Bob Kehoe
Recently, and with a heavy heart, 92-year-old Artie Wachter decided it was time to put his softball-playing days behind him.
His final game took place this last December, but it ended with a complete surprise. Unexpectedly, players from the Robson Ranch Softball Club, as well as some fans, presented Artie with a bat that was signed by all. The crowd filled the entire infield. “It was so heart-wrenching,” Artie remembers. “Being presented with the signed bat from everyone—and some of the women even gave me a kiss. Dixie told me that was a bonus!”
“It’s so hard to explain,” said Artie, “the feeling I received from all the club members and people from the grandstands. I actually cried. The love I’ve received from everyone is simply amazing. When I was a pro soccer referee, I learned that nobody applauds you. This experience is so much different.”
Artie has been an active member of the softball club since he and his wife Dixie moved to Robson Ranch in 2014. In his 30+ years of playing organized softball around the country, his biggest moment in the sport came in September 2023, when he was selected to play for the 90 and Over West Softball Team against the 90 and over East Team at a tournament in Las Vegas. “It was something I couldn’t believe,” said Artie. “There were a bunch of Robson Ranch softball players and their wives at the game, all wearing T-shirts announcing ‘Artie’s Army.’”
Artie added, “The way the players, men and women—it’s simply unbelievable the feeling they have not only for me but for one another. I appreciate them all so much. I’ll never forget that day. Plus, when I put it all together, I could never have done it without Dixie.”
Artie isn’t going to retire to his easy chair. “I think I might go over and try to play some cornhole,” he said. “It will help me feel like I’m still in sports.”
As the saying goes, ‘You can’t add days to your life, but you can add life to your days.’