On the Way Out
Vol. 2, Part 9
A message from Tebow...a look back at the 2019 Men's Senior Baseball League World Series...a special lineup card found in the dugout at Tempe Diablo
I know failure is something that defines a lot of people. I could have easily allowed the lows in my life to influence my identity.
I’ve failed a lot of people. I’ve made a lot of mistakes. I’ve thought the wrong things. I’ve wondered how God could even use me. I’ve won two national championships and a Heisman Trophy, and I’ve been released from, oh, several NFL teams.
But just as I try not to let the trophies, the wins, the awards, the magazine covers, or the accolades I’ve earned and experienced define me, I also try not to let the disappointments in my life tell me who I am. I just know that God is on my side. And with Him, all things are possible.
And while I may get hurt, disappointed, or frustrated by the negative side of these outcomes, my foundation doesn’t have to change.
Even if I wrestle with internal feelings, I can hold on to God’s truth. I know He’s got a plan for me, even when I don’t know what it is or when it seems to look totally different than what I imagined. This is what identity is about.
Facebook family, my hope and prayer is that this encourages you— no matter what’s happened in your life, no matter what you’re burdened by or how you’ve been disappointed— your identity is based in who God says you are, and God can and will use those whose heart is His -- Tim Tebow
Read on...
Two years ago...
Men's Senior Baseball League World Series
32nd annual
Dates: Oct 13 thru Oct 27 -- 2019
Sites: All the major league spring training grounds/parks in the Phoenix area
Participants from the Tucson Old Timers: Bill Mishler, Pete Peters, Lloyd Barzell, Bob Daliege, Pigpen Price, Tim Tolson, Joe Opocensky, Mike Dawson, John Mathews, Doc Escala, Arnie White and Danny Boxberger
The teams the above players played for: 70-and-over San Antonio Texans, 65-and-over Tucson Toros, 73-and-over Arizona Scorpions and the 65-and-over and 70-and-over Seattle Mariners.
For 12 members of the local 60-and-over baseball club, the Tucson Old Timers, it was quite the experience for them the past couple of weeks at the Men's Senior Baseball League World Series. For 10 of the members from the TOTS one week was enough -- eight games the first week by the players on the runner-up 70-and-over San Antonio Texans, five games for the 65-and-over Tucson Toros and a grueling two weeks for Danny Boxberger and Pigpen Price, who played for multiple teams.
Most of the TOTS came away unscathed, except for Lloyd Barzell (shortstop for the 70-and-over Texans) and Pigpen Price (second baseman for the Texans and third baseman for the 73-and-over Arizona Scorpions).
Barzell, the hitting star of the 12, ended up with five stitches in his right hand (index finger), yet played, competed and shined in the games following his injury -- all the way to the final inning of the championship game in the 70-and-over division. The Texans went 5-3 in their division and finished runner-up for the second time in three years. The Chicago Grays beat the "Tucson Boys" and the Texans in the finale. The Grays get the "rings" and the Texans received t-shirts with the word Finalist on them.
Danny Boxberger's Seattle teams took it on the chin and came away with one win in 10 games. The 65-and-over Toros won 2 and lost 3 games...and hung around for a few hours to see if they qualified for the playoffs. They just missed. In the end, it was the 73-and-over Scorpions (White and Price) taking center stage. It wasn't pretty as the Scorpions were forced to play with nine guys, until the fifth and final game of the week when they had 11 available players. "It seemed like a Christmas present on the final day," said Price.
White led the Scorpions in hitting and Price was second. Price was helped off the field with two innings to go with a hamstring pull in the left leg, after playing 13 games over the two-week period.
Some people may consider the "Dirty Dozen" crazy for playing the game of baseball in their "golden years." But for the players involved it is simply just like being a kid on the sandlot once again, making the plays and listening to the roar of a handful of fans in the stands.
For the members of the Texans, it was a special treat twice during their week of competition as they went up against a former major-leaguer Bill "Spaceman" Lee. The man won 119 games in the majors with the Boston Red Sox and the Montreal Expos. Yes, he was a character then and still is at the age of 72. Lee was certainly a pleasure to play against and to converse with in the parking lot after every game.
The Good, the Bad and the Ugly of the MSBL World Series --
Once in a while, players will run up against teams that are simply "out of their league." For instance, this year's three champions -- Chicago Grays, Dodgertown West (not as much, they had to battle all the way for their rings) and a team named Team Cambria, which made the final in the 12-team 73-and-over division.
The story above centers on the very, very Good of the MSBL World Series. The Good out weighs the Bad...those lopsided affairs. As for the Ugly of the MSBL World Series: There isn't any. It's a wonderful experience for an old baseball player who refuses to give up the game and has the opportunity to play in such a prestigious setting.
The author of this blog (and one of the Dirty Dozen from Tucson), knows firsthand that it doesn't get any better than this. I remember playing in the MSBL World Series a few years back, one of my 13 years that I have been competing at the annual event. The team I was on had entered the dugout at Tempe Diablo Stadium, prior to a round-robin game. A lineup card was taped to the wall on the south end of the dugout. The lineup card included Tim Tebow. Tempe Diablo is the spring training home of the Los Angeles Angels.
Most of the TOTS came away unscathed, except for Lloyd Barzell (shortstop for the 70-and-over Texans) and Pigpen Price (second baseman for the Texans and third baseman for the 73-and-over Arizona Scorpions).
Barzell, the hitting star of the 12, ended up with five stitches in his right hand (index finger), yet played, competed and shined in the games following his injury -- all the way to the final inning of the championship game in the 70-and-over division. The Texans went 5-3 in their division and finished runner-up for the second time in three years. The Chicago Grays beat the "Tucson Boys" and the Texans in the finale. The Grays get the "rings" and the Texans received t-shirts with the word Finalist on them.
Danny Boxberger's Seattle teams took it on the chin and came away with one win in 10 games. The 65-and-over Toros won 2 and lost 3 games...and hung around for a few hours to see if they qualified for the playoffs. They just missed. In the end, it was the 73-and-over Scorpions (White and Price) taking center stage. It wasn't pretty as the Scorpions were forced to play with nine guys, until the fifth and final game of the week when they had 11 available players. "It seemed like a Christmas present on the final day," said Price.
White led the Scorpions in hitting and Price was second. Price was helped off the field with two innings to go with a hamstring pull in the left leg, after playing 13 games over the two-week period.
Some people may consider the "Dirty Dozen" crazy for playing the game of baseball in their "golden years." But for the players involved it is simply just like being a kid on the sandlot once again, making the plays and listening to the roar of a handful of fans in the stands.
For the members of the Texans, it was a special treat twice during their week of competition as they went up against a former major-leaguer Bill "Spaceman" Lee. The man won 119 games in the majors with the Boston Red Sox and the Montreal Expos. Yes, he was a character then and still is at the age of 72. Lee was certainly a pleasure to play against and to converse with in the parking lot after every game.
The Good, the Bad and the Ugly of the MSBL World Series --
Once in a while, players will run up against teams that are simply "out of their league." For instance, this year's three champions -- Chicago Grays, Dodgertown West (not as much, they had to battle all the way for their rings) and a team named Team Cambria, which made the final in the 12-team 73-and-over division.
The story above centers on the very, very Good of the MSBL World Series. The Good out weighs the Bad...those lopsided affairs. As for the Ugly of the MSBL World Series: There isn't any. It's a wonderful experience for an old baseball player who refuses to give up the game and has the opportunity to play in such a prestigious setting.
The author of this blog (and one of the Dirty Dozen from Tucson), knows firsthand that it doesn't get any better than this. I remember playing in the MSBL World Series a few years back, one of my 13 years that I have been competing at the annual event. The team I was on had entered the dugout at Tempe Diablo Stadium, prior to a round-robin game. A lineup card was taped to the wall on the south end of the dugout. The lineup card included Tim Tebow. Tempe Diablo is the spring training home of the Los Angeles Angels.
Tebow in his quest to play Major League Baseball had stepped into the same dugout just the day before.
Albert Pujols has grabbed his Louisville Slugger out of the same dugout, stepped up and into the on-deck circle and awaited his turn at bat at the Angels' spring training site at Diablo many times. Just like I have done, and my teammates have done, at the MSBL World Series.
Albert Pujols has grabbed his Louisville Slugger out of the same dugout, stepped up and into the on-deck circle and awaited his turn at bat at the Angels' spring training site at Diablo many times. Just like I have done, and my teammates have done, at the MSBL World Series.
We play for the Love of the Game.
Photo: Tim Tebow
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