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

The Tucson Aces to play at MSBL World Series, Oct. 22-28

The 65-and-over Tucson Aces, a team comprised mostly of members from the Tucson Old Timers (TOTS), will head for Phoenix, Oct. 22-28, to play in the MSBL World Series.

The players from Tucson include Arnie White, Bob Daliege, Dennis Crowley, Pigpen Price, Tim Tolson, Dave Rhoades, Ron Petersen, Pete Peters, Lloyd Barzell, Joe Opocensky, Bill Mishler, Ted Davis, Chico Bigham, Doc Thompson and Daniel Boxberger. Non-Tucson players include Don Kladstrup, Reese Wellman and Ernie Hernandez.

The Aces will play a five-game round robin and will take on Tri-Valley (California) in the Saturday opener, Red Deer (Canada) on Sunday, Salty Dogs (Utah) on Monday, San Antonio Broncos (Texas) on Tuesday and the Fresno Grizzlies out of California on Wednesday. The teams with the top records will advance to the playoffs on Thursday with the championship game slated for Friday.

The Aces finished 3-2 at the MSBL World Series last year.

Pete Peters, the manager of the Aces, figures this may be the year the team puts it all together. "We came close last year and this year we have a stronger pitching staff." Peters and the Aces will count on the addition of hard-throwing right-hander Doc Thompson to get them over the hump. Thompson is the only player on the roster who has pitched professionally. Of course, that was back in the 60s -- a long time ago. Still, Thompson is the hardest thrower on the Tucson Old Timers pitching staff and will be a welcome addition to the Aces pitching staff.

With a possibility of six, seven or eight games over a seven-day period, the Aces will need more than one flame thrower. Also expected to see action on the mound are eight players -- White, Daliege, Crowley, Price, Wellman, Bigham, Hernandez and Petersen (all of them pitched in 2015 at the MSBL World Series).

Go get 'em, Aces!

Photos: (Top photo) Doc Thompson, a new addition to the MSBL World Series bound Tucson Aces pitching staff this year, (bottom Photo) Pete Peters, the manager of the Aces, also plays infield and catches.