By Laura McAlister
Journal Editor
Russ Arthur has been retired for years. But about once a week come spring, he gets to feel like a kid all over again.
That’s when he meets up with fellow senior citizens to play softball with the Central Alabama Senior Softball Association’s daytime league.
“I used to play Little League,” said Russ, a Michigan native who’s now a Pelham resident. “We just feel like kids playing the old positions we used to play all our lives. We’re just loving it.”
About seven years ago, Russ, 68, started the senior citizen softball league. The rules and equipment are modified for the older players, and for the most part, the competition is a bit more laid back.
At first, the association had only about two teams, but over the years it’s been divided into two leagues, a daytime and a nighttime one, each with about four teams.
CASSA is about the only senior citizen softball league in central Alabama, so players come from places as nearby as Vestavia Hills and Homewood and as far away as Montgomery and Dora.
Bob Hunter, 76, of Vestavia Hills joined the league early on. He had been playing ball with his church in his 70s but was finding it hard to keep up with the younger players.
“They’re all in their 30s and 40s, so they move a little bit faster,” he said of the church players. “The senior league has just been great for me.
“I didn’t want to hang up my cleats. This was something that felt right.”
There are no tryouts for the senior softball teams. The only requirement is age – players have to be at least 50 years old. However, some of the athletes are over 80 years old.
“Olan Hyde, he’s 83,” Russ said. “He’s our oldest player.”
Russ said the daytime league is typically the less competitive one. Starting in March, teams play one game a week and, depending on weather, play up to 33 games through October. The night league, which typically has some of the younger players, starts in April and ends in October, playing up to 29 games.
And just like Little League, Russ said, everybody gets a ball cap and a T-shirt.
The cost to join the league is $75 for the day league, which provides bats, and $70 for the night league.
While games have been played on Pelham city fields, they’ll move to Birmingham city fields at Green Springs Park this year.
For any senior who misses the field, Bob said, the league is a good opportunity to get back to the game. Players might move a little slower, but it’s still good old-fashioned fun, just like Little League.
“Now, instead of everybody saying ‘I got it, I got it,’ they say, ‘you get it, you get it,’ ” he joked. “We’re just having fun. We know we can’t run or hit like we used to, but we can still play the game.”
For more information about CASSA, contact Russ Arthur at 807-3746 or 663-7597, Bob Hunter at 823-2758 or 903-7739 or visit the league website at www.thecassa.com.
