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Weekend Warriors: Senior slow-pitch softball league wins titles

Posted at 7:11 PM, Jun 11, 2021
and last updated 2021-06-11 20:11:35-04

A group of 70-year-olds continues to play slow pitch softball.

The game is played in 19 states and Canada and winning titles.

"Why do you do this? You're 72, or 70 something. Because we can! We're successful. We have fun. And why not!" Ron Bruce says.

This is the Handeland Senior softball team.

"It's amazing that we have guys who are still in a good physical condition, to play," Phil Higgins says. "I mean, we're old!"

They began three decades ago in 1992.

"We started when it was 40 and over, then they call it the Masters," Ron Bruce says. "And we were 40, and they say you wanna play? Wanna play? And we played against each other for years. Now we're together. Hey, this is great. All from Wisconsin."

"I can't even remember that guy that's standing next to me," Bruce says with a laugh.

Six original members continue to play. So why do they still do it?

"Well a lot of guys you know, have a hard time running," Don Derivan says. "And well, these guys are all still doing it to some degree."

"We just enjoy the game," Higgins says. "We like to play. You know, and afterward to have a cocktail or two and tell stories about it."

You might say, sure they win titles. There aren't that many 70 years old playing softball. So what's the rebuttal?

"We have a 12 team league," Tim Whiting says. "65 and over. Alright? We have 169 guys that sign up for that league. And I would say a dozen to 15 of them are over 80 years old."

"Here's my rebuttal," Bruce says. "There's a million softball players, senior softball players in the United States of America. A million, plus."

And how do they avoid injury at this age?

"You don't!" Whiting says with a laugh. "You get all kinds of aches and pains!"

With these guys, to play is amazing enough. But the stories are legendary.

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