Pigpen lives up to his nickname

Tucson Old Timers TOTS)

60-and-over baseball

Pigpen Price, 73, had a rare day at the plate with three hits in three trips to the plate today at Udall Park to help Team White roll by Team Blue 5-1 in a 60-and-over Tucson Old Timers game.

Price, a member of the TOTS since 2008, picked up his nickname years ago due to his constant battle with the ground. "I have a hard time staying on my feet at times and my knees (see above photo) pay the price -- no pun intended.”

Today was no exception. In the fifth inning, Price battled a slow roller off the bat of 84-year-old Joe Aparicio. "I kicked it (the ball) pretty good and scuffed up my knee for the 4,000th time (actually, I've lost count)," Price adds.

Reed Palmer also had three hits today for Team White, while Thunder Tim Tolson (another nickname on the TOTS that seems to stick) went 3 for 3 for the losing team. Team White lefty Dennis Crowley allowed just one run in seven innings to pick up the pitching victory, while another lefty, John Mathews, was saddled with the loss.

As for Price and the slow roller. "Sometimes the ball just spins away from you and the harder you try to pick up the ball the worse it gets." As for Team White's infield, they did their job for the most part with Palmer at third base, Mike Dawson at shortstop, Doc Thompson at first base and with Price at second as they made their share of plays to help support Crowley.

The top play of the day went to Team Blue's third baseman Joe Opocensky, who hauled in a shot down the third baseline by Team White's Ron Ryan. Billy Heiny, 89, also made a nice grab in short left field to snuff out a Team Blue rally.

As for all the cuts and bruises, it goes with the territory. Band-Aids are a requirement for all players on the 60-and-over TOTS.

The TOTS return to action on Friday at Udall. Game time: 9 a.m.

Note: As for Band-Aids, they were first introduced to the world in 1920 by Johnson and Johnson. Their tagline: "I am stuck on Band-Aid 'cause Band-Aid's stuck on me!" Price makes sure his bat bag contains plenty of the product.