At the age of 12, Dick Anderson managed his first championship team.
In 1944, Anderson was attending Lowry School, which was demolished in 1978. The school itself was located right next to Audubon Park. He and his friends started a football and baseball team known as the Audubon Jays. Anderson managed that team.
“We won the Northeast title for baseball that year,” Anderson said. “All the parks in Northeast had a team.”
Cut to 80 years later, Anderson is still managing teams, and still winning with those teams.
The Senior Softball USA World Championship, an annual event, was held in Las Vegas this year. The third annual 90s game — featuring mostly players over 90 years of age — was also part of the tournament, featuring two teams, the Western team and the Eastern team. The latter team was managed by Anderson on Sept. 16, and, in typical Anderson fashion, they won that game.
“I pitched the first years, but my eyes aren’t as good,” Anderson said. “I can’t see the ball coming back at me, so I manage.”
The event this year was special for Anderson: He was inducted into the National Senior Softball Hall of Fame in the Pioneer Manager category. He was the sixth Minnesotan to be elected to the hall. The ceremony was held in the Big League Dreams park, one of six fields in the complex in Las Vegas.
“Ours was an exact replica of Fenway Park,” Anderson said, referencing the field where the Boston Red Sox play their MLB games. “It even had the Green Monster, exactly the same size.”
The tournament, which boasts of being the largest softball tournament in the world, welcomed more than 650 teams, some coming from as far away as Germany. Every team fit into an age bracket — 40 being the youngest — and skill level, from AA up to the Majors.
When asked what kept him going from age 12 until 92, Anderson talked about the camaraderie of the teams he has played on. He had one word of advice: “Winning helps, that’s for sure.”
Whether he’s winning with the Audubon Jays, The Eastern 90s team or Team Rehab, his 85 and over team, Anderson is finding a way to keep himself going and winning in the games of softball and baseball.
Dick Anderson pitching in his photo for the National Senior Softball Hall of Fame. In his biography on the page, he is know as the “Grandfather of Minnesota Senior Softball.” (National Senior Softball Hall of Fame)
Right, Anderson being presented with the winning trophy for the 90s East vs. West All Star Game. The entire game can be seen at https://bit.ly/EastWest-Game. (Screen grab from the video)