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.
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