Father's Day and baseball

 "Hey, Dad, You Wanna have a catch?"

Another Father's Day is just a few days away. During three of my favorite baseball films, The Field of Dreams, The Natural, and For the Love of the Game, there is one constant, one moment when the hero of the film has a 'catch' with his son.

I'm in the midst of my ninth decade on this earth. I've put a baseball in the hands of both of my sons, my three grandsons, and two of my great-grandsons.

From the desk of Great-Grandpa Dan

Photos: Top photos 1) My two sons at the Field of Dreams Tournament in Iowa in September/2025; 2) Dan and son, Michael, playing in 2012 with the Orioles of the Tucson MSBL; 3) My youngest son, Dan, and his son, Chase, getting ready for school.

More photos: 1) Dan Sr. (80) and Michael (61), on the day of the first game for Michael as a member of the 60-and-over Tucson Old Timers. Photos 2 and 3) My great-grandson Braven at a Rockies game and with his first glove; 4) My grandson, Daniel, with his son (and my oldest great-grandson), Fallon, playing ball at a park in Colorado; 5) My oldest son, Michael, with his son Jadon, now 26, at Chase Field; 6) The oldest baseball player that ever lived with grandsons, Chase and Daniel...and a very special photo of my to sons, Michael and Danny, Annie and me...and the last photo (7) of my sliding grandson Jadon Price, who went from club ball, to high school ball as a centerfielder for Tucson Ironwood Ridge High School eight years ago.

Under the Ramada, 2026

The Boys of Summer, winter, and fall are still swinging the bat at Udall Park.

A bunch of Tucson Old Timers gather under the Ramada or grab a chair and sit behind home plate at Udall Park after their Friday morning games.

They meet after a 60-and-over baseball game. They pop a beer can or two, talk about the close plays, the booming hits, the dropped fly balls, the errant throws...well, you name it -- everything (I mean everything) is open for discussion.

The two dozen or so old-time ball players -- some with dust still clinging to their uniforms, some with bloody knees and skinned-up elbows -- range in age from 61 to 87. Baseball, America's favorite pastime, is generally the first subject discussed as the old timers try their best to recall stories of yesteryear -- back in the day, back when the LA Dodgers were the Brooklyn Dodgers and the San Francisco Giants were the New York Giants, back in the day when players like Willie Mays, Willie McCovey, Mickey Mantle, Duke Snider, and Henry Aaron led their teams to victory.

The players discuss what it was like going to a game at Ebbets Field, Fenway Park, Camden Yards, or Wrigley Field.

Some of the old timers tell of the day when they were just a youngster, with a bag of popcorn in one hand and a soda in the other, as Ted Williams stepped to the plate in Boston or Ernie Banks knelt down on one knee in the on-deck circle in Chicago, or when Pete Rose went 5 for 5 in Cincinnati, or when Hoyt Wilhelm unleashed a knuckleball in Baltimore.

The conversation moves on to "life in general" -- to such things as my first car, my first truck, my first job, the worst job I ever had, the best job I ever had...or there was a time I froze to death in Pittsburgh, Buffalo...or how I survived a cold and windy day at the ballpark in San Francisco...in Milwaukee, Cleveland or Chicago.

The old-timers will outdo one another with stories like I walked five miles to school -- in a driving rainstorm, or snowstorm, or drove to my first job with ice covering the front windshield. They will recall their first week at boot camp...when they got out of the service...their first day of college...the day they met the gal they would marry...or the day they walked down the alter with the confetti swirling above them as they hopped into a convertible and sped off with nothing more than a handful of dreams and a goal or two, written on a piece of paper and tucked away in their pocket.

The Tucson Old Timers are now 50, 60, 70, and, in some cases, 80 years old. They recall when they were young ballplayers, quick with the bat and quick to the ball. Now, in 2026, they grab a beer and toast one another.

"Nice hit today! Good throw! Way to run!"

They had survived the game. They had survived a lifetime.

And they aren't done yet.

Amelia's photos in Yellowstone

 More photos from Amelia. She has the world by the tail.

 Priceless Captures Photography by Amelia

The Boys of Summer at Udall: TOTS May stats

Tucson Old Timers (TOTS)

60-and-over baseball

The Boys of Summer at Udall Park, better known locally as the 60-and-over Tucson Old Timers, just completed a busy month in May, logging 13 games in 29 days as 42 members -- including a couple of rookies and a new father-son combination-- combined for 362 hits in 796 official at-bats for a club batting average of .455.

The usual suspects led the way with Randy Livingston (top photo) collecting the most hits (25 for 41 and the most runs scored with 16, while John Mathews was the top RBI-man with 14. Mathews maintained a .724 batting average in 11 games (21 for 29).

Joe Opocensky, 76, and Danny 'Pigpen" Price, 80, were the two most active players as both played in all 13 games. Opocensky went 22 for 44, a .500 average, while Price managed to collect 32 at-bats and had eight hits. The TOTS 'real' oldtimer, 88-year-old Ted Roberts, who doubles as the club announcer and scorekeeper, came off the bench and went 3 for 16.

Other super seniors (75-and-over) who hit the ball well during May included Bob Daliege (15 for 32) and Mike Steele (12 for 27).  Other notable hitters in the 60-and-over crowd included Mike Dawson (20 for 37), Sam Dean (18 for 30), Tim Tolson (16 for 36), and Reed Palmer (15 for 21).

Making noise at the plate in seven games or fewer included Dan Gruneisen (above photo), who went 17 for 25, David Musavi (13 for 20), and rookie Paul Montes (shown in photo below), who went 10 for 13 in six games while wearing an old crash helmet. Montes received his share of jibes from the dugout, but the helmet seemed to help in his view of the pitches thrown as he batted a hefty. 769.

As for the new father-son combination, that belongs to Pigpen Price, who turns 81 on July 2, and his son, Michael, 61 (pictured above in the sweater). Michael is just getting his feet wet as the newest member of the club and went 3 for 10, with a double and three RBI in his first week.

Another newcomer this month is lefty Scott Bultman (pictured above Michael), who is starting to hit the ball with regularity. Bultman, 67,  went 13 for 34, a .382 average.

The two pitchers shown in the photos above continue to be the workhorses on the mound for the TOTS. Glen Vann went 3-1 in May and recorded the most strikeouts (13), while Dawson logged the most innings (41) and was second in strikeouts with 12.

Way to go, TOTS! And now, June awaits! 

Congrats to the TOTS' new father-son combination, Dan 'Pigpen' Price and Michael Price (photo below), only the second father-son combo to play on the TOTS at the same time in the history of the organization (1968-2026).

   

A new father-son combo with the 60-and-over Tucson Old Timers

Tucson Old Timers (TOTS)

60-and-over baseball

Finally, the second father-son 60-and-over combination to play for the Tucson Old Timers. The first: Brad and Tim Tolson. Today at Udall Park: Michael Price, 61, and Danny ‘Pigpen’ Price, 80. Michael needs two more games and approval from the organization to make it official. Michael would then become the youngest member of the TOTS, and the old man will reach 81 on July 2 with 19 years with the organization.

Photo: Michael and Danny 'Pigpen' Price

Livingston's 25 hits best in April for Tucson Old Timers

60-and-over baseball at Udall Park

Randy Livingston went 25 for 35 (.714) in 11 games to lead the 60-and-over Tucson Old Timers in April, while Jon Beady was second with 22 hits in 36 at-bats (.611) in 12 games, and John Mathews finished 21 for 34, a .618 clip.

Doug Harding (.500), Joe Opocensky (.486), and Dan Gruneisen (.621) were next in line with 18 hits apiece. Mike Dawson followed with 16 hits, while Dave Musavi and Bob Daliege collected 15 hits for the month.

Opocensky was the RBI leader with 17.

On the mound, it was Pete Maldonado leading the way with a 3-1 record. He pitched in five games and logged 32 innings. Livingston and Glen Vann tied for the most strikeouts with six apiece.

Way to go, TOTS!

Time to focus on baseball

 

With college basketball put to rest for the year, I can now focus on baseball. March Madness was once again March Madness! Congrats to Michigan, the 2026 National Champs.

The Major League Baseball clubs are off and running, each with close to 20 games in the books as we reach the final days of April. It's no surprise the LA Dodgers lead all clubs with a 15-4 record.

Who can dethrone the defending champs in 2026? Maybe San Diego, currently the second-best team in the NL West. And how about those New York Yankees? Where will they be by October?

As for the Arizona Diamondbacks. Will it be another so-so season? Will the Diamondbacks' starting pitching hold up? And how about the bullpen? Arizona is 12-8 and in third place as we head into the weekend. Could the NL West be the best division in baseball in 2026?

As for my Arizona Wildcats. Not good as they sport a 14-23 overall record after a 2-1 loss last night at Hi Corbett Field to Kansas State.

That leaves my 60-and-over Tucson Old Timers, who are four months into the 2026 season (they play all 12 months of the year...no let-up by the oldtimers).

In fact, the TOTS are enjoying their best season ever with an active roster of over 50 players -- including a new batch of 60-year-olds who are ripping the ball all over the TOTS' home field at Udall Park every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.

As for me, I'm back playing as I edge closer to my 81st birthday in July. I had a good week at the plate this past week with 5 hits in 7 at-bats -- including a 3-for-3 day last Friday.

Michigan Blows by Arizona at Final Four in Indy

 It was all Michigan in Indianapolis tonight at the NCAA Final Four.

Arizona (36-3) was blown out of the Lucas Oil Stadium by the Wolverines, who won easily, 91-73, ending the Wildcats' magical season.

It was all Michigan (36-3) from the opening tip as the Wolverines advanced to Monday night's championship game against UConn (34-5).

Koa Peat led the Wildcats with 16 points, while Brayden Burries and Jadon Bradley finished with 13 points apiece. 

TOTS diehards keep 59th season rolling

Tucson Old Timers (TOTS)

60-and-over baseball

The 60-and-over Tucson Old Timers are a rare group of baseball junkies, a "family of not over-the-hill" ballplayers who gather at Udall Park three days a week to play America's Favorite Pastime, but more importantly, keep the historic baseball club running.

The club has been around since 1968, and in 2026, the club membership is at its peak. It's not unusual to have 25 players warm up and participate in a seven-inning game that may last upwards of two to three hours, depending on how many pitches are thrown and how many hits are recorded inside the confines of their home baseball diamond, located behind the Udall Senior Center.

In March, nine players saw action in all 11 games played, and they include, along with their hitting stats: Bob Daliege (9 for 32), Brack Whitaker (1 for 23), Doug Harding (14 for 34), Jerry Callen (7 for 26), Jon Beady (16 for 25), Pete Peters (the ump), Randy Livingston (20 for 33), Steve Parks (3 for 25) and Ted Roberts (scorekeeper).

Playing in 10 of the 11 games were: Joe Opocensky (13 for 29), Ken Nebesny (5 for 16), Mike Dawson (13 for 27), Mike Steele (5 for 23), and Tim Tolson (7 for 14).

Livingston led the club in March in hits (20) and runs-scored (14), while Beady collected the most RBI (19).

Of course, a few 60-somethings are still working for a living, and they include a couple of doctors, Che Guevara, and Herb McReynolds. When those two are at the ball park, they are doing double duty, offering advice (Guevara is a urologist), and McReynolds does the on-site mending when needed. Guevara was 0 for 6 in three games, while Dr. McReynolds was 1 for 3 in four games.

Of course, the walking wounded were on hand and managed to get in a few games despite their ailments.

The old-timer Danny "Pigpen" Price, 80, played in six games and went 3 for 16, David Byars, 78, went 6 for 26, Steve Parks, 77, went 3 for 25,  and Carl Schwanbeck, 79, went 6 for 19.

Other notables who collected 10 or more hits included Spiro Roberts (11 for 22), Sam Dean (11 for 25), Reed Palmer (11 for 20), and Dave Musavi (11 for 21).

As a club, the TOTS batted .382 (248 of 649).

On the mound, it was Dawson leading the way again. Dawson went 4-0. Livingston was the strikeout king with 10.

With over 50 active members, the TOTS are still adding members. The newest addition is Paul Montes, who received his TOTS hat this month. Montes, 68, went 5 for 13 in five games.

"We are a family," said Pigpen Price, the oldest active player, who turns 81 in July. "Its such a pleasure being a member of this organization. "I've been a member for two decades, and I'm still swinging."

April will be a busy month for the organization. On April 3, the TOTS will don their blue jerseys and head for Hi Corbett Field for its annual trip to support, as a group, the Arizona Wildcats, who take on the Arizona State Sun Devils at 6 p.m. 

On April 9th, the TOTS will hold its annual luncheon/award ceremony at the Sonoran Dance Hall, located at 4231 S. Pauline Lane. The event gets underway at 11:30 a.m.

The dance hall is located off Harrison Road, between Golf Links Road and Irvington (access off East Millmar Road).

Photo: The TOTS

 

Arizona reaches Final Four

 Arizona Wildcats Basketball

Arizona (36-2) turned a seven-point halftime deficit into a 15-point win over Purdue (30-9) with a 79-64 win tonight over the Boilermakers at the West Regional in San Jose, California, to punch its ticket to next week's NCAA Final Four.

Freshman Koa Peat led Arizona with 20 points, seven rebounds, and three assists, along with plenty of support from teammates Ivan Karchenkov with eight rebounds and 18 points, while Jaden Bradley and Brayden Burries each scored 14 points. Moe Krivas, with Tobe Awaka in foul trouble in the second half, grabbed 12 rebounds and scored six points.

Arizona, which set a school record for the most wins in a season, made its run in the second half without committing a turnover. The Wildcats canned 20 of 22 free throws and outscored Purdue in the paint 40-24.

Way to go, Wildcats!

Arizona reaches Elite 8

Arizona Wildcats Basketball

West Region in San Jose, California

The Arizona Wildcats (35-2) rolled over Arkansas (28-9) tonight in San Jose, California, to advance to the Elite 8 in the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament. Six Wildcats finished in double figures as Brayden Burries scored 23 points, while Koa Peat pumped in 21. Ivan Kharchenkov scored 15, while Moe Krivas, Jaden Bradley, and Tobe Awaka ended up with 14 points apiece.

Arizona led from the start and held leads up to 25 in the second half, while shooting 63.8 percent (37 of 58).

The Wildcats are one win away from the Final Four and will take on Purdue (30-8) on Saturday in San Jose.

Way to go, Wildcats! 

Arizona reaches Sweet 16

From the desk of Dan Price

A very nervous diehard Wildcats fan today

Second-round of the NCAA West Regional in San Diego

 The Arizona Wildcats did what they had to do and closed out the Utah State Aggies down the stretch at the West Regional in San Diego, 78-66 today, to reach the NCAA Sweet 16 and a date on Thursday with the Arkansas Razorbacks.

Jaden Bradley led the Wildcats with 18 points in 39 minutes and just one turnover, while Brayden Burries scored 16 points -- including three key 3-pointers and grabbed nine rebounds.

Koa Peat, despite foul trouble, finished with 14 points and 10 rebounds, while Moe Krivas ended up with 11 points and 13 rebounds for a double-double as well.

Arizona shot just 29 percent in the first half and went to the locker room with a 33-24 lead over the Aggies.

The Wildcats finished the game at 39.3 from the field (22 of 56), but canned 27 of 39 free throws, while Utah State went to the charity stripe and made eight of 11 attempts.

Tough battle with the 9th-seeded Aggies. Arizona moves on with a 34-2 record, and Utah State's season ends at 29-7.

No let up in the Wildcats

NCAA Basketball Tournament

West Region in San Diego, California

Arizona rolled over Long Island University in San Diego, California, 92-58, inside the friendly confines of the Viejas Arena today in the first round of the NCAA West Regionals.

The Arizona fans travel well, especially when San Diego is just a hop, skip, and a jump from Tucson. And this morning was no exception as the Wildcats' faithful cheered on the No. 2-ranked team in the country against the 16th-seeded LIH Sharks.

By the time Arizona coach Tommy Lloyd had called off the dogs with four minutes left, Arizona had owned leads up to 38 points, with hot-shooting guard Brayden Burries leading the way with 18 points on six of 10 shooting -- including 4 of 5 3-pointers. Koa Peat had 15 points, and Ivan Kharchenkov snuck in with a double-double, knocking down 14 points and 10 rebounds.

The Wildcats were just too big for the Sharks as Arizona scored 50 points in the paint and grabbed 51 rebounds.

A mismatch from the start.

And now things will get a bit harder as the Wildcats await their second-round opponent on Sunday.

Arizona is now 33-2, while the Sharks' season ends at 24-11.

Way to go, Wildcats!

  

2nd-ranked Arizona runs the table in Kansas City

 From the desk of a diehard Arizona fan

What a week for our Arizona Wildcats!

Arizona, the 2nd-ranked college basketball team in the nation, runs the table in Kansas City, Missouri, this week at the Big 12 Conference Tournament with wins over UCF, Iowa State, and Houston.

Big 12 Conference regular-season champs and now the Big 12 Tournament champs!

Outstanding play from the "Big Eight" as starters: Jaden Bradley, Koa Peat, Brayden Burries, Moe Krivas, and Ivan Kharchenkov did their thing from the opening tip, while the Arizona bench unleashed: hot-shooting guard Anthony Dell'Orso, and Tobe Awaka, the top rebounder in the nation, in my book, who owns everything around the rim, and finally, some solid minutes off the bench from the eighth man in the rotation, Dwayne Aristode, produced a record of 32 wins and two losses.

Burries has become Arizona's long-range shooter with 55 made threes and owns a 15.9 scoring average as we head to the Big Dance. The hot-shooting freshman has scored 542 points in 34 games.

Dell'Orso is quickly closing the gap on Arizona's made three-pointers with 45 and is now averaging nine points a game. Peat and Bradley are averaging 13 points a game, while Krivas and Kharchenkov are at 10 points and have played in all 34 games. As for Awaka, who averages just 21 minutes of playing time a game, he is averaging 9.5 rebounds and has grabbed 323 boards -- 49 more than Krivas.

Arizona is averaging 86.1 points a game and has held 34 opponents to 68.8.

A balanced attack from our Wildcats.

A great season thus far, but it's far from over. Six more wins will do it!

It's now Sunday morning, March 15. In a few hours, it'll be Selection Sunday, and we will soon know who the first victim at the Big Dance will be.

7m

Arizona establishes the most wins in a regular-season with 29th victory at Colorado

Arizona closes out the regular season at 29-2; Awaits Big 12 Tourney

The Wildcats break a program record for the most wins in a regular-season schedule

Brayden Burries and Koa Peat combined for 56 points on 21 of 31 shooting from the field and fend off a gutsy performance by Colorado last night in Boulder as 2nd-ranked Arizona escapes with an 89-79 win.

Arizona sets a program record for the most wins in a regular season at 29, and now awaits the Big 12 Tournament next week in Kansas City.

The Wildcats own the top seed for the tourney and have earned two byes.

The Buffaloes wouldn't go away and led by two at the end of the first half. Arizona owned a 10-point lead, 76-66, with 5:48 remaining in the game.

Isiah Johnson kept the Buffaloes in the hunt, finishing with 28 points, but it was the combo of Peat and Burries that made the difference. Peat scored 19 points in the first half alone and finished with 25, while Burries scored 22 in the second half and finished with a career-high of 31.

Moe Krivas, Ivan Kharchenkov, and Tobe Awaka contributed 10 points apiece as Arizona shot 55.9 percent from the field (33 of 59) and made 4 of 11 from long range.

Way to go, Wildcats!

Baseball from the eyes of a three-year-old

From the desk of Dan Price

Where it all begins...

I strolled through Udall Park on the east side of Tucson this morning. A bunch of little ones, ages 3 and 4, were learning the game of baseball. Hats off to the organization called I-9 Sports for ramrodding the event.

It'll bring a smile to your face, especially if you're a baseball nut!

Photos below: