‘It’s wonderful therapy.’ This softball team heading for senior national tournament

Pro baseball may be winding down its season, but the competition is heating up in senior softball leagues. In fact, one local team is headed out west to compete.

The Ageless Wonders, a group of men in the 65-plus age range, are traveling to Utah the first week of October to compete in the Huntsman World Senior Games. The mini-Olympics style of play hosts competitive players from all over the country.

The trip to the Huntsman tournament is hot on the heels of the Ageless Wonders’ silver medal win in the Kansas State Senior Games the end of September. It’s the first time the team will compete in the Huntsman Games, which include softball, archery, volleyball and other sports.

The Ageless Wonders play in the Kansas City Metro Senior Softball League, which was founded in 1990 by Wes Weddle. Back then, there were two teams. Today, more than 90 teams play in five locations throughout the metro, including Overland Park and Olathe. The league, with almost 1,000 members, also includes women’s and co-ed teams.

The 13 Ageless Wonders members come mostly from Johnson County. The squad plays both a spring and summer season, starting in April and continuing through early October, with several games each week. In addition, many members play on additional teams in multiple conferences.

Barry Gordon, a 69-year-old transplant from New York, both plays and manages this team and others.

“As manager, my job is to make sure we have enough guys on the field each week, setting the lineup, placing the players in positions and generally trying to ensure that everyone has a good time playing,” said Gordon, who plays second base.

In addition to Gordon, the Ageless Wonders’ tourney roster includes Bruce Goodman, Art Korn, Gary Lake, Rick Monley, Don Morse, Gary Pycior, Tim Robinson, Van Seyler, Ken Simons, Ed Soltz, Jeff Stetina and Steve Stras.

Because so many members play on other teams, there is little time for practice during the season, but these players put in the hard work to be successful.

“Once the season is over and everyone is rested and the aches and pains have vanished, guys start getting antsy, so we do have indoor practices,” Gordon said.

“The Ageless Wonders usually take advantage of a wonderful indoor facility (Homefield in Olathe) with two-hour practices three days a week. Once the weather starts getting nice, then we transfer those practices outdoors where sometimes we just take batting practice and shag flys, and other times we set up actual pick-up games.”

With the Huntsman Games, the schedule is rigorous. The first two days of play are round-robin competitions, after which the teams are seeded into one of six divisions. Then the action goes into double elimination rounds. In the end, the winners receive medals. But far more important, said Gordon, is the fun of competing in the sport they love to play.

Most of the Ageless Wonders’ tourney roster is made up of regular members with a few from other senior league teams. Simons has been playing in the Kansas City League for 13 years and is traveling with the team to the Huntsman Games. You can generally find Simons playing either left or right centerfield position, but the Leawood resident has also played shortstop and second base.

“The preparation comes from playing, taking batting practice and fielding balls prior to the start of games,” said Simons, 66. “Of course, most of us stretch and run a little before game time, too.”

Simons has a passion for the game.

“I play in doubleheader leagues on Tuesday and Thursday evenings and one game on Saturday mornings,” Simons said. Among his biggest fans is his 3-year-old grandson, Ford Stephenson.

“The best thing about senior softball is the camaraderie with your teammates and your opponents,” Simons said. “Most of the players have played with or against each other for years, both in senior league and when we were all much younger. You’re still competitive and want to win, but it’s much more collegial.”

Gordon echoes that the best part of senior softball is “the great people that you get to hang around with.

“Everyone that grabs a bat or laces up their shoes or brings out their glove is doing something we all enjoyed doing as kids, and now we’re doing it again 50-plus years later.”

Gordon said playing ball at this age has fitness and other benefits.

“Once you step out on the field, in order to concentrate on hitting, throwing, fielding, and running, everything else is erased from your mind — at least for a little while. It’s wonderful therapy,” Gordon said.

“Quite honestly, just the fact that I can still play at almost 70 years old is extremely satisfying and is a strong motivating factor to keep on playing.”

This story was originally published September 28, 2021 at 5:00 AM with the headline "‘It’s wonderful therapy.’ This softball team heading for senior national tournament."