Players and umpires in all the CDMSBL age divisions:

I'd like your help organizing my over-62 team, the Haymakers.

And I know of no better resource to turn for help than my fellow players and the umpires in the over-18s, 33s, 45s, 55s and even 62s.

As of today, January 1, 2025, my newly formed over-62 club has five players. I need at least nine more. I figure we can play out the 2025
schedule competitively with 14 players. 15 would be fine, too.

So from today, Wednesday, January 2nd, until Friday February 14th, 2025, Valentine's Day, I'll be back on the recruiting trail.

In those six weeks, I'll be happy to take your e-mailed suggestions with the names of a relative, a friend, a neighbor, a co-worker,
a fellow student, who'd like to play. The only requirements are that these players be at least 62 by December 31st, be generally more
mobile than not, and, of course, still be eager to play some ball.

Having some baseball background is a plus, but not a requirement. Having some sports skills though (as in tennis, golfing, pickle ball)
along with a desire to play the game and, each week, a willingness to try to get a little bit better at it, that will be the ticket.

The season's fee is not set yet but it usually runs a little over $200 per player.

The Haymakers will be organized around the same principles that my former Red Hot Peppers club used. I created the Peppers in 2002
and ran it for 16 seasons, through 2018. We rarely had to seek substitutes because of the team's two propelling ideas: everybody plays
and playing is more important than winning.

Players knew they were going to get in the games, and for more than a few innings each, so they showed up. We won a handful of games
every season. And of course we played. My guess? After you pass 50, winning's fun. It's always fun. It never ceases to be fun.
But playing is the bigger deal.

A word on the Haymakers' late creation: I didn't know that I'd be forming a team this year. I took up the challenge in November
when I heard that the division may be expanding from six teams to eight, thanks mainly to what was thought would be a large influx of players
coming up from the 55s.

Initially, I believed I'd only have to find three to six players. But the bulk of the upcoming players, not sure how many; less than ten
I believe, would go to the Reds, a new team formed late last season. But my offer to help was still on the table. Meanwhile, there
were three or four players who told me they didn't have a team and wouldn't mind being Haymakers. So I said, OK.

The upside for the division is that with eight teams scheduling becomes a lot easier than setting games with seven.

I've done some recruiting. It ain't easy trying to find players who can run and bend and throw balls, after 62. But fortunately we're living
in an age when athletes are taking better care of themselves and the Haymakers may profit from that.

And the league has proof that older can play: there must be about twenty-five or more players in the division who are now, officially,
septuagenarians. (I love that word. Means 70-somethings.) I turn 78 in June. If I can do it, anyone can. Just get your swims and jogs in.

I plan to try to assemble a team through Friday, February 14th. That will leave me some time to collect fees and make
payments by March 1st. How we'll fare after the 14th will depend on how many guys we get before then.

So, my fellow CDMSBL players and umps, if you know of anyone who'd like to discover what's left in their baseball skills and give it
one more shot, would you ask them to e-mail me at MHART44@ME.COM?

If they can move well, and laugh, they'll play. Guaranteed.

Thanking you in advance,

-Mike




-- Edited by mikehart on Thursday 2nd of January 2025 04:29:04 PM