No slowing down

You’ll have to excuse them if they don’t make a diving stab for a grounder in the hole or slide to avoid a tag on a close play at the plate.

But keep in mind that many folks their age are playing bingo and balloon volleyball.

The Olympia Computer Central 70-and-over softball team is one of 28 teams competing this weekend in the Washington State Senior Games. Other local teams include Venture Bank Gold and Northwest Silver in the 60-and-over bracket and Venture Bank Silver in the 65-and-over tournament. The action begins Saturday morning at the Mason Country Recreational Area in Shelton.

The top two finishers in each age division qualify for the 2009 National Senior Games in Northern California, but coach and utility player Harry Tronson doesn’t expect the Olympia Computer Central squad to be in contention.

"It’s a lot of fun for us, win or lose," said Tronson, age 80. "We’re not the best team there, and we know that, but we’re going to have a good time and try to play good ball."

Forty-one teams overall entered the softball competition this year, the most ever for the Washington State Senior Games, including three teams that will play in a new 75-and-over division.

The 50-and-over softball division played last weekend, with a team from the Olympia Senior League — The Second Wind — finishing second to qualify for the 2009 National Senior Games.

"We’ll have to look at additional fields in the future," Senior Games softball commissioner Lew Keller said. "It’s getting too big for me to handle. A one-man show doesn’t handle it anymore."

Keller agreed with Tronson that the odds are stacked against Olympia Computer Central in the 70-and-over division but lauded them for playing anyway.

"I think it’s great that they compete each year," said Keller, who will coach and play on the 65-and-over Venture Bank Silver team. "We always have two or three — sometimes four — teams that are of a lower level that have a good time and compete but can’t compete against the teams that have the big budgets and play (in a tournament) every weekend somewhere."

Besides, this year’s Olympia Computer Central squad wouldn’t be eligible for the national qualification because Tronson had to call on two substitute players to round out the roster.

The team consists of qualifying members of a recreational group that meets to play softball twice a week at LBA Park in Olympia.

Attendance at practice is usually enough to form two teams, but sometimes it swells above 25. The group technically is open to men and women older than 55, but there are only a few women, and the youngest regular is Dick Allen, 71. The oldest players are pitcher Wes Hinchcliff and catcher Paul Olson, both 86.

Tronson said the team used to play in a handful of tournaments each year, but because of budget constraints, competition is now limited to the twice-weekly practices.

Fun is the name of the game, but that doesn’t mean these men don’t take it seriously. Many have played ball since high school, which for some dates to before World War II.

Time has slowed their bat speeds and reaction times, though, and they are quick to admit it.

"One (difference) I notice is baserunning," said Olson, who had an angioplasty and a stint placement procedure in 2003 and now requires a designated runner. "I just don’t have the wind that I used to have on the bases."

To the list of tasks that grow more challenging with age, Olson adds coordination, the depth perception to judge fly balls and difficulty in throwing the ball.

"I keep insisting they’ve increased the weight of the softball," Olson joked.

Nevertheless, Tronson points out, the players keep themselves in good condition and practices help them stay sharp on the fundamentals.

"Physically, I think that everybody stays in pretty good shape," Tronson said. "We can’t run as fast as we did 10 years ago. But as far as being able to play the game, if the ball is hit to us, (we) should be able to make the play."

Tronson says the star of the team is Olson, who plays catcher and swings a big stick.

"He’s a good hitter, and he’s a good defensive ballplayer," Tronson said. "He makes the other guys really look bad sometimes."

Olson, who hadn’t played organized baseball or softball prior to starting with the senior recreational group in 1989, is self-effacing about his abilities.

"I always think they kind of overrate me," said Olson, who explained that he was first told he had a good swing when he started playing slowpitch. "I was kind of surprised to hear that I had a batting swing that was anything special in my 70s.

"It felt pretty much like I used to do on the grade school playground umpteen years ago, but I’ll accept it."

Back then, competing in the Senior Games was the furthest thing from Olson’s mind.

"When I was a kid, I wouldn’t have ever thought of men 70 or 80 playing ball," Olson said. "My granddad, I couldn’t imagine him playing ball. I’ve been impressed with how well people play in their 60s, 70s, 50s."

And 80s.

The Olympian’s Ron Newberry contributed to this story.