They call him “Papa Big Guns.”

That does not only go for his grandchildren, either. American Legion Baseball players — and some of their parents — refer to Tom Lazzari by the nickname that he swears he did not give to himself. He just relishes in that moniker.

Tom jokes that the key to having such big arms, or guns as he calls them, is to lose the use of his legs. That happened to Tom when he was diagnosed with a neurological disorder that robbed him of his ability to walk when he was in his late 40s. He was also told that he would probably be in, as he puts it, the nursing home or bone yard within seven years of his diagnosis.

Now more than two decades later, Papa Big Guns has done more than avoid death or paralysis. He is the life of the party wherever he goes. He will put a smile on your face and offer you a Werther’s Original candy.

You can usually find Tom sitting in his wheelchair between the stands and the home dugout on the third base side of 3 Legends Stadium watching his grandsons play baseball. Or, you can catch him up by the fence watching his granddaughter play softball.

Watching his grandchildren play is Tom’s happy place. He also just loves to watch the Butte kids compete. He discovered watching Legion ball when his grandson Ethan “Easy” Cunningham helped pitch the Butte Miners to their first state title in 69 years during the magical summer of 2022. That, he says, hooked him for life.

He still has two grandsons playing Legion ball, but Tom says he will be still watching the Miners, Muckers and Motormen play long after those boys move on.

Tom was one of eight children — five boys and three girls — born to Gil and Geraldine Lazzari. Tom was born in California, but raised on West Granite Street in Butte. He said he looked the part to be the quarterback of the Immaculate Conception Indians in grade school, but he lacked the talent. He says he was strong, but not an athlete.

That is why he never ended up playing varsity football at Butte High school.

Tom worked for years at St. James Hospital, where he wore many hats. That all changed with a stunning diagnosis, however.

Instead of crawling into a hole and feel sorry for himself, Tom went to college. He earned valedictorian honors at Montana Tech, where he was also named the homecoming king, as a “nontrad.” He also earned a degree from MSU-Billings.

Today, Tom spends his time with Sharon, his wife of closing in on 50 years, as he chases around his seven grandchildren. He might be technically disabled and spends a good deal of time in a wheelchair, but he is in better shape than so many other people his age.

He also has more fun than most people a quarter of his age. Even though he was delt a bad hand later in life, Tom seems to enjoy himself more than anyone you will ever meet.

Tom will turn 70 on July 12. That will mark the one-year anniversary of the greatest birthday cake ever made for a grown man.

Today’s podcast is presented by Leskovar Honda, home of the 20-year, 200,000-mile warranty.