Just Pondering: Finding youth in senior years

By Medicine Hat News Opinion on June 24, 2021.

Sunday was Father’s Day, and my thoughts turn to my dad who passed away over nine years ago.

Seems like yesterday he was sitting at my table, telling me a story that always ended in laughter. My grief has abated and that sharp pain is replaced with so many memories and a smile. So it is crazy how life can be because while we were cleaning to move I found a newspaper article I had written over 15 years ago about my parents retiring to Medicine Hat and the wonderful senior ball league that made his latter years so fulfilling.

As we return to normalcy and I hear the kids playing on the ball diamond next to us , I cast my thoughts back to watching him play senior ball and the complete joy it bought to all of us. So, in tribute to all the fathers who celebrated on Sunday, I say “job well done,” and to the seniors who are just rearing to get active again, this excerpt from that old piece is dedicated to you:

People complain about where they live all the time and Medicine Hat has its share of people who are just not happy, but I would like to point out to readers I feel this is one of the best communities going. My husband and I have raised our two sons here and recently welcomed my parents to our fine city. I will admit I had concerns about how a couple who were born, raised, dug in roots, worked the land and were an intricate part of a small-town Saskatchewan were going to fair in a rapidly growing Alberta city.

But over the last six months I have watched my father discover the fountain of youth right here in the Hat, thanks to a great couple, Jim and Orla Noon, who extended and then conjouled my dad into joining the Medicine Hat Senior Slow Pitch League.

They say you can’t turn back the clock, but twice a week over the last three months I have seen it. I have watched my dad don a baseball uniform and stand up proud because he is part of a team.

I sit in the stands and look out over this amazing facility and the line from that famous movie becomes real. “If you build it, they will come.” And come they do. All shapes, sizes, ages and afflictions.

If you love baseball, and God forbid you don’t, then you play ball. The clock stops and we are transported back 50 years. There are no old men present. Everyone is again 20 years old and playing in the final game of their hometown sports day. The friendship, determination and best of all passion is rolled right out in front of all to see. The wives take to the stand to cheer, heckle and pray. Laughter is everywhere.

I thank the residents of Medicine Hat for making the transition so much easier for my parents. I thank those wonderful athletes who refuse to give up on life because a certain age is achieved. There are no ages when you wear the uniform, run the bases and high five your team mates for scoring the winning run. This is the good life. May we all be so lucky to find our youth at age 72.

Stay well.

Allyson McCaw is a Medicine Hatter. Her column, Just Pondering, will run on the fourth Thursday of each month. Feedback can be sent to letters@medicinehatnews.com

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