​Baseball is hailed as “the great American pastime.” That can certainly be said for 74 year-old Frank Miller. Baseball was his sport of choice in school—he even played college ball—and after reading a book about pitching in early January, Miller found the itch to play again.

It’s a predicament many people who practiced sports in their youths find themselves in. Author Jim Bouton wrote in his book, Ball Four, that instead of being the one to grip the ball, many find “it was the other way around all the time.” As such a major part of Miller’s life, it’s no wonder his love for the game would grip him even into his adult years.

But with a resurgence of love for the sport, practicing sliders and curve balls on his own didn’t exactly cut it, however. In an attempt to find an outlet for her husband, his wife, Alice, took to the Nextdoor app to find someone in the neighborhood who may be willing to play.

Perhaps Alice expected to get a handful of responses, but she certainly did not expect the influx of messages from interested parties of all ages. Parents volunteered their children who enjoyed the sport. Adults in a similar boat offered their time. Surprised by the response, Alice welcomed all with a date and time to meet.

“I think people want to reconnect a little bit right now,” Frank said a few days before the meet-up.

So, Frank and Alice showed up at the park ahead of time—the former with his equipment bag filled with new baseballs, a Nokona glove, and a catcher’s mitt he has owned for six decades. They weren’t sure if anyone would actually show up, but Frank came prepared just in case.

He was not disappointed.