Team White wins TOTS' birthday dress-out game, 5-4

Tucson Old Timers (TOTS)

60-and-over baseball


Most of the action came in the third inning today at Udall Park as the members of the 60-and-over Tucson Old Timers (TOTS) dressed out in full uniform for their quarterly birthdays baseball game.

Joe Opocensky hit a shot down the first base line in the top of the third to plate two runs to give Team Blue a 4-3 advantage but Team White, with two runners on base, came right back in the bottom of the inning as 89-year-old Floyd Lance drilled a hot one-hopper off the left eye of shortstop Tim Tolson. The ball bounced high in the air  and came to a stop in right centerfield as both runners crossed the plate, giving Team White a 5-4 lead.

Both teams failed to score the rest of the way as righthander Doc Thompson picked up the win and righthander Lloyd Barzell was saddled with the loss.

As for Tolson, he received a small cut just above his left eye. "I might have a nice little shiner tomorrow morning." As for Lance, just two weeks shy of his 90th birthday, he says, "At my age I'm glad to just get a hit."

The play turned out to be the game-winner.

TOTS footnote:  The TOTS, the 48-year-old amateur baseball organization, holds quarterly dress-out baseball games to honor members whose birthdays happen to fall during the current three-month period. The youngest member on the TOTS is 61, the oldest 89.

Snapshots at birthday game by Conrad Royksund:

Art Radtke

Bobby Stofft

Bob Daliege

Chico Bigham and Miguel Urtaza

Jim Pagels

John Misiaszek

Jerry Hamelin

Jerry "the Rocket" Smarik

TOTS oldest player Floyd Lance, 89

TOTS youngest player Ray Gedney, 61

Fun had by all...