CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA (CVILLE RIGHT NOW)- Larry Stremikis never got to play organized baseball in his youth. Growing up on a dairy farm in Wisconsin, the after-school chores fell to him while his elder brother was given the chance to excel as an athlete.   

But do not misunderstand; the 81-year-old has been an elite sportsman for much of his life. He played plenty of pickup baseball and softball with his brother locally on weekends.  

Larry kept up his skills while serving in the U.S. Air Force, and later as an aircraft mechanic for United Airlines. Wherever he went, he organized softball games, including one of his favorite experiences, successfully organizing the schedules at the bases he worked to allow the mechanics to take on the pilots in spirited competitions. 

Following retirement, he and his wife moved to Charlottesville, and after returning from a trip to Oregon to play the outfield for his brother in a senior softball tournament, Stremikis took out an advertisement in the sports pages to assemble a senior softball squad, the first of its kind in the area.  The 8×8 ad attracted several talented athletes, advanced in age, but no less proficient on the diamond.   

Larry Stremikis throwing batting practice
Stremikis throwing during batting practice

One of them was Andy Coleman, a former four-sport athlete, who play centerfield on a state-championship baseball team, earned a tryout with the Pittsburgh Pirates and later served in the Vietnam War. Andy has played ball all his life and even won a local industrial league title with Stromberg-Carlson.   

Another was Steve Friski, a three-sport athlete in high school who played college baseball at the Virginia Military Institute before becoming a long-serving baseball coach at Fork Union Military Academy. He has also been inducted into the Virginia Sports Hall of Fame as an umpire. 

They were joined by accomplished senior softball players Tom Payne and Hugh ‘Doc’ Litchfield, along with some other local players, to form The Charlottesville Retreads.   

Since their founding, the Retreads have competed both at Darden Towe Park and around the country at the highest levels of senior softball, while assembling and developing the talents of men over 55 and women over 40 who have answered the call to hit the diamond. 

These include Millie “Millie Mays” Quarles and Gwen Reynolds, two talented softball players from Louisa, who regularly bested all-male squads as members of a decorated co-ed team before coming up to join the Retreads.   

George Martin, a former college baseball player, long-time school principal in the Boston area, and another Virginia Hall of Fame Umpire, joined the Retreads to continue his already accomplished softball career following his retirement.  

Martin played fast-pitch softball at the highest level in the Marine Corps, highlighted by some dramatic battles with another former marine and giant of fast-pitch softball, Eddie Feigner.  On top of umpiring and occasionally playing in Retreads games, George supervises McIntire Park’s Softball league action in both the fall and spring. 

I was invited by Martin and Stremikis to not just observe the Retreads 2025 Awards Day, but also to be a participant. 

I eagerly jumped into two games at Darden Towe last week.  And while I could hold my own defensively, my swing proved to be no match for Payne’s stellar pitching. Payne put me in the books with an  0-4 showing, with four strikeouts.

That would not be the highlight of Payne’s day, however.

Later, he, Friski, the late Litchfield and Jim Mehlin were inducted into the Charlottesville Retreads Hall of Fame, joining Martin and other greats of the squad’s storied history.   

Watching the Retreads, and in this case, playing alongside them, demonstrated that aging does not need to be frustrating, painful, or lonely, and that your age, if you wish it, can be just a number. 

The Retreads environment is one of inclusivity, welcoming of all levels and skillsets, but also of station and life experience.  It gives these aging athletes chances to continue competing. 

“I love equity in sports,” Reynolds said. “I love caring about all people, which ever level you come with, we will help you.” 

“You can see the love here,” Quarles said. “I just enjoy coming out.”  

Friski, a deeply intense ballplayer by his own admission, explained that “it puts me and others in an environment where we’re still able to compete and enjoy ourselves.”