field events of the National Senior Olympic Games , but he enjoys the team aspect of the league .
“ A person from one team might be throwing batting practice for a player from another team ,” he notes . “ Or we may all be out there fielding balls for a hitter who plays for someone else .”
Ron Zankey , who is the current president of the league and plays centerfield for Brandt , says , “ We ’ re a very competitive league but it ’ s great summer fun , with some intensity about it .” He also adds that the players really enjoy playing on the wonderfully kept fields , which are maintained at a near-professional level : “ We have an outstanding ground crew .”
They play primarily at North Park , with some play taking place at Bruno Sammartino Park in Ross Township and a few other parks on the north side of Pittsburgh . Each team plays 28 games per year with a league tournament taking place in August .
Though injuries are a concern at any age , they can present special problems for senior players who sometimes experience longer recovery times . But Grosjean explains that certain safeguards have been put into place to help prevent injuries and collisions on the field . For example , batters advancing to first base are required to tag-up at an alternate orange bag that is in the foul zone , to avoid any collisions at first base . There is a similar setup at home plate , in which the runner is required to touch a line located away from home plate in order to avoid collisions between the runner and catcher .
There are also two age categories to help level the playing field – no pun intended . The Silver Division is for ages 52-61 , and the Gold Division is for players ages 62 and up . Larry Gaertner will turn 82 this year and is a legend in Pittsburgh softball .
His team , Pittsburgh Gold , won a gold medal in the Senior Olympics Slow-Pitch Softball in 2005 , and also a national softball championship for seniors over 55 . Gaertner still plays and is the manager for the BMF team . ( On a side note , Pittsburgh will again be the host city for the National Senior Olympics in 2023 ).
At this point , the NACSSL is entirely made up of male players . But they are completely open to welcoming female players , since they are more concerned about talent than gender . There is a fee of $ 120 per year to play , which helps cover the cost of professional umpires and field maintenance . And you must be 52 years of age or older to play .
There are many reasons to play senior league softball ; it ’ s a great way to stay in shape , a chance to get out and get some sunshine , to enjoy the thrill of competition , to meet new people and enjoy the camaraderie of team play . But mostly it ’ s just fun !
To learn more about the North Allegheny County Senior Softball League , visit nacssl . com . n
SEWICKLEY ❘ SPRING 2022 13