LEHIGHTON -- More than 200 lively senior citizens packed a recreation center in Lehighton on Wednesday. It's all part of the annual Carbon Senior Olympics where teams compete for a full week in all different kinds of sporting events.
"I like having fun," said Robert "Bullfrog Bob" Bochantin. "You know, I am not a person that loves to sit around and do nothing."
And "Bullfrog Bob" isn't alone. He and more than 200 other senior citizens packed the Lehighton Recreation Center for some basketball and darts. They are two activities among several others that these athletes participate in all week long.
"I love it," said Barbara Klass. "It's fun and exciting. Oh, boy! I'm out of breath, but I just love it."
The senior games began back in 1987, all thanks to Victor Pituch.
The teams are broken up by five Carbon County school districts.
"We said, 'Well, why don't we do these games, senior games?' (We're) the only one in the state of PA that do it like this. There is none other. You won't get a crowd like this at activities for seniors and it's so exciting," Pituch said.
It doesn't matter what team you are on or what color shirt you are wearing. Everyone sits together and even though it's a competition, it's a friendly one.
Richard Smith took home the gold for men's basketball, but not before he and his opponent hugged out his win. He says it's what the games are all about.
"Good. It's really good. I enjoy it and you see people you don't see for a whole year. If I win a medal, I win a medal and if I don't, I don't," said Smith.
"We encourage people to come out, socialize, you'll feel better and they do. The ones that come, they love it," said senior games director Anne Horrigan.
The team with the most points at the end of the games gets a trophy.
The senior games wrap up next Tuesday.