Local slo-pitch player Bruce Pennock with the Big County Drifters is among 1000 participants from
across the province participating in the 2019 Alberta 55 plus Summer Games in Medicine Hat in early July.
Pennock began playing slo-pitch 42 years ago, starting on a small in-house team, and advancing to play for the Calgary Senators where we won the World Seniors Games, multiple provincial titles, a Western Canada title, and came in second during nationals.
“I thought oh good I get to play some ball,” Pennock said.
To qualify for the annual games, Pennock had to participate in try-outs, an evaluation process and was then drafted by the team coach and manager.
To prepare for the Alberta 55 plus Summer Games, Pennock plays slo-pitch all year, five days in the winter, and at least once a week and on the weekends in the summer for at least three hours.
“Playing ball is good exercise, I get out, meet new people, it’s a lot of fun, and I can have a beer afterward,” he said.
Throughout the years, Pennock’s slo-pitch career as progressed naturally, as he played for a plus 40 team, plus 50 team, and now a plus 55 team.
After entering into a city league, his team was placed in a lower division, and only moved up the ranks when they won games within the division, he added. As his team progressed, they moved from the D-division to the A-division.
“It’s the natural progression, every time a team wins, they move up, so they’re not beating up on all the other teams, it makes it a little more competitive,” Pennock said.
Although Pennock loves to play slo-pitch, he has had to take lengthy breaks from the sport because of injuries.
“I’ve had two shoulder surgeries and one elbow surgery,” Pennock said.
He added, the first shoulder surgery took him out of slo-pitch for six months, and 18-months for the second surgery, as he recovered.
Currently, he is waiting for two more surgeries, one of which is a foot surgery with one-year recovery time, and a second elbow surgery which will take him out of playing slo-pitch altogether.
“The elbow needs to be replaced, but if I get it replaced, I’m finished. I can’t do anything anymore,” Pennock said.
He added, “I’m trying to stay away from it as long as possible.”
