Villager Jim Kitzler plays ball five or six days a week – sometimes twice a day – slow-pitch softball and senior baseball. That takes time away from his other passions, singing and dancing in musical productions.
Jim grew up in Carey, Ohio, where his father worked with the National Limestone Company.
“Carey was a big railroad town back in the 1800s and early 1900s,” he says. “Three major railroads ran through the town. My father started in the railroad business and then moved to National Limestone.”
Moving up through the baseball levels – little league, Pony League, high school and college – Jim became a solid and dedicated player.
“I played one year of college baseball and then started playing fast-pitch softball,” he says.
There are several different types of ball, Jim explains. There’s baseball – that’s the kind played by the Major League Baseball teams. Fast-pitch softball is played with a larger ball, somewhat different field dimensions and the pitcher uses a “windmill” underhand pitch. In slow-pitch softball, the pitcher throws underhand and the ball makes an arch up to 12 feet high as it approaches the batter. Depending on the game and age of the players, batters use a wooden or aluminum bat.
Jim had visions of being a teacher but Uncle Sam made that difficult.
“I had all of my teaching credentials and then I got a low number in the draft lottery. Nobody would hire me because they were afraid I was going to be drafted,” he says.
Jim was not drafted and the sales manager of a local porcelain manufacturing company where he had worked in the summers approached him with a sales position.
“I said, ‘Well, I can’t find a teaching job, so I’ll try it and see if I like it,’” he says.
Jim liked it enough to spend 20 years and end up as sales manager. Of course, he continued to play ball, married Darlene and raised four children who, like their grandparents and parents, settled down in Carey.
His next career also was in sales, but for Lifetouch Church Directories.
“We did pictorial directories for churches,” he says. “Once we were chosen, I would go in and help schedule the congregation for family photos. Hopefully, we’d sell some of the photos to the families because that’s how we made our money – the program was free for the church. Then I’d help the church committee put their directory together.”
The church also played a major role in in the lives of Carey residents. Pilgrims visit the Basilica and National Shrine of Our Lady of Consolation in Carey every year in mid-August.
“Our town was about 3,700 people but would swell to about 15,000 at the Feast of the Assumption on Aug. 15,” he says. “There are few places for the pilgrims to stay, so local families took them in. We had a five-bedroom house. So, we’d take all the kids into our bedroom and set up the others for the pilgrims. We’d have as many as 10 of them staying with us.”
Jim and Darlene moved to the Village of Collier in 2013 but it took a few years.
“Darlene’s cousin lived here and invited her down,” he says. “She told me what a great place it was.”
Jim was unconvinced. The following year, he accompanied Darlene to The Villages.
“As soon as I saw the softball fields, I was pretty much hooked,” he admits.
Today Jim plays senior baseball.
“There are only about eight of us in The Villages who play, so we belong to a league in Clearwater and play on Sundays, fall and winter season,” he says, adding that they travel to several tournaments every year.
Jim also plays slow-pitch softball with The Villages Division 2 recreation league, the Central Florida League on Tuesday mornings and in the Seventies League on Tuesday afternoons. Then there’s baseball practice on Thursdays and sometimes Tuesdays.
With the different playing styles, rules, field sizes, equipment and positions – slow-pitch can have as many as 11 players on the field – Jim has to mentally switch continually from one game to another.
Players in The Villages softball leagues use wooden bats so that the hits are not as fast and far as from an aluminum bat.
“We’re not quite as fast as we used to be,” Jim laughs.
Visiting one of the softball fields in The Villages, one sees some players wearing protective gear.
“Pitchers typically wear masks and shin guards, along with some of the infielders,” Jim says. “It’s called a ‘softball,’ but it’s really hard – harder than a baseball.”
So much ball playing leaves Jim little time to indulge in his other passions: Acting, singing and dancing in local productions.
“I was involved in over 50 productions back in Ohio,” he says, adding that he counts “Guys and Dolls” among his favorites.
Jim also collects team shirts and hats, although perhaps somewhat unwillingly. The Villages league teams change players every season, so he might be on four different teams each year, necessitating a new team shirt and hat.
“I’m playing with the Giants this year and I played with them three years ago,” he says. “So, I went to the manager and said ‘Oh good. I don’t have to buy a shirt this year.’”
“We used to have gray shirts but we’re changing to orange,” the manager told him.
Jim smiles ruefully.
“So, I had to buy a new shirt and, yes, I do have a closet full of uniforms, which I might be able to wear again someday in the future,” he says.
John W Prince is a writer and Villages resident. For more information, visit www.GoMyStory.com.
