Facilitating successful Hero-transition by creating community relationships through sports
"VICTORY Together!"
Thursday Men’s Division 2 | 11-5, 2nd place | 7-1 in the second half
The Jackwagons were placed in a six-team Division 2 against familiar opponents. Chris Jensen took a reduced role to focus on the Div. 1 Seniors and three regular subs departed, but Gino’s nephew Paul joined after the Heroes Arlington team sat out the spring.
Season Notes
After a 4-4 first half (third place), the Jackwagons went 7-1 the rest of the way to finish second at 11-5. Big Flick Energy won the division at 15-0-1, its only blemish a tie both teams agreed to after an injury. Pitching and fielding were strong all season; the bats need to wake up for the summer season starting next month.
Senior Division 1 | 14-6, 1st place (regular-season champions) | Tournament: 2nd
A Historic Title
The boys finally conquered Mud Dawgs Mountain and delivered the first Div. 1 regular-season title in HAA history, in the most competitive Div. 1 field in memory. The squad finished 14-6 and took the title over the Mud Dawgs on a tie-breaker, which required sweeping Team Rage on the final night. A split would have handed the title back to the Mud Dawgs, and two losses might have given it to Team Rage. Instead, the Heroes won Game 1, 12-8, then put up 13 runs in the opening inning of Game 2 and cruised, 26-10.
The Season
The team was consistent all season apart from two off nights, sweeps by Team Rage and the Outlaws. The other two losses came in respectable splits with the Mud Dawgs. Stats were kept this season purely to fuel dugout banter, not to set the lineup; otherwise Barry, who led the team in batting average until Chip passed him in the tournament, would have hit much higher in the order.
Tournament and Outlook
The team went 2-2 in the season-ending tournament, losing to the Mud Dawgs in the championship game for a second-place finish. Chip will miss the fall, but the rest of the roster is expected back.
Thank You
Special thanks to Dave, playing assistant coach, who ran the team on the clinching night, and to Carl, Gino and all of our sponsors. Glad we could finally get you a ring, despite how tacky they are.
The Vintage Heroes completed one of their most successful seasons, finishing first with a dominant 16-3-1 record and leading the division in both runs scored and fewest runs allowed.
Senior Division 3 (Spring/Summer 2026) | .500 regular season | Tournament: 2nd
Unlike last fall, Spring 2026 felt like a comeback story. The Graybeards battled to a .500 season, then turned up the heat when it mattered, finishing second in the end-of-season tournament. Not bad for a bunch of over-50 warriors who stretch more than they sprint. Credit the WVU baseball mojo, the WVU-approved Bud Light, or a flat refusal to act our age.
Tournament Run
When the tournament arrived, the Graybeards flipped the switch: clutch hits, smart plays, actual strategy. We shocked the league, impressed the umpires, and made the younger teams wonder what vitamins we’re taking. Second place never looked so good.
The Cast of Characters
The Graybeards Way
Cold Bud Light, chips and peanuts, and stories that get better after a cold one. Diving catches from heroic to “is he okay?”, throws that were lasers or lawn darts, base running that defied physics and occasionally league rules, and dugout laughter heard from the parking lot. More than a team, we’re a family: slightly creaky, occasionally limping, always smiling.
Fall 2026 is under way, though with all these rainouts we may be singing Christmas carols in the dugout. The bats are warm, the jokes are ready, and the cooler will be stocked. Thank you to every player, the HAA Board and our sponsors for a season to remember.
— Marty P. Chavers, Graybeards Captain/Coordinator
Download 2026 History (PDF)