The 21st Century TOT

Tucson Old Timers (TOTS)

60-and-over baseball

The players who take to the baseball field at Udall Park are considered a 21st Century TOT -- only a handful are still around and can be "labeled" a 20th century member of the Tucson Old Timers - an amateur organization which got its start in the spring of 1968.

The original players are no longer with us. A 60-year-old TOT in 1968 would be 111 years old and all of them are playing the game of baseball in the heavens now on a well-manicured ball field... at a spacious complex without outfield fences. Instead, beautiful and fluffy clouds line the horizon and a home run belted into the bright blue sky does not require a radar gun to detect the speed of the oval as it spins through the heavens.

Currently there are four 20th century TOTS who still take the ball field at Udall on a regular bases -- 93-year-old Floyd Lance (1999-present), 90-year-old Billy Heiny (1997-present), 85-year-old Joe Aparicio (1998 to present) and 81-year-old Denny Leonard (1992-present).

All four are members of the 1,000 hit club. Only one member of the organization has ever reached the 2,000 hit club and that honor belongs to Chico Bigham, who passed away in 2017 after amassing 2,134  hits -- all of his hits coming between the years 1999 to 2017.

A Few Good Men -- make that quite a few good men -- have played for the TOTS over the years. In the 21st century alone we have lost TOTS' legends like Bigham, Ed Rife (2014), Clarence Fieber (2011), Jim Pagels (2015), Conrad Royskund (2018), Chuck Harkins (2019), Leo Brault (2008), Joel Blutfield (2013), Bunny Bechtold (2008), Joe Tappero (2007), Mort Adkins (2009), Don Wood (2010), Carl Brutovsky(2019) and Dick McAnally (2015).

Still remain are the 21st Century TOTS who show up at Udall every Monday, Wednesday and Friday and play America's favorite pastime. They include the youngsters between the ages of 60 and 70...the middle-aged TOTS between the ages of 71 to 80 and yes,  the selected few mentioned above -- the men that started swinging the lumber with the organization before the turn of the century.

The baton, so to speak, has passed on to a new era of players like the 60-something studs Reed Palmer, Tim Tolson, Mike Dawson, Tim Boyd, Pete Peters, Lloyd Barzell, Joe Opocensky, John Mathews along with Ron Ryan, Jesse Ochoa, Brad Vermeer, Phil Gordon, Ted Davis, Mike Taylor, Dan Boxberger, Ken Nebesny, Ray Garcia, Don Jorgensen, Pete Maldonado, Roger Beebe and Dennis Crowley, And the over-70 standouts like Doc Thompson, Pigpen Price, Mike Steele, Ron Petersen, Bill Mishler, Bob Daliege, Dave Rhoades, John Misiaszek, David Byars, Dick Ducklow, Jeff Helzel,  George Staas, Joe Dinich, Rob Morse,  Ron Carlson, Leon Glasshoffer, Jerry Hamelin, Bob Stofft, Arnie White and Miguel Urtaza.

Within the next three seasons, it is likely Bigham's hits record may be in jeopardy. Three players who could break the record are Barzell, Thompson and Tolson. Barzell, 69,  a prolific hitter who joined the TOTS in 2010, averages over 200-plus hits a season and is within 400 hits of the 2,000-hit mark as the TOTS are en route to completing its 51st season. Right behind him is the 77-year-old Thompson, who is closing in on the 1,500-hit mark and Tolson, the youngest member of the trio at the age of 67, has already surpassed the 1,400 mark.

Of course -- as you can see above -- the 60-and-over Tucson Old Timers are like a revolving door. There is no end in sight for the organization. Somewhere out there are some 50-somethings just chomping at the bit to join the club.

The TOTS live on...

Editor's Note: The author of the above, undoubtedly missed a name or two, but the reader should come away knowing the TOTS are built around men who play for the love of the game and give their all on and off the field to see to it the organization continues in the right direction. Thanks go out to the heart of our organization...men like Mal Zwolinski, 81, our scorekeeper, and Ed Seelbinder, 73, our Chef, and Bob Royer, 81, who volunteer's his time as an umpire and does it with a smile on his face, despite the "voices" from the dugout.

The TOTS top career hits leaders:

(the exact figures to be released in January of 2020)

*active

2,000 hit club       --  Chico Bigham (2,134)

1,600 hit club       --  Lloyd Barzell*

1,500 hit club       --  Doc Thompson*

                             --  Denny Leonard*

1,400 hit club       --  Tim Tolson*

                             --  Jerry Smarik

                             --  Floyd Lance*

1,300 hit club       --  Ed Rife

                              -- Pigpen Price*

                              -- Jerry Hamelin*

1,200 hit club       -- Dennis Crowley*

                             -- Brad Tolson

                             -- Billy Heiny*

                             -- Ron Petersen*

                             -- Pete Peters*

1,100 hit club       -- Dave Rhoades*

1,000 hit club       -- Bob Daliege*

                             -- Joe Aparicio*
                               


            

The man from Tennessee gets a win

Tucson Old Timers (TOTS)

60-and-over baseball

George Staas, 72, grew up in Dayton, Ohio and now resides in Knoxville, Tennessee. He does own a home in Tucson and, when in town, he plays baseball with the 60-and-over Tucson Old Timers.

It's still a little warm for Staas, but today he joined the TOTS for an early-morning game at Udall Park. Staas agreed to take the mound today and pitch for Team Blue.

Surprisingly, the lanky right-hander kept the Team White hitters at bay for six innings and picked up a 6-4 win, out dueling Team White's right-hander Joe Opocensky.

Staas held on to a 5-0 shutout until the bottom of the fourth inning when Team White plated four runs to pull within one run at 5-4. Team Blue added an insurance run in the top of the sixth and Team White came to bat needing a two-run rally to tie the game and a three-run rally for a come-from-behind win.

They almost got the job done. With the bases loaded and one out, Team Blue's Jesse Ochoa made a shoestring catch in shallow center and doubled up Team White's runner Ron Ryan, who couldn't get back to first base in time.

A thrilling ending to a well-played game.

Pigpen Price and Thunder Tim Tolson led the Team Blue hitters today -- Price went 2 for 2 and two RBI, while Tolson added two hits and also drove in two runs. Tim Boyd had two hits for the losing team.

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

Photo: Today's winning pitcher George Staas.

Palmer's 16th homer leads to 5-2 TOTS' win

Tucson Old Timers (TOTS)

60-and-over baseball

Reed Palmer broke a 2-2 tie in the bottom of the fifth inning with a three-run homer to lift Team White to a 5-2 win over Team Blue today in a 60-and-over Tucson Old Timers game at Udall Park.

Floyd Lance, 93, reached base on an error and Bill Mishler followed with a perfect bunt down the third baseline to set the table for Palmer's club-leading 16th home run of the season. The hard-hitting lefty, who broke the club's single season record in 2018 with 29 round trippers, has hit 45 homers at Udall in the past 20 months. Palmer needs just 14 homers in the next four months to break his own record.

Doc Thompson singled and doubled for Team White, while Thunder Tim Tolson ripped two singles for the losing team. Lloyd Barzell pitched well for Team Blue, but was saddled with the loss. Team White's Jesse Ochoa made the catch of the day in right field in the top of the fifth inning when he made a shoestring catch to rob Team Blue's Pete Peters of an extra-base hit.

"I knew I had to either catch the ball or get in position to knock the ball down," Ochoa said. "If the ball gets by me it's a sure two runs."

Everything went Team White's way in the fifth. Ochoa makes the catch of the day to keep Team Blue from scoring and Palmer, who pitched all six innings for Team White, follows with the game-winning blow and earns the pitching victory.

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

Vermeer makes on-his-heels, basket catch in 6-5 TOTS' win

Tucson Old Timers (TOTS)

60-and-over baseball

Brad Vermeer, 68, played left field for Team White today at Udall Park in a 60-and-over Tucson Old Timers game and made the catch of the day in the sixth inning to help preserve a 6-5 win over Team Blue.

The game featured two of the TOTS' top pitchers -- Team Blue's Doc Thompson and Team White's Reed Palmer. Down by one run, Team Blue came to bat in the sixth and Mike Dawson, one of the best contact hitters in the organization, stepped to the plate to face Palmer.

Dawson found a pitch to his liking and drilled a shot to left field. Vermeer turned and prepared for an over-the-head catch, but at the last second he found himself on his heels and was forced to make a one-handed basket catch to retire Dawson.

"I was on my way to second base when I heard the noise," Dawson said. "Brad had made the play."

It happens. When you get a bunch of oldtimers together to play the game of baseball, you can expect the unexpected. Bottom line: Vermeer made the catch of the day for the first out in Team Blue's final at bat. Team White retired the next two batters on ground outs to end the game.

John Mathews knocked in four of Team White's six runs. Jerry Hamelin, Thompson and Dawson had two hits apiece for Team Blue.

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

Photo: Vermeer

60-and-over Aces edge Old Pueblo Club, 6-4

The Tucson Aces

60-and-over baseball

Mike Dawson pitched a complete game and went 3 for 3 at the plate to lead the Tucson Aces to a 6-4 win over the Old Pueblo Club today at Santa Rita Park. Dawson coaxed the home team into a lot of ground ball outs and was helped out by three 6-4-3 double plays as the Aces led 1-0 early and increased their lead to 5-1 in the fourth and added an insurance run in the sixth.

The Aces got a lot of help from the bottom of the lineup today as the 6 through 10 batters accounted for seven hits and five of the six runs. The double plays certainly helped as Aces' shortstop Lloyd Barzell teamed up with second baseman Pigpen Price to complete the twin-killings.

The Old Pueblo Club made it interested with a four-run fifth inning, thanks in part to an opposite field 2-run double from Bobby Long. In the bottom of the seventh inning, Old Pueblo continued to hit the ball into the ground and right into the gloves of the Aces' defenders with a ground ball out to Randy Livingston at third base for the first out and the final two outs coming on ground balls to Barzell.

Aces' catcher Pete Peters was exceptional behind the plate today, according to Dawson.  "We were able to keep the ball low and we had a lot of first pitch strikes. It makes things a lot easier when you can get that first pitch over the plate."

Today's Tucson Aces' lineup:

C-  Pete Peters

P    Mike Dawson

1B  Tim Tolson

2B  Pigpen Price

3B  Randy Livingston

SS  Lloyd Barzell

LF  Tim Boyd

LC  Reed Palmer

RC  Dennis Crowley

RF  Ron Ryan and Roger Beebe

Photo: Dawson

Opocensky does it all in TOTS' win

Tucson Old Timers ( TOTS)

60-and-over baseball

Joe Opocensky, 69, is one of three power-hitting left-handers on the 60-and-over Tucson Old Timers. The other two -- Reed Palmer and Tim Tolson -- have combined for 22 home runs this season. Opocensky has had little trouble consistently ripping the ball off the fence at Udall Park and it's just a matter of time before his hard shots begin to find the trees beyond the right-center field fence on more of a regular basis.

Today at Udall, Opocensky hit his second home run of the season -- a three-run blast over the right field fence. Opocensky drove in four runs and was the winning pitcher as Team White beat Team Blue, 9-5.

Opocensky's homer came in the third inning and Team Blue was forced to play catch up the rest of the way. Lloyd Barzell, 68, went the distance for Team Blue and was saddled with the loss. Big John Mathews led the losing team with three hits, while Bob Stofft added a couple of sharp singles to left field.

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

Photo: the hard-hitting Joe Opocensky.

A lopsided win at Udall

Tucson Old Timers (TOTS)

60-and-over baseball

It was a lopsided win at Udall Park on Friday as Team White cruised to a 16-4 win over Team Blue in a 60-and-over Tucson Old Timers game.

Mike Dawson was the winning pitcher and helped his own cause at the plate with a 4 for 4 day, while teammate Reed Palmer was the big run producer with three hits, four runs scored and six RBI. One of Palmer's big blows was a grand slam home run -- his club leading 15th homer of the season.

Pete Maldonado pitched for Team Blue and suffered the loss. Doc Thompson and Tim Tolson led the losing team with two hits apiece. Both players doubled.

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

Barzell tosses a 4-hitter

Tucson Old Timers (TOTS)

60-and-over baseball

Pitcher Lloyd Barzell, 68, carried a shutout into the sixth inning and allowed only four hits to lead Team White to a  5-1 win over Team Blue today at Udall Park in a 60-and-over Tucson Old Timers game.

The game turned into a pitching duel for four innings between Barzell and Team Blue's Reed Palmer, but in the bottom of the fourth Tim Tolson doubled in a run to give Team White the lead. Team White added another four runs in the fifth on a 2-run double from Doc Thompson and RBI singles from Tolson and John Mathews.

Barzell lost his shutout in the top of the six inning when he walked Bill Mishler with the bases loaded for Team Blue's only run of the game. Team Blue had just four singles in the game -- one each by Mike Dawson, Pigpen Price, Reed Palmer and Joe Opocensky.

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

Photo: Barzell

Palmer hits 14th homer in TOTS' win

Tucson Old Timers (TOTS)

60-and-over baseball

Team White picked up a 12-5 win over Team Blue today at Udall Park in a 60-and-over Tucson Old Timers game.

Thunder Tim Tolson went 3 for 4, while Lloyd Barzell went 4 for 4 and knocked in two runs to lead Team White to an easy win.

Reed Palmer played for Team Blue and hit his 14th home run of the season, while John Mathews went 2 for 3. Joe Opocensky went the distance for Team White and picked up the pitching victory, while Mike Dawson pitched for Team Blue and was saddled with the loss.

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

Tolson, Ryan, Dawson led the TOTS' hitters in July

Tucson Old Timers (TOTS)

60-and-over baseball

Three players on the 60-and-over Tucson Old Timers collected at least 20 hits during the month of July. The top eight hitters during the month banged out a total of 151 hits. There were 35 doubles and four home runs hit at Udall Park in July and five players combined for 75 RBI.

It was certainly a hot month at the plate for a bunch of old timers.

Leading the way was lefty Tim Tolson, who played in 11 of the 12 games. Tolson went 24 for 34, a .706 batting average, with one home run and six doubles. He finished second in runs-batted-in with 18.

Ron Ryan was even hotter. Ryan, who played in 10 games, went 20 for 24, a blistering .800 average and he tied for the club lead in doubles with six and finished the month with the most RBI (19).

Mike Dawson, who played in all 12 games, went 20 for 36, a .556 average.

The other five July bangers and their stats included: Reed Palmer, who led the club with three homers for the month, scored the most runs with 16 and finished with 18 hits in 27 at bats, a .667 average; Dennis Crowley, who went 19 for 28, a .679 average; Doc Thompson, who went 18 for 33, a .545 average; Lloyd Barzell, who went 18 for 38, a .474 average and John Mathews, who went 14 for 31, a .452 average.

The other three RBI leaders included Palmer with 16, while Dawson and Thompson finished in a tie for fourth with 11.

Joe Opocensky was the top pitcher for the month with four wins and just one loss. Palmer went 3-0.

The hot temperatures will, of course, remain in triple digits through the month of August, but nothing seems to faze the TOTS' big swingers. The TOTS already have one game in the books for August -- a 12-10 slugfest won at Udall Park today by Team Blue over Team White.

Way to go, TOTS!

A slugfest at Udall

Tucson Old Timers (TOTS)

60-and-over baseball

There were plenty of hits at Udall Park this morning as the 60-and-over Tucson Old Timers opened their August schedule with a real slugfest. With the temperature already in the mid-90s and the humidity hovering around 50 percent, Team Blue outlasted Team White, 12-10.

Team White had four hits and four RBI from hard-hitting lefty Reed Palmer. In his first at bat of the game Palmer belted a three-run homer -- his club-leading 13th round tripper of the season. Teammates Ken Nebesny collected three hits in four trips to the plate, while Pigpen Price also went 3 for 4. Nebesny and Price drove in two runs apiece, but in the end, it just wasn't enough to get Team White over the hump as Team Blue used the hot hitting of Thunder Tim Tolson and Ron Ryan to get the job done.

Tolson and Ryan were a thorne in the side of Team White's starter Doc Thompson and Palmer, who ended up relieving Thompson in the fifth inning and was saddled with the loss. Tolson and Ryan combined for seven hits and seven RBI.

It looked like Team White was on its way to a win with a five-run fifth inning to take an 8-7 lead, but in the sixth Team Blue regained the lead with a five-run rally of their own. In Team White's final at bat in the bottom of the sixth, Nebesny, Palmer and Price combined for three hits and two runs, but Pete Maldonado, the winning pitcher for Team Blue, got the final two batters of the game, Rob Morse and Joe Aparicio, to ground out to end the game.

Photos: 1) Maldonado, who picked up the pitching victory today at Udall Park and 2) Reed Palmer, who belted his club-leading 13th home run of the season today -- a three-run shot in the first inning over the right field fence.