(Not So) Over the Hill: Eight Great Performances by Grandpas—and Mas—of Sports

In a pop culture world that venerates youth and the next new thing, the sporting world remains a bastion for the wizened and experienced; an arena (pardon the pun) where the doyens are extolled just as much—if not more—than the tenderfoots.
And for good reason, for some of the most memorable moments in sports history have come from those who aren't exactly spring chickens.

Martina Navratilova—Wimbledon, 1994, 2004

Though Navratilova actually lost this match to the then 22-year-old Conchita Martinez, the 37-year-old Navratilova took Martinez the distance, winning the middle set 6-3 (lost the first and third 6-4 and 3-6, respectively). Her inspiring performance caused the Centre Court crowd to stand and cheer, giving her the longest ovation Wimbledon's seen since.
The ovation was memorable enough for her to make a return 10 years later, where she destroyed Catalino Castrino, 6-0, 6-1.
At age 47, Navratilova's victory was historic—she's the oldest tennis player to have won a match at Wimbledon since 1922.

Jamie Moyer, 2008 World Series, Game 3

Moyer was already record-book material when he became the oldest pitcher to have started a game—at 45 years and 329 days old—against the Los Angeles Dodgers last October. But his truly impressive performance came 13 days later in the first World Series of his lengthy career.
Despite a stomach virus, Moyer threw six and one-third innings in third game of the World Series, where he surrendered five hits (two through the first five innings), had five strikeouts, gave live movement to his changeup, and delivered a fastball that registered in the mid-80s regularly (Moyer's never been known as a power pitcher). His performance served as a springboard the Phillies' eventual World Series title.
Moyer's outing that night, and his performance over the length of the season (16-7, 196 and one-third innings pitched), likely played into the 45-year-old finesse pitcher being tendered a two-year, $16 million extension by the Phillies this year.

Dara Torres, 2008 Summer Olympics

Performing an images Google search of Dara Torres is enough for even the non-sporting fan to know that this gal ain't no ordinary 40-something.
The super-sleek Torres made history in Beijing, where she became the first swimmer to have competed in five different Olympic games (1984, 1988, 1992, 2000, 2008).
A cloud of steroid suspicion engulfed Torres throughout the Olympic fortnight, as her stellar physique and advanced age gave cynics all the fodder they needed to suspect foul play. To dispel suspicion, Torres voluntarily put herself through a battery of tests, saying repeatedly in interview after interview that she wanted to show her training regimen was an "open book."
And by the time competition time came, her training regimen paid dividends, as Torres brought home a triumvirate of silver medals. The 50 m free style silver medal would have been gold, had Germany's Britta Steffen not touched the wall just one-hundredth of a second before Torres.

Curt Schilling, 2004 ALCS, Game 6

Two words: Bloody sock.
In Game 6 of the 2004 ALCS, days after doctors repaired a torn sheath in his right ankle, the 37-year-old Curt Schilling turn in a performance that's now enshrined in Cooperstown (literally, as the blood-soaked sock is now on display for all to see, but not smell).
While Schilling got the W in this game, thus forcing a deciding seventh game and the Sox' sweep of the St. Louis Cardinals, here's a case where the sheer gut and will of Schilling superseded any numbers he logged. For the year, Schilling was impressive: among the elite in Ws, Ks, and innings pitched. But the very fact that a 37-year-old pitcher went out and pitched on essentially one ankle—and got the win—is all one needs to consider when assessing what over-the-hill performers turned in memorable performances.

Randy Johnson, May 24, 2004 vs. Atlanta Braves

Not far from any conversation about Curt Schlling stands the 6'10'' Randy Johnson.
While there's speculation about how well the two got along during the three years they spent in the Diamondback's dugout, there's no speculation about how powerful a duo they were for the rotation. So powerful, they made their then 4-year-old franchise World Champions, by dispatching the vaunted Yankees, and taking home co-MVP awards in the process.
Johnson's career numbers are peerless among contemporary pitchers: a 10-time All-Star, strikeout leader nine times, league ERA leader four times and Cy Young Award winner five times. But one of the Big Unit's most memorable performances came when the then 40-year-old left-hander threw a perfect game at Turner Field. It was nine innings of pure dominance: 13 strikeouts (second only to Sandy Koufax for most strikeouts thrown in a perfect game), 117 total pitches, 28 swings and misses, and a final pitch that clocked in at 98 MPH.
The night that turned Turner Field fans into Johnson fans for a small moment—as fans chanted "Randy, Randy, Randy!" at game's end—was a historic night, indeed, as fans saw the oldest pitcher to have ever thrown a perfect game.
Johnson summed up his performance nicely when he said at game's end, "Not bad for being 40 years old."
Not bad at all.

George Foreman, Nov. 5, 1994 Title Match vs. Michael Moorer

Despite having 76 wins to his name (68 of them KO's), Foreman's known more for knocking fat out of hamburgers and hot dogs than knocking out in-ring competitors.
Nevertheless, 20 years after losing his heavyweight title to Muhammad Ali at "The Rumble in the Jungle," the then 45-year-old George Foreman got his in-ring KO status back when he faced Michael Moorer at the MGM Grand in November of 1994.
In the 10th round, Foreman landed a chilling blow to the chin of the then 26-year-old Moorer, who would stay down for a 10 count.
The night marked the longest span of time between a fighter's stints as heavyweight champion—20 years.

Brett Favre, Nov. 11, 2008 vs. New England Patriots

Like an old man who doesn't know when to retire, no list like this would be complete without the man who doesn't know when to hang it up, a.k.a. Brett Favre.
The Cal Ripken of football, Brett Favre truly was the NFL's "Iron Man." He holds the record for the most consecutive starts by a quarterback (269), is second only to Jim Marshall for most games started consecutively by any NFL player (270), and is one of three quarterbacks to have faced and beaten all 31 NFL teams in existence.
Though Favre's one-year stint with the New York Jets was less-than-stellar, and arguably put something of a pox on his gaudy career numbers, his performance against the New England Patriots evoked memories from days of yore for Favre fanatics.
Though New England didn't know it at the time, Favre's 23 for 33 in completions and pass attempts, his 258 yards, and two touchdowns sealed the Patriots' playoff fate. The real nail in the coffin, though, came in overtime, when Favre led the Jets to a game-winning field goal after facing third and forever (15 yards).
The 39-year-old's Brady-like calm and coolness under pressure sealed the Patriots' playoff hopes for 2009, and in the process, Favre's first ballot Canton induction in 2013.

Ric Flair, Wrestlemania XXIV

Granted, "The Nature Boy" isn't the first person to come to mind among memorable "grandpas" of sports, but with sports entertainment's piece de resistance nearly 24 hours away, I couldn't resist.
Ric Flair is as synonymous with wrestling, as the ring itself. His career spanned 36 years and in various formats, including two stints in the WWE (1991-1993; 2001-2008), and two stints in the WCW (1986-1991; 1993-2001). He began his career, though, in the 1970s American Wrestling Association, facing the likes of Andre the Giant and Dusty Rhodes.
Flair's final "official" match came at Wrestlemania XXIV, where he faced Shawn Michaels. He was 59 years old at the time, and he sustained bumps and falls like he was fresh out of Verne Gagne's wrestling school.
Though retired, Flair can't help but keep his hand in the world of wrestling, as he's appeared on a number of Raw episodes since bidding goodbye last March.
Flair's remarkable career and physical fitness (remember, the guy's 60 years old and has sustained numerous injuries) is all one needs to consider with regards to the notion that aging is life's version of a cruel joke on people.
Flair proves that, sometimes, the joke's on life.