TOTS Baseball: A new home run race is on at Udall

Tucson Old Timers (TOTS)

60-and-over baseball

Newcomer Beady, TOTS' home run king Palmer swinging for the fences in 2023

The beat goes on at Udall Park for the players on the 60-and-over Tucson Old Timers, an amateur senior baseball club in its 55th season.

Every now and then, a newcomer comes along who will change the landscape, so to speak, and create some "noise" with his bat and fielding skills.

One of the newest members of the TOTS is Jon Beady, a 6-foot-2 power hitter from New Haven, Connecticut. Beady, who bats from the right side, has hit three home runs since joining the club -- all tape-measure shots over the left field fence.

That puts Beady (left photo) one home run up in 2023 over the TOTS all-time homerun-hitting champ Reed Palmer, who hit his second round-tripper of the season last week - a tape-measure job over the right field fence at Udall. Palmer owns the single-season home run record at 30 and sits atop the TOTS' career home run mark at 107.

Beady turns 62 on July 13, and Palmer (bottom photo), from Portland, Oregon, turns 67 on July 27. Palmer, a 6-foot-5 left-handed hitter, arrived on the scene with the TOTS in 2016 and has been knocking down tree limbs beyond the right field fence ever since. As for Beady at Udall, there are no big trees beyond the left field fence -- just desert-- and his homers keep on rolling.

Senior baseball is nothing new to Beady, who has played in the Men's Senior Baseball League World Series in Phoenix since 2006 and owns a title in 2020 and an MVP Award.

Spring training ended two weeks ago in the pros, and the 2023 major league season is off and running. As for the TOTS, they always continue playing and take the field all 12 months of the year -- every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday at Udall.

A big shout-out to the TOTS' pitchers for March/2023

Tucson Old Timers (TOTS)

60-and-over baseball

TOTS luncheon is set for Thursday, April 13

This Thursday, April 13, the 60-and-over Tucson Old Timers (TOTS) will hold its annual banquet at the Sonoran Stable Dance Hall at 4231 S Pauline Lane. The luncheon gets underway at 11 AM.

According to manager Mike Dawson, a "Mystery Man" guest speaker associated with major league baseball for over 17 years will mosey up to the podium during the luncheon and talk some baseball to the TOTS members in attendance, their spouses, friends, and relatives.

March was a good month on the diamond for the TOTS, and once again, it was Joe Opocensky leading the way in the batter's box. The 73-year-old hard-hitting lefty went 21 for 35 (.600 batting average) and 12 RBI. Tim Tolson, 70, was the top RBI man with 14, while Johnny Mathews was second in runs-batted-in with 13. In addition, Jon Beady hit three home runs during the month, and Reed Palmer, the TOTS career home run leader, hit one round-tripper.

A special shout-out goes to the 10 "rubber arms" who took the mound in March, many battling the strike zone, the windy weather, and unseasonably colder temperatures.

Dawson logged the most innings in March with 39 and maintained a 3-3 record. He struck out 17 batters and walked only six. Opocensky logged 28 innings with a 2-2 record, while Pete Maldonado logged 20 innings with a 2-1 record. Beady pitched in two games and finished with a 1-1 record. Palmer logged 17 innings and finished with a 3-0 record. 

Also, Bob Daliege, Dennis Crowley, Mark Rupert, Glen Vann,  and Randy Livingston saw action on the mound.

Hats off to the TOTS pitchers in March.

And now for a warmer April and plenty of games ahead for the "boys of summer."