65-and-over Tucson Aces prepare for MSBL World Series

2015 Men's Senior Baseball League World Series

65-and-over Tucson Aces

The Tucson Aces, made up mostly of members of the Tucson Old Timers (TOTS), will play a five-game round robin at the Men's Senior Baseball League World Series, Oct. 24-27, in hopes of qualifying for the playoffs, Oct. 28-29, and a chance to play for the 65-and-over division title on Oct. 30, at Tempe Diablo Stadium.

The Aces play their first game on Saturday, Oct. 24, at 12:30 p.m. against the Ohio Classics at Fitch Park (annex field SE#1) and follow up with a double header in Surprise (annex field KC#3) on Sunday,  Oct. 25 -- the opener against Dodgertown at 10 a.m. and the second game at 2 p.m. against the Tri Valley Giants. The Aces will finish up the round robin on  Monday, Oct. 26, with a game inside Tempe Diablo Stadium at 9 a.m. against a team from Canada, the Red Deer Legends, and on Tuesday, Oct. 27, will take on Team America at 10 a.m. at the Salt River Complex  (Colorado Rockies annex field #5).

The Aces roster includes Bob Daliege, Dennis Crowley, Tim Tolson, Bill Mishler, Billy Heiny, Pigpen Price,  Arnie White, Lloyd Barzell, Joe Opocensky, Ron Petersen, Dave Rhoades and player-manager Pete Peters -- the twelve players are members of the Tucson Old Timers who play three days a week at Udall Park. Also on the roster are Reece Wellman from Washington D.C., Don Kladstrup (France), and Ernie Hernandez (from Casa Grande, Arizona... and a member of the 60-and-over south side Tucson  Rattlers).

Peters will handle the management duties and another member of the TOTS, Chico Bigham, will assist Peters.

Go get 'em, Aces!

Photos: Top photo -- Aces manager Pete Peters, bottom photo -- Aces coach Chico Bigham.

Aces knock off 60-and-over Rattlers, 10-3

Senior Baseball Southwest League

60-and-over Tucson Aces


The 60-and-over Tucson Aces banged out 15 hits today at Udall Park en route to a 10-3 win over the Rattlers in a Senior Baseball Southwest League game. Seven players knocked in runs for the Aces with left fielder Brian Reilly leading the way with a 3 for 3 day and two runs batted in.

Pigpen Price went 1 for 2, walked twice, scored twice and knocked in two runs and second baseman Pete Peters knocked in two runs and went 2 for 4 on the day. Shortstop Lloyd Barzell, right fielder Ray Gedney and pitcher Arnie White added to the Aces' assault on the Ratters' pitching staff as all three players went 2 for 4 and contributed an RBI.

Ted Davis went 1 for 3 and picked up an RBI, while lead off man Dennis Crowley went 1 for 3 and  catcher Ron Petersen collected a hit in four trips to the plate.

A good day at the plate for the Aces.

The Aces jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the second inning and chased Ratters' starting pitcher Tom Barrow. The Rattlers sent in two hard-throwing right-handers -- George Gafner in the third inning and Ernie Hernandez in the sixth, but the Aces kept swinging away, adding four runs in the fourth and two more in the sixth.

White went the distance for the Aces to pick up the win. The hard-throwing right-hander from Red Lodge, Montana allowed just seven hits. He struck out one and walked just two batters.

Team Priceless moves up in fantasy football league standings

UPC Hood Fantasy Football League

Team Priceless


Another good week for Team Priceless.

In Week 3, Team Priceless gets an unexpected fantasy output from two running backs, LeGarrette Blount and Chris Johnson, as Blount scores three touchdowns for New England in the Patriots' win over Jacksonville and Johnson finds the end zone twice as the Arizona Cardinals blow by the San Francisco 49ers.

Team Priceless also received another good outing from New England quarterback Tom Brady. Blount and Johnson combine for 54 fantasy points, while Brady threw two TD passes and amassed over 350 yards through the air for 22 fantasy points.

The result: Team Priceless wins in a blowout 109.92 to 40.78 over a team called Uncle J. Team Priceless improves to 2-1. Uncle J falls to 1-2.

70-and-over San Antonio Texans to play St. Thomas, Australia at MSBL World Series

Pigpen Price, 70, and Ron "Lefty" Petersen, 70, will represent the 60-and-over Tucson Old Timers (TOTS) when they play for the San Antonio Texans at the 2015 Men's Senior Baseball League World Series in Phoenix, Oct. 18 through Oct. 24.

The Texans will be one of nine teams in the 70-and-over American division. The teams will play a five-game round robin and the top six will advance to the playoffs with a chance to play for the division title on Saturday (Oct. 24).

Price and Petersen will see their first action on Sunday (Oct. 18) when the Texans tangle with the South Dakota Rushmores at 2 p.m. in Goodyear (annex field #4 at the Cleveland Indians Complex). Game 2 will be on Monday (Oct. 19) against a team from Detroit at 9 a.m. in Maryvale (annex field #6, home of the Milwaukee Brewers spring training facility).

The Texans will face the Arizona Scorpions, a Phoenix-based team, at 2 p.m. on Tuesday (Oct. 20) inside the confines of Goodyear Stadium and will conclude the round robin with a game against St. Thomas at 2 p.m. on Wednesday (Oct. 21) at the Salt River Complex (Rockies annex field #6) and on Thursday (Oct. 22) at 12:30 p.m. at Tempe annex field #2 (next to Tempe Diablo Stadium, spring training home of the LA Angels)  against a team from Australia, the Aussie Aces.

Photos: (top photo) Petersen, (bottom photo) Price


Arnie White, 73, also a member of the 60-and-over Tucson Old Timers (TOTS), will play and pitch for the Arizona Scorpions at the MSBL World Series. White spends his winter months in Tucson and his summers at his ranch in Montana.

Photo: Arnie White

Arizona falls out of the top-25

Arizona Wildcats Football

Arizona has fallen out of the AP College Football Poll.

The Wildcats are in the "also received votes" category this week.

UCLA moved to No. 7 and Stanford, the Wildcats next opponent, is ranked No. 18.

Other Pac-12 teams in the top-25:

10.  Utah

17.  USC

24.  California

Diamondbacks take 2 of 3 from Padres

Arizona Diamondbacks

It's almost over for the Arizona Diamondbacks (75-81).

Arizona wins 2 of 3 in San Diego, including a 4-2 win today, but the one loss to the Padres meant the Diamondbacks will not post a winning season. The D'backs are home for three games against Colorado and three against the Houston Astros -- six games left.

Win all six and finish 81-81.

It''ll all end on Sunday.

Maybe next year, D'backs!

Beating UCLA no snap

Arizona Wildcats Football


The Arizona Wildcats didn't score 77 points tonight. They needed to!

Bad snaps from center.  Three turnovers. The inability to make tackles. A defense which allowed 42 points to the opposition in 30 minutes.

All of the above happened in just the first half of play tonight as the 16th-ranked Wildcats lose to the 9th-ranked UCLA Bruins, 56-30, inside the confines of Arizona Stadium...and in front of a full house mind you.

Yes, Scooby Wright played, but he was clearly not ready for prime time. Arizona's top defender is  another week away from being the "Scooby" the Wildcat fans are used to seeing on the playing field.

And did I mention, Arizona's starting quarterback Anu Solomon. He went to the locker room midway through the dismal first half with a head injury. And yes, in came the fleet-footed Jerrard Randall.

Randall was impressive on the ground, but not through the air. The backup QB ran for 128 yards on 16 carries and a 39-yard TD run, but through the air, just four completions in 16 attempts with one TD and one interception. Running back Nick Wilson rushed for 136 yard on 24 carries, but did not score.

Arizona falls to 3-1, while the Bruins improve to 4-0.

Next up for the Wildcats: at Stanford.

Diamondbacks split with Dodgers

Arizona Diamondbacks


The Arizona Diamondbacks (73-80) split the four-game series in LA with the Dodgers -- including a 6-3 loss today to the NL West front runner.

It's on to San Diego for a three-game series with the Padres.

Nine games left for the Diamondbacks.

"When you come to a fork in the road, take it" - Yogi Berra

Yogi Berra passed away on Tuesday at the age of 90.

What a great Yankee and what a great Hall of Famer.

Off the ball field, Yogi had his moments -- his moments in time when he let the world know just what he was thinking.

Berra once said, "When you come to a fork in the road, take it."

The road he actually took was the right one.

Rest in Peace, Yogi Berra.

Team Priceless wins one!

My Fantasy Football League

Team Priceless


My fantasy team, Team Priceless, picks up its first win in the UPC Hood Fantasy Football League, thanks mainly to another good week from quarterback Tom Brady (28.24 fantasy points), a good defensive showing from the Denver defense (21 fantasy points) and, last but not least, an outstanding first half from New York Jets receiver Eric Decker, who outscored, believe or not, Indy quarterback Andrew Luck on Monday night, 15.70 to 11.40 in fantasy points.

I held a slim lead heading into Monday Night Football and needed a "bad night" from Luck and a "good night" from Decker. And, that's exactly what I got as Luck was intercepted three times, while Decker scored a TD and picked up 97 receiving yards.

Decker did not play down the stretch -- on the bench with a knee injury, but he did just enough to get Team Priceless its first victory of the young NFL season.

Injuries are mounting for Team Priceless (1-1). I lost wide receiver DeSean Jackson (Washington) in Week 1 and running back Eddie Lacy (Green Bay) on Sunday.

I'll be scrambling for players in Week 3.

Arizona ranked 16th in AP Poll

Arizona Wildcats Football


The Arizona Wildcats (3-0) moved up to No. 16 in the AP Poll this week, while the UCLA Bruins (3-0) will come to town on Saturday ranked in the ninth spot.

It'll be a wild time at Arizona Stadium.

Go get 'em, Wildcats!

Diamondbacks lose finale to Giants, 5-1

Arizona Diamondbacks


The Arizona Diamondbacks (71-78) couldn't make it 3-0 over the Giants in San Francisco today. Instead, the Diamondbacks scored just one lone run in the ninth inning and lose to the Giants, 5-1.

Tim Hudson throws six shutout innings for the Giants to pick up the win.

Arizona heads for Los Angeles and a four-game series with the Dodgers on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday and Thursday.

Just 13 games left for the Diamondbacks.

Wilson, Randall run wild at Arizona Stadium

Arizona Wildcats Football

The local fans got their money's worth at Arizona Stadium tonight as the Wildcats rolled to a 77-13 non-conference win over Northern Arizona.

Where do I begin?

How about the kicker? Casey Skowron booted 10 consecutive extra points!

Just icing on the cake as Arizona scores 11 touchdowns -- four by air and seven by land. Quarterback Anu Solomon leaves the game midway through the third quarter with four touchdown passes to his credit. He completed  25 of 35 passes for 285 yards and added a rushing touchdown for good measure.

Running back Nick Wilson carried the ball 19 times for 143 yards and two touchdowns, while wide receiver David Richards hauled in eight passes for 120 yards and two scores. Wilson and Richards took a seat midway through the third quarter and gave way to the reserves.

In the fourth quarter, the Arizona fans had to get out their programs to check jersey numbers as Arizona cleared the bench. By the end of the night, backup quarterback Jerrard Randall had surpassed Wilson's yardage totals as he carried the ball three times for 149 yards and two scores.

As for records, Arizona had 792 yards of total offense and established a record for the most points scored in a game.

Wow!

Arizona improves to 3-0 and begins Pac-12 conference play next Saturday when the UCLA Bruins come to town.

Way to go, Wildcats!

Diamondbacks are winning, but it's a little too late

Arizona Diamondbacks


The Arizona Diamondbacks (71-77) are giant killers this week.

It's a little too late to make a difference, but the Diamondbacks own back-to-back shutouts over the Giants in San Francisco, winning 2-0 on Friday as Rubby De La Rosa improves to 13-8 and coming out on top today with a 6-0 victory, behind seven innings of work from Patrick Corbin (6-4).

The hottest hitter for the Diamondbacks: A.J. Pollock with a .391 average over his last nine games. He went 3 for 4 today and leads the club in hits with 177. In fact his season batting average is now .319, best on the ball club. Paul Goldschmidt is now second with a .317 average. Of course, Goldy still leads the team with 28 homers and 100 RBI.

Diamondbacks lose 2 of 3 to Padres

Arizona Diamondbacks

It's on to Giant Land...

The Arizona Diamondbacks (69-77) lose 2 of 3 to San Diego -- including a 4-3 loss last night at Chase, and now it's on to Giant Land to face San Francisco in a three-game series.

Rubby De La Rosa (12-8) will take the mound on Friday for the Diamondbacks.

A tough, grueling ending for the Diamondbacks...16 agonizing games left.

The best of the Diamondbacks in 2015:  Paul Goldschmidt with a .315 average, 28 home runs and 100 RBI and De La Rosa with his 12 wins.

Team Priceless loses fantasy football opener

Fantasy Football

Team Priceless


A frustrating Week 1 for my fantasy football team.

Team Priceless loses a wide receiver to injury and the loss proved costly as Clam Jammers wins the first-week matchup, 99.90 to 92.32, in the UPC Hood Fantasy Football League.

I got off to a good start last Thursday, thanks mainly to my fantasy quarterback Tom Brady, who threw four touchdowns passes as the New England Patriots edged the Pittsburgh Steelers, 28-21.

My wide receiver, Washington's DeSean Jackson, went down in the first quarter on Sunday with a hamstring injury. The loss also hurt the Redskins as they went on to lose their season opener 17-10 to Miami.

The good news: Brady earned 27.62 in fantasy points, tops among all the quarterbacks in Week 1.

Oh well, maybe next week.

Petersen tosses 4-hitter in TOTS' game

Tucson Old Timers (TOTS)

60-and-over baseball

Lefty Ron Petersen, 70, allowed just four hits today at Udall Park and pitched a shutout as Team Blue edged Team White, 3-0, in a 60-and-over Tucson Old Timers (TOTS) baseball game.

Petersen received plenty of support defensively as Team Blue turned five double plays. Doc Thompson, Dan Lundwall and Denny Leonard knocked in runs for the winners, while Petersen sailed through all seven innings and was never in trouble. Team White's Bob Daliege also pitched a complete game but was saddled with the loss.

The TOTS return to Udall on Wednesday morning for their second game of the week and they'll close out the week with a game on Friday.

Photo: Petersen

Arizona reaches No. 20 in AP Poll

Arizona Wildcats Football


Arizona (2-0) moved up to No. 20 in the AP poll this week.

Congrats, Wildcats!

The wins:

Arizona  42  UTSA  32

Arizona  44  Nevada  20

Diamondbacks drop 2 of 3 to Dodgers

Arizona Diamondbacks


The Arizona Diamondbacks fall to  68-75 after dropping 2 of 3 games at Chase Field to the LA Dodgers, including a 4-3 loss today in the final game of the series.

Arizona hasn't been able to enjoy the home cooking this season. Today's loss was the Diamondbacks 38th of the season at Chase Field. They have won just 34 games at home.

San Diego comes to town tomorrow night for a three-games series.

The Diamondbacks are down to their final 19 games.

Wildcats run wild in Reno

Arizona Wildcats Football


The Arizona Wildcats got the job done in Reno.

Running back Nick Wilson rushed for 194 yards and scored three touchdowns to lead Arizona to a 44-20 win over Nevada tonight.

The Wildcats unleashed their passing game as well. Quarterback Anu Solomon threw for 264 yards and two touchdowns as Arizona finished with 570 of total offense -- 269 passing and 301 rushing. Solomon completed 24 of 33 passes.

The 22nd-ranked Wildcats (2-0) return home for their final non-conference game on Saturday against Nothern Arizona -- the third and final "softie" of the season.

The following nine games will be a different story.

Scooby, we need you!

Big, bad Dodgers come to town on Friday

Arizona Diamondbacks

The end of the regular season is near and the Arizona Diamondbacks, sporting a 67-73 record, are out of the money so to speak, barring something in the neighborhood of 22 straight wins. Not likely, it just hasn't been a good season for the D'backs.

On the other hand, the LA Dodgers (80-59) are the best in the NL West and own a 13 1/2 game lead over the lowly Diamondbacks. Arizona opens a three-game series on Friday at Chase Field with the Dodgers.

TOTS honor Sir Floyd Lance

Tucson Old Timers (TOTS)

60-and-over baseball


The 60-and-over Tucson Old Timers played today's game at Udall Park in honor of Floyd Lance, who turned 90 this week. The players wore the No. 90 on the brim of their caps in honor of Lance, who becomes the oldest player to play competitively for the club beyond the ripe old age of 90.

Lance's new jersey has the number 90 on it and every year since 1999, when he joined the senior baseball amateur organization, he has obtained a new jersey with a new number, which coincides with his age.

"I actually started doing that at the age of 55," Lance said. "I played baseball in the city and Kino leagues. So when I joined the TOTS, I kept going and now I have a closet full of jerseys."

Thirty-five, to be exact!

Lance went into the 2015 season with 2,798 at bats, has scored 914 runs, collected 1,295 hits and has  knocked home 483 runs. The 90-year old first baseman has played in 999 games through 2014 and owns a career batting average of .460.


And Lance is still adding to his totals as he hasn't missed any playing time in 2015.

Today, Lance went 1 for 3, scored twice, walked once and knocked in a run.

Team White beat Team Blue 10-2 this morning as right-hander Bob Daliege pitched a five-hitter, allowing just two runs in the top of the first inning on an RBI-single by Pigpen Price, while Ron Carlson knocked in the other run on a fielder's choice play.

In the bottom  of the third, Tim Tolson singled to right, knocking in two runs, and Jesse Ochoa added an RBI-single to put Team White in the driver's seat with a 4-2 lead and they never looked back.

See photos below of the action on the ball field today and the after-game celebration. Photos by Conrad Royksund.

The teams...Team Blue

Team White (Floyd's team...today's winners)

Two teammates -- Floyd Lance and Carl Brutovsky. They have been teammates since 1999

After-game celebration...

Grab Brady, Lacy as my top picks in fantasy league

UPC Hood Fantasy League

Team Priceless


This is my sixth year as a fantasy football owner. The league I participate in, the UPC Hood Fantasy Football League, has grown to 14 teams, making last Sunday's draft a tough one.

My team, Team Priceless, ended up with New England's Tom Brady at quarterback and my top running back will be Eddie Lacy of the Green Bay Packers.

Not too shabby. After the first two rounds, things got a little tough.

My starting lineup for Week 1 as follows:

QB  Tom Brady

RB  Eddie Lacy

RB  Darren MacFadden

WR  DeSean Jackson

WR  Vincent Jackson

WR  Eric Decker

TE   Martellus Bennett

K     Dan Bailey

DEF  Kansas City

Bench:  LeGarrette Blount(would be starter but out for first game), Chris Johnson, Dorial-Green Beckham, Percy Harvin, Blake Bortles and the Denver defense.

I made it to the championship game last season, but this year I'll be lucky to finish 10th out of 14 teams. Just don't have enough horses.

TOTS Labor Day game goes to Team Blue

Tucson Old Timers (TOTS)

60-and-over baseball


Not everyone hits the road on Labor Day.

Twenty-three Tucson Old Timers showed up at Udall Park this morning for a 60-and-over holiday baseball game, won by Team Blue over Team White, 16-2.

The game was a bit one-sided as Team Blue took advantage of 10 errors by Team White and collected  17 hits off Pigpen Price en route to an easy win. Lefty Ron Petersen picked up the win as he cruised through all seven innings. while Price struggled to find the plate. Both pitchers are 70 years old.

Where else in the country could you find two 70-year-old pitchers tossing the cowhide on a hot and muggy Labor Day morning?

The TOTS will be back in action on Wednesday. Game time 9 a.m.

Today's game in pictures. See below:

Photos by Conrad Royksund

Photos 1, 2, 3 - The Judge, former Superior Court Judge Chuck Sabalos showed up today and took some cuts. Photos 4 and 5- The Dentist, Billy "Doc" Heiny, 86 years young, got his cuts in. Photo 6- The Accountant Bob Daliege makes a sure throw to first base. Photo 7- 90-year-old first baseman Floyd Lance tags the bag, just ahead of the hard-charging runner, Ron Petersen, and last but not least: Photo 8 - "The Overseer" looks on from his landing pad atop the light pole, wandering, "Who are those guys."

More photos...

Photos 1 and 2 - former University of Arizona Professor Bill Mishler rejoins TOTS after a four-year layoff. Photo 3 - Lloyd Barzell takes aim and connects with a hit up the middle. Photo 4 - Thunder Tim Tolson singles to right field. Photos 5 and 6 - Ted Davis, better known as the "Alabama Redneck", lets a high hard one go by and later in the inning scores a run.

Cubs sweep reeling Diamondbacks

Arizona Diamondbacks


The Arizona Diamondbacks (65-72) continue their slide as they drop three games to the Cubs in Chicago, including a 6-4 defeat today as Rubby De la Rosa goes five innings and is saddled with the loss to drop to 12-7 on the season.

The Diamondbacks head home and open up a three-game series with the San Francisco Giants on Sunday.

The youngest TOT

Tucson Old Timers (TOTS)

60-and-over baseball

They just keep getting younger.

If you play for the 60-and-over Tucson Old Timers (TOTS), you're already old when you dress out in full uniform, complete with the dark blue baseball cap. Hang around with the amateur baseball organization long enough and you'll look up and realize one day you have logged in ten years and have now reached the ripe old age of 70, 80 and in one particular case 90, if your name happens to be Floyd Lance, who turns the golden age of 90 next week.

And it is inevitable, a youngster will eventually join the senior ball club, which is in its 48th year of existence.

The latest newcomer is 60-year-old Tim Boyd. A local educator and vice-principal, Boyd received his TOTS' hat last week and it's official: Tim is now the youngest TOT.

Last week, Boyd made a running catch along the left field line as the rest of us "old-timers" looked on. One comment from the dugout, "Man, I used to run like that."

What skills we have as a TOT diminishes with time. As the years fly by, our ability to run down the fleeting ball gets harder and harder.

Most of us who don a TOTS' uniform are just like the Energizer Bunny. We never quit.

And, as we look on from the dugout and watch a 60-year-old perform, we say to ourselves. "There was a time when I could do that." To our credit, we still try.

Hats off to all the members of the TOTS who show up three days a week at Udall Park to play the game of baseball.

Photos: the new guy on the block: 60-year-old Tim Boyd. Welcome aboard!

Arizona 42 UTSA 32

Arizona Wildcats Football


"We have a lot of work to do," said coach Rich Rodriguez, following the Wildcats 42-32 victory over UTSA tonight at Arizona Stadium.

But a win is a win and the victory was seven points better than last year when the Wildcats won by three in the Alamodome over the Roadrunners.

Tonight, quarterback Anu Solomon wasn't exactly sharp with his passes, but he did manage to throw four touchdowns passes for 229 yards and also rushed for 35 yards. Solomon's main target: Johnny Jackson. A surprise starter tonight, Jackson caught eight passes for 101 yards and a touchdown.

Nick Wilson rambled for 97 yards on 22 carries, but did not score. The two remaining scores came on defensive plays by Anthony Lopez, who intercepted a pass and ran in for a score from 23 yards out at the beginning of the first quarter, and from Jamar Allah, who picked up a fumble and ran it from 22 yards out midway through the third quarter.

The Wildcats had a couple of things go wrong from the start. Three players --receiver Samajie Grant, safety Tellas Jones and defensive lineman Anthony Fotu -- were suspended prior to the game for violation of team rules and Scooby Wright went down with a knee injury in the first quarter and spent the rest of the game on the sideline.

Arizona fans will have to wait until tomorrow to find out the plight of Grant, Jones, Fotu and Wright. Not a great way to start off a season.

Up next for the No. 22 Wildcats: Nevada on Sept. 12 in Reno.

Diamondbacks split with Rockies

Arizona Diamondbacks


Win some, lose some.

That's not what the Diamondbacks are looking for.

Arizona split the four-game series at Coors Field against the Rockies -- including a 9-4 loss tonight without its star player Paul Goldschmidt, who is back in Phoenix and awaiting a new member to his family.

Arizona (65-69) heads for Chicago and a three-game series with the Cubs. Zack Godley gets the starting nod on Friday, Robbie Ray on Saturday and Patrick Corbin on Sunday.

Down to just 28 regular season games left on the schedule. Time is running out for the Diamondbacks.

Thompson establishes new hitting record with TOTS

Tucson Old Timers (TOTS)

60-and-over baseball

Doc Thompson established a club record for the all-time best batting average during the month of August. Thompson played in 10 games last month and went 26 for 30 for a blistering .867 average. He also walked five times and was hit by a pitch.

"The ball looked like a basketball the entire month," Thompson said, as he explained what every ball delivered to the plate looked like. "I had a great month. I changed my strategy and took a couple of pitches during each at bat. It seemed to help."

Whatever the strategy, Thompson now owns the club hitting record for a 10-game period. Only the late Ed Rife had a higher average. Rife batted .913 back in July of 2008, but that was in just eight games and he went 21 for 23.

Of course, the more games the players play in any given month, the more chances they have to make an out. In any case, Thompson and Rife own club records which will be tough to beat. The TOTS play three days a week (Monday, Wednesday and Friday) at Udall Park and the amount of games varies between  8 and 12, depending on the weather and time off for holidays.

Other top hitters during the month of August included Lloyd Barzell (10 games, 25 for 38, average .658); Tim Tolson (nine games, 19 for 29, average .655); Ray Gedney (eight games, 18 for 30, average .600) and Ted Davis (nine games, 18 for 30, average .600). Once again, 89-year-old Floyd Lance led the 80-and-over hitters. Lance went 11 for 32 for a .344 average.

Tolson led the way in the all-important runs batted in category. Tolson knocked in 16 runs and Thompson was second on the club with 15. Barzell finished first in runs scored with 20 and Pete Peters was second with 18.

Photos: top, Doc Thompson, bottom, Ed Rife, who passed away in 2014.

Are you ready for some football?

Arizona Wildcats Football

There should be a shade over 50,000 fans cheering on the Wildcats at Arizona Stadium on Thursday night as Arizona opens the 2015 season against the Roadrunners from the University of Texas at San Antonio or in short UTSA.

Arizona hung on for a 26-23 victory over UTSA last season at the Alamodome. Two years ago, the Wildcats won at home, 38-13.

Will Solomon lead them? Anu Solomon will be back at quarterback for the Wildcats again this season and the running game should be headed up by returning running back Nick Wilson. Ranked No. 22 in the preseason AP poll, Arizona should by 3-0 after Week 3 with wins over UTSA, Nevada and Northern Arizona. After those three softies, it'll be nine straight Pac-12 Conference games.

My guess: 9-3, but hoping for 10-2 or better.

Go, Wildcats!