Like a Rock

Lately, I've been into Bob Seger's songs. 

After all, it stands to reason. We both recently turned 80.

There are many singers I can relate to. Seger is exceptional, and his songs stand the test of time. My playlist is filled with a diverse group of artists: some country, some rock, a heck of a lot of blues, and, of course, the music from the 60s from not only Seger but just about any artist who can take me away from it all for three minutes at a time.

George Jones could do it. Of course, he is gone now.

Seger can get me thinking back to where it all began.

My favorite songs are "Like a Rock," "Turn the Page," and "Against the Wind."

I'm not sure I was ever a rock. If I ever was, I certainly have enough chips on my torso to prove that, if anything, I was a fragile one. I've indeed turned my share of pages, and I know for a fact that I've been against the wind for a good portion of my life. Fortunately, I no longer run anywhere except to first base if I ever get a hit on my 60-and-over Tucson Old Timers team.

My teammates keep me grounded when they say, "You call that running!"

Alan Jackson is another singer who can take me back in time. One song in particular is "Remember When."

I certainly remember when!

There are some things I would like to do before I become an Octogenarian.

I would love to walk along the beach again. It's been a while.

MSBL World Series bound Tucson Old Timers

 Tucson Old Timers (TOTS)

60-and-over baseball

The 2024 Men's Senior Baseball League World Series begins in Phoenix on October 13.

The TOTS members heading to play in the annual amateur tournament include:

Bob Long

Mike Dawson

Glen Vann

Ernesto Escala

John Mathews

Jon Beady

Phil Ahern

Pete Peters

Bob Daliege

Mike Steele

Brack Whitaker

Danny Pigpen Price

Jesse Ochoa

David Byars

Jerry Callen

Pete Maldonado

Joe Opocensky

Tim Tolson

New TOTS 2024 photo

 

TUCSON OLD TIMERS  photo (Sept/2024)

Front row L to R: Gary Cuttler, Stephen Karthas, Pete Peters, Jerry Callen, JB Bulawin, Mike Dawson, Danny Price, Steve Parks and Dennis Crowley. Back row L to R: Herb McReynolds, John Miaiaszek, David Byars, Joe Opocensky, Ted Roberts, Brack Whitaker, Jon Beady, Sam Dean, Bob Long, Tim Tolson, Randy Livingston, Martin Pelger, Reed Palmer, Mark Rupert, Glen Vann, Bob Daliege and Robert Royer.

Note: There are plenty more "good old boys." It's hard to get everyone together. We are a club with a roster of 45. This photo was taken on September 20, 2024. 

Way to go, TOTS!

It's that time again...

 A September Look at Major League Baseball

In April, the Arizona Diamondbacks struggled at the plate, on the mound, and in the field.

The Diamondbacks fought back from their under-.500 record. They enter today's game in Colorado with the fifth-best record in the National League, 17 games over .500 at 83-66. In fact, three teams in the American League -- the New York Yankees, the Baltimore Orioles, and the Cleveland Guardians -- own better records.

The Philadelphia Phillies have the best baseball record at 90-59. The LA Dodgers are second at 88-61, and the Yankees head into action today with the best record in the American League at 87-63.

The lowly Chicago White Sox are at the other end of the spectrum, with a record-breaking low of 35-115. They have a dozen games left before they can run and hide until 2025.

TOTS on a roll in 2024

Tucson Old Timers (TOTS)

60-and-over baseball

The 60-and-over Tucson Old Timers amateur baseball club has been around since 1968 and here in 2024  they just may be in the midst of its best season ever.

The TOTS just completed play in August and tomorrow on Labor Day, September 2nd, the club will begin its ninth month of their 57th season with an 8:30 game at Tucson Udall Park.

Last month, 74-year-old Joe Opocensky finished atop the batting stats with 21 hits in 39 at-bats for a .538 average and he also led the club in RBI with 13. Right-hander Randy Livingston led the pitching stats in August with a 3-1 record and a club-best 28 innings of work. Livingston tied for the most strikeouts with nine with Reed Palmer, while Mike Dawson, Bob Daliege, and Ernesto Escala logged their share of innings as the trio sported 2-2 records for the month.

Thirty-six players took the field during August and ripped the baseball all over Udall Park, finishing with 237 hits in 686 at-bats. The players combined for 111 RBI in August with Opocensky's 13, besting the 10 runs batted in by Livingston and Escala. The club maintained an overall batting average of .345.

Daliege led the super seniors (75-and-over) with 11 hits in 37 at-bats, a .297 average. Super senior Dave Byars was second among the old-timers with 11 hits in 38 at-bats, a .289 average. Byars, Daliege, and Opocensky were the only players to play in all 12 games as many of the old-timers battled through injuries.

Other notables who excelled at the plate for the month included Dawson (18 for 33), Escala (14 for 26), Livingston (17 for 27), along with Bob Long (11 for 33), J.B. Bulawin (10-31), John Mathews (11 for 29), John Beady (13 for 26), and Tim Tolson (12 for 36). Beady hit the only home run for the month. 

The players took the rainouts in stride in August and put up with the hot summer temperatures and head into September hoping for lower temps as fall approaches.

Of course, October is just around the corner as forty percent of its regulars will be heading for Phoenix (Oct. 13-Nov. 2) to compete in the annual Men's Senior Baseball League World Series. For the second time ever, the TOTS will send an all-TOTS team to compete in the 70-and-over division of the MSBL World Series.

Photo: MSBL 2024 World Series is just around the corner.

Thunder Tim keeps on rolling

Tucson Old Timers (TOTS)

60-and-over baseball

Thunder Tim Tolson led the 60-and-over Tucson Old Timers in hits during the month of July, collecting 19 hits in 31 plate appearances (a .633 batting average) while playing in all nine games.

Tolson finishes second in runs batted in with 12. Joe Opocensky knocked in the most RBIs with 15 while maintaining a .500 batting average (16 for 32).

On the mound, the workhorse in July was Bob Daliege, who pitched in four of the nine games. Daliege posted a 3-1 record in 25 innings of work.

The big story came from the 75-and-over group, with 75-year-old Steve Parks enjoying his best month as a TOT, going 8 for 22 and batting at a .364 clip.

Way to go, TOTS!

Beady's 19 hits, 12 RBI led TOTS in June

Tucson Old Timers (TOTS)

60-and-over baseball

Jon Beady led the 60-and-over Tucson Old Timers in hits during the month of June with 19, in RBI with 12, and in runs scored with 12 while maintaining a hefty .594 batting average. Beady, who turns 63 on Saturday, finished one hit ahead of Thunder Tim Tolson, 71, who went 18 for 30, a .600 average.

Beady also hit the only home run in June and has three round-trippers for the year.

Other top hitters for the month included Joe Opocensky (15 for 34), Randy Livingston (14 for 25), Guy French (13 for 34), Marty Pelger ( 12 for 29), John Mathews (11 for 21) and Mike Dawson (10 for 21).

In the 75-and-over group, Danny Pigpen Price, 79, led the way with nine hits in 24 at-bats for a .375 average, while Mike Steele, 76, went 8 for 30 (.267) as the TOTS combined for 227 hits during the month (227 for 630) and a club batting average of .360.

Other notables included catcher Sam Dean, 68, who played in just four games but went 9 for 16 (.563 ); outfielder Ken Nebesny, who went 9 for 25, a .360 average; outfielder Bobby Long,  who went 7 for 21 for a .333 average in seven games; and Ernesto Escala, who played in eight games and went 7 for 22, a .318 average.

On the mound, nine pitchers withstood the hot temperatures, with Livingston finishing with a 3-1 record while recording the most innings (27) and the most strikeouts (8).

The TOTS are back in action in July and now face even hotter temperatures. The TOTS have changed the starting time for the games on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday at Udall Park to 8:30 a.m.

Photo: Jon Beady, who led the TOTS with 19 hits during the month of June and hit the only home run.