SAN ANTONIO SENIOR SOFTBALL LEAGUE STARTS SUMMER SEASON WITH 22 TEAMS

June 1, 2010

By Bill Altman

The San Antonio Seniors Softball League (SASSL) kicked off itsr summer season with 22 teams in June. The league is divided into four age divisions (50+, 60+, 65+, 69+) with more than 400 senior men 50+ participating. League play is conducted at Normoyle Park on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays depending on age division.

Making up the 50+ Division are the Alamo City Comancharios managed by Bobby Canamar; Old School Rebels, managed by Al Castillo; Carlitos 50’s , managed by Jerry Abregon and Alamo City Boyz, managed by Domingo Garcia. The 50+ division plays on Thursday nights.

The 60+ Division has seven teams. The Alamo City Legends, managed by Robert Marichalar; Texas Tornados, managed by Gary Kirk; Seniors, managed by Richard Redmond; Mission Classics, managed by Bobby Canamar; Old Stars 60, managed by Gilbert Ortega; Team Texas, managed by Lonnie Springs and the Texas legends, managed by Roger Cardenas. The 60+ division play on Saturdays. John Fey is the 60+ Commissioner.

The 65+ Division consists of the Crackers, managed by Charlie Franklin; Travelers, managed by Jim Pedersen; Blazers, managed by Al Sanchez, Jr.; River Hawks, managed by Robert Dominguez, and the Top Dawgs, managed by Don Crook. The Del Webb team managed by Don Simmons played during the Spring season but will be off during the summer and rejoin the league in the fall. The 65+ Division play on Saturdays. Lee Roy Lawrence is the 65+ Commissioner.

Teams comprising the 69+ Division are: Bulls, managed by Jim McElhatten; Jets, managed by Rocky Green; Old Stars 70 managed by Sam Laque; Tigers 70 managed by Bill Altman; Tigers 75A, managed by Jim Robinson and Tigers 75B managed by Bill Altman. Games are played on Tuesdays. Bill Altman serves as Commissioner..

SASSL is working closely with the San Antonio Parks Department to convert two fields at Normoyle Park into regulation senior softball fields. In a unique partnership, SASSL is raising funds and donations to augment the park’s department resources and add thousands of dollars of improvements to the fields. Scheduled completion of all work is by the end of 2010. The two senior softball fields should be top notch senior softball facilities when completed.

SASSL is a non-profit corporation formed to promote physical and mental fitness for seniors 50+ through participation in senior softball SASSL and is affiliated with SSUSA. The private organization has been operating for more than 21 years Its policy of “No Player Left Behind” attempts to place all interested seniors on a team regardless of skill level or previous experience. Two 75+ teams have recently been added to the league. The league’s oldest player, Adolf Hoffman, 87, was also recently featured on local TV.

SASSL also helps to prepare some teams for regional, state and national competition. SASSL teams have won numerous tournaments. Recently the Texas Tornados managed by Gary Kirk won the 60+ AA Tournament of Champions title in Florida. Charlie Franklin’s Crackers won the 70+ AA SSUSA national championship last fall and have repeatedly won SSUSA and SPA 70+ AA tournaments before recently being elevated to AAA status. Both the AAA 60+ Alamo City Legends managed by Robert Marichalar and the AAA 65+ Texas Legends managed by Roger Cardenas have recently won state tournaments.