There was a game...

Tucson Old Timers (TOTS)

60-and-over baseball

The 60-and-over Tucson Old Timers (TOTS) never give up.

I mean, try to grasp the following: It's raining. The wind is blowing in access of 20 miles mph. The temperature is hovering around 45 degrees. The groundskeeper shows up at sun up and not only lines the field, but makes sure it's watered down and ready for play.

That's the TOTS! That's Chico Bigham, a man in his late 70s who shows up at Udall Park and whips the field into shape. Hours later the players, all 60-and-over, show up and begin to warm up their aging arms. It's time to play ball.

It's Friday morning at Udall. Game time: 10 a.m. Time for the old timers to strut their stuff. They all can still play the game of baseball. The players who show take a deep breath, after all you need at least 18 players to have a game.

The count begins. There's enough. The rain, the wind, whatever the excuse may be, isn't enough. The players who show take a deep breath. A player blurts out, "we have just enough!"

The game begins.

Team Blue gets the upper hand and wins the game 9-3. Bob Daliege, 68, pitches a complete game ( 7 innings) and gets the win, while 74-year-old Doc Thompson, arguably the best pitcher in the organization, is saddled with the loss, not because of his pitching expertise, but because of too many errors.

A typical weekly game involving the Tucson Old Timers.

Today, the hero is a 67-year-old by the name of Joe "The "Big O" Opocensky. He goes 4 for 4 and drives in four runs. The opposition put the bat on the ball as well. Thompson goes 3 for 4 for Team Blue and drives in a couple of runs, while his teammate Pigpen Price pounds out three hits as well and scores twice.

The 71-year-old Price is elated. "I've been in a slump for most of the year and I'm starting to hit the ball again."

A bunch of old timers playing the game of baseball.

Where else would they be?

Why? They're at the ball park and all is well. Life goes on.

The game is over. They meet at the nearby Ramada. They chase down a beer or two. They talk about the game. One hit turns into two hits. A typical pop up turns into a diving catch. A triple down the third base line turns into a long single. A throw to first base turns into a one-hopper -- right on the money by the third baseman and the runner is out by a step and a half.

Some say tomorrow never comes. It does for the TOTS. Monday morning and the TOTS will be back...playing the game they love -- the game of baseball.