By Ken Jackson
Sports Writer

Players may come and go, but for the Osceola 55-Plus Softball League, the game will go on.

It must go on. And, as of Monday, it still goes on.

The 18th tournament season of Osceola 55-Plus began under beautiful, sunny, fall Florida skies just after 9 a.m. at the city of Kissimmee’s Fortune Road softball complex after Kissimmee City Manager Mike Steigerwald threw out the ceremonial first pitch Monday.

The league has six teams this year, which will play doubleheaders on three fields at 9 a.m. on Mondays and Fridays. As a sign of the strength of the group’s numbers, many also meet for batting and fielding practice on Wednesday mornings at the Denn John ball fields.

The league runs 80-deep this fall; Chairman Al Frisenda worried it would need a seventh team, thus forcing one to have a bye week each playing day. Players kept in shape from last tournament season by playing pickup games over the summer — yes, in that oppressive heat.

And, thanks to an amicable working agreement with the city to use facilities, and the organization’s recent switch to a nonprofit organization, which gave it tax-exempt status, fees are kept in check. Cost for each player to participate this upcoming year is a reasonable $60, which works out to roughly $1.15 per week.

“That’s been the challenge this year; it’s a higher expense at first,” Frisenda said.

These are banner days for the league, said Leo Viti, the one-time league board chairman and now league adviser and player.

“In the beginning, we had trouble getting 12 to 13 guys together, and teams would come and go. We’re the most stable now that we’ve ever been,” he said. “That’s mostly because we have a core group of guys who enjoy the game and have spread the word.

“We got down to about two-and-a-half teams one year; after that we reworked our board and started averaging the teams out to keep them balanced, so every team would stay competitive.”

These guys like to win, for sure, but above all they’re just grateful for the outlet and the opportunity to play and stay active.

“We’re out there to encourage people to get out there and get the exercise,” Viti said. “It’s a nice bunch of guys, most of us have become like family. Travel groups have spun off of this. It’s really an amazing group of people.”

Some of the players themselves are amazing. At 86 years old, St. Cloud’s John Davison could be the father of most of the other league players. He’s been with the league since it started in Kissimmee, and was a player in a smaller precursor league that played in St. Cloud.

“I still enjoy playing,” Davison, a member of the Allstate team and a local veteran of Senior Games and Senior Olympics competition, said. “I just do what I do more slowly these days.”

Viti said the league has played on for as long as it has with as much city support as player support.

“The city has helped us out over the years. We’re happy to be working with such great people like Dan Loubier (Parks and Recreation director), Steve Lackey (assistant director) and Randy Fisher (athletics supervisor),” he said. “We’re blessed to live in such a fine community that supports us.”

And while the season just started, those interested may still be able to join a team. For complete information, visit the league’s website at www.55plussoftball.com.

“We always find the need for a few more people as the season goes on,” Viti said.

News-Gazette Photos/Andrew Sullivan