Baseball in the twilight

Jay Sadowski of the Dorian Grays fires toward the plate

This is the online portal for the TNB Over Fifty Baseball League. We are a four-team league based in the Pioneer Valley of Western Massachusetts. As the name suggests, we are a recreational baseball league for 50-ish year-old men and women who are not prepared to let go of the game that has gripped them since childhood. For recruitment purposes, 50-ish is 45 and older. You do need to be 50 to pitch, though.

Jim Healy of the Wonderboys on the hill

We play on 90-foot diamonds, use wood bats, pitch overhand and by and large play according to MLB rules. The only exceptions are unlimited substitution, extended batting orders and liberal use of courtesy runners. Basically, everyone who shows up for a game gets into the game. Here's the link to an article about us from a few years ago that appeared in The Springfield Republican. 

Paul Kaplan of the Phillies slides under the tag at 3b

Basically, it's the same game you remember as a kid, only just a little slower. But that's OK because everyone's slow in the same places. It's still baseball. Our season runs 15 weeks, one night per week( Weds or Thurs), from May through mid-August. We employ a one-and-done playoff format. This space will be used for periodic updates about the league and its teams -- Dorian Grays, Plug Uglies, Phillies and Wonder Boys -- as the season gets rolling.

Chris Scanlon of the Plug Uglies, rounding 3rd and heading for home.

For more information, go to the TNB Over Fifty Baseball page on Facebook, or drop us an email at PaddyjPioneer at Gmail dot Com.