SANDLOTS Take me back out to the ballgame: Oldtimers play on

Al Orr is reliving his youth with the Youngstown Oldtimers baseball team.
By JOHN KOVACH
VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF
Al Orr is a kid again playing baseball with some of his buddies, and he is loving every minute of it.
"You are reliving your childhood. It's a blessing. It's your field of dreams," said Orr, 55, of Boardman, who is in his eighth season with the Youngstown Oldtimers team as a pitcher and outfielder.
"I like the players, the team, the camaraderie. It's like a fraternity with the guys you are playing, a kid's game, and it's just like growing up. You are with your buddies and we all are trying to win."
But Orr, a 1966 Woodrow Wilson High graduate and an art teacher at Warren Reserve Middle School, not only is having a good time on the diamond, he is one of the top players in the 13-team Over 50 Classic Baseball League.
Top hitter, pitcher
Orr leads the Oldtimers in batting (.480 average on 18-for-39), RBIs (16) and pitching (6-2 record), helping the team to a 10-4 record under manager Don Christian entering today's game at East Palestine at 2 p.m.
Youngstown also will play Sunday at home against Chester, W.Va., at 2 p.m. All home games are at Cene Park.
The league also consists of Penn-Ohio, Poland, Girard, Hubbard, New Springfield, East Palestine, Salem Legends, Alliance, Canton Masters, Massillon Old Tigers, Massillon Classic, Chester, W.Va., and Jamestown, N.Y.
Penn-Ohio leads the league with a 10-4 record. The league will hold its championship playoffs Aug. 15-17 at Cene Park.
Orr, a graduate of Bowling Green State University where he played baseball and football, went on to play area sandlot baseball in the Class B and AA leagues.
How he got back
He recalled his decision to return to baseball eight years ago with the Oldtimers, after being out of the game for 21 years.
"My son [Zachary] was playing Little League and I was coaching, and Jerry Kohout, who was playing with the Oldtimers, asked me if I am still interested in playing ball, and I said, 'Oh, yeah, that would be a dream come true to play ball,' and I gave it a try and have been playing ever since."
Orr and his wife, Jane, also have a daughter, Emily.
Various ages, skills
Orr said the league is made up of players with a wide range of age groups and skill levels.
"You are dealing with a lot of different ages from 47 on up. Al Boggia got a base hit the other day and he is 79. You have guys that can run better and hit better, [so] we are all playing on different levels," said Orr.
But, "There's a level to be played in order to win."
For example, Orr said pitchers are not that fast, but batters have to be patient and wait for the best pitch "because the pitchers still throw the curves."
Likes his catcher
He credits his catcher, Tom Murphy, for making him more effective on the mound.
"That's what makes it easy. It's that battery that is important in this league. The pitcher is no better than the catcher. He [Murphy] is a successful catcher," said Orr, who thinks the game is the same as when he was young.
"Baseball is timeless," said Orr.
Other Oldtimers leaders are Don Hileman (.458), Pete Rozzi (.429), Charlie White (.419), Don Christian (.400), Dan Sacui (.382) and Larry Allen (.382), while Rozzi and Sacui share the team lead in runs scored with 10 each, and Allen is 2-0 on the mound.
kovach@vindy.com