The answer to the question of who is the oldest sports player may surprise you. Check out our blog post to find out who holds this record!
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Introduction
Who is the oldest sports player? This is a question that has been asked by many sports fans over the years. There are several athletes who have been able to prolong their careers well into their 40s and even 50s, but there is one man who stands out above the rest as the oldest sports player of all time. His name is George Blanda, and he was a professional football player who played for 26 seasons, from 1949 to 1976.
George Blanda
George Blanda was an American football player who played for 26 seasons in the National Football League, American Football League, and United Football League. During his professional career, he played for the Chicago Bears, Houston Oilers, Oakland Raiders, and New York Jets. He retired from football in 1976 at the age of 48.
Satchel Paige
Satchel Paige is considered by many to be the oldest professional baseball player of all time. At the age of 59, he signed a contract to play with the Miami Marlins, making him the oldest player in Major League Baseball history.
Born in 1906, Satchel Paige began his professional career in 1926 with the Negro League’s Chattanooga Black Sox. He quickly became one of the league’s most dominant pitchers, leading the Black Sox to a Negro League World Series victory in 1928. He continued to play for various Negro League teams throughout the 1930s and 1940s before finally being signed by the Cleveland Indians in 1948.
Paige made his Major League debut at the age of 42, becoming one of baseball’s first African-American players. He went on to pitch three seasons for the Indians, winning 28 games and earning a spot on the All-Star team in 1952. He retired from baseball in 1953, but made a brief comeback with the St. Louis Cardinals in 1965, at the age of 59.
Although his exact date of birth is unknown, Satchel Paige is believed to have been born sometime in 1906, making him approximately 109 years old at the time of his death in 1982.
Gordie Howe
Gordie Howe, also known as “Mr. Hockey,” is widely considered to be one of the greatest hockey players of all time. He played for the Detroit Red Wings for 25 seasons, helping the team win six Stanley Cup championships. Howe also holds several NHL records, including most career goals and most career points. He was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1972.
Howe was born in Floral, Saskatchewan, on March 31, 1928. He began his professional hockey career with the Omaha Knights of the United States Hockey League in 1945. The following year, he joined the Detroit Red Wings and made his NHL debut. Howe quickly became one of the league’s top players; he was named to the NHL All-Star team 12 times and won six Hart Trophies as league MVP.
In addition to his success on the ice, Howe was also known for his tough physical play. He amassed a total of 1,685 penalty minutes during his career, which is still an NHL record for a right winger.
Howe retired from hockey in 1980 but made a brief comeback in 1997, at the age of 69, playing with his sons Mark and Marty on the Hartford Whalers. He is the only player in history to have competed in the NHL in five different decades.
Gordie Howe passed away on June 10, 2016, at the age of 88.
Conclusion
The oldest player in major league baseball is Julio Franco, who played his last game in 2007 at the age of 49. In the NFL, the oldest player is George Blanda, who played until he was 48. In basketball, the oldest player is Robert Parish, who played until he was 43. And in hockey, Gordie Howe still holds the record as the oldest player, playing until he was 52.
