About HARD Senior Softball Baseball
DO YOU KNOW HOW MANY PEOPLE COME ON OUR WEBSITE? SO FAR IN THE MONTH OF July 22, 2025 3142 hits. TAKE A LOOK AT THE GRAPH ON THE LEFT. PLAYERS ARE WAITING FOR STATS!
MEET JOE FARIAS started LEAGUE 1990
MORE INFO FOR JOE FARIAS
In 1990 I was the Principal/Director of Castro Valley’s School District Adult Education Programs.
I was asked by the Hayward Area Recreation District (HARD) to Co-sponsor a softball team for Seniors. I created an adult education class for men and women 50 and over. I met and coordinated with adjacent cities to form a league that would play games during the day. Teams from Redwood City, Walnut Creek, Livermore, Alameda and other areas agreed to play in a league. We started with 17 players and practiced and played our games at the community center on Lake Chabot Rod. As I had to be at the games as teacher of record I also played. The league grew in numbers and many of our games were also played at the Centennial fields in Hayward. By 2006 we had enough players for a 50’s and 60’s league. We also moved all our games to Oliver Fields off of Hesperian.
We expanded to include a 70 and over league. For many years I played in all three leagues until 2023. I also played tournament ball with a number of teams. Traveled to Reno, Palm Springs,
St. George, Utah, and many cities in the central valley. It was difficult to hang up my glove in 2023 as softball had played a major role in my life. But my legs said “That’s it”. I enjoyed meeting all the players over the years. Does my heart good when I see players that were students when I was Principal of Castro Valley High school. I still come to the field during the week and give my advice and keep score for the Bears in the 70’s league. For expanded information on the league read the history that is on the website.
WE LOST ANOTHER H.A.R.D PLAYER
Just notified that Marc Reclus suffered a heart attack and passed away. He had planned to return to Hayward softball next year. More details will follow when available.
John Ironside
Earliest date I could find Marc on a HARD team was 2014 when he played with Keystone Batted .720 that year. In 2019 he played 60’s and batted .750/. He also played in 2019 with the Rockies. Currently he was playing in Walnut Creek and Jim Keltner was on a team with him. Jim wrote me about Marc’s passing.
He was born in 1954. Young.
Live every day.
Joe Farias
Marc picture is below
ALL 50+ STATS ARE IN EXCEPT FOR THE ROVERS. REMEMBER NEXT GAME IS THURSDAY, JULY 23, 2026
70+ WARRIORS AND CARDINALS WILL PLAY. TOMORROW, TUESDAY, DECEMBER 21, 2026
50+ AND 70+ TEAM BATTING AVERAGE AS OF july 15, 2026
DIAMONDS .630 WARRIORS .654
OLDEN BEARS ,609 WOLFPACK .633
ROWDYS .594 OUTLAWS .626
BRONCOS .548 MUDCATS .621
PRIME TIME .477 CARDINALS .584
ROVERS .???
TOP BATTING AVERAGE FOR EACH TEAM 70+ AS OF JULY 15TH WITH 45+ BATS
70+ BATTING AVERAGE WITH AT LEAST 45 AT BATS
ROWDYS BARRY WALTERS .886
DIAMONDS DAVID BALFOUR .872
BRONCOS DOUG JOHNSON .854
OLDEN BEARS TIM LARSON . .745
PRIME TIME .???
50+ BATTING AVERAGE WITH AT LEAST 46 AT BATS
WOLFPACK GARRETTT SULLIVAN .854
MUDCATS MARK JHNSON .848
WARRIORS LEVALEA FALEAFINE .782
OUTLAWS JOHN McCOWAN .770
CARDINALS BRIAN ICKE .730
ROVERS ???????? .???
NO 50+ ROVER BATTING AVERAGE BECAUSE OF NO STATS FROM TEAM
MARC RECLUS
IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN PLAYING SEND US A MESSAGE BELOW
Players who have been around the longest IN THE LEAGUE
Joe Farias 1990
Bev Van Gundy 1993
John Ironside 1994
Don Keller 2003
Gordon Smith 2003
Carla Francis 2004
Lanny Witt 2005
2006
- Rich Jovel
- Walt McQlueston
- Gill Jess
- Joe Serochi
- Dave Harding
- 2007
- Roger Gonzalez
- Tom Wagenseller
- Chip McCarter
- Barry Walter
- IF I MISS YOU LET ME KNOW
STARTING NEXT WEEK JULY 22, 2026
EACH WEEK I WILL START WITH THE PLAYER WHO HAS STARTED FIRST PLAYING WITH HARD SOFTBALL WITH A BIO AND PICTURE OF PLAYER IF THEY WANT TO PARTICIPATE. NEXT WILL BE JOE FARIAS THEN Bev Van Gundy THEN JOHN IRONSIDE THEN DON KELLER THEN GORDON SMITH THEN KEEP GOING DOWN THE LINE
OLDEST PLAYERS FROM LAST SEASON, CHECK OUT THEIR AGES
AGES AS OF BEGINING OF 2026
1. Ruben Fielder AGE 91 50+WARRIORS
2. Don Keller AGE 90 BRONCOS
3. Walt McQueston AGE 90 ROWDYS
4. Ray Johnson 86 OLDEN BEARS
5. Joe Farias 86 OLDEN BEARS
6. Ed Johnson AGE 86 DIAMONDS
7. Gilbert Jess AGE 84 BRONCOS
8. Jim Dietrich AGE 83 MUDCAT
9. Bev Van Gundy AGE 83 DIAMONDS
10. Al Antonini AGE 82 OLDEN BEARS
11. Rich Jovel AGE 82 ROWDYS
12. Bo Johansen AGE 82 DIAMONDS
12. Gary Lee AGE 81 OLDEN BEARS
13. John Ironside AGE 81 BRONCOS 50+CARDINALS
2026 LEAGUE
BRONCOS 4 PLAYERS ON LIST
OLDEN BEARS 4 PLAYERS ON LIST
ROWDYS 2 PLAYERS ON LIST
DIAMONDS 3 PLAYERS ON LIST
PRIME TIME 0 PLAYERS ON LIST
2025 LEAGUE
OLDEN BEARS 6 PLAYERS ON LIST
BRONCOS 3 PLAYERS ON LIST
ROWDYS 2 PLAYERS ON LIST
PRIME TIME/TWINS 0 PLAYERS ON LIST