats drop a three-game series over the weekend to USC and fall to 17-23 overall and 6-12 in the Pac-12. The Wildcats take a few days off and prepare for a three-game series next weekend at home against the Arizona State Sun Devils.

Depressing. Maybe the Diamondbacks and the Wildcats should hide baseballs today, instead of Easter eggs.

There's better days ahead for both teams.

I hope.

Baseball woes

Baseball in Arizona


The Arizona Diamondbacks beat the Dodgers in LA last night 4-2 in 12 innings. Nothing is easy for the D'backs. The Diamondbacks win their fifth game of the year. They have lost 14! Closer to home, the Arizona Wildcats baseball team falls again to USC 5-4 in 12 innings as well.

It will be a long season for both Arizona teams.

Aces to face Rattlers today

60-and-over Aces


The 60-and-over Aces will try for their third win of the season in the Southwest Old Timers Baseball League today as they leave the friendly confines of Udall Park and travel to Mission Manor to take on the Arizona Rattlers.

The Aces (2-2) had their hitting shoes on last month when they ripped the Old Pueblo Club 16-6 for their second league win of the season and would like to continue with the hot bats today against the Rattlers.

Game time is set for 9 AM.

Go get 'em, Aces!

Aces Update: With wind gust at 15 mph during the early-going, it was advantage home team in this one as the Arizona Rattlers out hit the Aces today and came away with a 20-10 victory. The Rattlers led 15-5 after three innings, despite a 350-ft triple by the Aces Tim Tolson and a 325-ft stand-up double by Ron Petersen --both wind-aided as the gusts of wind pushed the ball from home plate all the way to the deepest part of the Mission Manor ball park.

Tolson and Petersen supplied the big blows, but the Aces didn't get enough long-ball hits from the rest of the lineup and couldn't get the key hit when they needed it, leaving the bases loaded twice during the seven-inning game.

And the wind didn't help much as the Aces struggled to make the plays defensively.

Petersen was saddled with the loss, while the Rattlers' starter Jerry Wessels picked up the win.

The Aces fall to 2-3 in the Southwest Old Timers League.

Suns fall to Memphis

Phoenix Suns


The Phoenix Suns had quite the turnaround in 2013-14.

The Suns posted 47 wins this season after a dismal 2012-13 campaign. They needed 48.

Memphis beat the Suns in Phoenix last night 97-91 to garner the final playoff spot. Phoenix will head for Sacramento Wednesday and will play its final game of the season against the Kings. They can still get that 48th win and finish 48-34 on the year. Normally, 47 wins will get an NBA team into the playoffs, but not this year.  The Suns are the fifth team in the history of the NBA to win 47 games and not make the playoffs.

The Suns developed quite a chemistry this season with the play of Goran Dragic, Eric Bledsoe, Miles Plumlee and former Arizona Wildcat Channing Frye, but no playoffs again this year. The last time the Suns made the playoffs was in 2010.

Better luck next year, Suns!

Suns Update:  The Phoenix Suns end the season with a win over Sacramento. The final season tally for 2013-14: 48-34, 3rd in the Western Division.

Arizona fans restless as D'backs own worst record in baseball

Arizona Diamondbacks


The Arizona fans are restless as the Diamondbacks own the worst record in the Majors with a dismal 4-11 record.

It's still early -- just 15 games into the season and 147 to go, plenty of time to right the ship, but the ship is sinking fast as the pitching staff continues to get banged around -- including the recent three-game sweep at Chase Field by the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Kirk Gibson will start Josh Collmenter tonight as the Diamondbacks open a three-game series with the struggling New York Mets -- they've won only five and lost seven.

One bright spot is the newly-acquired Mark Trumbo, who leads the National League (and the Majors) in home runs with six and RBI with 18. Paul Goldschmidt has cooled off a bit, but is second on the club in RBI with nine, while maintaining a .317 average.

Come on D'backs, time to turn it around.

Wildcats head for LA to face the Trojans with a few wins under their belt

Arizona Wildcats Baseball


The Arizona Wildcats have now won a couple of series in the Pac-12, winning 2 of 3 at Utah over a week ago and this past weekend won 2 of 3 over the UCLA Bruins at Hi Corbett Field. They also bested ASU in Tempe 10-9 last Wednesday in a non-conference encounter.

Sporting a 17-20 overall record and a 6-9 Pac-12 slate, Arizona at least will head for LA with a little spring in their step.

Three players -- Scott Kingery, Zach Gibbons and Trent Gilbert -- are tied for the lead in hits after 37 games. Kingery is 53 for 136 for a .390 clip, while Gibbons is 53 for 143 (.371) and Gilbert is 53 for 152 (.349).

Kevin Newman is batting .314 (49 for 156) and leads the club in RBI with 31, one more than Gilbert.

Pitchers Bobby Dalbec and Cody Hamlin are quickly becoming the go-to guys on the pitching mound. Dalbec (2-2) has taken the mound 14 times this season and owns an ERA of 1.08, while Hamlin (5-2) has started in 10 games and has two complete games to his credit while maintaining a very respectable ERA of 2.14.

Come on Wildcats, take it to the Trojans!

Bubba wins 2nd Green Jacket

The Masters


Bubba Watson won his second green jacket at Augusta as the lefty holds off the 20-year-old Jordan Spieth to win the Masters today. Watson, who won the Masters in 2012, wins by three strokes over the young pro, carding an 8-under par 280 for his four-day total -- including a 3-under par 69 today.

Spieth ended up tied for second with another young pro, Jonas Blixt as they both card a four-day total of 283.

As for the old guys, Fred Couples finishes in a tie for 21st with a four-day total of 290, while Miguel Angel Jimenez, 50, cards a 284 to finish alone in fourth place.

Bubba in a battle at Augusta

The Masters


Bubba Watson shares the lead at the Masters with a 20-year-old rookie.

Watson fires a two-over 74 on Day 3 at Augusta, while 20-year-old Jordan Spieth shoots a 2-under 70 and both players are dead even at 5-under as the Masters heads into Sunday.

As for the old guy, Fred Couples (he's still 14 years younger than me!), he's still hanging around. After three rounds, Couples is in with a 1-under-par, three-day total of 215.

Watson, 35, struggled on the back nine today and let the field back in, especially Spieth, setting up a race to the finish on Day 4.

And how about Couples? He's tied for 10th and just one of 13 players under par as the pros get ready to tee it up on Sunday.

A night of baseball with the TOTS and the Sabino Canyon Little League

TOTS Senior Baseball League

60-and-over baseball

It was a night for the young and the old.

A special opening night at Udall Park for four Sabino Little League teams and two teams from the 60-and-over Tucson Old Timers (TOTS) baseball club was held Friday night as more than 200-plus screaming fans witnessed two hours of runs, hits...and errors.

The Giants and the Red Sox locked horns as did the Rangers and Yankees, while the TOTS, with each player at least 50 years -- and in some cases close to 80 years -- older than the "younger set" enjoyed baseball under the Friday night lights.

As for the TOTS game, 21 runs were scored, 34 hits were banged around the confines of the middle field at Udall...and the scoreboard lit up...marking all the runs and all the outs. Errors didn't show up on the scoreboard, a bigger scoreboard would be needed to keep track of the miscues.

Still, there was a lot of action.

Team White jumped out to a 3-2 lead in the bottom of the first as TOTS Blue right-hander  Pigpen Price walked three and struck out one and gave up two earned runs. Price gave way to Chico Bigham in the second inning. Team White led 7-2 after three, but Bigham got stronger as the innings wore on and suddenly Team Blue started ripping the ball to the gaps in right center and left center.

Before the dust had cleared around home plate, Team Blue had evened the score at 7-7 and took the lead for good when Price singled up the middle with the bases loaded in the top of the fifth inning.

Team Blue took the field in the bottom of the inning, leading 10-7. Team White added a run, but Team Blue plated two more runs in the sixth and a single run in the seventh and went on to win the game, 13-8.

Chuck Sabalos, a former Arizona Superior Court Judge, caught the seven-inning game for Team White and went 3 for 3 in the process, while "winter visitor" Dick Ducklow went 3 for 3 as well and drove in three runs. Leadoff batter Brian Reilly collected three hits in four trips to the plate and scored two runs, while Ron Petersen, Pete Peters and Bob Daliege added two hits apiece for Team White.

Dave Rhoades went 3 for 4 for Team Blue, scored twice and knocked in a run, while Price also had a productive night with a 3 for 4 performance, two runs scored and three RBI. Tom Potter had a two-hit night and Mike Steele banged out three hits as Team Blue finished with 16 hits and Team White had 18.

The oldest player on the field, 88-year-old Floyd Lance, went 2 for 4 for Team Blue and drove in two runs.

Bigham pitched six innings of solid relief for Team Blue and picked up the win, while Lloyd Barzell, who pitched a complete game, took the loss. Barzell, who went 1 for 4 in the game, made one of the top plays of the game when he chased down a foul ball near the third base dugout and made the catch to snuff yet another rally by Team Blue.

Art Ratke and Mal Zwolinski, two members of the TOTS who are recovering from recent hospital stays, combined their efforts to throw out the first pitch -- Ratke unleashed a strike to home plate and Zwolinski gloved the offering -- and the game was on.

Sherry Villasenor, a well-known Tucson umpire, took care of matters behind the plate.

Plenty of hot dogs and hamburgers were dished out at the concession stand as everyone went home full and happy. After the opening ceremonies, the players took the field as the sun set over the Tucson Mountains. By 9 P.M, it was all over.

The temperature in the low 80s at game time. A night to remember for the young...and the old.



Photos: Six views of the old and the new. The 60-and-over TOTS enjoy opening night with four teams from the 9 and 10 year old AA division of the Sabino Canyon Little League. They all (eventually) removed their hats and awaited the Star Spangled Banner.

TOTS Note: In the top photo above the gentleman behind home plate is a member of the TOTS. Dick McAnnaly has been with the TOTS since 1994 and back in the early 1950s was on the roster as a catcher for the University of Arizona. Dick is now 81.

Bubba takes over the lead at Augusta

The Masters


Bubba Watson cards a 68 at the Masters on Day 2 and enjoys a three shot lead, while Fred Couples, another crowd favorite -- especially with the older set, lurks five back and in a tie for seventh at 2-under par.

Watson, who carded a 3-under 69 on Day 1, has some breathing room over John Sendon who sits alone in second place with a two-day total of 140.

Campana, Pennington combine for 7 hits in D'backs win

Arizona Diamondbacks


Tony Campana and Cliff Pennington combined for seven hits as the Arizona Diamondbacks take Game 3 and win the series in San Francisco last night 6-5 over the Giants.

Of course, it wasn't easy as the Diamondbacks win it in 10 innings thanks to Campana's fourth hit of the game. Pennington raced home with the winning run -- his third run scored of the night.

Wow! A two-game winning streak. Things are looking up.

Haas the early leader at Augusta

The Masters


Bill Haas is the first round leader at the Masters as he cards a 4-under 68 and enjoys a one stroke lead over a trio of players -- Adam Scott, Bubba Watson and Luis Oosthuizen.

The Haas name may ring a bell with many of my readers. Bill's father was a nine-time PGA tour winner Jay Haas. His brother Jay Haas Jr. and uncle Jerry Haas were also PGA tour players.

Some of you may remember his great nephew, Bob Goalby. Goalby won the Masters in 1968.

Some April thoughts...

It's time for the Masters.

The next four days, I'll tune in and witness the beauty of it all. I'll never ever be at Augusta and witness the tournament up close and personal, instead I'll listen to Jim Nantz on CBS give it the verbal response, the justice the golf event deserves.

The Masters is Tiger-less this year, so the green jacket is up for grabs. Will it be an old dude like Fred Couples who wins it, or maybe a youngster like Jason Day? Don't count out Sergio...Rory... or Adam.

Four days of drama. Tee it up, let's get it on.

With April comes a full fledged month of BASEBALL!. The closest major league team: the Arizona Diamondbacks. Of course, with 11 games in the books -- there's not a lot to write home about.

The D'backs own just three victories in the early going -- the latest a 5-3 win in San Francisco yesterday as Paul Goldschmit provides the offensive punch with a three-run homer. Early in the week, I cheered on Goldy, who was working on a 26-game hitting streak -- second most ever by a Diamondback, only to see the streak end at Colorado. Also keeping an eye on Arizona's newest addition to the team, Mark Trumbo. The Diamondbacks left fielder has five home runs and 13 RBI in 11 games.

The pitching! Let's not go there. Let me just say without pitching there will be no pennant.

As far as college sports, it has been a letdown since March Madness. In the final AP Poll, Arizona finishes fifth in the country...about where I expected they'd finish in the final poll of the year, after an Elite 8 appearance and a nail-biter against Wisconsin.

A made free throw here and there could have made the difference. LET IT GO, Dan...let it go!

Kentucky fans are certainly in tune with that scenario.

As for Andy Lopez and the Arizona Wildcats, what a struggle, although things are looking up a bit as the Wildcats (15-19) won a series at Utah recently and beat the Arizona State Sun Devils 10-9 in Tempe yesterday. UCLA is in town this weekend at Hi Corbett Field. Go, Wildcats!

As for the Phoenix Suns, they are in a battle for the final playoff spot. The Suns enjoy a one game lead over Memphis with just four games to go. Good luck, Suns!

Close to home and on a personal note. I have my BASEBALL! The  60-and-over Tucson Old Timers baseball club, of which I've been a member and a player since 2008, will play the organization's second ever night game on Friday at 7 p.m. at Udall Park.

A full house is expected thanks mainly to the help of the Sabino Canyon Little League. Three games are on tap -- two AA SBCL games and the TOTS. The OLD and the NEW combine for a night of baseball.

April, I can almost smell the flowers all the way to Augusta.

Experience on the bases in the bottom of the 7th inning

TOTS Senior Baseball Network

60-and-over baseball

Team White pulled out an 8-7 win in the bottom of the seventh inning at Udall Park Monday morning in a Tucson Old Timers (TOTS) baseball game.

And they did it with experience on the bases -- 239 years of it, to be exact.

Team White loaded the bases with no outs. At first base sat 81-year-old Archie Burke, at second 82-year-old Jerry Smarik and at third base, the youngster, 76-year-old Denny Leonard.

Team Blue right-hander Pete Peters struggled a bit on the mound and walked Brian Reilly, allowing Leonard to trot home from third with the tying run and Ron Petersen followed with a single to center, scoring Smarik and Team White walked away with the hard-fought win.

It was a game for the ages.

Photos: Experience on the bases: Archie Burke (top photo), Jerry Smarik (middle photo) and Denny Leonard (bottom photo).

UConn wins NCAA Basketball Title

NCAA Basketball Championship


UConn holds off Kentucky 60-54 to win the NCAA Basketball Championship tonight in Arlington, Texas. The Huskies, behind the 22 points and six rebounds from Shabazz Napier, never trailed the Wildcats and won their second NCAA title in four years.

The Huskies were a perfect 10 for 10 from the foul line, while the Wildcats missed 11 of their 24  attempts from the charity stripe.

Diamondbacks end 4-game losing streak

Arizona Diamondbacks Baseball


The Arizona Diamondbacks now have two wins on the season.


Arizona (2-7) wins the getaway game with the Rockies in Colorado today, winning 5-3 as Wade Miley goes eight innings to pick up the victory. Mark Trumbo homers again, this time a two-run shot, and Paul Goldschmidt, with his 26-game hitting streak broken yesterday, starts a new streak as he goes 2 for 4 today.

Miley (2-1) allows two runs and seven hits. He walked two and struck out two. Addison Reed gets his second save, allowing one run in the ninth.

Arizona heads for San Francisco and a three-game series with the Giants. The series opener gets underway on Tuesday at 1:35 p.m. (Pacific Standard Time).

Wildcats stop bleeding, win 3-game series at Utah

Arizona Wildcats Baseball


The Arizona baseball team stopped the bleeding in Salt Lake City.

The Wildcats win 2 of 3 over the Utah Utes and return home with a 14-19 record and a Pac-12 slate of 4-8. Arizona lost the opener on Friday 7-3, won Saturday's game 6-1 in 10 innings and knocked off the Utes, 5-2, this afternoon.

Scott Kingery leads the Wildcats after 33 games with a .398 batting average. Kingery has hit safely 49 times in 123 at bats. Trent Gilbert is the RBI leader with 30.

Arizona takes on the Arizona State Sun Devils in Tempe on Wednesday (6:30 p.m. start) before returning home for a three-game, weekend series with the UCLA Bruins.

The young and the old square up Friday night at Udall Park

TOTS Senior Baseball Network

60-and-over baseball


It'll be something old and something new at Udall Park on Friday night, April 11.

The 60-and-over Tucson Old Timers (TOTS) baseball club will field two teams in an exhibition game and playing on the two adjacent ball fields will be the younger set: the Sabino Canyon Little Leaguers.

Game time is set for 7 p.m. for all three games and the concession stand will be open with plenty of hot dogs, hamburgers and soft drinks on hand for the fans. The fans in attendance can catch a glimpse of the baseball players of the future and at the same time can witness a group of "old-timers" -- between the ages of 60 to 88 -- still playing -- and enjoying --  America's favorite pastime.

From ten to eighty-eight (photos above), the past and the present, all coming together for a night of baseball. They all play for the love of the game.

The teams:

Giants and the Red Sox,  Field # 5

Rangers and the Yankees,  Field #3

TOTS Blue and TOTS White, Field #4

Let's play ball!

UConn and Kentucky reach NCAA Championship game

NCAA Final Four


There you have it.

UConn, seeded seventh,  takes down top-seeded Florida and eighth-seeded Kentucky hangs on to beat second-seeded Wisconsin tonight at the NCAA Final Four in Arlington, Texas.

The Huskies take down the Gators 63-53 and Kentucky sinks the Badgers with 5.7 seconds left when Aaron Harrison knocks down a three-pointer for a 74-73 victory.

Connecticut (31-8) and Kentucky (29-10) in the NCAA finale on Monday.

To Pigpen Price: There's a reason pitchers allow themselves 5 days rest between starts

TOTS Senior Baseball Network

60-and-over baseball

There's a reason pitchers rest five days between starts.

Pigpen Price, 68, decided to take the mound on Friday in a TOTS senior baseball game. It was back-to-back starts for the right-hander. His last start: last Wednesday at Udall Park -- 48 hours prior to Friday's debacle.

Price never made it out of the third inning on Friday. He left the mound in the middle of the third inning -- down 9-0. He returned to his more familiar ground -- third base -- and handed the ball to Pete Peters, 65, who promptly coaxed the next batter into a come-backer. Peters tossed a strike to Price at third and Price completed the 1-5-3 double play to mercifully get Team White out of the inning.

The final score: Team Blue 14  Team White  3.

Not exactly a nail-biter and not exactly the result Price was looking for, considering he was facing an old nemesis, right-hander Lloyd Barzell, 63, in a rubber game. The two had split their first two outings of the year.

There is a joke among the TOTS that the individual who takes the mound for the 60-and-over team is either a "pitcher" or a "thrower" -- the latter being a step down from a pitcher status.

Price was definitely a thrower on Friday.

But heck, there's always next week. After all, the TOTS, the oldest organized senior baseball club in the country, play three days a week, 52 weeks a year and have been doing so for 46 years.

By the way, the TOTS are always looking for pitchers...or throwers. When the players are in their 60s, 70s and 80s, it is hard to find...or distinguish the difference between the two!

Photo: Lloyd Barzell wins "rubber game" against Pigpen Price.

Trouble in the Bullpen

Arizona Diamondbacks



Not a very good start to the 2014 season for the Arizona Diamondbacks.


Let's call it:  trouble in the bullpen.

Arizona fell to 1-5 after losing 8-5 to the San Francisco Giants at Chase Field today. The Diamondbacks led 5-3 thanks to home runs from Paul Goldschmidt and Mark Trumbo, but a five-run eighth inning by the Giants turned the tide in this one -- giving San Francisco the series, three games to one.

Reliever Will Harris was saddled with the loss. Bronson Arroyo pitched the first 4 1/3 for the D'backs. Harris gave up five runs on three hits -- including a three-run homer to Angel Pagan.

Goldschmidt went 2 for 4 and extended his hitting streak to 25 games -- second longest in franchise history.

The Diamondbacks pack their bags and head for Denver and a three-game series with the Rockies.

TOTS' March stats released

TOTS Senior Baseball Network

60-and-over baseball

It came down to the final game of the month to decide the winner of the TOTS batting title for the month of March.

It turned into a four-man race and in the end Pigpen Price edged Brian Reilly, Lloyd Barzell and Pete Peters for the most hits for the month. Price went 24 for 43 (.558), while Reilly finished the month with 21 hits in 41 plate appearances, a .512 average. Barzell finished second in hits. He went 22 for 42 (.524), while Peters stepped to the plate 43 times and hit safely 21 times, a .488 average. All four players played the maximum in games (11).

In runs scored, it was Reilly winning in that category with 20.

Tim Tolson, who played in just seven games, led the club in RBI with 18, while Pigpen Price finished second in that category with 15. Tolson would have won the batting title for the month, but he batted just 25 times. Still, the hot-hitting Tolson collected 17 hits -- including six doubles, a triple and a home run. Another hot hitter was Jim Sears. Sears played in just four games, but he made the most of his at bats with 12 hits in 14 plate appearances -- an .857 average!

Bob Royer and Barzell tied for the most pitching victories during the month with three wins each.

Royer led the team in walks with 11, edging out Bob Katz (9) and Archie Burke (8).

Floyd Lance, 88, continues to be "The Man" among the 80-and-over players. Lance played in 10 games and batted .344. Lance, the oldest active TOT, collected 11 hits in 32 at bats.

Photos: Brian Reilly (top photo) tied for third in hits for the month of March, but was the leader in runs-scored with 20. Jim Sears (middle photo) played in just four games during the month and didn't have enough at bats to qualify for the batting title, but he certainly swung a hot bat, going 12 for 14 -- a .857 average! Floyd Lance (bottom photo) played first base and led the 80-and-over players in hitting with a .344 average.

2-run rally in 7th inning gives Team Blue 9-8 win

TOTS Senior Baseball Network

60-and-over baseball

Another nail biter at Udall Park this morning.

Down 8-7 with two outs in the bottom of the seventh inning, Ron Petersen drilled a two-strike pitch to right-center field and Pigpen Price scored all the way from first base and Pete Peters followed with the game-winner, knocking in Petersen, with a single up the middle as Team Blue came from behind to beat Team White 9-8 in a 60-and-over TOTS Senior Baseball game.

Right hander Chico Bigham (top photo), who took over for Price in the fifth inning, earned the win, while lefty Dennis Crowley was saddled with the loss.

Crowley, with his family in the stands -- his mother and his brother, Jim, along with Jim's wife, Nancy, all visiting from Boston -- pitched a complete game and was just one pitch away from victory before the game-ending heroics from Petersen and Peters.

Crowley's mother, Lu, received the game ball anyway.

"The game ball normally goes to the winning pitcher," said Crowley, "but it was a nice gesture by my TOTS' teammates." The Crowley family have been enjoying the Arizona weather, extending their stay in Tucson for an extra few weeks while the weather on the East Coast improved.

"They haven't been in any hurry to return home," Crowley said. "But they head home tomorrow."

It's not unusual for the stands behind home plate at a TOTS game to be full of winter visitors as they take in a ball game while they enjoy the mild weather in Tucson and bask in the Arizona sun during the months of January, February, March and April.

Chances are they still return home to snow and freezing temperatures.

"We really have it good," said TOTS' seasonal player and winter visitor himself, Joe Dinich, who spends his summers at his home in Pennsylvania and the winter months playing ball in Tucson with the TOTS.

As for Dennis Crowley, he certainly put on a "good show" for his family during the month of March. Dennis played in eight games and batted .560, collecting 14 hits in 25 at bats, while scoring 12 runs. Dennis also had a better fate on the mound during the month of March with 1 win, 0 losses and a tie.

Good job, Dennis...and Mom, enjoy your trip back to Boston. And, if you come up with some tickets to  Fenway Park this summer, give the TOTS a call!

It's going to be a hot summer in Tucson. Some of us may want to fly to Boston to get out of the ARIZONA HEAT!

Photo insert: L/R The Crowley Family. Dennis, Nancy, Jim and mom, Lu Crowley.