Senior softball players wanted

If you want some healthy fun, a group of active adults invites you to get "off your rocker" when the weather warms up.

A senior softball league has already signed up 113 players for its spring-summer season, and it needs a few more to fill out the rosters of eight teams. Following a March draft and spring-training practices, each team will play 22 games on Friday mornings through July, culminating in playoffs and a picnic in August.

The Tony Mantarro League attracts some of its participants from the Freehold area to Berkeley, 24 miles south. The pitching is underhanded, but the contests are fast-paced. The banter among teammates and competitors is jocular, not "jock"-like.

Men and women age 70 and over are encouraged to get more information and register, while those 65 to 69 must be approved by the league (no high-performance, tournament-caliber "heavy hitters" allowed). The
all-draft aspect of the organization assures competitive balance among teams. The average age last year was 73, and a few players were in their 80s.

Players pay a $34 fee (about $1.50 per game) which covers shirts, softballs, umpires, liability and secondary health insurance. The only other requirement is a fielding glove.

For more information, contact Mike Singer at 732-580-0633 or Singemi43@gmail.com.