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When 87-year-old Salemtowne resident Paul McElroy is asked if he participates in the Over 80 softball team purely for fun and exercise, he’s quick to answer:  “Sure, it’s fun and for health—but the real reason we’re in it is to win!” That winning attitude is echoed by fellow Salemtowne resident and teammate Larry Williams, an 82-year-old rookie who joined the team in early 2024.

The Over 80 team, known as the Bombers, has about 30 players and emerged from the Senior Games years ago.  The team competes using several built in safety measures, such as an extra home plate to help prevent collisions and a limit of seven innings.  An early (and big) obstacle, however, for the Bombers is that they had no similar-age competitors.

The Young Guns team, which consists of people in their 50s and 60s, stepped up to become the team’s chief competitors.  To help even out the competition, the Young Guns are limited to scoring five runs per inning until the seventh inning—and they bat opposite handed.  The Bombers team isn’t allowed to score more than seven runs per inning until the final inning.  The two teams have been competing most Monday nights during warmer weather months for the past four years.

The teams compete at Covington Park in Rural Hall, which feels right at home to Larry, who served as Mayor of Rural Hall for 28 years until retiring in 2019.  “I enjoy being part of the pure fellowship of the team,” Larry said.  “And of course there’s the benefit of exercise along with the joy it brings to all of us.”

The camaraderie and team spirit continue off the ball field as well. “We begin each season in April with a team breakfast, and we conclude with a dinner at the end of the season,” Paul said.

A chemical engineer and Vanderbilt graduate, Paul said the team is always looking for new players who have turned 80.  He said the team is not exclusively for men and had one woman player this past season.  Most of the Bombers’ players are from the Winston-Salem area, but the team also has members from Salisbury, Advance, Mt. Airy and other areas.

Paul and Larry are the only current Salemtowne residents on the team.  Paul, originally from Tupelo, Mississippi, played baseball in high school and participated in a few church leagues after that.  He began playing in the senior games about 15 years ago.  Larry, from Gastonia, North Carolina, played in junior high and high school and also participated in church leagues 40 to 45 years ago—but hadn’t played since until joining the Bombers.

In addition to his Mayoral duties, Larry, a North Carolina State University graduate, enjoyed a long career as a civil engineer with the North Carolina Department of Transportation.  “I certainly plan to be part of the team next season,” Larry said. “I’m already looking forward to it.”

Even at ages 82 and 87, Paul and Larry aren’t the oldest members of the Bombers—one teammate is approximately 93 years old.  It’s almost time for the entire team to gather once again at Covington Park. Paul, Larry and their teammates are excited to hear the call to “play ball,” and Paul has graciously arranged for free tickets for everyone!