Golden years

As a student at Bok High School, Anthony Morrone was told he was too small to try out for the football team.

"The coach laughed at me when I came out for football," he recalled.

But Morrone could hardly blame him: At the time, the student was 4-foot-11 and weighed a mere 99 pounds.

Now, more than a half-century later and 10 inches taller, Morrone is more than making up for sitting out high-school sports.

The 71-year-old resident of the 1100 block of Moore Street plays in South Philly adult softball leagues and Northeast senior softball leagues.

And he’s proven he is among the fastest senior sprinters in the state by participating in the Pennsylvania Senior Games — part of the Keystone State Games — and earning his third trip to the Senior National Games in Pittsburgh.

Morrone won two gold medals at this summer’s Keystone event in Shippensburg by finishing first in the 100- and 200-meter dashes. At the national games, the runner will join about 12,000 male and female athletes over age 50.

Amazingly enough, Morrone, who fights a back condition, didn’t start participating in track until well into his 60s.

But he’s been a softball player since he was a youngster. Morrone played outfield, pitcher and first base in leagues based at Eighth and Mifflin streets, Capitolo Playground at 10th and Federal and Columbus Square at 12th and Wharton.

A medical crisis 15 years ago spurred him to take on more exercise.

Morrone suffered a mini-stroke in his left eye, resulting in the complete blockage of a carotid artery, which ruled out surgery.

"Doctors told me to eat like a rabbit and exercise a lot to get new collateral," said Morrone, who works out at least three times a week at the Pennsport Gym.

Morrone was playing in a weekly football league at then-Beaver College with guys half his age when one of those teammates took notice of his speed. The other player suggested that Morrone try out for the Senior Games.

The father of five and grandfather of eight has been running ever since. Morrone, who retired at age 62 from his job as a heating and air-conditioning supervisor for the city, competes in the 70-and-over age group.

Last summer, he won the 100-meter dash in 13.5 seconds — beating the second-place finisher by more than two seconds.

Because of his bad back, Morrone does a standing start instead of using starting blocks.

It sure doesn’t slow him down.

He also won last year’s 200-meter dash in 29.4 seconds, five seconds ahead of the next runner.

In the most recent games, Morrone defended his gold medals, winning the 100 in 14.35 seconds and the 200 in 29.90 seconds. The finishes qualified him for the national event.

After years of competing, the athlete is finally getting the recognition he deserves.

This summer at the Senior Games, a producer from CN8 approached Morrone about appearing on CN8 Hometown Champions, which aired in July.

"They asked before the race and asked me if I wanted to do an interview," Morrone recalled.

"I asked, ‘How do you know I’ll win?’"

"You’ll win," the producer said.

It seems the runner is always a safe bet, though he said he shies away from the attention. His family — children John, Anthony Jr., Michelle, Tara and Samantha and his wife, the former Joanne Grant — enjoyed the CN8 program, however.

Morrone discourages his family members from coming to his state events since Shippensburg offers little else to do but watch the Senior Games.

"It’s three hours up there and three hours back to watch a 20-second race," he said. "There is nothing to do there. I go stir-crazy myself."

Last year, he used some of his downtime to try out for the softball team while at the Keystone event. The best players from Eastern Pennsylvania compete against the elite from Central Pennsylvania.

Morrone made one of the state squads, and went on to finish 2-2 in national competition.

Naturally, the competition is stiffer at the national level, so gold medals can be elusive.

Last year, Morrone placed fourth in the 200-meter dash (30.34 seconds) and sixth in the 100-meter dash (14.5 seconds).

Next year will be his third national competition, which included a 1999 trip to Walt Disney World, where Morrone was a top-10 finisher in both the 100 and 200.

The senior’s training consists of running sprints on the treadmill and working out on exercise bikes.

"I only run sprints the month before [an event]," Morrone noted.

But he regularly goes to the gym to work on his back muscles and biceps.

Although his football-playing days ended several years ago after he seriously bruised his leg in an on-the-field collision, the athlete seems as spry as ever.

Next spring, he wants to play softball again.

And Morrone said he plans to continue defending his gold medals in the Senior Games "as long as these legs hold up."