Every now and then, the past and present collide to create wonderful moments.

I had such an experience earlier this week while covering the Coach Bob Invitational baseball tournament at Glendale Apollo.

After the game, I went into the Apollo dugout and was greeted by Ray Alonzo, an assistant coach for head coach Jerod Aker.

Alonzo once was Apollo’s head coach, then coached elsewhere before coming back “home.’’

“I thought I was the only one left,’’ he said with a sigh.

No, some of us other veteran guys are still out there pounding the basepaths.

Alonzo was a big part of the old Skyline Division, which featured some of the top coaches and top talent anywhere (with all due respect to the East Valley schools). And I mean in all sports, not just baseball.

Among the baseball coaches were Alonzo, who had taken over for Chuck O’Connor, Ted Blake at Phoenix Greenway, Don Baniewicz at Phoenix Cortez, Ken Corley at Cortez and Greenway, Tom Succow at Phoenix Brophy Prep, Al Bauer at Phoenix Moon Valley, William Hatcher at Phoenix Shadow Mountain, Eric Kibler at Phoenix Horizon, Rich Chainhalt at Prescott and Shadow Mountain, Mike Carl at Glendale, Tom Pagel and Nick Candrea at Phoenix Washington and Roy Muller at Paradise Valley. I hope I didn’t leave anyone out.

The competition was tough and the coaches all seemed to get along. There seldom was any one-upmanship. How refreshing.

It’s awesome that Alonzo is still out there helping kids. Kibler, Succow and Muller, too.

I ran into another baseball guy who has been around the game in the north and northwest Valley for a long time.

His name is Chuck Jared, who was serving as the scorer and public-address announcer.

Everyone knows Chuck.

No matter what game you attended, Chuck always seemed to be there, either scoring it or just as a fan. He also was at Grand Canyon University and Glendale Community College.

He knew and still knows most of the players, and can recite their statistics or provide some other interesting tidbit at the drop of a hat. He even sings a pretty good version of “Take Me Out To The Ballgame’’ as he did during the fifth-inning stretch the other night.

You are awesome, Chuck. Keep it going.