TOTS' lefty once pitched for Princeton in 1929

Tucson Old Timers (TOTS)

60-and-over baseball

Mike Aicher died Sept. 1, 1998, in his hometown of Tucson, Arizona. He had a varied career, working during the depression years on Wall Street, then joining the staff of Harry Hopkins in Washington, from which he became a regional director for the National Labor Relations Board. In 1944 he left the NLRB and became a labor negotiator, first for then Selby Shoe Company and nine years later for the U.S. Brewers Foundation, retiring around 1970.

At various times he was chairman of the Community Fund, the Red Cross, and other campaigns, and he was active in promoting programs for boys. He also, at the time of our 50th reunion was playing baseball three times a week. His greatest interest in his old age, however, was in religion, and he read the Bible with various rabbis, priests, and ministers.

The above article was written in 1982 and was recently published in the Princeton Alumni Weekly. The article mentions Aicher was still playing baseball three times a week. In fact, Aicher was a member of the Tucson Old Timers.

Aicher said in an article written by Dave Lumia of the Arizona Daily Star in 1979, that he pitched for Princeton in 1929-32. Aicher told Lumia that his most memorable game at Princeton took place in 1929 when he pitched against Johnny Murphy of Fordham, who went on to become the ace of the New York Yankees' bullpen in the 1930s and a member of the New York Mets' front office in the 1960s.

"I pitched against Johnny Murphy. He beat me 2-0." Aicher told the reporter. "I hadn't seen him for years after that game until one day I went to see a Mets' game. I went up to the press box to see him. He didn't remember me, of course, but after I told him who I was, he sat me down and bought me a steak dinner."

Submitted by TOTS' historian Dan Price

Note: Believe me! I didn't make this up. Aicher was on the TOTS' roster for 18 years . The above photo was taken by Arizona Daily Star photographer Joe Vitti in July of 1979 at a TOTS' game at Himmel Park. Mr. Aicher went shirtless at the time.The current TOTS must wear shirts. It's in the bylaws. It's a good thing, because I doubt any of us current TOTS would look as good as Mr. Aicher did with his shirt off.

Some bonus trivia: While at Princeton, Aicher became friends with an aspiring young actor by the name of James Stewart, who, at the time, was a cheerleader at the Princeton games. As I said, you can't make this stuff up!

Hats off to the TOTS, especially all those old timers who played before us.