At 77, He’s Still Winning the Key Points in Game of Life

If the sun or a reasonable facsimile comes out today, Bob Dumas plans to play a little tennis. That normally wouldn’t merit any ink in the newspaper, except that Dumas is a bit of a salesman and I fell for his line.

What Dumas is selling, however, isn’t so much himself as it is a message about lifelong health.

Dumas turned 77 on March 10. In keeping with a tradition he started on his 60th birthday, he plans to play one game of tennis for every year of his life. So, against a variety of opponents today, the grandfather of nine plans to hit the court at the Tennis Club of Monarch Beach and slog his way through 77 games of forehands, backhands and lobs, not to mention grunts and groans.

Sure, the tennis thing is a gimmick, but listen to Dumas’ message:

“It’s OK to age but not to grow old. The distinction in growing old is that you can become a little too much affiliated with the senior syndrome. It’s OK to be involved in seniors activities, but if you get old and you go to a seniors’ home and hang around all the time, it’s overwhelming to a degree that you’re talking about illnesses all the time and reminiscing about the past, while there’s a wonderful present going on.”

Dumas, who acknowledges that he’s been lucky with genetics and good fortune, thinks older people can help themselves stave off failing health with some attitude adjustments and common-sense habits.

“I see some seniors falling into that syndrome, wearing an old jacket, doughty trousers, walking with a little shuffle and it just exacerbates the problem. I try to dress, not mod, but comfortable--modern enough. I just think you have to think young, to a degree. You have to think that you had your younger generation, but you have to go along a little bit with younger music and styles. You can’t criticize everything when you’re talking about the good old days. You have to go along and you find you can enjoy things, instead of being what I call unanimous in the contrary.”

Dumas doesn’t claim any particular expertise in the geriatric field--only his own success in staying fit. He’s not talking about becoming a health nut and says his only real fetish is playing tennis.

“I just always had this feeling I didn’t want to become an old man, per se, that I wanted to stay youthful as long as I could. I love to think ahead to the year 2000 AD--Avoiding Death.”

A native New Englander, Dumas and his wife of 42 years make Evergreen, Colo., their permanent home. Dumas is spending part of the winter in Orange County, visiting his daughter’s family in Aliso Viejo. His professional career was mostly in sales, but he still teaches tennis part time in Evergreen.

Dumas claims his game is better than it was 20 years ago and that all he needs afterward is a hot tub and massage. The next day his legs feel a little creaky but nothing to complain about.

“On my 75th birthday, there were so many people who showed up to play that in the 75th game my third wind set in and I kept going and I played 100 games.”

He’s one of the few oldsters who you can ask about death without feeling morbid. “I think somewhere along the line, as you hit 90, you’ve got to envision it,” he said. “I think I’ll go suddenly. I think it’ll be a quick heart attack.”

We all know we’re susceptible to bad-health bolts out of the blue, but the experts also know that attitudes like Dumas’ can make old age more enjoyable.

“I think what you do is challenge yourself,” Dumas said.

With that, he said, he’s set to take the court about 2 this afternoon.

“If you’ve got anybody in your office who wants to play, send them down,” Dumas said. “I don’t care if they’re 20 years old. I’ll play anyone.”

I don’t think you’re quite ready for me, Bob. Get back to me in about 10 years.

SCARFACE REMEMBERED: Many people questioned a reference in the column Friday to the movie “Scarface” being bad for the image of Italians, noting that Al Pacino played a Cuban in the title role. True, but an older generation will remember the original Scarface, Al Capone, the subject of the 1932 movie by the same name.