Yesterday, for those who might have missed it because they were too busy watching the NFL playoffs (or Rice basketball games), Vince Carter made NBA history by becoming the first player in that league's history to play in 4 decades. It's a fairly common occurrence in the MLB (4 players did it in 2000 including Rickey Henderson and Tim Raines, and 3 players did it in 2010 including Ken Griffey, Jr.) - although no one will accomplish that feature this decade unless someone like Bartolo Colon comes back from retirement. For those looking ahead, Madison Bumgarner, Rick Porcello and Elvis Andrus might have the best chances to accomplish the feat in the 2030 MLB season.

Two MLB players have played in 5 decades. One is Minnie Minoso. If you include the Negro Leagues, Satchel Paige did it as well. I'd be surprised if anyone can name the other MLB player to have played in 5 decades without looking it up.

The only two players to have done it in the NFL are kickers - George Blanda and John Carney (Adam Vinatieri can become #3 next year if he returns to the league).

I'm assuming it's happened a ton in the NHL and will not bother to look that note up in reference to our resident hockey experts.

Interesting.

(01-05-2020 05:17 PM)Fort Bend Owl Wrote:  Two MLB players have played in 5 decades. One is Minnie Minoso. If you include the Negro Leagues, Satchel Paige did it as well. I'd be surprised if anyone can name the other MLB player to have played in 5 decades without looking it up.

I looked it up. Interesting, indeed!

(01-06-2020 06:01 PM)Almadenmike Wrote:  

(01-05-2020 05:17 PM)Fort Bend Owl Wrote:  Two MLB players have played in 5 decades. One is Minnie Minoso. If you include the Negro Leagues, Satchel Paige did it as well. I'd be surprised if anyone can name the other MLB player to have played in 5 decades without looking it up.

I looked it up. Interesting, indeed!

Interesting that he started out as a pitcher, and hung on for a long time as a hitter after his pitching days were done.

Another interesting note:

Saturday night's game between Tennessee (Mariota, Henry) and Baltimore (Griffin, Ingram, Jackson) will have 5 Heisman Trophy winners on the field (or at least dressed out for the game). I would think that's gotta be a record.

Looking around, it would tie a record at least (1990 Los Angeles Raiders vs Detroit Lions which also featured 5 Heisman winners - in fact Barry Sanders, Tim Brown, Bo Jackson and Marcus Allen accounted for 5 TD's in that high scoring game -- Andre Ware was the 5th winner but he didn't play in the game).

(01-08-2020 10:18 PM)RiceOwls2019 Wrote:  Another interesting note:
Saturday night's game between Tennessee (Mariota, Henry) and Baltimore (Griffin, Ingram, Jackson) will have 5 Heisman Trophy winners on the field (or at least dressed out for the game). I would think that's gotta be a record.

Another sport, but I am reminded, the UH-North Carolina NCAA semi-final game in New Orleans in 1982 had 4 of the top 50 players all-time (Michael Jordan, Hakeem Olajuwon, Clyde Drexler, James Worthy) and a fifth (Sam Perkins) who played 18 years in the NBA. Not sure if any other NCAA game has had more talent on the floor at one time.

That was an interesting year for SWC basketball, as well. Never really considered a basketball conference, but in addition to UH making the final 4, there was great depth in the conference. There were 9 teams, the 9th place team beat a final four team on the road, the 8th place team won the Maui Invitational, and the 7th and 8th place teams both had first round NBA draft choices.

"Mr.X."'s biography at baseball-reference.com is quite interesting. But I ran across the even more interesting lifetime batting average of John Paciorek (Tom's brother)

Mr X became the oldest man to triple in his only AB of 1924. His record stood until 2005 when Julio Franco tripled.

A better bio is at https://www.baseball-almanac.com/players...=altroni01