OnQ; 4100
- Transcript
Welcome to you Magazine. I'm Stacey Smith. We begin tonight with a story that is a good reminder that we're only as old as we feel. With summer comes softball and in several local communities the players are people you might not expect. They're senior citizens. And tonight we visit some members of the Norwood seniors softball Association. As on cue corresponded to a new Caruso learned it's not just about the game but about some of the special people who play us. It is tonight's cover story. It's the regular guys version of the great American pastime softball
season is now underway. But these players in Norway are a little different than Mo. Were these boys of summer right. They aren't exactly boy. Called more one thing your softball associates just 55 on up. We've started here with people 15 16. The word spreads out and we know a hundred people we have five teams. And by July 1st I predict we have 16 6 teams of seniors who can't wait to play normal game day is Wednesday but doesn't show up for this pick up game on a Friday. And as everyone here will tell you it's about fun and so much more. Forty years old again. Your second thought this is what I did between my 50 to 25 or 30.
When the people come down here and they are on the ball field. And people remark something happened. You become young again for two hours. Bill Mehdi is one of the founding fathers of the leak. We call them are a league that's made up of many former athletes like athletes like Fred Mundo Martini who almost made it to the pros. I was signed by the St. Louis Cardinals when I was 19 years old and I was later sold to the Boston Red Sox That was back in the 40s after the war or the World War Two and I had four children. Well when I got a job at General Motors I was making more money there alone and I was playing ball so I gave it all up. But at least once a week Nando and the others get it all back. The thrill of a hit and sometimes the agony of injuries.
Just ask Allen lawyer or Jack right now I have five pads on wrapped around five pads have a compression pair thought of a pad on my knee because I fly. Last year I tore my rotator cuff I was not a field this year but I've been a lot of that. And that's what the players like about this league. Anyone can play regardless of skill. The youngest man here today 57 years old the oldest 82 year old Bill Jones. I thought if I get a little bit like you can do they teach you about being the oldest on the team. Something not about not to call me grandpa. So like that I like become a play pro they like to play the ball and I like all the people you know to talk to and get to know all the jokes they tell me and oh yeah it's a tough one to do
when you don't have anything else to do and I go crazy with that in the house my wife is like you've got to keep from going from the front door to the back door that though that's one of the good to read of it and the relationships these men have built with each other is the reason many will tell you they keep coming back. Yeah. Which a bachelor. You're always remember you now know. Yes there's competition. Who's the best player on the team. That's the real deal and plays aren't always pretty but attitude and anger must be checked at the gate. Two things we tell people bring a bring your glove and a sense of humor. You have a sense of humor. You're out of a lot more than one but there's one player welcomed at every single game. That's because safe to say he's everybody's favorite on the team.
A little girl OK. Jackie Seema is 65 and has cerebral palsy. It was Jackie's longtime friend Nando who started bringing him to the games. Yeah now you played ball and I got bought and played for a long time. Well why don't you come down and play a fish sure. I've known Jackie all his life. Jack a great guy we have a lot of fun with him and he loved to play. That's after Jackie worked his entire life for the last 33 years at a local drugstore. It went on disability but he didn't want to go on disability one of the work that he did in all those years and now Jackie spends his retirement playing ball although Softball isn't his only sport. I get to go live meet people both you know win a time and then when we played basketball and volleyball up at GM.
So you're always busy and everyone loves Jackie he has a wonderful attitude. And did they tell you about the special rules we have for Jackie now OK. OK he can't run very well. So there's a line between playing first base halfway done I would have to back out live in the safe. Many remember the first game Jackie ever played throughout the Penn Hills at the start of play ball. Bus was built and he got a hit. And would you believe the both sides applaud and cheer. It was really remarkable the tears to your comedy these days it's all about laughter. He's very good. You could tease him he'll fire back at you. You pick on one another. Yeah I feel good does get in I'm not there and we go everywhere together and we have a lot of fun laughing and carrying on. It's a truly great since he's a great friend. Really.
Would you say these are some of your best friends by definition you like them. And they all love the game of softball which brought them together again. That at least for a few hours a week reminds each and everyone of them that age is only a state of mind. What kind of message do you think this can send to people about seniors. I figured you're never too old to play ball or on the field the calming you know the hard bits. One help experience something that you look forward to. You get those two hours are you. But if they're going to build a brain for good. Did you I suppose you thought you were going to be doing
that are you going to do it. Now many of the players in this story including Jackie also play us at a senior league in the Penn Hills and again nor when seniors have five teams right now they play every Wednesday morning weather permitting at the Police Athletic League field in Norway. It cost $10 to join for the entire season and they are always looking for more players. If you would like more information on how to participate you can log on to our Web site at WQED dot org and click on Q and Stacy they are really a great guy and bunch of guys it was so much fun. And after every game we didn't show you this part but everyone makes a trip to Duncan don't know they have to go to the donuts actually you know they do the donuts afterwards afterwards afterwards. No women and women are allowed to play Actually there is one woman who is in the league right now she was not there the day that we were there for our story. Actually they've they've experienced a lot of rain and that's why they weren't out there in their uniforms this was a pick up game that we went out and saw the play and but really remarkable in a lot of fun.
Right now you say they are looking for more players. They are so anybody 55 55 and up I know everyone in the studio was saying 55 is not a senior though. But the point is just to get out there just to get out there. Well I'm going to talk to Chris more maybe he might be eligible I'm not sure. Thank you for that. Coming up next they may have the most parks you'll find anywhere in Pittsburgh will take you inside bike shop. A serious cyclist hang up and then coming up a little bit later this half hour part three of our dream jobs series has on cue as Chris Moore rolling down the river. Stay connected. You're watching. Q magazine because these foundations care enough about local programming to help pay for the Richard Mellon Foundation foundation the foundation the Henry foundation. Funding is provided by the West Allegheny health system among America's best according to U.S. News and World Report
magazine West and Allegheny is the provider of choice on the web page dot org. We couldn't do it without you. Welcome back I'm Chris Moore this is the time of the year when the staff says goodbye to the college interns we work with doing the spring semester part of their learning experience is the opportunity to come up with a story idea then produce it for broadcast and for their resumes intern Ray Riley chose the right topic at the right time of year. Biking season right found a place in Garfield where people not only get bike repairs they get an education. If we're going to create It's the coolest place on the place. I mean it's three floors of stuff a six year old print shop drawers type and I'm probably 10000 parts in each one of these drawers.
Here's one with some current Sony 9000 parts in this drawer. What might be the oddest part of this bike shop that you probably would find me is just about everything I ever need and there is a great teacher I want to call each actually. So I wouldn't do this for a living. You can get those in without don't want to have anything interfering with that. My father got into the bike business back in the 1040s. He called Steve's bike shop back then. I would come down and help them I would say well I don't want to do this for a living so my go to school and become a teacher so I don't have to do this for a living. Looks like an 11 in the front row 11 Even so when I became a teacher I decided that I would teach my classes if I was a
student in the class as well as being the teacher going to Ben. Two of them were three of them so when I got into the bicycle business I tried to apply the same thing and try to have the perspective of what it's like to be on both sides of the con or at the same time. How would I want to be treated as a customer as well as how I should treat somebody as being the proprietor of the business. OK some lease books we get the big 50. One would think you could write one more half. Really I think price is higher. The ones I saw were $30. The cheapest thing Gerri you said 14 sorts of things with tax for you
know 70 year break keeps tell me I have to raise my prices. You know when I say OK I'll be another dollar more that you will know after I leave. I'm looking for this is this is the best because here so I'm going to be putting a fork on my friend today and then the second one of these are this is my first road bike from scratch. This is the head so this is what a bill of a problem here will be one of the bottom one of the top one of my goals here is that people come in they work on their bikes. Martin how to do it help their friends do it. Well the way this one works is I think you just click on it and right there that's the guy.
So I pretty much only knew how to change a tire. And now with the help with either Jerry just by asking questions or the guys in the back the girls were really very helpful and friendly. I've learned a lot more so I feel more secure in the fight to come out on a lot of the fights over just for fun should go by yourself. So it's great that we can come and you know hear free access to anything you get to come in here and work on your voice if you need advice if you don't know how to do something. Jury will help you with that. And only this is you teach somebody what you know. Surely a six six during his appearance like just about anything I need to hear. These are chain rings these are the front sprockets that come on mountain bikes in the road bikes by about 2000 in the shop.
Tires as it was about 50 different tires I stock now 50 different sizes. I have probably as many tools as three or four bike shops put together wheel sers. There's tons of wheels all over the place. I have a basement below us that's pre-formed two floors up stairs that are packed just like that. I've never seen a community in a place like this. If you don't know how to do something you come back you ask Amy or somebody else back it stands and if someone does not do something you do all you do is go for help. That's what makes us great. One heck of a lot of bike parts and Jerry says he knows where everything is. Again that story was produced by one of our interns Ray Riley. You may not know it but on cue
has a strong internship program teaching young journalists about what we do and allowing them to produce a long form story for broadcast. We thank Ray for a semester of hard work and a great story for our own cube us. Still to come a final story and on Q's Dream Job series and in this one I'm in charge. Stay connected. There's an easy way to get information on our recent stories for find out about upcoming guests you can get web addresses or phone numbers we've given and you can send us your viewer comments. Just go to our website dot org and click on queue. This week we have been focusing on dream jobs not necessarily careers or fame of fortune. Dream Jobs don't have to pay much they are just careers that you've always wanted to try. This week some of our on queue coworkers have lived their dream jobs on TV. On Monday Tanya Caruso got her chance to be an ice cream taster at Ryan holds. Last night Michael Barclay worked his dream job as a
clerk serving Primanti Brothers sandwiches. And tonight it is Chris Morris turn and he chose a dream job that is truly a Three Rivers career. Chris sees Pittsburgh from an entirely new perspective as captain of the towboat pushing 16000 tons of coal. We've all seen those massive barges floating up and down our rivers. But there's such a familiar sight that after seeing them day in and day out they tend to blend into the city. A month dream job I wanted to be part of this invisible industry to find out what my DH is like day to day on a tugboat traveling along the border of Pittsburgh the second busiest inland port in the nation. One of the rules of the road. I mean how do you decide what side you go on and always has the right of way southbound here. Right like I'm on the motor vessel Reiji one of the boats belonging to the Ingram barge company a national company with a local office and driver was for.
Now you have a right away because you were southbound even though he's pushing a load the Rigi isn't towing barges on this trip I'm just hopping the lift to one of the larger boats in the room fleet the Vernon C. Smith. We like to see all of them except one Korea. When you look at that it's always a challenge you know. Some days are more so than other days. I watercolors you know it has its moments and it sounded like usual things and they don't. I can't wait for my chance to get behind the controls. I'm willing to work my way up the ladder. I got a good sale and I've learned those when I'm there I guess is where you start out almost like this. My first lesson aboard the re g. This is no party line. The person crew works in ten ships six hours on six I was off 24 hours straight. 21 days in a row at no point do they leave the boat.
This isn't just a job it's a way of life in this. This is the last of this. This is job that's not for a lot of faith because you deal with a lot of hardships. Been away from home been with your family said I've been doing this live stuff you got started with has Green Day came and worked my way into the engine room is to continue my cheek. But what happens after the engine room is impressive. Now get above deck and enjoy this view of the riverbank. The banks also get to experience my very first trip to Liam's were we dropped almost laughing right. I don't mean fill it in for nobody is really calling for a look at it.
I barely have time to recover from the thrill of going through the locks when I catch my first glimpse of the burning coming toward Lewis did my right leg. All right thanks a lot. Hello Vernon C. Smith. And suddenly there's a whole new view on the bow of the boat called 16000 tons of getting back divided among 11 more of the artistic right. Yeah yeah there's a lot a lot of tripping hazards. So sometimes you just have to come up here and just check the word makes you think well every six hours and six week rain sleet snow. Yeah doesn't matter we're just like the postman. Well suddenly this dream sounds a little less dreamy. I can only imagine what it's like to work out here in the winter coming around all the time appointed 10 feet to the good old steady 25 75 feet to be abreast of Martin and these tow boats
do run year round in all weather. In fact over 53 million times. Cargo was shipped and received by March each year in our region. Imagine how much room that really just 115 born still carries the equivalent of eight hundred and seventy semi truck that many trucks are bumper to bumper and you have been 11 and a half miles of track titles that don't sell. We're tired of waiting for our turn to go through the lot. So I take the opportunity to tour the inside of the Vernon C. Smith. Remember the crew is on this boat for three straight weeks so I want to see their living quarters rooms of tiny but the kitchen is first class and there's a cook serving up fantastic food. I share my meal with the captain and he shares what life is like aboard a tow boat to sleep to work when it's our turn to approach the locks. I followed the captain back to the pilot. So how did you start.
My dad was a captain on a boat for 44 years so it was like a dream job to be like your day is not really his guy morning shows only half joking about being born into the family business he recalls the first time he ever steered about eight years old at open house of all of us eight years old with like whatever he was the captain on the plane coming. He wanted to stick to steer. I'm not brainwashed I mean I think it's I don't know about brainwashing but it would certainly take plenty of training this year. So with this mini bar into the lock Joe is just going to have feet of clearance decide and with barges in tow the trip through the locks is a lot more complicated than it was when I was on the motor vessel Reiji this process is called double lock because the barges along
with the 600 foot chain are deckhands must break the load sending the first six barges into the chain. Then the captain backs out. We wait for the first load to go through then head back into the chamber with the rest of the load. After that the deck can't reattach the barge. The whole process takes nearly three hours. There's an unexpected treat on the other side of the lot. The Mississippi Queen one of the premier luxury river boats that's passing through Pittsburgh this week but the biggest treat of all comes when I finally get my chance to steer them Vernon sees me and I want any of the darbies or your steering levers now so we're not just here for the middle of the channel is a. Yeah well you get PSP have a channel. Oh OK I want to try to stay close to the coast. I'm I'm doing fine. We're only moving about four miles per hour limit but there's an incredible sense of power
and responsibility behind these controls. Being wired to the barges is like being tied to a giant. I know that for sure. All right we're going to let you know how the party lateral nearly 12 hours after my day began telling state park comes into effect. And I get a thank you from a landmark I've seen a file sometimes but never like this. I should be in by nearly a quarter mile of hopeful truth agreeing to this industry and industry that you'll never be invisible to meet your fascinating
fabulous view that I'll never take for granted again looking at it that way and I know everybody brought you some ice cream right. That's all the stuff I brought you a lump of coal in my Christmas stocking. I'm used to that. Thanks Chris. That does it for us this evening. Thank you for watching. Good night.
- Series
- OnQ
- Episode Number
- 4100
- Contributing Organization
- WQED (Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania)
- AAPB ID
- cpb-aacip/120-28nck0h8
If you have more information about this item than what is given here, or if you have concerns about this record, we want to know! Contact us, indicating the AAPB ID (cpb-aacip/120-28nck0h8).
- Description
- Credits
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- AAPB Contributor Holdings
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WQED-TV
Identifier: 19748 (19748)
Format: Betacam: SP
Generation: Master
Duration: 27:30:00
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- Citations
- Chicago: “OnQ; 4100,” 2003-06-11, WQED, American Archive of Public Broadcasting (GBH and the Library of Congress), Boston, MA and Washington, DC, accessed January 3, 2025, http://americanarchive.org/catalog/cpb-aacip-120-28nck0h8.
- MLA: “OnQ; 4100.” 2003-06-11. WQED, American Archive of Public Broadcasting (GBH and the Library of Congress), Boston, MA and Washington, DC. Web. January 3, 2025. <http://americanarchive.org/catalog/cpb-aacip-120-28nck0h8>.
- APA: OnQ; 4100. Boston, MA: WQED, American Archive of Public Broadcasting (GBH and the Library of Congress), Boston, MA and Washington, DC. Retrieved from http://americanarchive.org/catalog/cpb-aacip-120-28nck0h8