Beanbag baseball is a home run with local seniors

Teams from all across Crittenden County compete in Jonesboro

By DON WILBURN

donaldfwilburn@gmail.com

Senior residents from several retirement facilities in West Memphis recently enjoyed a day of friendly competition at a bean bag baseball tournament in Jonesboro, organized by the Area Agency on Aging. The event, held at St. Bernard’s Auditorium on April 12, brought together seniors for a day of camaraderie, exercise, and excitement.

Bean bag baseball, a modified version of the popular game Baggo or Cornhole, involves pitching bean bags to a board 17 feet away. Each hole on the board is marked with a baseball action, such as single, double, triple, home run, or out. The batter takes the action of the hole where their bean bag lands, adding a fun twist to the traditional sport.

The physical and mental activity of bean bag baseball is beneficial for seniors, providing gentle but consistent exercise for strength, balance, and range of motion. Participants take turns pitching bean bags and advancing to different bases based on their throws, adding a playful element to the game.

“There are so many participants you just about can’t count them all.” says Tina Wade, the Psych Director for the East Arkansas Area on Aging in West Memphis, “Definitely more than a

See BASEBALL, page A2

The Lepanto team is fired up and ready to go!

Photos submitted

The green Stingers left the competition in pain and laughs.

From page A1

hundred, there are at least 16 teams, each with nine members and they come from all over; Marianna, Blytheville, Forrest City. We (West Memphis) won one and lost two, so we were knocked out early.”

The West Memphis seniors faced tough competition from Blytheville, Walnut Ridge and Jonesboro, the previous year’s state winner, but despite some losses, the seniors enjoyed their time playing bean bag baseball and cheering each other on throughout the tournament. The event was a hit with participants, highlighting the importance of staying active and engaged in later years.