26 years of softball along Route 26 in Dagsboro
Why relive old glories on the diamond during retirement when there is a perfectly good venue to make new ones?
The smell of wet dirt, fresh-cut grass and what one could only describe as Sussex County perfume. The sounds of hide smacking against leather and the ping of aluminum. They all mean one thing on the forgotten side of Route 26, across Dupont Boulevard, and down a gravel road in Dagsboro: Olde Tymers Softball.
For 26 years, softball players over the age of 60 have been lacing up their cleats, sliding on knee pads, and battling it out on the softball diamonds nestled along the tree line and just behind the Dagsboro Church of God. You’ll smell more mint from the gum out there then you will muscle rub, as these combatants are solely focused on one thing during Tuesday and Thursday mornings in the summer — winning.
League President Steve Unger said the key to maintaining a competitive balance and a healthy league is to have each player ranked in accordance with their skill level. Similar to youth recreational leagues, the players are divided up so each team has an equal number of elite, experienced and intermediate players. Spring training is held each year, and in addition to knocking the rust off, players are able to showcase their skill levels for proper placement.
Summer league games are played at 9 and 10:30 a.m., and 12 p.m., Tuesdays and Thursdays. The 2023 season kicked off May 2 and will run until Thursday, Aug. 17. Barring any further weather delays, the postseason should start Tuesday, Aug. 22. The tiered system allows for 14 teams, with two teams receiving a bye each game day, and a free-agent pool. If a player cannot compete due to unforeseen circumstances, the replacement player from the free-agent pool must come from the same skill level.
Each game is overseen by two umpires, who keep track of the score and relay each inning’s run total to a scorekeeper. The scorekeeper, much like operations at Wrigley Field and Fenway Park, changes the score manually and with numerical slides. While in the seventh and final frame, there are no limits on the number of runs scored, each team is held to a maximum of five runs through the first six innings.
Games are generally competitive, but the occasional contest will get lopsided, and players from both sides communicate heavily among themselves, and with the other team and the umpires. The tone is usually comedic, but with players taking their commitment seriously, they will occasionally protest a questionable call or encourage a teammate who might not be well focused on the task at hand.
Communication is constant during every pitch, as each team’s coaches will declare the number of outs, hitters’ tendencies and where to go with the ball. Few things, if any, can replace the knowledge players gain from experience, and positioning becomes a vital part of the game. The players may not have the range or velocity on throws they once had, but their adherence to the game’s fundamentals produces a quality product for any softball or baseball fan to enjoy.
Family members, including grandchildren, make up a majority of the fans viewing the games from the wooden bleachers. The glow on a ballplayer's face when he notices his family in the stands seems to be something that doesn’t fade with age.
The league has a membership of roughly 200 people, with 168 active players on the 14 locally sponsored teams. Edward Jones Investments, Atlantic Orthopaedics, Touch of Italy, Community Bank Delaware, Diamondblade Tileworks, Greene Turtle Restaurant, Ocean View Family Restaurant, American Legion Post 24, Phoenix Physical Therapy, B&E Tires, Logo Motive, Millsboro Lanes, Giant of Millville and American Legion Post 28 are the sponsor names that grace the front of the league jerseys. There are an additional 20 free agents as well as umpires and a ground crew that make up the membership. The league members maintain the fields themselves.
Although they’re combatants between the lines and during the 42 combined outs, the players shake hands with one another no matter the outcome. Any jokes made during the game quickly become compliments after the final out. Unger said following the games, a lot of players head to American Legion Post 24 to wash down a few beers, and share stories about past and present glories.
