MAJORBLOGS.net (MLN Sports) – Indianapolis, IND. - All good things must come to an end, even Tom Saffell's long, successful and popular reign as the Gulf Coast League (GCL) president.

“That's what this meeting is all about,” said the 88-year-old Saffell, an ex-major league outfielder whose involvement in organized baseball goes back seven decades.

Saffell, here for the Winter Meetings, said Tuesday that he's enjoyed his years in baseball “very much. I played for 14 years, I believe it was. I managed in the minors leagues for 14 years, or something like that. Then I got this job, and I've been at it for 31 years.”

Saffell's first year in organized baseball was 1941, when he signed with Newport, Tenn., of the Appalachian League. “I was with them for a month when I got my knee hurt,” he said. “I had to go back to railroading until 1943, when I joined the Air Force.”

Discharged in 1946, he returned to baseball and played for the Indianapolis Indians of the American Association from 1948 to 1951. In his first year with the Tribe, Indianapolis finished first.

Baseball-Reference.com shows Saffell played for the Pittsburgh Pirates from 1949-1951 and then returned for one more big league season in 1955, splitting the year between Pittsburgh and the Kansas City Athletics.

He returned to the minors, making his final appearance as a pitcher in 1964 at age 42. He managed minor league clubs in four different organizations between 1961 and 1972.

“I guess getting to the major leagues was the highlight of my career,” said the affable octogenarian, one of the most popular figures at the Winter Meetings. “Playing in Wrigley Field and getting a base hit in my first at-bat was great.”

Saffell has been around for a raft of changes in baseball, including the game's integration, expansion, the draft, free agency, the advent of performance-enhancing substances and global expansion through events like the World Baseball Classic and baseball in the Olympics.

The greatest difference he sees today?

“Well, I don't know,” he said. “I guess the biggest change has been the influx of the Latin players. I would say they're about 50 percent of baseball. It's been a great addition.

“There's been so much stuff going on,” he added after a moment's thought. “Some of it I agree with, some of it I don't. That's what all the old baseball players say. It's my feeling that the baseball players overall are better now than they used to be. But back when we played, we played for the fun of it and for the love of the game. I don't think that's true now.”

That's one change Saffell doesn't care for, but he's philosophical about it. “They're playing for the money,” he said. “But who can blame them?”

Accompanying Saffell throughout the meetings was his assistant, Bill Ventolo. “He'll be working with me through this coming year,” said Tom.  “Bill doesn't like to be called a secretary; He's too ugly.”

Even in retirement, Saffell plans to stay connected to baseball. “I'll go to as many games as I can down at Sarasota and maybe up around Tampa,” he said. “Long as I can drive, I'll be at a ball game.”

As for Saffell's replacement, it will be... Perhaps nobody.

“I think the National Association is going to take over and operate the Gulf Coast League," he told MLN.