Residents of Sun City and Sun City West joined together at the Sun Bowl Field for softball and a salute to veterans, playing host to the annual Veterans Day softball tournament. This was the first event this year that friends in Sun City and Sun City West were able to commingle. It was decided last year that there would be no more joint games with the two cities, except for veterans.

Veteran Doug Wright, 99, who is responsible for getting the Sun Bowl field together, worked five years to convince Sun City to allow the softball field to come to fruition. The cost: $280,000. Wright, a World War II veteran, was able to play softball at the fields for 18 years; he retired at the age of 90. He said his favorite memory was the last inning, behind by three runs, two out, with bases loaded and he hit a grand slam. He will turn 100 early next year and he keeps in shape by doing 30 push-ups every day, followed by speed walks. Wright was the pastor of the 1st Presbyterian Church in Sun City for many years.

Tait Douglas, another World War II veteran, 95, was also present at th event. Tait wanted to give a message to everyone about his hero: “Mr. Truman ending the war the way he did. Many of us wouldn’t be here today if he hadn’t. He is my hero!”

Veteran Jim Keinath was president of the Sun City Softball Board in 2011 when the subject came up about having a veteran’s tournament. Keinath, along with board members Chuck Whiterick, Wayne Conn, Julie McGlynn and Arnie Kvarnberg put together the first such event, not only for softball playing military veterans but also to help the veterans in need. They take in clothing and small appliances to donate directly to the veterans. A U-Haul was backed up to the field, filled with donations. “Nobody should be homeless!” said Whiterick, and Keinath added this event is what he is most proud of in his softball career. He is also happy to have friends from Sun City West back together again.

Ben Rodriguez, another player in the tournament, is a purple heart Vietnam veteran. While in Vietnam taking a hill, a grenade went off close to him and blew his helmet off; shrapnel impaled his head. He was medivacked to the hospital and four days later was back out and they took the hill from four different angles.

“Good to see all the guys that came home,” he said, “many didn’t, and many didn’t come back the same, physically and mentally.”

Veteran Arvid Peterson was in a plane crash where three crew members were killed and three survived. Because of his injuries, he came home for 30 days and saw his daughter for the first time. After spending Christmas with the family, he returned for another five months.

“I thank God every day for the extra 54 years of life,” he said. “I still have my helmet and parachute that I used to eject out of the B-66.”

Arvid enjoys softball and is a support for the teams as he and his wife Kay have sponsored several teams over the years.

There was also a picnic as part of the recent event. Tom and Mary Dellopoulos have chaired this committee for five years. Before moving to Sun City, they chaired the event in Altoona, Iowa, for nine years. The softball club supplies the meat, baked beans, chips and drinks and Mary gets the volunteers to bring salads and desserts. The Dellopoulos work side by side grilling burgers and hot dogs to make this event a success.

Club President Ron Coppess thanked all the veterans and first responders for keeping the community safe and for their service defending the United States.