Why we keep coming back

 

Tucson Old Timers (TOTS)

60-and-over baseball

For a few hours every morning on Monday, Wednesday and Friday a baseball game is played at Udall Park. It's simply the best game in town during that time frame. The 60-and-over Tucson Old Timers take the field and play America's Favorite Pastime.

Surprisingly, the games are competitive. The group of players bring all their aches and pains to the ball park. Some have spent an hour or two loosening up at home. Some may even ask themselves, "Do I really want to get out of bed this morning?"

But there they are. Rise and shine. They show up at the ball park and begin warmups and for the next two hours the players retreat back in time and play for the love of the game.

It was no different on Wednesday at Udall. The game went down to the wire with Team White's Reed Palmer. 64,  besting Team Blue's Brad Vermeer, 69, for a 6-5 win. Team White owned a 6-0 lead early and then set back and watched Team Blue chip away at the lead.

The big blow came in the fifth inning on a booming double off the center field fence by Big John Mathews. Two runs scored as Team White increased their lead from 4-1 to 6-2.

In the seventh, the final at bat for Team Blue, Mike Dawson doubled to left and two runs scored to make the score 6-5. With two out, Vermeer stepped to the plate with the tying run on first base. Palmer quickly got ahead in the count with two blazing fastballs.

After two hours and 15 minutes, the game came down to one more pitch. Vermeer waited for another high hard one from Palmer, instead a change up eased its way to the plate. "Strike three!"

Another game in the books for the TOTS. They'll be back for more on Friday at Udall. Game time: 9 a.m.

Why do the old timers keep coming back?

The answer comes from Team White's second baseman Pigpen Price, the oldest player on the field yesterday. Soon to be 76, Price pushes his body to be alongside his teammates. "It's easy to explain, Price says. "We want to go back in time. Back when we played the game as a young man and we made all the plays, ran like the wind and hit every ball that crossed the plate."

Yesterday was Price's day. "Nothing hurt for a change. I moved left and right and made all the plays. Just like I did at the age of 21. It's 2021 now. I know that, but yesterday it was a sunny day in 1966 and the ball was coming my way."

Hats off to the TOTS!

Photos: 1) The TOTS' emblem. 2) the ball we use...and yes, sometimes we chase the ball in the desert. 3) The 2021 TOTS.