Page 21 - Southern Exposure - February '25
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Southern Exposure, Page 21



                                                                         SPortS




                                            Jupiter Senior Softball News




        To Paul Storch there                             11, making him the oldest
      was a noticeable “buzz in                          active player. He also
      the air” as scores of senior                       is manager of the Blue
      softball players took to the                       Division team, “Bill’s
      fields Jan. 6 for the start of                     Warriors.”
      the Jupiter Senior Softball                          When asked why he
      Association’s 2025 Winter                          keeps playing, he said,
      League.                                            “I  love  the  guys,  I  love
        “I  saw  about  150                              the atmosphere and love
      ballplayers out there and all                      the competition. “It’s just
      were absolutely thrilled to                        fun.”  In  the  off-season
      be participating in opening                        he still plays softball and
      day. You could feel it in  Commissioner Paul Storch  hardball  once  or twice  a
      the air,” said Storch, who                         week in New Jersey.
      is commissioner of the                               Pollack said he’s been
      Jupiter Senior Softball                            playing ball since he was
      Association.                                       eight years old, including
        The league runs from                             through college and in
      January through March                              semi-pro  and  senior  Ron Horne, 71, sprints for first base after getting a hit in a Winter League softball game.
      and is the cornerstone                             leagues.  He  pitched
      of  the  year-round  senior                        baseball into his 80s, compiling a record of 1,028 wins.
      softball program. Persons                          When he was in dental school the New York Yankees
      55 and older are eligible                          wanted to sign him but he turned down the offer.
      and there is no upper                                “In those days the the maximum bonus they could offer
      age limit.  The winter                             was $4,000 and I wasn’t about to quit dental school for
      league features 15 teams                           $4,000,” he said. A high point, however, was that he got
      competing among three                              to pitch batting practice to Micky Mantle, Yogi Berra,
      divisions and is followed                          Elston Howard and other Yankee greats, he noted.
      by pickup games and                                  The Jupiter slow-pitch softball program is sponsored
      spring and fall leagues                            by the nonprofit Jupiter  Senior  Softball Association
      the remainder of the year.                         in cooperation with Jupiter’s Parks and Recreation
        Bill “Doc” Pollack,                              Department. Games are every Monday, Wednesday and
      a retired dentist and  Bill Pollack, who turned 90 this   Friday mornings at Jupiter Community Park and new
      seasonal resident from  month, is playing in Jupiter’s   players of all skills are welcome.
      Livingston, N.J., is in  2025 Winter Softball League.     Registration can be made online at www.leaguelineup.
      his  17th  season  playing                         com/jssa. Sponsorships are also available. For more
      in the league. He celebrates his 90th birthday February   information contact Gary Newman at (917) 623-0791.
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