2024 Men's Senior Baseball World Series, Week 1
An overly detailed account of my first senior World Series. Fortunately, sprinkled with photos and videos!
I just played in my first Men’s Senior Baseball (MSBL) World Series! During the first week, I played with the Cal-Vets team in the 50+1 Desert division.2
Prologue
Earlier this year I was invited to play with the Chicago MAXX Cubs in the 65+ division — my first year of eligibility as a sixty-five year old! Since this series would begin over a month after my summer leagues ended, I didn’t want to be rusty going in so I signed up on the MSBL player pool — looking for a 60+ team — which I mistakenly thought would play the week before.3 Donny, who organizes Cal-Vets teams for a wide range of age groups, contacted me almost immediately. Realizing my error, I told him I wouldn’t be available. Donny then asked if I’d play on their 50+ team. I was hesitant about competing against athletes who were fifteen years younger and disappointing younger teammates, but after seeing that they were in the ‘Desert’ division — the weakest of four levels of play4 — I ultimately decided to just go for it.
As the series approached, the weather became a concern. While temperatures at home were falling — mid-40s in the morning — the greater Phoenix area — home of the MSBL World Series — was experiencing nearly 110-degree heat, with temperatures forecasted to continue in the 100s for the first week of the series.
We began our drive Friday afternoon, making brief stops along the way to visit family and friends …
… arriving at our Mesa VRBO late Sunday afternoon — it was still 102 degrees.
Our rental townhouse, a short walk from Sloan Park — the Chicago Cubs spring training stadium — turned out to be perfectly situated, a central location for my games and practices which took place in all compass directions.
The 50+ Desert division had kicked off Sunday morning — every team in a division plays at the same baseball complex, at the same time — but I had let my team know that I wouldn’t arrive in time to play. My soon-to-be teammates won that game against the — as I would learn, hapless — Wild Things.5
After unpacking and grocery shopping, we headed to Papago Park in Phoenix proper to try to view comet Tsuchinshan-ATLAS (C/2023 A3). We parked our car at the southern end of Papago and headed west on mountain bike trails toward the highest point we could see, meeting a small pack of coyotes along the way:
We had to wait for the sun’s glow to dissipate but we were able to locate the comet using my iPhone camera on 5x zoom, and then through binoculars and finally with our naked eyes!
We had also hoped to meet my friend Chris and his girlfriend Tracy who were bringing a telescope. They had parked at the north end of Papago, nearly three miles away. With our text and photo assistance, they were able to sight the comet through their telescope.
We tried to meet them, but by the time we arrived at the north entrance, security was closing the gates — Chris and Tracy were still inside — so we headed home for the night.
Monday October 14 2024
On Monday I joined the team for a doubleheader with temperatures in the mid-90s when I arrived to ‘warm up’ — no problem with that, heh! We played our games on field 6 — the ‘championship’ field’ at Legacy Park in Mesa, just east of the Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport.
The baseball/softball complex was entirely artificial turf, so we couldn’t wear our (metal) spikes. I wore my Vibram V-Trains with Yardkicks screw-in cleats.
Game 1 began at 12:30pm against the Saskatchewan Sportsmen. By now the temperature had reached 97 degrees and remained there through sunset.
After retiring their first two batters on infield ground outs, we gave up seven runs on six consecutive walks — two strikes out of 26 pitches! — followed by two dropped popups and a bases clearing wild throw from third to first. After 1.5 innings we were down 11-4.Jeff’s two-run double for Cal-Vets 50+:
My first trip to the plate came in the bottom of the second inning; we had thirteen batters in our lineup for this game. With runners on first and second, two out, 3-1 count, I looped a soft single into center field, batting in our fifth run. Batting 1.000 in the World Series! I advanced to second on a single, to third on a hit batsman, and scored our seventh run on an infield single.
My second at bat came in the bottom of the fourth inning, down 19-8. With the bases loaded, none out, 2-0 count, I hit a slow bouncer, forcing out the runner on third at home. Not sure what happened while I was beating the attempted double-play throw from the catcher to first, but our runner who had started on second base was subsequently thrown out trying to score. I eventually scored our second run of the inning on a single, with the player behind me scoring our third run of the inning. 19-11 after four innings.
Around this time, a military jet took off. It was incredibly LOUD even before it started its takeoff run, like someone had turned on a gargantuan vacuum cleaner.
My final game 1 at bat came in the bottom of the sixth with two outs, runner on first 1-1 count — the second pitch was a called strike about neck high, i.e., well above my strike zone — bouncing the ball into the shortstop-third base hole for an infield single. After I beat out the throw, the umpire paid me a nice compliment by jokingly asking to see my driver's license. Pretty flattering since I was competing with players as much as fifteen years younger than me!
But the next batter ended the inning.
The final score was 22-11 in seven innings. Unlike local league games which are seven innings long with no new inning starting after 2 hours 15 minutes, MSBL World Series games go nine innings with no new innings after three hours. It was a LONG game in the heat!We were the visitors against the East Coast Phillies in game 2.
In the second inning, with one out, runner on second, I walked on a full count, including one more neck-high called strike. I advanced to second on a walk, then a bases loaded double brought me home for our second run of the inning and gave us a 3-2 lead.
In the top of the fifth with one out, none on, I walked on four pitches. The next batter hit a grounder forcing me out at second.I haven’t mentioned any of my defensive plays because I had none. I was in right field — with a teammate occasionally taking an inning to give me a rest — where the sun was the only thing visible! If a ball had been hit my way, I would have had to wait until it landed to find it, and then throw it in. No way to catch anything!
We were down 15-5 after five innings when the lights came on. Thanks to LEDs, the whole complex lit up at once, with six of the eight baseball fields in action.
When I joined the Cal-Vets 50+, I thought I’d be the oldest player on the squad. Then I learned that the manager was at least 736. As I got to know my teammates — having their first names on their jersey backs really helped! — I realized I might be in the 30th percentile by age! Just the catcher, shortstop, third baseman and one of our pitchers were clearly in their fifties.7
In the top of the eighth inning with two out, none on, I smacked the first pitch sharply into right field for a single in my Sisyphean attempt to get back to batting 1.000 — asymptotically still a worthy goal! I advanced to third on the next batter’s grounder when the EC Phillies threw the ball away, but was stranded there.
The game ended by 15-run ‘slaughter’ rule — active from the 7th inning on — in the bottom of the eighth when the Phillies made it 20-5.Tuesday October 15 2024
Day three of the 50+ Series — day two for me — featured another doubleheader, this time at the Cincinnati Reds spring training complex.
As I approached the entrance, a guy leaning against a utility structure asked ‘Would you like to buy a bat?’ … At first I walked by, but then I remembered that I had to be prepared in case I broke one of the bats I had with me8. I turned back and told him, ‘Yeah!’
We walked over to his truck, which was full of bats and other baseball supplies. Turns out Mark owns M^Powered Baseball and makes the bats himself. The first bat he handed me was too heavy, so he pulled out another bat with a narrower barrel, which I liked. He even put a wrap on the handle.
Mark is 70 years old but he was pitching for a 45+ division team! He likes playing the younger age groups because his defense can get to the ball, the converse of which I had already and would continue to experience 🤪.
Game 1 started at 10am, making the temperature fairly comfortable to begin with.
In the pre-game huddle, our manager announced that we likely needed one more win to finish pool play in the top four and advance to the Desert division playoffs. Today’s opponents were both undefeated,9 so he planned to ‘put all of our eggs into one basket’ of winning our final game the next day, sticking with our current batting lineup for now while saving our two best pitchers for a rematch with the Saskatchewan Sportsmen.
In the bottom of the third inning, with two out, none on, 0-1 count, I hit a sky high popup that the catcher, pitcher and third baseman converged on. It landed closest to the catcher but he couldn’t get a glove on it — the Arizona sky is very tough visually. Score it a single! The next batter ended the inning.
After 3.5 innings, we were down 5-1 against the (North) Carolina Cobras who had dominated in their first three games. We were playing quite well!
Down 11-1 after 5.5 innings. We were playing good defense, but the Cobras were hitting too well to contain. At the plate we were making good contact, but they played great defense — with the exception of my first at bat!
In the bottom of the sixth with two out, none on, I rapped a solid single by the second baseman into right field. I advanced to third on a single and scored our second run of the game on the next single.
In the bottom of the seventh, we needed to score five runs to keep the game going. We failed to score, losing 21-2 in seven innings.Game 2 was against the Red Deer Legends from Canada, who had won their first four games.10
In the bottom of the first with runners on first and second, one out, I hit the first pitch sharply up the middle. Unfortunately, the shortstop had been holding our runner on second and was in perfect position to convert my sure single into a double play; I think I just beat the throw to first, but oh well … I guess that evens out my popup single.
Although batting third in the order this game, I hadn’t really been moved up in the lineup; until tomorrow’s rematch with the Sportsmen, we were continuing to lead off each game with the on deck hitter at the end of the previous game.
After 3.5 innings we were down 12-0; the Legends hit especially well with the bases loaded! By now — about 3pm — the sun was back in my view and I couldn’t see a thing in right field. Fortunately, nothing was hit my way.
Our manager led off the bottom of the fifth with a walk. I roped a fastball down the right field line to advance our courtesy runner to third. If I’d hit it just a bit harder it would have gotten past the right fielder for at least two, probably three bases. The next batter hit a grounder forcing me out at second, but scoring our runner on third. Down 13-2 after five innings.
Another game ended by slaughter rule, this time 20-3 in seven innings. I was on deck at the end of the game. …That evening we were able to see comet Tsuchinshan-ATLAS from our carport in the middle of Mesa!
Wednesday October 15 2024
The final day of ‘pool play’. A 9am rematch with the Saskatchewan Sportsmen at the Los Angeles Angels spring training facility, Tempe Diablo Complex, field #1, the nicest field I had played on so far.11
With temperatures about five degrees cooler throughout the day — i.e., ‘only’ reaching the low 90s by noon — this was by far the most comfortable game of the Series.
After going six for eight with two walks — 0.800 on base percentage — I was surprised to find myself batting eleventh out of thirteen in the batting order! Turns out, it wasn’t a bad plan: the morning sun was in the eyes of left-handed batters; I have no idea whether our manager had this in mind, but we did have our four left-handed hitters in the last five batting spots.
We jumped out to a 2-0 lead after one inning.
In the top of the second, with two outs, runner on first, 1-2 count, I tapped a soft popup between the pitcher, first and second basemen that landed at least ten feet from all of them. Couldn’t have thrown it any better! I was definitely having a hard time seeing pitches at the plate. I advanced to second on a wild pitch but was stranded there.
Trailing 6-3 after four innings, in the bottom of the fifth I made my first catch of the Series on a blooper to right field! With the sun shining from the left field side of the scoreboard, visibility from the outfield was great. Between innings, I received a couple of videos texted by Gretchen.
She was taking a Waymo to my game!12
In the top of the sixth, with two out no one on, 1-2 count and despite the sun's glare, I hit a line drive up the middle. The centerfielder charged the ball and picked it up on one hop so I had to sprint to first in case he tried to throw me out. Many of my teammates didn't seem to realize this, asking me between innings why I had run so hard, even though we had already lost a couple of 'singles' to outfield assists in previous games. I advanced to second on a passed ball. On a single to left field I ran hard, but our third base coach correctly held me. Unfortunately, the next batter popped out to end the inning. Now 7-3 after six innings.Gretchen’s Waymo arrived but dropped her off on W. Westcourt Way which was on the fenced off north side of the field.
Gretchen had to walk about 200 yards east to an open gate to enter the complex.
It was still 7-3 going to the ninth inning, our first full game. With one out, one run in, runners on second & third, visibility at the plate had improved so I decided to take my first big swing of the Series — I had been holding back because I was still rehabbing a lower back injury from a speed skating crash at a Master’s camp in Lake Placid, NY back in August ...... I squared up the ball nicely but with a breeze drifting in, the outfielder tracked it down. You can see that I still had no backswing/coil needed for the kind of power I was generating mid-summer ... June 22: in top form! —
... Both of our runners advanced, making the score 7-5 on my sacrifice fly. But it would have been nice to have gotten on base as the potential tying run. Our next batter — our manager, also a lefty — made the final out of the game.After the game, Gretchen and I walked over to the Stadium to check out all of the vendors.
I bought a pair of undoubtedly-counterfeit Oakley sunglasses for $10.
There was plenty of time left in the day so we went inlining on the Rio Salado Pathway followed by a refreshing — brrr! — dip in our pool.
In the evening, Chris & Tracy took us out to a marvelous, innovative Sushi restaurant.
Epilogue
All in all, it was a fun experience. I never felt that great at the plate, but I somehow managed seven decent swings, good for eight singles in ten at bats plus two walks and a sacrifice fly — 1.569 OPS! I felt about as ready as I could get myself for week two at the World Series. The most frustrating thing about the Series was not being able to see in the outfield, but at most that kept me from catching a second fly ball.
My main regret is for my younger teammates — it’s funny thinking of players in their fifties as young men! — excellent players saddled with a bunch of geezers declining in mobility and dexterity.
X+ means that players must be X years or older by the end of 2024.
Notes to the reader: (1) active links are highlighted in green; (2) I’ve ‘code-blocked’ —
grey background, sans-serif typeface— the detailed play-by-play to make it easier to skip past.
If you click on a footnote, you can click on that number in the footnotes to get back to that spot.
It actually took place the week after.
The National division allows former MLB players; Central allows former non-MLB pros; Cactus permits at most two ex-pros provided that they played no higher than ‘A’ and retired at least 30 years ago, and they aren’t allowed to pitch; Desert doesn’t allow any former pros, and does not award championship rings.
As I left the complex, I walked by the aunt of one of the Wild Things who told me ‘they never win.’
Inducted into the MSBL hall of fame in 2009, he played on a 60+ team in 2011.
Our opponents also included some ‘geezers’, but not nearly as many.
They’re different weights so that I can pick one that matches how strong I feel at any given time.
Our first opponent of the day, the Carolina Cobras had beaten the East Coast Phillies 14-5, Wild Things 21-1 and Saskatchewan Sportsmen 17-0.
The Legends had defeated Saskatchewan 25-2, East Coast Phillies 14-3, and Wild Things 25-6 and 20-19 (clearly resting their best pitchers in the latter game). They went on to win the Desert division playoffs, trouncing the Carolina Cobras 18-6 in the championship game.
Every team attending the senior World Series is guaranteed a ‘stadium’ game during pool play; our stadium game was Sunday, before I arrived.
“The future is already here — it’s just not evenly distributed.” William Gibson, The Economist, 12/4/2003.