Have you ever seen a 95-year-old woman, all of 5 feet tall, play baseball? If you were driving by the Lincoln Home in Newcastle the first of July you would have seen her and her 80- to 90-year-old teammates decked out in their Golden Oldie T-shirts and ball caps, cheering, batting, walking bases, and having a grand time, according to a news release from the Newcastle assisted-living facility.
Kevin Benner from Maintenance cleared the parking lot of cars, chalked the bases onto the hot top and opened the 14th annual baseball game with “PLAY BALL”. The chatter rose, and the competitive, sassy talk from player to player began. When the 103 centenarian walked up to bat, loud cheers followed him. When he hit the ball, his grin was visible across the third base line.
This event, year after year, has proven that one is never too old to try something new, to play, to have fun, and to be rowdy and cheer on fellow teammates. Score is kept, but no one seems to care. It is the playing that matters, the camaraderie, being outside, and the singing of “Take Me Out to the Ball Game” during the 7th-inning stretch, according to the release.
When the game was over, the group gathered together for a picnic lunch.
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