Fred Dresser
I’m quite sure that many of us can remember the time that each of us turned 30 (except for the ladies who somehow always remain 29). Funny how that math works.
The PebbleCreek Senior Softball Association (PCSSA) unfortunately is not able to use the above-mentioned math as on a rainy morning on Saturday, Oct. 19, the PCSSA celebrated the start of its 30th season of softball.
This game called softball is a game that got its start at the Farragut Boat Club in Chicago back in 1887.
The game was first called softball at the National Recreation Congress meeting in 1926. Credit for the name goes to Walter Hakanson who represented the YMCA at the meeting. It stuck.
Fast forward 69 years to 1995 to a swimming pool in Eagle’s Nest where a group of guys would get together and think “Let’s start a softball league.” Well, here we are in 2024 and the PebbleCreek Senior Softball Association celebrated its 30th season of softball on Saturday, Oct. 19.
Let’s step back in time to how it all began.
September 1995: A group of guys get together at the Eagle’s Nest Clubhouse to discuss interest in playing softball. As a result, Jim Snyder was appointed to spearhead resident interest in playing softball. PebbleCreek Softball began to take shape as two teams were formed with a total of 21 players from PebbleCreek. Tuesdays and Saturdays were selected as play days as the ladies took over the golf course on Tuesdays and Saturday. The games were played at the Old Litchfield Park field across from the fire station on Old Litchfield Road.
November 1997: Games began play on a field that became known as the “Rock Pile” in PebbleCreek. The field was located north of where the current tennis courts in Eagle’s Nest are currently located. The field received its name due to the players needing to pick up the small rocks on the field to avoid an injury to a player. In addition, two PebbleCreek teams also played in Glendale in the 55-plus division and the 60-division.
October 1998: The league consisted of six teams. Two teams from PebbleCreek along with teams from Sun City Grand, Rosie’s Restaurant, Happy Trails, El Mirage. Arizona Traditions joined the league in 1999 raising the number of teams to seven. As the popularity of the sport grew, the Robson organization was contacted by Dave Smith, Del Chafe (passed on), Ron Van der Hei, Mick Mauer, and Don Wyman about the possibility of a ballfield being constructed that would accommodate the growing interest of softball in PebbleCreek. Mr. Robson was instrumental in the development and construction of the current Field of Dreams.
January 2000: The Field of Dreams was now a reality. The backstop and bleachers were moved from the infamous “rock pile” to the new field. Seven teams now played on our field, four teams from PebbleCreek and three outside teams. Between 2001 and 2003, the league grew to six teams made up of exclusively PebbleCreek residents.
2004: The league expanded to 10 teams with 16 players per team. The league continued to grow with two more teams added, bringing the total number of teams to 12.
2016/2017: The league grew to 13 teams and 156 players.
2017/2018: The growth continues as the league grew to 14 teams and 168 players.
2019/2020: PCSSA celebrated its 25th year of play for PCSSA and once again the league grew, to 15 teams.
2024: The PCSSA continues to grow as it currently has 23 teams, with over 300 individuals involved as a player, manager, umpire, or a volunteer.
The question that remains, is exactly what draws the individuals who play this game at this stage of their life back to playing a game they played in their younger years? There is not one answer but rather many answers.
The individuals who play in the PCSSA today more than likely played in their younger years and then laid down the bat and glove to focus on their careers and families as evidenced by the many walks of life that these individuals came from.
Now in their golden years they once again picked up the glove and bat and returned to the diamond to play a game that basically hasn’t changed that much over the years. What has changed is the speed that they once enjoyed is now just a little bit slower, the throws don’t travel as far, and the swinging of the bat is sometimes not as accurate as it once was. In addition, muscles that haven’t been used in a few years all of a sudden become pulled and take just a little longer to heal. The one thing that hasn’t changed is the good-natured bantering that takes place between the players before, during, and after the game.
When we talk about these individuals, we’re not talking strictly about just men as the PCSSA also has young ladies who play in the league as well. These women can play ball.
As mentioned earlier, there are many answers why these men and women play this game called softball, however, I believe the following statement pretty well sums it all up:
It’s unbelievable how much you don’t know about the game you’ve been playing all your life
—Mickey Mantle
The PCSSA, from its humble beginning at Old Litchfield Park to the “Rock Pile” to our current Field of Dreams Ball Field, could not have happened if it were not for 21 players who had a vision of what could be.
Batter Up!