Tucson Old Timers (TOTS)
60-and-over baseball
David Byars turns 77 on December 11 and, in a few weeks, will complete his ninth season with the 60-and-over Tucson Old Timers. In November, Byars led the TOTS super seniors (players over 75) with 14 hits in 34 at-bats, a .412 batting average. He also finished second in RBI with 14.
In 2017, Byars, then 68, ran into TOTS regular Danny "Pigpen" Price, 70, at a coffee shop (Dunkin' Donuts, to be exact). The conversation between the two baseball aficionados eventually led to Byars becoming a TOT.
Fast-forward to December 2024, and Byars and Price, now 79, are still teammates and swing the lumber at Udall Park every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.
"I was initially reluctant at first (meeting with Price)," said Byars. "But the more I thought about playing again, the more I wanted to join the TOTS. I'm glad I did. It's such a great organization and a great group of guys."
Byars, a star high school baseball player at Marana High School and Tucson High School in the mid-1960s, has settled in as a regular and a super senior with the TOTS. Jokingly, Byars adds, "I can't quit now. As long as Pigpen continues to play, I'll hang in there too."
Heading into the final few games of his ninth season, Byars has collected 682 hits and has knocked in close to 400 runs.
As for the 'younger dudes' in November, Tim Tolson, 72, and Jon Beady, 63, were the top hitters. Tolson went 19 for 34 and led in RBI with 16, while Beady went 18 for 29, with one homer and a hefty .621 batting average.
Reed Palmer, 68, led the TOTS pitching staff with a 3-0 record. Mike Dawson was the workhorse on the mound for the month with 37 innings, while Randy Livingston was the strikeout king with 13 K's.
Way to go, TOTS!
Photos: Byars, now a nine-year veteran of the TOTS
