Senior Softball League Keeps Its Players Forever Young

In sports, as in life, experience counts. And there’s loads of experience in the softball battery of Ed Martin and Al Parsons. 

Martin, of Ross, pitches for Baierl Automotive in the North Allegheny County Senior Softball League. He’s 81. Parsons, of Brighton Heights, is the team’s catcher at the nimble age of 83. That's 164 years between the mound and home plate. 

Parsons, who worked as a graphic artist for the Pittsburgh Press, enjoys every moment.

“It gives me something to do, keeps me active,” he said. “That’s why we are all here. It’s fun, and we can fool around a lot.” 

Parson’s daughter, Jan Moreland, tries to watch her dad play when her schedule permits.  

“He loves it,” she said. “He looks forward to the new season each year. Now, with age, he kind of debates whether he should or shouldn’t do it, then he always chooses to do it. I think he just loves to be with the guys and playing ball.”  

Martin helped to start the league in 1987.

“We couldn’t get fields at first because we were the new kids on the block,” he said.

Former state Rep. David J. Mayernik and several sponsors helped to build two new fields near the lodge at and the league quickly grew.  

Of the sponsors, Martin joked, “we used to get a lot of funeral homes. They wanted our business.” 

The league has a loyal following of fans.

“Up at and [fields], we get guys who quit years ago, some of them are in their 90s and come to the games,” Martin said.  

The league is divided into two divisions -- silver for players 53 to 64 years old, and gold for those 65 or older. 

Frank Meinert, 73, splits his time between North Hills, playing for Diehl Automotive, and Florida. He spends more than a third of the year playing softball.  

“I play down in Florida, probably 100 games a year,” he said. “I just enjoy the game, and it’s exercise. There’s some awful good talent coming in the league. It’s got a great reputation, and I think for a lot of the older players who keep hanging on, it’s a night out for them socially, God love 'em. I played with these guys in my 20s and 30s, and I’m still playing with them.” 

There are 242 players in the league, divided among 16 teams, with eight teams in each division. They play 28 regular-season games plus a full playoff schedule at the two North Park fields, as well as several others scattered throughout the North Hills. 

The league attracts players from all over.

“We have guys from Grove City, South Hills, Mercer, Butler, Gibsonia, even a guy from Ohio,” said Russ Gibson, 76, of Ross, who has been league president for 14 years.

Gibson said the league continues to grow.

"We added 35 new players this year,”  he said.

Ray Roach, 81, of New Castle, also plays all year despite a health scare five years ago.

“In Arizona, I fell on the field and ended up having a quadruple bypass,” he said. “So now I go to the gym and make sure I can run, but it’s OK, I’m fine.”

Nancy, his wife for 54 years, said she never misses a game.

“We started out going to ballgames, and we’re ending up going to ballgames,” she said. 

Ron Miklavic, 70, of Aliquippa, said the games are competitive, but sometimes the real fun begins after the last out.

“We tailgate like crazy after the games,” he said. “You come to play ball to lose weight — well, you don’t lose weight, not here. We have a heckuva tailgate party.”