Throw ‘em and Roll ‘em

Randal C. Hill

50plus Magazine

WHILE LAURIE ECK DIDN’T play sports in school, at 18 she dove into slow-pitch softball, playing on various women’s and coed teams. “At one time, I was on four teams and worked at the ball field on my off days,” she recalls. “I played up to one week before delivering my third child and returned to the field two weeks later.”

In addition to their first three, Laurie and her husband Mike later welcomed five more children through foster care and adoptions.

On the field, sometimes Laurie had to prove herself to certain teammates. “First base was my spot, even on coed softball teams,” she says. “One of my male teammates said, ‘We need a guy on first.’ I asked why, and he said that he threw too hard for a girl. I said, ‘Let’s go!’ He threw

 a couple and I said, ‘Throw it like you mean it!’ He did, and I caught everything he threw.”

Laurie stayed on first base and continued to play and coach into her early 40s.

At her first couple of Oregon Senior Games, Laurie found herself again on the field. “I have so loved scorekeeping softball, and some of the guys remembered me from the year before. It’s amazing to watch these guys over 70 still killing it on the field and at bat!”

During her 20s, Laurie expanded her athletic horizons and began bowling in a church league. After a hiatus of several years, she resumed the sport about eight years ago. At the 2024 Games, she’ll be found at the indoor alleys rather than the outdoor fields. And this time, Mike will be lending a hand.

“We’ll be in charge of setting up the bowling sessions by date, time, male/female, age group — broken down by every five years — and whether teams are singles, doubles or more. I will also calculate the winners and award medals to the top three. We’ll be working with Highland Bowl in Corvallis, as they are our venue. That will be the easy part for me — I bowl and work there on the weekends.”

Her best bowling game ever? “I’ve only had four 200 games,” Laurie admits with a chuckle and a blush. “My highest score ever was 206. I’d like to change that, but the pins just don’t listen and fall!”

* Registrations begin closing July 23. For sports-specific deadlines, check the Sports pages at oregonseniorgames.com.