The diehards on the TOTS play on

 Tucson Old Timers (TOTS)

60-and-over baseball

The 60-and-over Tucson Old Timers have had everything thrown at them this season, including a deadly coronavirus and excessive heat.

Yet they play on.

The TOTS would normally have close to 100 games in the books by mid August, but today's game at Udall Park was just the 50th official game this season and fifth game this month. And it was a hot one.

With the temperatures expected to reach somewhere between 110 and 113 this afternoon, the TOTS took the field this morning with an 8:30 start. They were lucky enough to have a little cloud cover and a slight breeze and they had just enough diehard members on hand for another official game as Team Blue beat Team White, 11-5.

The TOTS are trying their best to complete the organization's 53rd season, but it hasn't been easy with just four games completed in March, none in April, and just six in May. The TOTS were back in full swing with 19 games combined for June and July and they are off to a fairly good start in August.

Today the first five batters in Team Blue's lineup collected 11 runs, banged out 15 hits and knocked in nine of the runs. Leadoff batter Mike Steele went 2 for 6 and knocked in two runs, Pete Peters went 3 for 5 and scored three times, Doc Thompson went 4 for 5 and scored four times, Pigpen Price went 3 for 6 and knocked in a run and Mike Dawson went 3 for 6 with two doubles and five runs-batted-in.

Ken Nebesny was the big gun for Team White with a 4 for 5 day, while John Mathews knocked in two of the five runs. Dawson picked up the pitching victory and Brad Vermeer was saddled with the loss.

The TOTS "diehards" will take the weekend off and return to Udall on Monday.

Below are the top five players (diehards) in at bats and hits, home runs and RBI through July/2020.

At bats

Ken Nebesny  150, Reed Palmer  143, Tim Tolson  137,  Mike Steele  124,  Pigpen Price  123.

Hits

Tim Tolson  93,  Reed Palmer  75,  Ken Nebesny  67,  Mike Dawson  64,  Rober Beebe  62.

Home Runs

Reed Palmer  7,  Joe Opocensky  1

RBI

Reed Palmer  59,  Tim Tolson  54,  John Mathews  44, Mike Dawson 38, Ron Ryan  35,  Doc Thompson  30.