'The friendship, the camaraderie, the exercise.' Adults 60 and over play 'senior softball'

The thwack of the bat against the ball was interrupted by shouts, whoops and hollers.

The dialogue was nearly equal parts cheering and heckling.

"Get him, get him, get him," one man shouted out to the second baseman as a player from the opposing team began to run the bases.

"That was terrible!" another exclaimed a few moments later, when the pitcher caught a ball right away.

"Nice hit, Bill," another player yelled.

Laughter rang out, too, as the men rounded the bases, arms bent at their sides as they hustled to the plate and others ran for the ball in the outfield.

The scene, playing out at a Hilliard park on a sunny weekday morning, looked like any other game of softball or baseball except for a few details: the slower pace; the near absence of sliding into bases; the placement of home plate behind where the batting takes place to prevent collisions; the use of runners to round the bases for some batters; and the white or gray hair tucked under many of the players' baseball caps.

It was senior softball, a form of the game played by older adults, available locally as part of the Central Ohio Senior Softball Association.

The sport has been played for decades, with the local association having been created for recreation and enjoyment of the game. Local players say they like being active, making friends and getting to play softball again.

Calling all players 59 and up

Many players have been involved for years. The association boasts a total of about 450 men from central Ohio playing in age categories. Participants can join the 60 and over league at age 59.

"We're kind of like little leaguers," said Steve Midura, a commissioner for the 75 and over league and a manager and player in the 70 and over league. "We can throw the ball and maybe miss the target, we might have an error, we might strike out. We're having a ball doing it. The difference is, little leaguers are going to get better. We're not going to get any better."

Despite that, there's still strategy in the game and who plays when, Midura said, and a healthy competitive spirit.

And, despite their ages, the players don't give up, Midura said, recalling a time when one player got hit in the chest with a ball and fell. As the ball rolled toward the short stop, the man managed to touch the base with his head.

"They all want to play 'til they can't play," he added.

There aren't health requirements, Midura explained, as the league leaves it up to the players to decide if they can play.

However, the league makes sure to get medical information about the players, and the team has an Automatic External Defibrillator (AED) machine, which has saved two lives since it was purchased four years ago, and a first aid kit onsite.

The 75 and over league has about 90 players on six teams and is sponsored by McDonald's, boasting team names including the Big Macs, the McFlurries, the McDoubles, the Quarter Pounders and the Golden Arches.

Many of the men learned about the opportunity through newspaper ads and attended try-outs, which take place each spring.

'The friendship, the camaraderie, the exercise'

Despite the try-outs, "everybody's going to play," said Midura.

That includes players over 85 like Ron Redick, 86, of Dublin.

He's been playing senior softball for 26 years. A member of the Quarter Pounders, Redick said having a local 75's league has been wonderful.

Redick enjoys the competition with people close to his age, and the fact that the league makes it so he can still play the sport, despite a hip replacement.

"Especially for us older players ... now we have a chance to show what we can do," he said. "One of the great things is the social aspect. They're all my friends, win or lose."

Gary Salyer, 84, agreed and rattled off all the reasons he plays.

"The friendship, the camaraderie, the exercise," Salyer said. "Getting people away from the television, getting them on the field."

'Part of America's DNA'

McDonald's has sponsored the 75's league for 13 years, said Marty Clark, training director at Wicki Ventures, a local franchise that owns and operates 21 central Ohio McDonald's restaurants.

"Baseball, softball, outdoor sports, that's part of America's DNA," Clark said. "We like to think McDonald's is also part of that DNA. It seemed like a perfect fit."

The sponsorship is important because it allows some of the players to participate, Midura said. Older adults may be on fixed incomes and not always have money to spare.

The McDonald's funding helps purchase uniforms and pay for field time and umpires, Midura said. Then, the cost is about $40 per player. In the winter, players go indoors so they can play year-round, he said.

For many of the players, participating in senior softball is full of nostalgia.

"I've loved baseball and softball since maybe 5 or 6," said Tom Kobryn, 79, of Westerville. "I can't see that green grass and not want to get out there and play. ... It's really, really fun."

For Jim Lee, 70, of Westerville, there's nothing he doesn't like about senior softball. Even the heckling.

"Being the youngest guy on the team, the guys call me 'the kid,'" he said, grinning. "It's nice to be called a kid."

Those interested in playing senior softball locally can visit ohioseniorsoftball.org and fill out an interest form.

dking@dispatch.com

@DanaeKing

This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Hundreds of Columbus men play senior softball. Why they love the game