Age is Just a Number with Wrinkles on it

Last night I had the distinct privilege of watching the Puget Sound Senior Baseball League team, the Silver Foxes (my friend on the team is a mere kid at 52). The average player age in the league is 62, but I saw players in their 70's and a couple in their early 80's playing hardball like a bunch of 20 somethings.

These guys are in amazing shape - and they play serious baseball. They've had hip or knee replacements, back surgery, torn rotator cuffs - physical limitations that might make most of us a little more cautious about our bodies, but they bounced around that field like a bunch of crazy kids.

I did a double take when one of the batters (whose surgeon advised him to run no further than first base after a hit) called for a sub to run for him. The batter was 72, the sub was 76! And he stole second and third base to boot!

As I navigate my own mid-life and look for examples to remind me that age is indeed just a number (with wrinkles) I found tremendous inspiration watching these men who radiate health, energy, and joie de vivre - not for glory or ego but for sheer love of their game - baseball.

My dear friend and team member, Kevin, sums it up very well.

"Yes they are an inspiration! After being out of the game for the better part of 10 years I remember now how physical baseball really is. At 52 and my current triathlon fitness I thought I would be in perfect shape and starting up again would be fun, playing baseball would be a piece of cake and easy transition....au contraire.

The average age on the Silver Foxes is 62...are you kidding me? A few are approaching 70 years old and a couple are over with the oldest at 74 a pitcher who played with the Baltimore Orioles organization back in the day. I mentioned to Dick that I once met Stan "the man" Musial who played with the St Louis Cardinals and he came right back remembering the way he used to stand and hold his bat in the batters box. When you talk to Dick he is always willing to share his stories about the game. They're passionate about it.

How do these guys do it? They do it mostly with a love for the game. Every week they can't wait for game day, to put on their pro-uniforms wearing their name and number proudly. They constantly talk about baseball during the game but joke around quite a bit too. They are always positive whether you do well or not on the field. It feels good to be around some of these guys and makes me think about a time before I was born when baseball was everything all Americans cherished.

To those who inspire us to live well!