Senior softballers tell why they are “Still in the Game”

Photo by ROGER LALONDE

Roger LaLonde Staff Kendra Brady jots down notes for her second book on the Marco Men's Senior Softball League. She gathers information on them, takes photos and writes about their varied backgrounds.

Photo by ROGER LALONDE

Still in the Game, a book on the players in the Marco Men's Senior Softball League, will have its second edition, again written by Kendra Brady.

Kendra Brady is often on the sidelines, and sometimes in the dugouts at the Marco Senior Men’s Softball games.

She is not only an avid fan, she is an author, writing her second book, “Still in the Game.”

She wrote her first book on the players six years ago. Her friend of seven years, Dom Fiorda, started playing in the league and she was amazed at his and the other men’s abilities.

“Dom is a fantastic fielder, runs fast and still hits the ball hard at 80 (years old),” she said.

And he’s not the only player in his 80s.

When asked, Dom and Pat Reese, who is a former league commissioner, now umpire, thought it was a good idea to write the book and she went to work.

Her first book told of 125 players in the league. This time there is more than 80, with some updates.

They talk about where they were born, their life before retirement, which most are, hobbies and about playing the game. She also puts in a section for names, partners’ names, phone numbers, and what page they can be found in the book. On that page is an earlier photo of them and one of today in their ball uniform.

Added this year is a memoriam page for the five players who have died.

In it is also a history of the league, present board members, a collage of players and team photos.

Murph Knapke is an example of what a player says:

“When we come to Marco Island for three months I get to play softball. I feel like a kid who got out of school for summer. I can’t wait to get to the ball park and see my new-old friends. When I read the first edition of ‘Still in the Game’ I was truly humbled by how many of our players who had served our country and (also about them and others) by their hard work ethics and many accomplishments. I have met a lot of ordinary acting guys who are anything but ordinary and I couldn’t be more thankful to be part of this group.”

She is still gathering questionnaires and hopes to have the book completed sometime in February, around the time of the annual tournament to end the season.

Brady said she spends more than two hours on every player when it comes to gathering information and writing their page. Fiorda handles much of the proofreading.

She is looking to see if it can be done in full color this year. Only part of the book was done in color the first time due to deadlines. Cost of the book is $60 each.