East Torrens baseballer reaches 600-game milestone

YOU can tell East Torrens’ 600-gamer Glen Simmons has been playing baseball for a long time by looking at his glove.

East Torrens baseball veteran Glen Simmons played his 600th division one game last weekend. Picture: Sam Wundke.

YOU can tell Glen Simmons has been playing baseball for a long time by looking at his glove.

Cable ties and shoe string hold together the left-hand mit, which is aired out each winter to stop it from becoming pungent.

Simmons, 39, is a stickler for gloves and has only worn three during his 24-year division one career.

“I use my gloves right until they’re about to fall apart,” Simmons, of St Agnes, says.

“I love the feel of the old glove on the hand.

“A few of the young fellas are always bringing out new gloves and they look at mine and shake their heads.”

Simmons, a short stop turned third baseman, played his 600th division one game for East Torrens against Woodville at Patterson Sports Ground, Payneham, on Saturday.

“The club’s been fantastic for me.

“I haven’t moved and haven’t looked like moving because the people at the club.

“With people like that around, it keeps you going.”

Originally from Northern Districts, Simmons joined the Redsox when he was 12 and made his division one debut in 1991/92.

He has won back-to-back championships from 1997-99, three club best and fairests, and remained in the top side, chalking up only about a dozen lower division games.

Playing football each winter for Golden Grove and work as a fireman has kept him fit.

“The ability to move a lot quicker in the field has slowed down a little bit and the arm has slowed down a little bit.

“I’m still going pretty strongly.”

Simmons considers the titles the highlights of his career and hopes to play in another before retiring.

Not that he is closing to packing that glove away.

“I’m hoping for a couple more years.

“Until one of the juniors comes in and knocks on the door, saying he wants to play in front of me, I’ll try to keep going.”