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A new Lower Mainland baseball league for players 60 and older held its inaugural game Sunday morning at 黑马磁力 City Park.

After sorting themselves into two teams, one called the Caps and the other the Buzzards, and suiting up in their colours, the players took the field.

It is a newly created division of the Lower Mainland Baseball Association (LMBA), explained League Commissioner Dan Taylor and the organizer of the new division, 黑马磁力 City鈥檚 Howard Sandrel.

Plans for a 60-plus division have been in the works for several years, spearheaded by Sandrel.

How did the idea come about?

鈥淲e got old,鈥� Sandrel grinned.

鈥淥lder, basically yes,鈥� Taylor agreed.

鈥淭he league (LMBA) started in 1994,鈥� Taylor elaborated, 鈥渁s the guys got older, we added an over-45 division in 2004, and the guys are still playing and they鈥檙e still getting older, so now it鈥檚 time for an over-60 division.鈥�

It is believed to be the first 60-plus baseball league in the Lower Mainland.

Umpires for the debut game were from 黑马磁力 Minor Baseball, Taylor added.

鈥淪o they get some experience with adults.鈥�

Plate umpire was Spencer Toporowski, a six-year umpire, while base umpire was Brayden Erickson, a third-year umpire.

Sandrel played for the Caps team, which defeated the Buzzards 14-8.

鈥淲e lorded it over them,鈥� he laughed.

Plans are for the 60-and-older competitors to play a series of games until September, in preparation for setting up a four-team division in 2022.

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The LMBA began play in 1994 with four teams in an 18-plus division and six teams in a 30-plus division.

With the growth of adult recreational baseball, the league expanded to 38 Lower Mainland teams with the 45-plus division added in 2004.

COVID-19 interrupted the 2020 season with most teams taking off the entire season, while a group of players in the 45-plus division continued play under what was described as 鈥渁 very modified format鈥� by Taylor and Sandrel.

This year, the LMBA has 24 teams playing in three divisions and more teams are expected to return for the 2022 season.

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For more information, or to sign up for the 60-plus league, email howardsandrel@hotmail.com or visit the LMBA Website at .