A 94-year-old baseball player has now played in eight decades thanks to a group of Minnesotans who brought him into their game.
(FOX 9) - As people get older, it can be harder to find ways to stay active, but a 94-year-old man in the south Twin Cities metro area has found his own unique field of dreams.
Every week, a group of alumni from the University of St. Thomas and their kids get together for a little recreation. This week, one of the players on the Polecats softball team has much more experience than the others.
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94-year-old Eagan man plays softball in eighth decade
A 94-year-old man who loves baseball is keeping his love for the game alive in his eighth consecutive decade.
94-year-old Rufus Bruner, or RJ, has been playing baseball and softball for more than eight decades.
He started playing in 1946 after the former brick salesman moved from Kentucky to Eagan to live with his son and daughter-in-law last March.
One of their neighbors asked him to play with their softball team so he could say he has played the sport in every decade of his life.
"Of course, we played what you call slow pitch now, the way we played. Now, they have what they call fast pitch, which is a much faster game," Bruner said.
Bruner is known to give his family members and teammates nicknames he says represents their spirit animals.
Softball isn’t the only sport he loves, either. His teammates plan to take him golfing for his 95th birthday Saturday.
Even though he could only take the field for an inning Wednesday, to the Polecats, it’s clear Bruner is in a league of his own.
"I love being with people, especially ball players," he said. "And I love my family. And I love being with family."