Sports Are For The Young? Don't Tell These Older Athletes

Generally speaking, it's true that sports are the pursuit of the young. Especially the violent combat, collision, and contact sports favour, almost require, an athlete in his prime or younger.

Yet some athletes late in their careers, late in their lives, have managed to excel when most people are saying they should have given the sport up and gone home.

Being an old man myself, I like to see athletes with such talent and character that they seem to defy the natural aging process. The following are my ten favourite accomplishments by older athletes.  

1. Gordie Howe—In 1979-80 Gordie Howe, at age 51, played in a full 80-game season and three playoff games for the Hartford Whalers of the NHL.  

2. Satchel Paige—The legendary pitcher broke in to major league baseball at age 41. He was chosen for his first all star team at age 43. He pitched professionally until he was 59.

3. George Blanda—He became a professional football player in 1948 as a quarterback, linebacker, and place kicker.

He played in the NFL until he was 48, mostly as a place kicker, but at age 43, he came into several games for the Oakland Raiders injured quarterback Darryl Lamonica. He started as quarterback and performed well in that year's AFC final and is still the oldest player ever to have done that.

4. Nolan Ryan—He played 27 seasons of major league ball. He threw at over 100 mph past the age of 40 and pitched until he was 46. At age 44, he had a 12-6 record with a 2.91 ERA and 204 strikeouts.

5. Oscar Swahn—This Swedish Olympian won gold at the 1908 Olympics at age 60 in the running deer shoot. At age 72, he won silver in the same shooting event at the 1920 Olympics.

6. George Foreman—At 45 years of age George captured two heavyweight belts by knocking out 27-year-old Michael Moorer in the last scheduled round of their championship bout.

7. Sam Snead—At 52, he became the oldest man ever to win a PGA event. Mind you, it is golf. Old guys are good at golf.

8. Julio Franco—The one time shortstop played until he was 49, becoming the oldest position player to play in MLB. Mind you, that last year, his "position" was mostly designated hitter. That kind of takes the shine off.

9. Phil Niekro—The knuckleballer pitched for 28 years. He won more than 120 games after turning 40.

10. Chris Chelios—He's still active in the NHL at age 46. He won the Cup last year with Detroit.

Honourable Mention—Luis Tiant, Igor Larionov, Joe Niekro, Muhammed Ali, Larry Holmes, Kareem Abdul Jabbar, Carl Eller, Sunny Jurgensun, and Sergei Fedorov