Byars goes 3 for 3 to lead TOTS Blue to 11-3 win

Tucson Old Timers (TOTS)

60-and-over baseball

When you ask David Byars which sport he loves the best baseball or golf, he has to thank hard and long before answering.

"I'm not sure, that's a tough question," Byars said today at Udall Park, after a 60-and-over Tucson Old Timers game.

One thing is for sure, he loved the way he played baseball today as he collected three hits in three trips to the plate to lead Team Blue to a 11-3 win over Team White.

Joe "Big O" Opocensky went 2 for 3 and drove in a run for the losing team, while right-hander Lloyd Barzell was saddled with the loss. Once again, the steady Bob Daliege went the distance for Team Blue to pick up the pitching victory.

As for Mr. Byars, back when he was 59, which was close to a decade ago, he had a hankering to be a club pro, maybe in the back of his mind a shot even at the PGA Champions Tour. After all, he was a scratch golfer back in those days and he practiced...and practiced...and practiced.

"I used to go to Fred Enke back in those days and play anywhere from 36 to 54 holes a day in the middle of the summer," recalls Byars. "But it became a little too much. There was a chance I could have gone to Florida (to qualifying school) and I decided to stay put in Arizona."

Byars grew up playing both sports, but his knees aren't what they used to be. "Can't run anymore," he says, although he does run hard enough to get to first base, after he drills a shot to the gap in left or right centerfield.

Back in the day, he played baseball alongside such Tucson greats as Eddie Leon and Rich Alday. "Those were the days," he said. "I went to Marana and Tucson High. Played a lot of baseball back then."

And now Byars is in his first full season with the TOTS and he loves every minute of it.

"I ran into a TOTS' guy at the donut shop one day," Byars said. "I think it was a couple of years ago and he invited me to come out and take a look. It took a while, but I finally showed up and now I love it. I'm there every game."

The TOT at the donut shop was Pigpen Price, a member of the TOTS since 2008.

"I had a feeling he was a good player," Price said, after the game today. "He can hit the ball and has a great glove as well. He fits in with the TOTS. That's for sure."

All the TOTS are on the look out for 60-and-over ball players who still want to play for the love of the game.

Byars is now one of the guys.

Way to go, David!