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  Louisville, Kentucky's Al Benninger retired as VP of Human Resources at Lincoln Income Life Insurance Company 39 years ago. 

  I wasn't really ready to call it quits, but we were bought out by a larger insurance company and my days were numbered, he said.  

  Almost four decades later, Al is still enjoying life. In that 39 year time span, he has retired two more times, each from a passion involving sports.  Al is 95 now.  But, that's just the beginning of his story.

  HUH?  What's up with that?

  After your first retirement, did you go to work somewhere else?

  No, I just decided it was more time for me and my family.  Mary and I have been married 70 years.  We have one son, two granddaughters, and a two month old great grandson, he proudly exclaimed.  

  As an adult, you were always involved with athletics.

  Yes, I have been.  I've actually had several retirements even though I only had one real career, Al said.  The first was my position with Lincoln when I was 56.  Most recently, I stepped down two years ago as the head of Metro Parks senior travel softball league.  I was 93. 

  How did you get involved with the parks department?

  Well, the director of the parks system was interested in starting a senior travel softball league back in the early 80s, he recalled.  We started out with just four teams.  The city put up the ballfields, scorekeepers, and umpires.  They really didn't want to run the league, they just wanted to start one.  So, they turned it over to me because I knew the guy in charge.

  How many seniors are in the league now?

  Close to 200 players.  There are really two leagues, 60 and over and 70 and over and there are eight teams in the two leagues.  Some cities have an 80 to 90 year old league.  Especially in Florida.  

  What did your job entail?

  Well, I put together the whole deal.  Every year we had a draft.  Teams would choose a whole new team in the spring, he stated.  So, I conducted the draft and everything else.  I scheduled all games for both leagues, contacted other travel teams, dealt with all problems on teams, worked with the city to make sure the diamonds were ready.  I did it all for a lot of years.  

   How does the draft work?

   Most of the players want to be on a different team every year because it's a social thing too, he explained.  So the managers draft a minimum of 14 players to a team and they do it one by one.  The teams keep drafting until all the players are on a team. 

  Where do the players come from?  What kind of work did they do? 

  We have at least one dentist as I recall, about seven retired cops, a few lawyers, factory workers, a couple media people, you name it.  

  You were honored by the city of Louisville when you stepped down.

  I was.  They named the softball diamond, Al Benninger Field, he proudly mentioned. 

  Did you play softball or were you only the director of the program?

  I played on a 65 year old team until I was 76.  I always coached too.   So, I was a coach, player, and director of the league.  

  You sound like you had some wonderful experiences with softball.

  I did, he smiled.  I was on a team when I was 75 that won a national championship.  Another year, we faced an 80 year old team in Florida that nobody could beat.  In fact, nobody would play them because they were so good.  They could hit, run, pitch, they could do it all.  They had to play 65 year old teams because 70 and above didn't want any part of them. 

  Where did the money come from?  You traveled and had uniforms.

  Well, each player put up $65 a year to play 20 games, he reminisced.  We went to Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Georgia and Michigan.  

  If there was a national champion, there must have been tournaments.

  Oh, yeah.  And lots of them, Al said.  We didn't want to get someplace, lose, and be out of it and have to go back home.  Each team played a minimum of five games in tournaments wherever we traveled.  There are two divisions, gold and silver.  

  Okay.  That's two retirements.  The softball job sounds like it could have been full-time too. But, you had a third job for most of your working years and beyond.

  That's right.  I was a statistician for the men's University of Louisville Basketball Team for 46 years, he stated as he revisited fond memories.  I've seen 'em all, Bird, Magic, Kareem, David Thompson, Walton.

  Did U of L play all the teams those guys played for in college?

  No, I was one of the stats the NC Double A chose to work the tournament games.  I worked every Final Four for 40 straight years.  I retired from the U of L job in 2006, he responded.  

  What are some of your favorite game memories?

  I didn't work it, but I went to the 1948 Olympics in London.  I saw some of the great UK and U of L players of the day win the Gold Medal.  That's a great memory because I was only 22, he recalled.  

  How about your favorite Final Four that you worked as a statistician?

  Has to be the 1973 title game, he recalled.  Walton shot 21 of 22 and scored 44 points.  UCLA beat Memphis State 87 to 66.  

  Wow!  That's pretty impressive!  You remember those stats.

  I've been told I have a great memory, he laughed.  

  Your third retirement came when you turned over your statistician duties. 

  You might say that.  It's been a lot of fun, but well worth it, he said.

  Al, it's been a pleasure talking to you.  Thank you.

  It's been fun talking to you, he replied.  It makes me feel appreciated.  

  Coming up:  Two science teachers help us out in understanding the dangers of micro plastics; and, we'll find out about a relatively new language; plus, you're going to meet a woman who danced across the country!

  Imagine that. Al said, It makes me feel appreciated.  When someone says something like that to you, it makes you so glad you made the effort.  

  HUH?  What's up with that?