The remarkable life of Robert Emmet Kirby

 Tucson Old Timers (TOTS)

60-and-over baseball

The oldest living TOT passed away peacefully at home on December 20, 2020.

Robert Emmet Kirby, 99, joined the 60-and-over Tucson Old Timers back in 1984. Due to health issues, Robert hadn't taken his cuts at the old baseball for more than 30 years, but he was a regular at all the birthday get togethers, club luncheons and Christmas parties.

Kirby would have turned 100 on February 27, 2021.

Like many TOTS, Kirby lived an interesting life. Boy did he!

Bob grew up during the Great Depression. The second oldest in a family of 13. He left his home in Stowe Township, PA., and joined the army, stormed the Normandy Beach on D-day and battled through the major European campaigns. In 2013, he was awarded the French Legion of Honor Medal for his heroism.

While training for D-Day he met an English gal named Peggy. They were married six weeks later and adopted four children. Their romance lasted 46 years and Bob would go on to earn a B.S., M. S., and a Ph. D in Chemistry. He spent his career as a professor of chemistry at Queens College in New York.

After the loss of his first wife, Bob was fortunate to find a second love, Etsu Suzuki, and they spent 27 years together, traveling the world and enjoying every moment of their marriage.

And yes, the couple (see above photo) showed up in the bleachers at Udall Park on many occasions over the past 20 years and watched the Tucson Old Timers play the game of baseball. Ironically, Bob was even instrumental in helping Ken Nebesny, currently a member of the TOTS and a retired staff chemist at the University of Arizona, find his way to a successful career. Both men had a lot in common, despite the fact their age difference totaled 36 years. Bob Kirby, the professor of chemistry at Queens College and the young Nebesny, who grew up in da Bronx. Ken joined the TOTS in 2018, Kirby in 1984.

Photo: Ken Nebesny prior to a TOTS game in 2019 with Bob Kirby and Etsu.

  

 

Will the words ever flow again?

 

From the desk of Dan Price

I envision a hazy corridor with a row of doors and a carpeted hallway only a Jack Nicholson could walk down comfortably.  A  shadowy figure emerges dressed in a dark colored trench coat and with both hands attempts to unlock the first door, the second and the third, all to no avail. Hunched over, the figure moves on to the next door and the next. The hands begin to shake as the figure reaches the last door on the left.

No need for a key. The door is slightly ajar. The figure, now startled, slowly closes the door and disappears into the night.

That sums up my past three weeks. Since 2009, the doors have always been unlocked as the words have flowed freely, sometimes making sense, sometimes not. What does it all mean? Beyond all those locked doors, the world struggles and the people in it scatter in all directions, trying desperately to make sense of it all.

We continue to lose our loved ones and our sports heroes. Hank Aaron passed away Friday at the age of 86, Don Sutton died Monday at the age of 75. Over 400,000 Americans have died from the coronavirus. A new president emerges. The 46th president of the United States begins his first full week in office. The  45th president of the United Sates reluctantly bows out and heads for Florida.

Chances are that shadowy figure is yours truly. Chances are this beaten and battered old man will stop half way down the steps, make a u-turn, return to the last door on the left and return to my little place in the sun, still clinging to what words I have left, hopefully reconnecting with my die-hard readers who have followed me for the past 12 years.

Just a year ago, the major league pitchers were packing their bags and heading off to spring training. Some had thrown a pitch or two, some had not logged one inning of game action. Here we are again. Already, there are rumors flying around of ripping into a 162- regular season schedule.

Locally, our amateur 60-and-over baseball club, the Tucson Old Timers (TOTS), is sidelined once again. No groups of eight or more. A curfew to boot. The club's last game was back on January 4th.

January is coming to an end.

The old man has thrown off his trench coat and placed his arthritic right hand on the last door on the left. He begins to push forward. 

We shall see what awaits.

Ted Davis is back!

 Tucson Old Timers (TOTS)

60-and-over baseball

Ted Davis, 70, has tried to retire from the 60-and-over Tucson Old Timers on more than one occasion.

In fact, the Athens, Alabama native, has been a member of the TOTS since 2011, and has been on the injured list more times than the Alabama Crimson Tide has won national titles. Of course, that's saying a lot since Alabama's football coach, Nick Saban, 69, has won six national titles at Alabama and next week will go up against Ohio State in search of a seventh crown.

Well the tide has turned. And we are talking about Davis, mind you. Davis returned to the playing field today at Udall Park, caught an entire game behind the plate, while going 2 for 2 with a walk and drove in two runs to lead Team Blue to a  7-4 win over Team White in a 60-and-over Tucson Old Timers game.

It was the first game of 2021 for the TOTS and Mike Dawson struck out three and didn't walk a batter en route to the pitching victory, while Team White's Bob Daliege struck out four and walked four, but was saddled with the loss. Team White tried to rally in the bottom of the sixth with a three-spot, but Daliege hit a come-backer to the mound with runners at the corners for the final out of the game.

Pete Peters was the big gun at the plate for Team White with a 3 for 4 day and scored two of the four runs. Leadoff hitter Dennis Crowley had a good day for Team Blue with two hits, two walks and two runs batted in.

The TOTS return to action at Udall on Wednesday. Game time: 10 a.m.

Photos: Ted Davis in uniform and ready to play and also playing catch while on the DL.

The TOTS final stats for 2020

 Tucson Old Timers (TOTS)

60-and-over baseball

Read 'em and weep, fellas. The final stats for the year 2020 are in, thanks to professor Bill Mishler.

TOTS: You did good. A short season in 2020 with the coronavirus. Only three players --Reed Palmer (86), Pigpen Price (82) and Mike Steele (80) logged in 80 or more games. Thunder Tim Tolson led the batting charts with the most hits (172), most RBI (108), most runs (95) and best batting average (.675).

Forty-five members saw action in 2020 and 13 pitchers toed the rubber. Mike Dawson was the TOTS top hurler with 20 wins, 8 losses.

See complete stats below: