Gulfport Boomerangs Provide 'Unbelievable Support'

Drive by Hoyt Field, and you're likely to see the energetic, fun softball team called the Gulfport Boomerangs. Members have called Hoyt Field home for about 40 years.

The 55-plus league's members come and go, but the name and legacy remain in Gulfport.

Recently, Gulfport Patch spent a morning with the players. Watch our video "Gulfport Boomerangs: Softball Players Forever Young on the Field".

Gulfport Boomerang Bill Harding shares his story below. Harding contacted Patch, sending in the following letter about his experiences with the Gulfport Boomerangs.

See how the team is making retirement all it can be for Harding and others.

Bill Harding's Story: In His Own Words

My name is Bill Harding. I am 76 years old, have lived in Pinellas County since 1989, having moved here from Charlotte, NC, after a career in the polyester textile fiber business. I lived on Belleair Beach until 2011, and my athletic endeavors included mostly jogging to stay in shape.  

I played baseball as a youngster growing up in Kingston, Pennsylvania, attended many games for the Wilkes Barre Barons of the Class A Eastern League, as my father had a part time job selling tickets from 1946 through 1950. I saw many future major leaguers in their first professional assignments, including Bob Lemon, Mike Garcia, Jim Hegan (Wilkes Barre was a Cleveland Indians affiliate). I leaned to love the game of baseball as a youngster.  

During college, I played softball in the summers with a championship men's team in Wilkes Barre, with my fraternity team at Lafayette, and with a men's team in Delaware County Pa where I had my first job as a research chemist. Along came three daughters and night school at Drexel to get my Masters Degree, and my playing days took a 50 year hiatus.   

I coached girl's and women's softball in Charlotte as two of my daughters loved the game as much as I did. We won the NC state championship for 13 - 15 year girls in 1975 and the women's Class C championship for Mecklenberg County in 1976. That was the last time I touched a softball until March of this year.  

I needed a new activity to occupy my time and provide some physical 'relief' to complement my biking and walking (arthritis ended my jogging 10 years ago).

A friend told me about the Boomerangs.  

So I got on my bike one Tuesday morning, rode to Gulfport from north St Petersburg (love the Pinellas Trail), and watched all those old men at Hoyt Field 'doing their thing.' Very soon, Commissioner Ron came over, asked me if I wanted to join, gave me an application, and told me to come on Thursday around 9 a.m. I even had to buy a glove, that's how out of date I was!  

I thought to myself ... this is a piece of cake ... I know that I can be the 'star' of this team with no sweat at all ... WRONG!  

I showed up on Thursday and was placed as an outfielder and the last hitter on one of the two teams playing in the second game.  

I got to bat three times, was thrown 9 pitches (remember this is slow pitch softball) ... I missed the first 8, did manage to foul off the 9th, but a foul on third strike is an automatic out. The one ball that was hit to me in the outfield, I fell on my face, and it went for an extra base hit! And my whole body felt as if I had been through a war that afternoon.  

TOTAL FAILURE!  

I was completely dejected, and ready to quit with the admission that I was too old and too far out of shape to continue this endeavor. My children and grandchildren threatened to permanently end my life if I took that course. "Dad ... go to the batting cage and reclaim your skills."

And the Boomerangs, to a man, said that they wanted to see me back there on Saturday!  I cannot emphasize too heavily what the encouragement of these men has meant to an aging 'superstar' in regaining his confidence at this stage in his life!  

And, it has continued to this day as I have struggled through 1 achilles and 2 hamstring pulls, a weakened shoulder muscle that allows me to throw the ball inaccurately about 10 yards, and marginal eyesight that has trouble telling how deep the fly balls really are!  

I am sharing my experience because there must be other 'couch potatoes' out there who could and should be changeing their life styles as well!  

Join the Boomerangs ... you will get unbelievable support from 40 of the best 'team mates' that I have ever known!  

Thank you, Boomerangs!  

Oh yes, I am now

• getting 1 hit in every 3 at bats,
• am routinely catching fly balls in right field (well 4 out of 5)
• and still need a substitute runner when I do get to first base.

But, I am out there ... and ...  I have no intention of retiring from my 'new career'! It feels so good to be successful at age 76!  

Thanks again, Boomerangs!