Have you ever seen a 95-year-old woman, all of 5 feet tall, play baseball? If you were driving by the Lincoln Home in Newcastle recently, you would have seen her and her 80-to-90-year-old teammates decked out in their Golden Oldie T-shirts and ball caps, cheering, batting, walking bases, and having a grand time.

Kevin Benner from Lincoln Home’s maintenance department, clears the parking lot of cars, chalks the bases onto the hot top and opens the 14th annual baseball game with “Play Ball!” The chatter rises, and the competitive, sassy talk from player to player begins. When the 103-year-old walks up to bat, loud cheers follow him. When he hits the ball, his grin is visible across the third base line.

This event, year after year, has proven that one is never too old to try something new, to play, to have fun, and to be rowdy and cheer on fellow teammates. Score is kept, but no one seems to care. It is the playing that matters, the camaraderie, being outside, and the singing of “Take Me Out to the Ball Game” during the 7th inning stretch.

When the game is over, everyone comes in tired, more from laughing than playing! The group gathers together for a picnic lunch of hot dogs, sauerkraut, and ice cream sandwiches for dessert.

Whether we are nine or 90, we all need to play, be with friends, and have fun. At the Lincoln Home, we celebrate family, friendships, and promote joyful and abundant living each and every day.