Tucson Old Timers (TOTS)
60-and-over baseball
There are three Tucson Old Timers out of action with illnesses, which will keep them off the field of play for good. It happens. After all, to be a TOT you have to be 60 years of age if you want to begin a journey as a player on the club, an amateur baseball team currently enjoying its 51st season.
One thing is for sure the active players have a special place in their hearts for their teammates -- the ones who for one reason or another (mostly health issues, of course) -- who no longer take the field of play to run, to throw, to catch...and swing the Louisville Slugger.
The trio includes 82-year-old Carl Brutovsky, 87-year-old Jerry Smarik and 81-year-old Bobby Katz -- three men who are simply the "heart" of the organization and carry the banner signifying what it is like to be a part of the TOTS' organization, which has been around since 1968.
The following are three articles, all prior posts on Bookemdanosports, which shine the spotlight on Brutovsky, Smarik and Katz.
When a member of the Tucson Old Timers celebrates a birthday it's usually another milestone -- another chip in the armor, if you will. There are times the old timer celebrates his special day on the baseball field.
So it went for 78-year-old Carl Brutovsky (photo above) at Udall Park this morning.
Brutovsky was born 78 years ago today in Johnson City, New York. A switch hitter, Brutovsky has been a member of the TOTS since 1999 and can still get the bat on the ball. In fact, he's having a pretty good 2014 season with 44 hits in 118 trips to plate -- including two hits to left field today as he led Team White to an 8-7 win over Team Blue. That's a .372 batting average.
Quite a difference from last year. In 2013, Brutovsky played in only 55 games and maintained a .177 batting average, but this season he's managed to stay off the disabled list and has played in 34 games and the club has yet to reach the halfway mark of the season. Carl took a spill at first base midway through the 2013 season and missed his share of games.
But this year no spills.
April/2017 article...
Just about every member of the 60-and-over Tucson Old Timers love their baseball gloves...their favorite mitt -- the one with the soft pocket, the one with a history behind it. Some oil their gloves regularly, some even stick their mitt into the oven for 30 seconds, whatever it takes to soften the leather.
Some of the players keep their mitt for years, others like to keep up with the times and purchase the newest Rawlings or Wilson at the local sporting goods store every year.
And some of the old timers who play for the TOTS hang on to their mitts forever.
Take 85-year-old Jerry Smarik for example.
Jerry is the third oldest TOT. He hails from Detroit, Michigan. He's married to his wife, Sharon. They celebrate 60 years of marriage in May. They've had quite the journey together. They've raised six children -- all grown up and away from home, raising their own children and making their own way through life.
Jerry loves to talk about his family, his days in the Navy, his many years as a U.S. Postman, delivering mail in Tucson for more than 30 years. Some days his memory just isn't there. "It comes and goes," he says.
What he does remember is baseball. He's been with the TOTS for over 25 years. He has over 1,400 hits and over 4,000 at bats and has the record well in hand for playing the most career games. His teammates call him the "iron man" -- a TOT since 1991.
And like most of his teammates, Smarik has his share of baseball equipment and paraphernalia, dating back to the early 1930s. One of his most cherished pieces of baseball equipment is an old catcher's mitt -- a gift from his father in 1947.
The mitt is still in the family. In fact, Jerry brought it to the ball park today. "All my kids used this mitt," Jerry said, after the game this morning at Udall Park (see above photos of Jerry and his mitt).
Jerry proudly showed off the old leather glove.
He put his left hand in his mitt. It fit perfectly.
Just like Jerry's life has been.
March/2014 article...
The Tucson Old Timers play at Udall Park three times a week and it doesn't take the players long to find out who's the fastest 60-and-over old timer. There are a few players -- closer to the age of 60 -- who can flat out run. The 70-and-over and the 80-and-over players, well let's just say the old legs aren't what they used to be.
On the other end of the spectrum are the "few good men" considered the slowest of the slowest. So this morning after the TOTS' game a race was held to determine the most fleet footed of the slow guys.
The four runners (using the word runners lightly) were 82-year-old Jerry Smarik, 87-year-old Jack Glickman, 76-year-old Bobby Katz and the youngest of the four speedsters (again, using the word lightly), 65-year-old Chuck Sabalos.
Sabalos, a retired Superior Court Judge for the State of Arizona, recently returned to the TOTS after undergoing extensive foot surgery. He has a couple of screws in his right foot and will never be able to "run" like he once did as a catcher on his Tucson Rincon High School baseball team.
"I just kinda wobble to first base," Sabalos said, after today's race. "It's going to be practically impossible to beat out a ball hit to an infielder. But, I can hit and I can handle things behind the plate. So, I guess I'm back."
Runner #2: Smarik, a retired Navy man and a retired postal inspector (one of those double-dippers) has a couple of nicknames on the TOTS. He's referred to as the "rocket" because he once said he needed one up his butt to get to first base. He's also affectionately called "the turbo turtle."
Runner #3: Katz, nicknamed "Gunner" is a former Marine and he knows full well that he is not blessed with a lot of speed, so he's developed a keen eye at the plate and leads the TOTS every year in walks.
Runner #4 Then there's Mr. Glickman. He's affectionately known as "Jack the Ripper." Every time he steps to the plate, Glickman carries with him the heaviest and longest bat available. Still, he pulls the ball down the third baseline on just about every swing. His problem, like the above players, is getting to first base before being thrown out.
So there you have it. Now, let's get on with the race.
In above photo, Sabalos (on the far left) got off to a good start, as did Glickman (2nd from the left), while Smarik (2nd from the right) stumbled out of the gate. On the far right, Katz took off slowly, but gained momentum as they headed from the third baseline to the finish line, which was predetermined to be the edge of the grass infield between first and second base.
The "Amazin' Race" took about eight seconds, maybe nine. Oh heck, let's make it an even 10 seconds.
The winner: Bobby Katz by a nose.
Smarik finished runner-up, Glickman held on for third with Sabalos finishing fourth.
There were no trophies issued -- just bragging rights for Mr. Katz.
The four speedsters will rest up and be back at it on Wednesday, the next scheduled TOTS' game.
Hats off to all four for a job well done.
The Tucson Old Timers play at Udall Park three times a week and it doesn't take the players long to find out who's the fastest 60-and-over old timer. There are a few players -- closer to the age of 60 -- who can flat out run. The 70-and-over and the 80-and-over players, well let's just say the old legs aren't what they used to be.
On the other end of the spectrum are the "few good men" considered the slowest of the slowest. So this morning after the TOTS' game a race was held to determine the most fleet footed of the slow guys.
The four runners (using the word runners lightly) were 82-year-old Jerry Smarik, 87-year-old Jack Glickman, 76-year-old Bobby Katz and the youngest of the four speedsters (again, using the word lightly), 65-year-old Chuck Sabalos.
Sabalos, a retired Superior Court Judge for the State of Arizona, recently returned to the TOTS after undergoing extensive foot surgery. He has a couple of screws in his right foot and will never be able to "run" like he once did as a catcher on his Tucson Rincon High School baseball team.
"I just kinda wobble to first base," Sabalos said, after today's race. "It's going to be practically impossible to beat out a ball hit to an infielder. But, I can hit and I can handle things behind the plate. So, I guess I'm back."
Runner #2: Smarik, a retired Navy man and a retired postal inspector (one of those double-dippers) has a couple of nicknames on the TOTS. He's referred to as the "rocket" because he once said he needed one up his butt to get to first base. He's also affectionately called "the turbo turtle."
Runner #3: Katz, nicknamed "Gunner" is a former Marine and he knows full well that he is not blessed with a lot of speed, so he's developed a keen eye at the plate and leads the TOTS every year in walks.
Runner #4 Then there's Mr. Glickman. He's affectionately known as "Jack the Ripper." Every time he steps to the plate, Glickman carries with him the heaviest and longest bat available. Still, he pulls the ball down the third baseline on just about every swing. His problem, like the above players, is getting to first base before being thrown out.
So there you have it. Now, let's get on with the race.
In above photo, Sabalos (on the far left) got off to a good start, as did Glickman (2nd from the left), while Smarik (2nd from the right) stumbled out of the gate. On the far right, Katz took off slowly, but gained momentum as they headed from the third baseline to the finish line, which was predetermined to be the edge of the grass infield between first and second base.
The "Amazin' Race" took about eight seconds, maybe nine. Oh heck, let's make it an even 10 seconds.
The winner: Bobby Katz by a nose.
Smarik finished runner-up, Glickman held on for third with Sabalos finishing fourth.
There were no trophies issued -- just bragging rights for Mr. Katz.
The four speedsters will rest up and be back at it on Wednesday, the next scheduled TOTS' game.
Hats off to all four for a job well done.
Photos: Carl Brutovsky (top), Jerry Smarik (middle) and Bobby Katz (bottom)...and a photo of the "Amazing Race" -- (from left to right) Chuck Sabalos, Jack Glickman, Jerry Smarik and Bobby Katz.
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