Congrats to Oregon State

NCAA Baseball Championship


Congrats to Pac-12 member and University of Arizona foe Oregon State for winning the NCAA title in Omaha, Nebraska last night with a 5-0 win over Arkansas.

It's the Beavers third title and they did it in grand fashion as Kevin Abel fired a two-hit shutout and struck out 10 against the Razorbacks.

Diamondbacks at halfway mark

Arizona Diamondbacks


The Arizona Diamondbacks (47-34) are at the halfway mark of the 2018 season and are sitting in first place in the NL West after completing a 10-game road trip -- winning 8 of 10, including a 4-0 shutout at Miami yesterday as Zack Greinke (8-5) blanked the Marlins.

The LA Dodgers lost to the Chicago Cubs last night and the Diamondbacks enjoy a 3 1/2 game lead in the NL West with a home stand looming -- starting with the San Francisco Giants at Chase Field tonight as Patrick Corbin (6-3) takes the mound.

Ryan does it all in TOTS' win

Tucson Old Timers (TOTS)

60-and-over baseball

Ron Ryan, 60, went 4 for 4 and was the winning pitcher as Team Blue edged Team White 7-6 today at Udall Park in a 60-and-over Tucson Old Timers game.

It was a close one all the way. In fact, in the bottom of the seventh inning with two outs, Team White's  Doc Thompson drilled a single to straight-a-way center, but the runner at second base slipped rounding third base and was thrown out at the plate to end the game.

Bob Daliege was saddled with the hard-luck loss, but once again hurled a complete game and kept his team in it. Big John Mathews led the losing team at the plate with two runs batted in.

It was another hot one and luckily the TOTS had packed up their equipment, jumped in their cars and headed home just hours before the temperature reached 107 degrees.

The heat continues and so does the Tucson Old Timers. Next game: Friday at Udall, game time 9 a.m.

Photo: Ron Ryan with his catching gear on. Today, he was on the mound, not behind the plate, and picked up the pitching victory.

Bookemdanosports reaches 3,000 post

Another milestone reached.

Bookemdanosports recently passed 3,000 post with the latest post on Pete Peter's dream released yesterday, June 26, 2018.

Once again thank you for all your support. Bookemdansports is officially nine years.

The first posts in July of 2009 included stories on three of the Tucson Old Timers Hall of Fame players -- Brad Tolson, Jerry Smarik and Clarence Fieber.

A note to my readers: Remember you can go to the search engine in the top left hand corner of my blog and insert a name, a name of a pro ball player, stories on the TOTS and players -- past and present, organizations..etc. If I have written a post about the individual or the organization it'll pop up.

Happy reading!

Pete's dream

Tucson Old Timers

60-and-over baseball

Pete Peters is the manager of the 60-and-over Tucson Old Timers. One of his many goals this year is to obtain a container, an 8x20 box, if you will, which will house all of the organization's baseball equipment at Udall Park -- including a min-sized tractor. The main job of the tractor: to ease the pain of dragging the diamond before each scheduled game every Monday, Wednesday and Friday.

Right now the "dragging" is done by hand and the job is handled by the younger players on the 60-and-over team. Add triple digits to the mix in the middle of the summer and the job becomes a tough one no matter the age of the human pulley.

Peters is close to having his container. It could be delivered in three to four weeks. "It's going to be great having a storage unit big enough for all our gear and equipment." Peters said.

Peters is chomping at the bit to get his container so much so he's having dreams about it.

"The other night I had a dream the truck was backing into the park and who do you think was guiding  the truck in?"

Any member of the TOTS would be able to answer that question.

It was Chico Bigham.

Chico was the TOTS' favorite umpire, one of the organization's top players and a workhorse when it came to preparing the field at Udall for play. Every Monday, Wednesday and Friday, Chico was up at the crack of dawn making sure his teammates had a smooth playing field to play on.

Chico passed away last October and he is still in the mind of all the members of the TOTS.

Especially, Pete Peters.

"It was as plain as day. The truck was backing in and there was Chico directing traffic."

Peters would be the first one to tell you that Mr. Bigham is upstairs and smiling down on the TOTS, getting a kick out of the pregame activities below. For years, Chico prepared the field hours before game time.

Peters adds with a smile, "Now we have anywhere from six to eight guys preparing the field."

Chico will always be missed by his teammates and never forgotten.


Photos: (top photo) Pete Peters in action on the field when he's not managing and (bottom photo) the man himself, Chico Bigham.

Aces roll!

60-and-over baseball

Tucson Aces

Right-hander Mike Dawson pitched seven complete innings and allowed just five hits to lead the 60-and-over Tucson Aces to a 11-3 win over the Arizona Ratters today at Udall Park. Dawson had a no-hitter going after three innings of play, gave up a hit in the fourth inning and just three more hits in the seventh as the Aces dominated the 60-and-over team from the south side.

The Aces built a 11-0 lead as they had little trouble with a trio of pitchers from the Rattlers -- including their starter, George Gafner. Back-to-back doubles in the fifth inning by Reed Palmer and John Mathews broke the game wide open as the Aces led 10-0 heading into the sixth inning.

Dawson allowed just one earned run as both runs in the top of the seventh came after three errors by the Aces. The Aces played error-less ball until the seventh inning.

"We played well on defense and we hit the ball well," said manager Bob Daliege, just moments after the game. Mike Steele, Lloyd Barzell, Mathews and Reed contributed two hits apiece during the contest, while Pigpen Price, Bill Mishler, Dennis Crowley, Brad Vermeer, Dawson and Daliege, all hit safely as well.

Price pulled a "hammy" in the fifth inning and 88-year-old Billy Heiny finished the game at second base. "Another hamstring problem," Price said. This one is high up and it's my left leg this time."

Back in January, Price had a hamstring tear in his right leg. Price, who turns 73 on Monday, added: "I'm getting too old for all these hamstring problems. You'd think I'd be in shape by now."

Most of the Aces return to action on Wednesday and Friday with the TOTS as the 60-and-over Tucson Old Timers resume their normal weekly schedule. Game time for the TOTS' games: 9 a.m.

Photos: (top) Mike Dawson (bottom) Pigpen Price

TOTS' oldest see action at Udall

Tucson Old Timers (TOTS)

60-and-over baseball

The four oldest active players on the 60-and-over Tucson Old Timers roster played this morning at Udall Park.

Floyd Lance, 92, who keeps retiring and yet returns to the field to get his swings in is now back to semi-retired status and played right field today and batted twice, while the second oldest TOT, Billy Heiny, 88, also played outfield today and batted three times.

Joe Aparicio, 84,  got his swings in today and went 0 for 2 and 80-year-old Denny Leonard also played outfield today and also went 0 for 2. All four were a combined 0 for 9, but all four represent the "best" of the TOTS.

As for the game, 61-year-old Reed Palmer hurled a shutout until the sixth inning when Team Blue scored three runs. Palmer and Team White were the victors today, 9-3.

Action continues at Udall Park this week with the 60-and-over Tucson Aces hosting the Arizona Rattlers on Tuesday at 9 a.m. and the Tucson Old Timers play on Wednesday and Friday this week. Game time for both at 9 a.m.

Photos (top to bottom): The senior TOTS -- Floyd Lance, Billy Heiny, Joe Aparicio and Denny Leonard.

Diamondbacks sweep Pirates

Arizona Diamondbacks


Arizona sweeps a four-game series with the Pirates in Pittsburgh, including today's 3-0 shutout win and improve to 44-33 on the season. The Diamondbacks maintain their 2 1/2 game in the NL West over the second-place Dodgers, who beat the Mets 8-7 in New York today.

The Diamondbacks head for Miami and a four-game series with the Marlins.

Diamondbacks hold on to first place in NL West after 75 games

Arizona Diamondbacks

The Arizona Diamondbacks, with 75 games into the 2018 season, are in first place in the NL West and a 2 1/2 game lead over the second-place LA Dodgers.

Not bad. Keep it going, Diamondbacks!

Arizona is 42-33 after a 2-1 win in 13 innings tonight in Pittsburgh. Still two more games to go with the Pirates -- including tomorrow's game with Zack Greinke (6-5) on the mound for the Diamondbacks.

A hot time at the ballpark

Tucson Old Timers (TOTS)

60-and-over baseball

There's no escaping the heat this time of year and it looks like there's no escaping Team Blue's hot hitters.

Today at Udall Park, the 60-and-over Tucson Old Timers challenged the heat and all the individual skills they could muster as Team Blue put together a 5-run fifth inning and a 5-run sixth inning to dispose of Team White, 13-6.

Early on it was all Team White as lefty Dennis Crowley kept the Team Blue bats in check through four innings of play. With a 5-3 lead, Crowley handed over the baseball to John Mathews in the fifth and Mike Dawson in the sixth. But that's when trouble struck as far as Team White was concerned.

Consecutive doubles off of Mathews in the top of the fifth inning by Doc Thompson, Reed Palmer and Mike Steele, along with an RBI single to center by Pete Peters and suddenly Team White's lead had vanished and they headed into the dugout in the bottom of the fifth trailing, 8-5. In the top of the sixth, it was more of the same as Lloyd Barzell highlighted the frame with a bases loaded triple as Team Blue enjoyed a commanding 13-5 lead.

Team White scored a lone run in the bottom of the sixth, but it wasn't near enough as Team Blue walked away with a win.

Bill Mishler led Team White with a 3 for 4 day, while Steele was the big gun for Team Blue with a 4 for 4 day -- including four RBI.

Team Blue's starting pitcher Bob Daliege sailed through the final two innings -- allowing just one run to preserve the "W."

The TOTS will rest up over the weekend and return to action on Monday at Udall. Game time: 9 a.m.

Photos: Mike Steele, who went 4 for 4 today for Team Blue and Bill Mishler, who collected three hits in four trips to the plate for Team White.

Steele steals the show

Tucson Old Timers (TOTS)

60-and-over baseball

Catcher Mike Steele went 3 for 4, drove in three runs and made the catch of the day on a high foul ball behind home plate to lead Team White to a 6-3 win over Team Blue today at Udall Park in a 60-and-over Tucson Old Timers game.

Steele,70, snuffed out a Team Blue rally when he dropped his mask in the fourth inning circled under the pop up and made the grab, his second outstanding play of the week which involved tough foul balls behind home plate.

The favorite two words uttered by Steele as he circles under the high-flying baseballs: "Oh, My!"

Followed of course by a huge grin.

Catching a baseball behind home plate is tough in any league, but especially tough when you're a senior citizen.

Way to go, Mike!

As for the game, Doc Thompson picked up the win for Team White. John Mathews led the way for Team Blue with three hits in four trips to the plate -- including two doubles.

The TOTS will take the weekend off and return to action on Monday at Udall. Game time: 9 a.m.

Photo: Mike Steele

5-run 6th inning lifts Tucson Aces to 10-8 win over Old Pueblo

Tucson Aces

60-and-over baseball

A couple of key hits -- an RBI single to left field by Mike Dawson and a 2-run single to right field by Tim Tolson --  highlighted a 5-run sixth inning as the Tucson Aces beat the visiting Old Pueblo Club 10-8 this morning at Udall Park in a 60-and-over old timers game.

Arnold Mares pitched well for the Old Pueblo Club through five innings, but Joe Jimenez came on in relief of Mares in the bottom of the sixth and the Aces greeted him by plating the five runs.

The Aces, down 4-2 early and 7-5 in the fifth, received a strong showing from right-hander Tim Boyd, who pitched six innings before giving way to Reed Palmer in the seventh.

The Aces power hitter Reed Palmer belted a two-run homer in the fourth inning. The blast cleared the fence in right-center with room to spare.

Old Pueblo, down 10-7 going into their final at bat, picked up a run, but the final two batters grounded out to end the game -- a backhand by Aces' second baseman Pigpen Price, who threw to Tolson at first for the second out and the final out was a ground ball to shortstop Lloyd Barzell who flipped to Price for the force out to end the game.

The Aces lineup today:

C  Mike Steele
P  Tim Boyd
1b Tim Tolson
2b Pigpen Price
3b Joe Opocensky
ss  Lloyd Barzell
LF  Reed Palmer
RC  Bill Mishler
CF  Mike Dawson
RF  Ron Ryan

Photo: The familiar swing of Tim Tolson who knocked in two runs in the Aces' five-run sixth inning today.

Doc Thompson's tools of the trade

Tucson Old Timers (TOTS)

60-and-over baseball

The 60-and-over Tucson Old Timers has a roster full of former high school and college players, but there is one member of the organization whose resume includes a stint in the minor leagues back in the mid 1960s.

DeLon "Doc" Thompson signed a contract and played minor league ball with the Minnesota Twins organization. Thompson also played college ball at Iowa State and his prep career at Roland, Iowa.

Thompson, now 75 and a member of the TOTS, shuffled through his closet recently and grabbed a hold of the three pieces of lumber he used back in the day -- the S2 model Louisville Slugger bats, all of which were the original Henry Aaron models. Thompson (above photo) decided to bring the former tools of his trade to Udall Park last week. He went as far as taking a hand full of cuts off the pitching machine, but balked at the idea of using the wood bats in a game.

"I've had these bats a long time and I didn't want to take a chance on cracking one or all of them," said Thompson, who has hung on to those "babies" for more than 50 years.

In fact, the 34-inch model he used in high school is 58 years old. He switched to a 33-inch Henry Aaron model in college and in the pros. "I dropped down to the 33-inch bat because the pitching was faster at the higher levels," Thompson added.

The bat he used in the Minnesota Twins organization has his name "Thompson" engraved in the signature space.

A few years ago, Thompson wrote to the Atlanta Braves in hopes of getting Aaron to autograph the three bats. "I had three sons at the time and wanted to give one bat to each one of my sons," Thompson said. "I got a letter back saying it would cost $650.00 to have each bat autographed. Needless to say, I did not get that accomplished."

Fast forward to June of 2018 and chances are slim the three bats will see action in a TOTS' game.

Thompson recalls he homered with the vintage Louisville Sluggers in high school, although he doesn't remember how may homers he hit at Roland High School, but he does remember hitting a  dinger at Iowa State and two round-trippers in his two-year stint in Class A ball with the Twins.

Chances are Thompson will return to aluminum with the TOTS, but he adds it certainly felt good to grab the handle of the old wood bats and take a few cuts even though it was off a pitching machine.

"It felt good to grab the three bats and take a cut or two. "The bats felt just as good in my hands as they did more than 50 years ago."

Another close one at Udall

Tucson Old Timers (TOTS)

60-and-over baseball

Big John Mathews went 3 for 4 and drove in two runs, while Team Blue's starting pitcher Bob Daliege hurled a complete game en route to a 8-7 win today in a 60-and-over Tucson Old Timers game at Udall Park.

As for Team White, they sent Mike Dawson to the mound in this one and he kept pace with Daliege for most of the game. He helped his own cause with two hits in three trips to the plate -- including a triple and four runs batted in.

It was another hot one, despite a 9 a.m. start. The TOTS will be back at it on Monday at Udall. As for the weather more of the same -- hot and dusty.

Team White edges Team Blue in 9-8 TOTS' win

Tucson Old Timers (TOTS)

60-and-over baseball

Right-hander Joe Opocensky hurled a complete game and Tim Boyd sprayed three hits around Udall Park as Team White edged Team Blue 9-8 in a 60-and-over baseball game this morning at Udall Park.

Ron Carlson went 3 for 3 for the losing team and Team Blue used three pitchers, including starter Ron Petersen, Pigpen Price and Reed Palmer.

Petersen left the game in the third inning with a hamstring pull, Price followed and couldn't get an  out, while Palmer finished the game and was saddled with the loss. Petersen was helped off the field, but left the ball park on his own.

"I think I'm going to be okay," said Petersen, who insists it is just a minor pull.

Hamstring pulls or tears are a normal injury for old timers 60 and over who play the game of baseball.

It was another hot one at Udall with the temperature sizzling near the 100 degree mark. The TOTS close out the week with a game on Friday at Udall. Game time: 9 a.m.

Petersen top hitter in May for TOTS

Tucson Old Timers (TOTS)

60-and-over baseball

Ron Petersen, 73, led the 60-and-over Tucson Old Timers in hits for the month of May with 23, while Reed Palmer led the club in RBI with 21 and finished first in batting average at .667.

Other top hitters include Lloyd Barzell (22 for 35, a .629 average), Tim Tolson (16 for 29, a .552 average), Bob Daliege (13 for 20, a .650 average), Doc Thompson (18 for 29, a .621 average) and Petersen, who ended up with 23 hits in 36 official trips to the plate, a .639 average.

TOTS' White edges TOTS' Blue, 11-5

Tucson Old Timers (TOTS)

60-and-over baseball

The 60-and-over Tucson Old Timers held their quarterly birthday party at Udall Park this morning following a very warm two-hour game in which Team White held on for a 11-5 win over Team Blue.

Once again it was Reed Palmer supplying the big blows for Team White with three key hits, while Mike Steele went 3 for 3 and drove in three runs for Team Blue. Pete Maldonado picked up the pitching victory, while Lloyd Barzell was saddled with the tough-luck loss.

The highlight of the game was the appearance of 92-year-old Floyd Lance, who picked up an RBI for Team Blue. Lance borrowed the jersey of Pete Peters, No. 29, in order to play in the game. Lance is awaiting his new jersey number, No. 92. Well, the numbers are correct, only in reverse order.

At any rate, it's nice to see Sir Floyd Lance back on the field. At least for one game. Lance is the oldest player to ever play for the Tucson Old Timers.

The TOTS will be back in action on Wednesday at Udall. Game time: 9 a.m.

Photo: Floyd Lance

Wildcats finish 34-22

Arizona Wildcats Baseball


The Arizona Wildcats finish the 2018 season with a 34-22 record, including a 14-16 showing in the Pac-12 Conference.

Not enough to make the postseason.

The Wildcats had their moments and were led all season long by Alfonso Rivas who finished the year with the best batting average at .342, in hits with 77 and second in RBI with 52. Nick Quintana led the Wildcats in RBI with 55 and in home runs with 14.