Old Timers hit the diamond for softball action

NEGAUNEE — The annual Old Timers softball game took place Wednesday at Lacombe Field and even after 19 years, these games are still very competitive.

“If you’ve played ball for a while, you’re going to be competitive. You have fun, you joke back and forth, but the aim is still to win the game,” said Negaunee’s Don Trudell.

“Oh it gets very competitive. Even though it’s just a fun thing right now, it’s still competitive. Negaunee has won a lot of games. We’ve won a few. Of course, Negaunee practices all the time and we never practice. We just go out and play. it’s just fun,” Marquette’s Eugune Menapace said.

The game features players from Negaunee taking on Marquette natives as a part of Pioneer Days in Marquette county. The game itself serves as a great time for old friends to meet up and have some fun.

“Most of us played against each other 35, 40 years ago. And here we are still having a good time and enjoying it. Afterwards, we’ll get together and have a little party and just reminisce basically,” Menapace said.

“It’s great because you see all these ball players begin to age, and yet some of them are still good athletes, real good. We had a catcher with us last year 84 years old and he caught for seven innings and did a great job,” said Trudell.