Still in The Game

The Richardson Roadrunners’Quest for Victory

By Ken Marcus

What to do when you’ve retired from working and don’t want to just sit around watching TV? It’s a question many retired people have and it’s not so easy to find something worthwhile and enjoyable. That is, unless you are a softball player and know about senior softball leagues. Fortunately, the DFW metroplex has such a league that began with two teams in 1980 and “came into its own” in the early 1990’s. The minimum age for the league’s players is 65+.

What is now known as the Metroplex Senior Citizens Softball Association (MSCSA) has 31 teams in 16 cities. It is organized into East and West groups to minimize travel time with two teams playing each other twice in one week, once each on their respective home fields, with games starting at 10:00 a.m. The league is run by a voluntary executive committee so that players can enjoy the games and competition safely, inexpensively and in a well-structured manner.

The Richardson Roadrunners was formed in 1999 and has won the league championship three times: first in 2004, then in 2014, and most recently in 2024. Over the years the team roster has changed based on age, physical limitations and a variety of other factors. One constant has been for all players to participate with a team that prides itself on good chemistry and the camaraderie of teammates with a love of playing softball.

As we age, our physical abilities diminish, but in senior softball we can still play, just at a slower pace. We get exercise playing in the field and running the bases. For those who need assistance, there are rules in place for courtesy runners. Other rules address safety in the field to avoid collisions between players.

The Roadrunners have four players 80+ with an average team age in the mid 70’s. Playing twice a week from April to October (with the month of July off) is a valuable part of any exercise regimen. Players can be as physically active as their bodies will allow and the benefit derived is significant.

Richardson Roadrunner Sim Trotter

Yogi Berra once said baseball is 50% physical and 100% mental. The same is true in softball. Not only does fellowship among teammates contribute to mental health but thinking about what to do if a ball is hit to the player also helps sharpen cognitive processes. The competition between teams is spirited but friendly, which allows all players to be involved and part of the experience. The three “senior” members of the Roadrunners are John Journey (90), Sim Trotter (88), and Bill Lord (87).

Bill worked in design and development for T.I. before retirement. He said, “I wanted to do something with my time and found senior softball was the perfect solution.” Bill was one of the first players on the Roadrunners in 1999, coached the team for several years, and now doubles as keeper of the scorebook and designated hitter. Besides softball, he enjoys playing senior volleyball.

Sim ran a financial company for many years as well as practicing law and acting as a witness and arbitrator for hundreds of stock-related cases. He moved to Dallas in 1972 from Green Bay, WI, played and coached night league softball for company teams until he retired, and joined the Roadrunners in 2008. One of Sim’s proudest moments was having “my daughter Mandy join me on the team and grandson, Tanner, being the batboy.”

Roadrunners taking a break together

Sim Trotter with his daughter and grandson, Mandy and Tanner Markee

John Journey, who resides in Richardson, worked in computer support for Bank of America before he retired in 1997. One day he asked a friend to have lunch but was told he couldn’t because he was playing day softball. That led to John wanting to know more and he eventually joined the Roadrunners in 1999. John says about his Roadrunner teammates, “We all get along with each other and have a good attitude.” Like Bill, John also enjoys playing volleyball.

The Richardson Roadrunners will open the 2025 season the first week in April, with home games at Heights Field on Floyd Road. Hopefully the team can successfully defend its league championship and not wait another 10 years for victory!

For more information about the Richardson Roadrunners, visit seniorsoftballdfw.com.