NBC-2

Marco Island man shows age is just a number when stepping up to the plate

Britt Leoni

3/21/2025

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John Ranieri's been in the softball game for quite some time.

"I still have the same glove. It's the same one for 25 years," Ranieri said.

But his age doesn't stop him from stepping up to the plate.

"I was still the oldest guy no matter what," Ranieri said. "So they kept asking me my age."

At 80 years old, he joined a men's softball league on the island. Now, six years later, he developed a tradition to show age is just a number.

"My father said, keep moving. Don't let them catch you," Ranieri said. "He lived to be 92, my mother was 94."

Ranieri is now 94 himself. He's chosen his jersey number to reflect his age throughout the years on the field.

"I've got five granddaughters. Every time they come to visit, they take the shirt, and they sleep in the shirt," Ranieri said.

His daughter, Angela, proudly watches her dad from the sidelines.

"They're all jealous," Angela said. "My cousins are here, and they're like, I couldn't do it."

Ranieri's drive will keep him in the swing of things for the years to come.

"Remember that the years go by very quickly," Ranieri said. "Enjoy it as much as you can."

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