TOTS' trio sets their sights on 30th annual MSBL World Series

The MSBL World Series awaits TOTS' trio

Phoenix will once again be the site for the Men's Senior Baseball League (MSBL) World Series in October -- the 30th year of the prestigious amateur tournament.

Three players from the 60-and-over Tucson Old Timers (TOTS) will see action this year over a two-week period between October 13-27. Ron Petersen, 72, Bob Daliege, 69, and Pigpen Price, 72, will play for the 70-and-over San Antonio Texans the first week and the 65-and-over Tri Valley Giants, out of the San Francisco area, in Week 2.

The tournament continues into the month of November with all age groups participating from 18-and-over all the way to 74-and-over. The players will get a chance to play at all the Spring Training parks through out the city -- including the main park and the headquarters for the tournament, Tempe Diablo Stadium.

"I get a kick out of playing every year," said Daliege, the youngster of the trio, who already has played  in five MSBL World Series. Price has played every year since 2009 and Petersen played his first World Series in 2007.

"I've missed a couple along the way," Petersen adds. "But now that I'm retired, I plan to play every year."

So does Price. "Heck, it won't be long before I'll be joining a 74-and-over team."

Of course, injuries can hamper one's plans. "One year I played in the 60-and-over, the 65-and-over and the 70-and-over. I was walking on one leg by the middle of the third week,"adds Price.

After all, players are assured of five or six games each week and then there's the playoffs (if you qualify), which adds another three or four games -- if (it's a big IF)you go all the way to the championship game in your respective division.

One thing is for sure, the TOTS' trio has a little over two months to get ready for the MSBL World Series, which will include players from all over the country and teams from as far away as Canada and Australia.

Photos: (top) Petersen (middle) Daliege (bottom) Price