- April 19, 2024
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Vic Cavellero and Rick Poland
Wadsworth Park Senior Softball league's annual family picnic at Flagler Beach
Bob Seelig, Wadsworth Park Senior Softball Commissioner
Cathy Iannone jokes around on third base.
Grill master Ray Castrovinci
WPSS league members and their family's enjoy the food and each other's company at the annual picnic.
Memorial plaques honor players who have died.
The smack of a ball hitting the sweet spot of a bat, trash talking from the dugout and the smell of hot dogs, all reminiscent of an iconic Yankees versus Red Sox baseball game, played out at the Wadsworth Park Senior Softball family memorial picnic on Friday, March 19, in Flagler Beach.
After a year ravaged by COVID cancellations, the league was finally able to hold its annual family picnic. The day comprised four softball games played by league teams, a memorial ceremony honoring the players who had died, a smorgasbord and a surprise 90th birthday party for Commissioner Bob Seelig.
“I have been playing softball with this league for 26 years. I moved down here from Connecticut and joined this group of guys at Wadsworth Park,” said Seelig. “They are a great group of people. Like family.”
Wadsworth Park Senior Softball is a 69-and-older league consisting of 70 players divided into six teams who practice Tuesdays and play games Thursdays and Fridays at Wadsworth Park. The seniors used to play with younger players, but the 55+ age group would hit home runs over the short left field fence at Wadsworth so often that it was necessary to split up the league. Now, 55+ and 65+ age divisions play at the larger fields of the Flagler County Fairgrounds in Bunnell.
Following game one between Tommy’s Mac Attack and John’s Misfits, which resulted in a 12-12 tie, and game two between Roland’s Junk Yard Dogs and Vic’s Vipers (Dogs won), league members held a memorial ceremony for players who had recently died. Team manager Tommy McNamara, also known as “Crazy Tommy Mac," reflected about his friend and fellow player, Vic Clontz.
“Vic and I were softball buddies. We met in the parking lot in Bunnell and started talking softball. It was all over after that,” McNamara said. “We are part of a softball brother- and sisterhood.”
As the day drew to a close, Larry’s Blasters won against Gerry’s Buzzards 13-11, and Seelig reflected about the league. He had been a runner his entire life and had taken a risk when he ventured outside his comfort zone and joined the Wadsworth league.
“I learned about 40 or 50 years ago that the things you regret in life are not the things you did," he said. "It’s the things you didn’t do.”
