TOTS "cool it" and go six innings

TOTS Senior Baseball Network

60-and-over baseball


The Tucson Old Timers waited as long as they could, but the 103-degree temperature yesterday forced the oldest organized baseball team in the country to cut back to six-inning games.

The TOTS go seven innings from October to May and sometimes, if the weather permits, they just might make it to June before the big change.

The games certainly go faster and most of the old timers are home in time to watch their favorite soap opera with their spouses. Following the "lives" of the characters on The Young and the Restless and The Bold and the Beautiful is the norm for some of the TOTS -- not all. After all there is yard work to be done and some of the members of the team have giant to-do list on the refrigerator upon their arrival at home -- following a grueling two-hour baseball game.

It's the life of an active senior athlete.

Yesterday's game ended in a 6-6 tie, another one of those "kiss your sister" games. Some of the players muttered, "Let's go seven."  But, no. A rule is a rule.

Team White had a chance to win the game in the bottom of the sixth inning when Mike Steele and Chico Bigham opened the inning with singles off Team Blue's 85-year-old hurler Billy Heiny, but Team White went quietly after that with two ground outs and a pop up to short to end the first six-inning game of the year.

For some of the die-hard players on the TOTS, they can't wait till October when the club returns to the seven-inning encounters. Until then, I guess we'll have to enjoy the HEAT!

As for The Young and the Restless, Victoria is pregnant again and no one is sure who the father is, while Adam is still missing and presumed dead after a violent car crash. I can't wait until the next episode.

Diamondbacks take 2 of 3 from Padres

Arizona Diamondbacks


Arizona wins another series.

The Diamondbacks take 2 of 3 from the San Diego Padres, winning 7-5 Monday night, losing 4-3 Tuesday and take the rubber game 12-6 last night at Chase Field.

Chris Owings has his first four-hit game in the major leagues, while A.J Pollock and Paul Goldschmidt collect three hits apiece as the Diamondbacks (22-33) score eight runs in the first inning last night, allowing rookie Chase Anderson to improve to 3-0 on the season -- the first Diamondbacks rookie to win his first three outings.

Goldschmidt and Martin Prado hit two-run homers -- Goldy's blast carried 470 feet.

Cincinnati is in town for a four-game series which gets underway tonight. Go get 'em, D'backs. Keep it up.

60-and-over Aces slip by Old Pueblo Club, 12-11

Southwest Old Timers League

60-and-over Aces

The 60-and-over Aces slipped by the Old Pueblo Club 12-11 today at Santa Rita Park in a Southwest Old Timers League Baseball game. The Aces banged out 19 hits as all 10 players on the roster played and hit safely.

Thunder Tim Tolson (above photo) led the way with a single, a double and a triple and walked once in four trips to the plate, while Pigpen Price chipped in three hits and reached base the fourth time when a hard hit ground ball bounced off the arm of Old Pueblo's shortstop Chris Carino.

Old Pueblo, with four players on the starting roster today from the 2012 60-and-over MSBL World Series championship team, finished with 17 hits on the day and had a chance to tie the game in the bottom of the seventh inning. With a runner on base, the Aces relief pitcher, Chico Bigham, coaxed the final three Old Pueblo batters into grounding out to end the game.

The Aces starting pitcher, lefty Ron Petersen, pitched into the fifth inning before giving way to Bigham. Petersen picked up the win and Bigham the save.

The win evened the Aces record in the Southwest Old Timers League to 3-3. The Aces will take on the other member of the league, the Arizona Rattlers, on the 10th of June.

The Aces manager Jerry Hamelin was a happy camper and gave his team a big pat on the back after today's game. "We hit the ball well today," Hamelin said. "We also played well defensively. We made the plays when we needed to."

The Aces big inning came in the top of the third when they scored five runs and collected eight straight hits off Old Pueblo's starting pitcher Mike Morales. Morales gave up all 12 runs and gave way to relief pitcher Joe Jimenez in the fifth inning. Jimenez played second base and Morales was the catcher and manager of the Tucson-based team which won the MSBL World Series in 2012 in Phoenix.

As for Hamelin, he loved the outcome of today's game. "I hope we hit like that in our next game against the Rattlers."

Aces Note: The hard-hitting Amazin' Aces: C- Mike Steele, 1B- Tim Tolson, 2B- Pete Peters, 3B- Pigpen Price, SS- Lloyd Barzell, LF/RP - Chico Bigham, LC- Dennis Crowley, RC- Bob Daliege, RF- Billy Heiny, P- Ron Petersen and manager Jerry Hamelin.

D'backs return home needing more than e-mails from La Russa

Arizona Diamondbacks


The Arizona Diamondbacks return home tonight after a 2-4 road trip.

The D'backs open up a seven-game home stand on Monday at Chase Field with three games against the San Diego Padres and four games against the Cincinnati Reds.

Arizona managed to split a doubleheader today with the New York Mets, winning 2-1 in the first game and losing 4-2 in the second encounter. The D'backs won the three-game series, 2-1, but lost three straight to the St. Louis Cardinals in the previous series.

Four more losses leaves them with a dismal 20-32 record and it's a sure bet that manager Kirk Gibson needs something more than a few daily e-mails from the new chief baseball officer, Tony La Russa.

Can Gibson and La Russa get the D'backs back to their winning ways? Probably not this year, but maybe those emails between the two are already discussing the 2015 season and not the 2014 campaign..

Time to bring up some fresh faces and prepare for next season. Not even the return of Casey Stengel could dig the D'backs out of the cellar in the NL West division.

Don't get me wrong, I'm a diehard fan of the Diamondbacks and I would love to see them regroup and finish with a .500 record (81-81). Wow! The D'backs need to go 61-49 to complete that scenario.

Highly unlikely!

Houston and the Chicago Cubs are in the same boat. What else is new? The Diamondbacks are better than their record indicates. They have a good mix of position players but the pitching is the worst in the league -- in BOTH LEAGUES!

I feel for the players. A 10-game winning streak would be nice. Going 4-6  or 5-5 every 10 games isn't going to get them anywhere. A crazy win streak is the ticket. I'm dreaming, but you got to start somewhere.

Arizona closes out season with a win

Arizona Wildcats Baseball


The University of Arizona baseball team closed out the 2014 season with a win today at Hi Corbett Field as they trounced Abilene Christian 14-1 and finished the year with an overall record of 22-33.

Arizona's Tyler Krause doubled, tripled and hit a three-run homer and finished the day with six RBI as the Wildcats take 2 of 3 from Abilene Christian.

A tough haul for Andy Lopez and the Arizona Wildcats this season, but to their credit they hung in there and battled to the final out.

The Last Frontier

Back in the Day

Long before my 10-year stint as a newspaper sports reporter and long before my six years of service as an employee for the state of Arizona, I worked for the best regional airline in the world -- the old Frontier Airlines.

The airline passed away in 1986.

I was 41 at the time. I had spent 20 years with the company and worked in different parts of the country, including Omaha, Nebraska; Sacramento, California as well as Tucson and Phoenix.

I was the guy at the gates -- running around with my head cut off. You'd find me at the departure and arrival gates, the ticket counter, on the ramp, or pulling the Jetway back. Believe it or not, I worked at a fast pace and handled stressful situations -- forced at times to think quickly and come up with a solution to a problem that at first glance seemed impossible to solve.

I pulled drunks off the airplane, handled oversold flights on Thanksgiving, dealt with irate customers, bad weather...well you name it, I did it.

I miss the airline business from time to time. I miss my teammates, as I like to call them...my fellow employees who all did what they had to do, on a daily basis, to get the job done. We were a family, over 4,000 dedicated people with one goal in mind: to be the best airline in the business. And, we were!

The airline business of today is a far cry from the "good old days" when Frontier roamed the skies.

Oh, we had our moments...mistakes were made. A lot of craziness went on.

I remember a time when I first started. I was what they called a "ramp rat" -- loading bags on a 737 in Tucson, Arizona. It was a windy day. You know, one of those days when the wind blew 50 miles an hour and dust rolled across town, heading' for the Midwest and looking to turn into a tornado or a powerful rainstorm along the way.

Luckily, in Tucson we are forced to deal with dust...and not much else. At any rate, the plane arrived and we proceeded to unload 200 bags out of the rear pit. Down the belt they came, one after another. Well, one of the bags -- a wig case, decided to take flight. The case fell off the belt, bounced on the hard cement, broke open...and the wig took off -- heading for the runway.

I jumped on the tug and gave chase. I caught up with the wig at the south end of the runway, but by that time the wig had picked up every cacti or pebble it could find along the way.

I returned to the ramp, cleaned the wig up the best I could, and stuck it back in the case.

As far as I know, there was never a claim made on the "elusive" wig.

One thing I was sure of at the time: The wig was faster than a jackrabbit.

The stories are endless. The job certainly had its moments.

I remember a crazy day in Phoenix. All our flights were running late -- due mainly to the weather in Denver, Colorado. That of course, made it tough on the customers -- especially the ones that had connections to Los Angeles.

Well to make a long story short, it was my job to get an "important person" off our plane, on to the tug, and run the person across the ramp to connect with his LA flight.

There was just moments to spare.

I quickly took the customer's carry-on bag and had the gentleman sit next to me as we sped off. The engines were roaring by the time I reached the Continental operations area. The ladder was still nestled around the front entrance to the plane and the flight attendant at the top of the stairs was waiting, patiently.

The gentleman looked back at me as he boarded the aircraft. "Thanks, Sonny," he said with a smile.

It was my favorite actor, Kirk Douglas.

Working for the old Frontier Airlines was fun and a privilege. Believe it or not, we had steak and eggs on our breakfast flights. Good luck on finding a bag of peanuts these days.

There are, of course, more stories to tell, but I'm running out of space.

If my readers want to hear more about the "good old days" let me know. I love those "remember when" stories.

Bats silent in Lafayette

Arizona Wildcats Softball


It's all over for the Arizona Wildcats softball team.

The University of Lafayette-Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns beat the  Wildcats 7-1 today in the second game of the super regional in Lafayette, Louisiana.

Arizona (44-16) hit just one homer today -- a solo shot by freshman Katiyana Mauga, and head home, done for the year, while the Ragin' Cajuns advance to Oklahoma City and the NCAA Women's College World Series.

A special thank you

A special "thank you" from Bookemdanosports to all the men and women who are serving and have served our country in the United States Armed Forces.

Grandpa, tell me about the good old days

Back in the Fifties


My grandchildren are getting older -- too old to sit on my lap.

I guess that means I'm getting older, too.

Out of six grandchildren, two have already graduated from high school and a third one recently graduated from middle school and will enter high school in the fall. The other three will occasionally sit on my knee, squirm a bit, and then run off to play.

From time to time, I might be lucky enough to corner some of the older ones and once in a while they just might toss away their smart phone or I-pad for a moment and ask me -- the old gray-haired old guy, sittin' across from them,  "Grandpa, tell me about the good old days."

"Well, thanks for asking," I'd say. "Not too much to tell. "We had phone booths back then."

"What's a phone booth?" they'd say.

I then proceeded to tell them just how we communicated back then. As they sat there, across from me, I could hear them muttering under their breath,"That's crazy!"

Yes, times have changed.

I proceeded to tell them how it was 60 years ago -- back before CNN, ESPN, Facebook and Twitter, back in those prehistoric days when it cost 25 cents to go to the movies and gas was under a dollar and you could survive, if you had a job, on $400 a month.

Or, for a couple bucks, you could go to a drive-in theatre and watch five of Clint Eastwood's Westerns -- one after another.

"What's a drive-in theater and who's Clint Eastwood?"

I guess bringing up Elvis Presley would really be pushing it.

Maybe, it's time I should reverse the conversation and let them educate me on the "more current times."

"Does Lady Gaga have a last name?"

"Oh, Grandpa," they'd say, as they picked up their smart phone on the first ring, and quickly ran out of the room with both thumbs thumping away at the speed of sound.

"Darn!" And I was just about to tell them about my arthritis.

Farris gets the job done

Arizona Wildcats Baseball

Being the Friday night starter isn't easy, especially when your team struggles through a 32-loss season, but James Farris did a great job this season, winning six and losing six, while pitching 113 innings.

Farris added nine innings to his season-ending totals last night at Hi Corbett Field as the senior right-hander and the Wildcats beat Abilene Christian 4-3 in the first game of a season-ending three-game series.

Arizona (21-32) will finish up the season with games on Saturday and Sunday against Abilene Christian at Hi Corbett.

Wildcats need to win 2 today

Arizona Wildcats Softball


The Arizona Wildcats need to win two games today.

Arizona hits two homers in the first game of the super regional in Lafayette, Louisiana Friday night, but it wasn't enough as the Ragin' Cajuns won the opener of the three-game series, 5-3.

Hallie Wilson homered to lead off Game 1 and Kellie Fox hit a two-run shot in the seventh inning, but Louisiana-Lafayette held on and won the game, thanks to a complete-game performance from pitcher Christina Hamilton, who improves to 28-2.

Arizona's Estela Pinon (19-9) gave up five runs in three innings of work and Shelby Babcock hurled three scoreless innings.

The Wildcats (44-15) will need to answer with more home runs today.

Arizona didn't have the upper hand in the opener, but today's another day. Go get 'em, Wildcats!

Hats off to the Arizona Wildcats softball team

Arizona Softball


The 11th-ranked University of Arizona softball team (44-14) is heading for the super regional in Lafayette, Louisiana next weekend and will take on the sixth-ranked Rajin' Cajuns (47-8-1).

Arizona disposed of a stubborn LSU team this afternoon at Hillenbrand Stadium. The Tigers needed to beat the Wildcats twice today to advance to the super regionals. They got the first one, edging the 'Cats, 5-1, but the second game belonged to Arizona as the Wildcats win 13-5 in six innings to send the Tigers home.

Way to go, Wildcats! Good luck in Louisiana!

Wildcats lose final Pac-12 series

Arizona Wildcats Baseball


The University of Arizona baseball team lose 2 of 3 to the California Bears at Berkeley over the weekend and head home for three non conference games at Hi Corbett Field against Abilene Christian on Friday, Saturday and Sunday to close out the 2014 season.

It been a long season for the Wildcats. Arizona will take an overall record of 20-32 into the Abilene Christian series. The Wildcats finish 9-21 in the Pac-12.

Diamondbacks capture first series at home

Arizona Diamondbacks


Finally, the Arizona Diamondbacks win a three-game series at home.

And, they do it by beating the Dodgers.

Arizona (18-28) take 2 of 3 from Los Angeles (23-22), winning the rubber game today at Chase Field, 5-3, thanks to the hitting from Chris Owings, A.J.Pollock, Cody Ross and Eric Chavez. Owings and Pollock continued their hot hitting as the two D'backs combine for 6 hits in 10 trips to the plate, while Ross and Chavez belt home runs as Arizona wins a series at home for the first time this year.

Starter Josh Collmenter (2-2) pitched 5 1/3 innings and picked up the win, while Addison Reed comes on in the ninth to pick up the save -- his 12th of the season. Former Diamondback Dan Haren (5-2) took the loss. Haren went six innings, but allowed 10 hits and four earned runs.

A Crazy Day at Chase Field

Arizona Diamondbacks


On a day when Tony La Russa is named the chief baseball officer for the Diamondbacks, the club explodes for 18 runs on 21 hits -- both a franchise record -- and bury the Los Angeles Dodgers 18-7 tonight at Chase Field.

Paul Goldschmidt belts two doubles and two home runs with a career-high six RBI and a team record of five runs scored.

Chase Anderson (2-0) goes 5 1/3 innings and gets his second win in a row for the Diamondbacks. Clayton Kershaw (2-1), the Cy Young Award winner, was saddled with the loss.

Goldy wasn't the only D'back to swing a hot bat tonight as A.J. Pollock matched his teammate with four hits as well -- including a home run, while rookie Chris Owings just missed hitting for the cycle with a double, a triple and a home run. Eric Chavez also homered as the Diamondbacks hit five homers and a team-record of 13 extra base hits.

The Diamondbacks, who lost 7-0 to the Dodgers on Friday,  go for the series' win tomorrow afternoon. The D'backs have yet to win a series at home this season.

Just In: Tony La Russa named Chief Baseball Officer of the Arizona Diamondbacks

Arizona Diamondbacks


Just in: Tony La Russa named chief baseball officer of the Arizona Diamondbacks.

Now what?

Heat, Spurs on course to reach NBA Finals

NBA Playoffs


Well, we finally have our final four.

The Miami Heat square up with the Indiana Pacers in a seven-game series to decide the National Basketball Association Eastern Conference champion, while the Oklahoma City Thunder will lock horns with the San Antonio Spurs in the seven-game series to determine the champion in the Western Conference.

It should be the Heat and the Spurs in the finals, but then again there's a possibility of 14 games looming ahead and every minute...and every possession is important from this moment on. Will any of the teams survive this thing without any more injuries?

The Thunder's Serge Ibaka is out for the remainder of the season and Tony Parker, the point-guard of the Spurs, is questionable for Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals.

Who's next?

If Lebron James makes it through to the closing bell (oops, that's boxing) then chances are the Heat will win the Eastern Conference title and if Mr. Parker returns then you can pretty much pencil in the Spurs for the NBA Finals.

Which team will win it all?

Well, let's wait on that prediction and check the injury report in about a week.

Goldschmidt 2nd in the Majors in hits with 55

Arizona Diamondbacks


Arizona Diamondbacks first baseman Paul Goldschmidt is in a battle with Toronto's Milkey Cabrera for the most hits in the Major Leagues. Goldy heads into the three-game series with the LA Dodgers with 55 hits, one behind Cabrera who leads the way with 56.

Goldy has cooled off a bit and in his last 23 at bats has hit safely just three times, while his batting average had dropped to .316.

Gerardo Parra has 47 hits for the D'backs this season, while Aaron Hill has hit safely 44 times and Miguel Montero is fourth on the club with 40 hits.

There's a big drop off after that.

Arizona currently ranks 14th out of 30 teams with a .253 team batting average.

Add to that a team ERA of 4.76, ranked 30th in the Majors, and it's easy to see why the Arizona Diamondbacks are 16-27.

Art Radtke -- The Communicator

TOTS Senior Baseball Network

60-and-over baseball

Art Radtke turns 76 in July and has been a member of the Tucson Old Timers (TOTS) baseball team since 2003. Art is affectionately known on the team as "The Communicator" for his ability to carry on a conversation in the dugout.

Art doesn't need a big audience. In fact, there are times when his teammates take the field, leaving him alone in the dugout, still jawing away, discussing one topic or another -- like the price of corn back in the Midwest or something more closer to home, like the strategy used by the ballplayers who just ended the inning with a double play.

But this spring, Art's topic of conversation has centered around his granddaughter, Lauren Radtke. Lauren, a junior at Desert Christian High School, is a hard-throwing right-hander on the Screaming Eagles softball team and she just finished an outstanding season with a 14-6 record.

"She's a fighter and she can hit too," says Art. "Desert Christian lost last week to San Manuel and were eliminated from the playoffs, but Lauren will be back next season for her senior year, along with her little sister, Taylor, who just completed her freshman year."

Taylor isn't the little sister any longer. Taylor is 5-4 and Lauren is 5-1. Taylor is a catcher and a shortstop, while Lauren plays third base when she's not on the mound.

Desert Christian went 17-9-1 this season, but with the Radtke girls returning in 2015, the Eagles will be looking forward to a 20-win season and a big postseason run next year.

As for Grandpa Radtke, he will continue to jaw away in the TOTS' dugout for years to come. Art recently spent a couple weeks in the hospital, but has battled back from an illness and is back in the dugout and  back on the ball field. Art played in just five game during the month of April and had one hit, but he did play in 50 games in 2013 and maintained a .219 batting average.

Art's teammates are glad to have him back. The dugout has been too quiet.

Photos:  Grandpa Radtke and the Radtke girls, Taylor on the left, Lauren on the right.

McCarthy tosses gem, but D'backs lose

Arizona Diamondbacks



Brandon McCarthy just can't get a break when he's on the mound for the Arizona Diamondbacks.

McCarthy goes eight innings, allows two hits, one run and fans seven, but it was to no avail as Brad Ziegler comes on in the top of the ninth and allows four runs as the Washington Nationals defeat the Diamondbacks 5-1 today at Chase Field.

Arizona loses 2 of 3 to the Nationals and drop to 16-27 on the season. Aaron Hill homers for the D'backs lone run.

Diamondbacks take 2 of 3 from White Sox

Arizona Diamondbacks


The Arizona Diamondbacks brought up Chase Anderson from Double A Mobile and turned him loose on the White Sox in Chicago today. The result: Anderson goes 5 1/3 innings. The 26 -year-old struck out six, walked one and allowed two hits as the D'backs win 5-1 and take 2 of 3 from the White Sox -- winning their third consecutive series in the process.

Arizona took 2 of 3 in San Diego, 2 of 3 in Milwaukee and take the series in Chicago to improve to 15-25 on the season. The Diamondbacks head home and open a three-game series Monday night against the Washington Nationals and their new manager Matt Williams.

The Diamondbacks are 12-10 on the road and 3-15 at home.

Time to turn things around at home.

Carey goes to Bears with 117th pick in 4th round of NFL Draft

The Arizona Wildcats Ka'Deem Carey has just been selected by the Chicago Bears in the fourth round of the NFL Draft. Carey is the 117th overall pick in the draft.

Way to go, Ka'Deem!

Arroyo pitches gem, Goldy homers again as D'backs beat Brewers

Arizona Diamondbacks


Bronson Arroyo (3-2) pitches 7 1/3 innings while allowing one unearned run and Paul Goldschimdt belts a two-run homer as the Arizona Diamondbacks beat the Brewers 3-2 today and capture the series in Milwaukee,  2-1.

Arizona improves to 13-24 and will have a travel day tomorrow before opening up a three-game series in Chicago on Friday against the White Sox.

Things are looking up as the Diamondbacks have won back-to-back series over the San Diego Padres and now the Milwaukee Brewers.

The rookie from Reno gets a win

Arizona Diamondbacks


Rookie Evan Marshall, in his first relief appearance since being called up from Reno, throws 19 pitches -- 15 for strikes and gets the win as the Arizona Diamondbacks even the series at 1-1 with a 7-5 victory tonight in Milwaukee over the Brewers.

Marshall took over for Josh Collmenter in the sixth inning and retired one batter and then shutdown  the Brewers 1-2-3 in the seventh to put himself in line for the win. Brad Ziegler pitched a scoreless eighth and Allison Reed picked up the save in the ninth.

Paul Goldschmidt, Chris Owings and Aaron Hill homered for Arizona (12-24), while the Brewers (22-12) lose for just the 12th time this year.

Arizona will try to win the series tomorrow as Bronson Arroyo (2-2) takes the mound, looking for his third win of the year.

Yesterday when I was young

Still stuck in the 50s


I'm not sure what is going on with me lately. It might be the fact I'm getting older and for some reason I'm stuck in the fifties again -- rethinking those days, back when life was so simple, not at the time mind you, because at the time everything seemed complicated.

But now as I look back at those problems of adolescents  -- of which I thought were so hard to deal with at the time, well it turns out those problems seem comical compared to the obstacles and bumps in the road I have faced -- we all have faced -- over the last 60 years or so.

I kinda get the idea my readers feel the same way.

I remember such things as the first dance I went to in middle school when the boys lined up on one side of the gym and the girls on the other. It would be the end of the world if I walked across the gym floor, asked the young lady to dance,  only to hear the word "no."

Somehow I got over the fear, because as it turned out, by the early 1960s, I was always the first one on the dance floor, so eventually someone said, "yes."

I've kept on dancing ever since.

As I ramble down the highway these days, I have started turning the dial on my truck radio and have found myself listening to stations which continuously play tunes from the 60s, 50s and even the 40s, for goodness sakes. What is up with me?

I also find myself sitting on the sofa inside my mother's high-rise apartment at the long term care center, discussing "her youthful days" -- back in the 1930s and 1940s...and I have a nice feeling come over me --happy that she can still remember those times. Eventually, I say my goodbyes,  head downstairs, jump into my truck...head home,  and tune in to that old-time radio station and listen attentively to Glen Miller's "In the Mood."

Or, I find myself sifting through family albums at the home I grew up in and reminiscing over my most childest moments, like the day my parents and I took a trip to Tombstone to visit the town too tough to die.  I was seven years old with a new gun and holster set strapped to my hip...and I was feeling tough as I headed down Main Street, looking for trouble.

I guess I have finally stopped to smell the roses...and for what ever reason I have decided to relive the past and recall just how far I have come.

So, guess what happened on my drive home today? I shuffled with the tuner and the next song I heard was the 1969 tune, "Yesterday When I Was Young."

The country crooner Roy Clark made the song popular 45 years ago and many, many great singers followed suit with their version over the years -- including Glen Campbell and Dusty Springfield.

The lyrics to the song hit home. The lyrics must have done the same to "listeners" in 1969 who had reached that age when they too would take time to stop and smell the roses.

It's been a long haul since that day when I crossed the gym floor and uttered the words in a squeaky voice, "Would you like to dance?

It was a wonderful time back then, but I've discovered that "getting old" isn't so bad, either. The roses are definitely in bloom.

TOTS' grandpa is all smiles as grandson signs with George Washington University

TOTS Senior Baseball Network

60-and-over baseball

Today's post is about "Grandpa" Jerry Hamelin, a member of the Tucson Old Timers (TOTS),  who's all smiles after learning recently his grandson, Randy Dalrymple, a sophomore at GateWay Community College in Phoenix, has signed to plays baseball for George Washington University.

The Colonials' baseball coach Gregg Ritchie is pleased to have Randy on the 2015 team. The Colonials have now added 10 players to their roster in recent weeks -- including two late additions, Randy and Chance Malek, another hard-throwing right hander out of Aston, Pennsylvania.

Ritchie, in a recent press release, said, "We are very excited to announce the addition of both Randy and Chance to our incoming recruiting class. Both players will add important pitching depth to our lineup and we expect both to be great contributors for us next season and beyond."

Obviously, Ritchee has been keeping an eye on Dalrymple, while "Grandpa" Jerry has been doing the same in Arizona. Jerry has been burning rubber up I-10 for the last two junior college baseball seasons, speeding up the interstate to take in as many of Randy's games as possible.

"Randy is the real deal," beams Mr. Hamelin.

Randy finished the 2014 season at GateWay with a 10-2 record and led the Arizona Community College Athletic Conference (NJCAA) with an ERA of 1.07.  He totaled 67 strikeouts in 92.2 innings this season as the Geckos finished with a 36-23 record. He was named NJCAA Pitcher of the Week in early February and recently earned First Team All-ACCAC honors.

Randy played his high school ball in Tucson at Sabino High School.

Photo: Randy Dalrymple

NBA playoffs down to eight contenders

NBA Playoffs


Brooklyn and the Miami Heat, the Pacers and the Wizards out East square up in the next round of the NBA playoffs, while out West the four survivors from Round 1, include the San Antonio Spurs and Portland along with the LA Clippers and Oklahoma City.

Pretty much the way I had it figured with the exception of Brooklyn. I didn't think the Nets would make it to the semi finals.

Now the story lines change. All eyes are on the Clippers to see what they do next. It was a STERLING performance last week, but this week they'll have to contend with a different overcast -- the THUNDER.

My guess is the Clippers will reach the West Finals and take on the SPURS, while the HEAT will cruise in five over the Nets and meet up with Indiana.

Wildcats getting close to the end of the season

Arizona Wildcats Baseball


Three more losses are in the books for the Arizona baseball team as the Wildcats head home tonight after losing another series -- this time a three-game series to the 14th-ranked Oregon Ducks. The Wildcats fall to Oregon 6-1 on Friday, 2-0 in 10 innings on Saturday and lose 5-1 today.

Arizona falls to 18-28 overall (7-17 Pac 12)  with nine games left -- three conference games at home next weekend against Stanford, followed by a three-game series at California, followed by three non-conference games at home against Abilene Christian.

Then it'll be over and coach Andy Lopez and the Wildcats can focus on 2015.

Tough season for the Wildcats.

Diamondbacks win 2 of 3 in San Diego

Arizona Diamondbacks


The Arizona Diamondbacks (11-23) tried to make it three in a row over the Padres in San Diego. Arizona wins the first two, 2-0 and 4-3, but lose 4-3 today on a walk-off, fielder's choice play at the plate as Cameron Maybin slides in safely into home on a slow ground ball to D'backs first baseman Paul Golschmidt.

Goldy's throw was late and Maybin and the Padres escape with a win. Wade Miley pitches seven strong innings today, allowing three runs, while Goldschmidt has a two-hit day, including his fifth home run of the year.

The Diamondbacks head for Milwaukee and open a three-game series on Monday night with the Brewers.

The Little Drummer Boy

TOTS Senior Baseball Network

60-and-over baseball

Long before 84-year-old retired dentist Billy Heiny terrorized his patients in a dental chair, long before he joined the Tucson Old Timers (TOTS) baseball club, and long before his elementary school days back in Indiana, Billy was the little drummer boy.

"I started playing the drums when I was just five years old, says Heiny.  "And I still do."

Heiny grew up in the Big Band Era... back in the days of such great drummers as Gene Krupa, Papa Joe Jones, and Buddy Rich...back in the days when Benny Goodman, Glen Miller, Tommy Dorsey, Lionel Hampton, and Woody Herman...just to name a few, filled the auditoriums and dance halls.

The music lives on even today. Somewhere along the way, a fella by the name of "Elvis" stepped in, and things changed in the music world. "I couldn't get into the Elvis thing," adds Heiny. "I'm still into the music from the Big Band Era. It's what I grew up with, and I learned everything about music by  listening to the bands from the 1930s and 1940s."

His favorite: A fella by the name of Stan Kenton.

Kenton's bands were on the music scene from the 1930s to the late 1970s. Kenton passed away in 1979 at the age of 67.

"I have all of Kenton's records," Heiny adds. "I enjoyed his arrangements all the way back to when I was a kid."

 Billy recalls, "I got into music at a very young age. It was a family thing. We'd sit around and play our instruments. My instrument was always the drums. I didn't want to play anything else."

Billy loves his baseball, and he still loves the music from the Big Band Era. Today, he continues to play his music...and he has the TOTS. He can fill his days with playing baseball three days a week at Udall Park, and, on occasion, he bangs away with his drums—playing with a local band or two at places like group homes and long-term care centers.

There are plenty of people around who love to sit back and listen to the sounds of drummers Krupa, Jones, and Rich and big band leaders like Goodman, Dorsey, Miller, and Kenton.

The music lives on...and so does the TOTS.

As for baseball, Heiny joined the 60-and-over baseball club in 1997. Billy was already at the young age of 67. He put the drumsticks away for a while and concentrated on the game of baseball.

And he's pretty good at it, too.

"I never played baseball up to that point," Heiny said. "I love it. I love playing with the TOTS."

Whoever said, "You can't march to the beat of a different drum?"

Photo: Billy Heiny. Billy is the third oldest of the TOTS and will turn 85 in August.



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The dancin' TOT

TOTS Senior Baseball Network

60-and-over baseball

Is it Allemande left or is it Allemande right?

There's one player on the Tucson Old Timers (TOTS) who can tell you exactly what to do when the above words bellow out of a caller's mouth.

Bob Royer, 76, has been a member of the TOTS since 2004. He feels right at home on the baseball field at Udall Park, but he really feels at home on the dance floor. A member of the Square and Round Dancing Association of Southern Arizona, along with his wife, Elaine, the former Nuclear Engineer can certainly "engineer" his way around the dance floor as he high steps it in a square to the music and to the instructions of the caller, who unleashes a poetic verse of which the participants follow, making their next move -- all in unison, all of them connecting with their partner and going around and around.

"It's not really high-stepping," says Royer. "I have two left feet. It's the hands. You use your hands. If I had to rely on my feet to get the job done, I'd be in trouble."

So, what the heck does Allemande left mean? Well, it means: A move in which two facing dancers take their left hands or forearms, turn halfway around to the left, let go, and step forward. 

Okay, I got it!

Surprisingly, Bob and Elaine are not alone when it comes to Square Dancing. There are 17 clubs in the SARDASA. Bob and Elaine are members of the Swinging Saguaros and dance up a storm every Thursday at the Tanque Verde Lutheran Church. Bob was recently caught on film, so to speak, and a picture of him, making a move on the dance floor, showed up in the Arizona Daily Star.

Three days a week on the ball field and a night of dancing on Thursdays, keeps Bob in shape.

So, Bob... Keep dancing and playing. And remember: You Allemande left on the dance floor, but you make your first move out of the batter's box to the RIGHT!

Photo: Above photo, Dancin' Bob Royer.

Crowley wins batting title for April

TOTS Senior Baseball Network

60-and-over baseball

Dennis Crowley, 64, won the Tucson Old Timers (TOTS) batting title for the month of April as he pounded out 25 hits in 38 trips to the plate. Many of those hits were due to his speed as the left-handed hitter can beat out a ground ball in the infield more times than not.

Crowley batted .658 for the month, which included nine doubles and a team high of 19 runs scored.

The top eight players in all of the major categories follow: (minimum of 30 at bats).

Batting: Crowley (.658),  Bob Daliege (19 for 30 a .633 average), Chico Bigham (19-32, a .594 average), Pete Peters (21 for 39, a .538 average), Lloyd Barzell (21 for 40, a .525 average), Brian Reilly (21 for 42, a .500 average), Pigpen Price (18 for 38, .474 average) and Floyd Lance (12 for 31, a .387 average).

Hits: Crowley (25), Barzell (21), Peters (21), Reilly (21), Daliege (19), Bigham (19) Price (18) and Ron Carlson (14).


Runs: Crowley (19), Daliege (17), Reilly (16), Barzell (13), Ron Petersen (13, in just 23 at bats),  Price (9), Lance (7) and  Bigham (7).

Walks: (minimum 20 at bats) Lance (15), Bob Royer (9), Bobby Stofft (6), Denny Leonard (6), Dave Rhoades (6), Jerry Smarik (5), Petersen (5), Bigham (5).

Pitching victories: (top 5) Barzell (4), Crowley (3), Petersen (2), Bigham (2) and Reilly (1).

Photo: Crowley, an opposite field hitter with speed, led the TOTS in hits in April with 25.

Back in the Day...

Back in the Day

     

Here's three to choose from -- Sandy Koufax, Stan Musial and Warren Spahn.

Sticking with the fifties -check this lineup out!

Stuck in the 1950s



Still stuck in the 1950s after my previous post.

Look at these lineups for the 1955 MLB All Star Game:


AL - Harvey Kuenn (SS) Nellie Fox (2B) Ted Williams (LF) Micky Mantle (CF) Yogi Berra (C) Al Kaline (RF) Mickey Vernon (1B) Jim Finigan (3B) and Billy Pierce (P)

NL - Red Schoendienst (2B) Del Ennis (LF) Ted Kluszewski (1B) Eddie Mathews (3B) Don Mueller (RF) Ernie Banks (SS) Del Crandall (C) and Robin Roberts (P)

Wow! Now that's some all-stars!

They say you can never go back...heck with that!

Most of my readers are oldies but goodies..Most of my readers are old-time baseball players who still enjoy playing America's favorite pastime...and most of them are characters and were characters then.

Do you remember when?





Awe, yes...and one of my favorite tunes: Lost in the Fifties, tonight!