The Boys of Summer
Posted by Tom Locke on August 5th, 2010 filed in Life, Sports ... All SortsI have been playing organized ball for 52 years, first appearing in the 1958 Ontario Provincial Fastball Championships in the “Squirt” category at the tender age of 8.
Having just returned from Leduc, Alberta and playing in the Canadian National Slo-Pitch 60+ Championships, I can tell you that much hasn’t change when it comes to my passion for the game. Blessed with the opportunity to play with the Marauders, one of BC’s premier slo-pitch teams, I experienced the essence of teamwork and individual support, both which are anchored by trust and respect.
We were like young kids again when the final out was made – hooping and hollering, dancing around and hugging our fellow teammates.
Our love for the game and our passion to play it, seemed to put a hold on chronological order, allowing us to be “The Boys of Summer” again.
For me, it also put new meaning to the words of anthropologist Ashley Montague who said, “We don’t stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing.”
The Marauders – The Boys of Summer
August 5th, 2010 at 5:49 pm
Nice blog Tom and great post on Leduc.
I gotta’ tell ya’ there were a group of us who noted with some horror that you, our “Nationals pick up player” was doing a series of push ups prior to our first game at the SPN 60 Nationals during the August long weekend. We of course promptly discussed the fact that you were making the rest of us look bad especially after you went something like 7 for 7 in the first couple of games…LOL
Cheers to you Tom and great weekend. You helped make a Championship title possible.
Jim Klassen