Sun City builds its own Field of Dreams

The Sun City Carolina Lakes Men’s Travel Softball Team hosted its first home tournament April 14 on its very own Field of Dreams at Turkey Point, Indian Land.
“Sun City Hilton Head won the tournament by beating Sun City Carolina Lakes in an exciting game,” local Sun City team manager Bob Spruce said. “The final score was 17-7.”
“The SCCL Softball Club has been trying to establish a travel team for a couple of years. Until this year, it has been a matter of getting some games in when they can,” said Dave Robertson, president of the Sun City Softball Club.  
Along with a new manager and stronger organization this year, the travel team is sponsored by Where Life Is, a local marketing and promotional organization owned and operated by Donna Wood, Sharon Davis and Sandy Ashton.
Four teams participated in the tournament, including teams from Hilton Head, Charleston and Charlotte.
“The teams from Hilton Head and Charleston were each from Del Webb communities,” Robertson said. “The Charlotte team is made up of members of the Charlotte Senior League.”
They played six games. Each game was seven innings or one hour. Once the hour expired, one more inning was played.  
“Everybody had a good time,” Spruce said. “We treated the residents of Sun City and their guests to some great senior softball.”
The softball club has worked hard to establish its field and enhance it. This year, a brand new scoreboard adorns the diamond. Much of the money was raised through  membership club dues and fundraising efforts.
For example, profits from a planned group cruise arranged by Telmanek Travel helped buy the equipment. Sponsor Dennis Telmanek not only lives in Sun City, but he also plays softball.
The official scoreboard operator was Sue Rettig. Ron Sauer served as announcer for the game.
The versatility of the club is remarkable. Tony May, longtime baseball player and club member, served as umpire both days. May is trying to establish an “over 70” team for next year.    
The team plans to host several tournaments and play some travel games as well.  
“This effort is intended to provide our members a variety of different venues at varying skill levels,” Robertson said. “We expect this effort to continue to expand.”
The softball teams and players not only have a cheering section, but sponsor support as well. Besides the men’s travel team sponsor, the recreation league has eight additional sponsors – Comporium, The Clair Team, Sun Rooms, Etc., Rob Wilson CPA, Springs Insurance, Springs Physical Therapy, The Loving Group and Telmanek Travel.
From humble beginnings of bartering and borrowing other fields throughout the Indian Land area, the club’s diligent efforts have finally paid off.
“If you build it, they will come,” is the altered ethereal message Kevin Costner heard in a movie when he played an Iowa farmer who built a ballfield in the middle of a cornfield. These men and women heard that same message locally.  They built their ballfield not in a cornfield, but on a hill overlooking the Catawba River in the heart of Indian Land at Sun City Carolina Lakes.
 

Jim Lorenz/for Carolina Gateway

Sun City Carolina Lakes player Ron Fallica pitches the ball to John Here (No. 8) batting for the Sun City Hilton Head team during the local team’s first home tournament at Turkey Point.

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