WILMINGTON, N.C. — My wife, Gail, and I moved to Brunswick Forest late February 2018. In the middle of unpacking and hanging pictures, on the first Tuesday of March, I told Gail I was going out to play softball.

“Really,” she said. “Well go out and have fun. Don’t get hurt.”

Two days later on Thursday, I again announced I was going out to play softball.

“You just went,” she said.

“I know, but we play every Tuesday and Thursday.”

“For how long,” she said.

“I don’t know, I haven’t asked.”

When I came back I told her they play every Tuesday and Thursday in some form or another from February though November, her only question (there were a number of other statements) was, “So what do they do the rest of the year on Tuesdays and Thursday?”

Basketball.

I found out about the Wilmington Senior Softball Association through Nextdoor. Which pointed me to the WSSA website – www.wilmingtonseniorsoftball.net. The softball league is made up of men and women age 55 and older. Two of our more active players turn 86 this year. They have both been in the league for more than 23 years. The league itself is 27 years old. The league is divided into 3 divisions. Each division set up to match players with equal skills so that everyone gets to play at least half of all innings played. 

Our Atlantic division is set up for the younger players that play a more competitive game. The Coastal division is made up of players that take the game seriously but know that they can’t keep up with the higher skilled players in Atlantic. The Legacy division allows anyone who wants to play a chance to play. Within all three of these divisions, there are 12 teams, 4 teams for each division. We average about 15 players per team. While that may seem like a lot, there are 11 players on the field leaving you with only 4 substitutes. Everyone is put into the batting line up and they take an equal turn to hit. Even if they were not out on the field defensively. When the heat shows up in May, everyone is grateful for those 4 substitutes. 

We start each year in March with what we call our Spring Training. Over a period of three weeks the managers of the 12 teams evaluate the new players. Everyone that shows up will be placed on a team. Which division or team will be determined by their play on the field and their batting skill. The most common phrase we hear in March is “I haven’t put on a glove or hit a ball in 20, 25, 30 or maybe 35 years” It just doesn’t matter. The WSSA has a place for you. 

Moving down here from New Jersey means you can recognize a sarcastic remark when it’s directed towards you. I knew I made a good friend one day while playing catcher. A pop foul ball landed halfway between home and third, which I could not get to in time. Out from left center field I heard a voice say “a good catcher would have had that.” Later when the left center fielder could not get to a fly ball, of course I said “a good outfielder would have had that.” Walter and I have been friends from that day on.

We are always looking for more players. Some get to join us for “Spring Training”. Some start in the middle of out season. We even have some that join us at the end of our season and practice informally in what the WSSA refers to as Fall Ball. As I said February through November.

Check out our website and see what we mean by: You don’t stop playing because you grow old. You grow old because you stop playing.

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