While baseball is known as the nation’s pastime, many great baseball players move on to softball when their careers wind down.

And thanks to softball, one Austin man has lengthened his playing career by over 40 years.

Keeping it simple

Paul Leif, who recently turned 60-years old, has played softball for over 40 years as he began playing softball in a fast-pitch church league while in high school at Pacelli. Over that time, Leif’s approach to the game has not changed a bit.

“My approach is to always play hard and if you win you win and if you lose you lose,” Leif said. “I’m probably the only one who never argues with the umpire.”

Leif plays for his self sponsored team called Leif Tax Services/Games People Play in the Austin Park and Rec Men’s Softball League. When batting, he knows his limitations as he lets his teammates swing for the fences while he looks to get on base.

“They hit their home runs and I hit singles,” Leif said. “But I usually hit it solid, because when you go for a home run you get pop ups too. I always joke that my definition of hitting it out is hitting it over the infield.”

The last laugh

Leif is one of just two players over 50-years old in the Park and Rec league and he said some teams aren’t to keen on having older players on their squad. But Leif, who usually bats last in the order, never feels discouraged. He got a chance to make a statement in last year’s opener when he batted first.

“That’s the fun part,” Leif said. “The first game last year (my team) put me up first and the other team said ‘ Oh the old guy’s up to bat.’ I got a hit and we beat them 8-2. Some of those teams get so upset. That’s the sweet part.”

A family affair

The biggest reason Leif still plays softball is that his family is a big part of his team — which he started three years ago. He plays with his younger brothers, Steve and Keith, his son Ryan, and his nephews Doug and Jeremy Griffith of Albert Lea.

“Family’s everything,” he said. “Most guys quit because there’s no real reason to keep playing and lot of these guys don’t want older players on the team. For us it’s kind of a family get together and as long as I can still do it and it’s still fun I’ll keep doing it. My golf game is so bad, that I’ve got to do it.”

Steve Leif said that Paul has kept him in the game as he planned on retiring from softball years ago. He said he’d play as long as his older brother.

“I was gonna retire a long time ago, but he keeps coming out so I’ve got to,” Steve Leif said.

A big turnaround

While Leif has played softball virtually every summer, he did take two off. In 1994 he missed a summer as he went through radiation treatment for cancer and when he was 30, he contemplated giving up on softball and he sat out a season. But that retirement was short lived when he played in a softball tournament.

“I got picked up for a tournament and we won it in seven games,” Leif said. “I was so stiff I couldn’t get out of bed that Monday. So I thought maybe I’ll just do this once a week and I’ve just kept doing it.”

Leif has done it once a week for the past 30 years and he shows no signs of slowing down as he still plays in every game for his squad, which was 7-2 heading into Wednesday’s games at Todd Park.

“I’m taking it one year at a time,” Leif said.

Staying in shape

As he retired from the military just three years ago, Leif has been forced to stay in shape for his career. Now he plays volleyball over the winter to stay in good shape.

As far as staying up for the late games which start at 8:45 p.m. Leif has no trouble as he often stays up until 1 a.m.

“The early games are tougher because you finish all your to-dos and have to head on out,” he said.

While in the military, Leif worked on his tax service part time since he was stationed in Minnesota. Over the last three years, he has worked on his tax service full time.

A solid start

Leif’s career on the diamond started with a state championship his junior year at Pacelli High School in Austin. His team took the state title behind the arm of Dave Lobb, who pitched two straight seven inning shutouts to give Pacelli the title.

“(Lobb) was phenomenal and it was a big deal to win state,” Leif, who played outfield for the champions, said.

David Lobb was drafted by the MLB’s Atlanta Braves with the 324th pick in 1965.

Leif plays softball Wednesday’s at the south fields of Todd Park.