List of Major League Baseball players who played in four decades

Playing Major League Baseball in four decades is a very rare achievement, attained by only 29 players in the history of Major League Baseball, dating from the 1870s to the present day.

Introduction

Several qualities are virtually essential. Outstanding skill and durability are paramount, and a player must also have some "generational luck" to have started his career in the later years of a decade, so that if he is still playing 21–24 years later, he is playing in the early years of a fourth decade.[1]. For example, Pete Rose started his career in 1963, so he would've had to play 28 seasons to make the list. Whereas Bill Buckner, whose career started in the last year of the 1960s, finished his career in the first year of the 1990s, requiring only 22 seasons to make the list. Most of the players on the list started their careers in the final or second-to-last year of their first decade and finished their careers in the first or second year of their fourth decade (a notable exception is Nolan Ryan, whose 27 seasons played is a major league record). Two players – Nick Altrock and Minnie Minoso – appeared in major league baseball games in five decades. Only one active player – shortstop Omar Vizquel – currently with the Chicago White Sox, can claim the distinction.

Since 1900 (the first year that a player could play in a "fourth decade"), every decade except the 1940s has added at least one player to the list, including the current one (however, the 1970s only added Minnie Minoso, a player who retired before 1970 and played three games in 1976 and two games in 1980 as publicity stunts...many say an asterisk should accompany his record).

List of players

The players are listed by primary position played, playing characteristics (throwing and batting orientations), and years spanning their careers. H denotes a member of the National Baseball Hall of Fame; nine players from the group have been honored so far. The players are listed chronologically by the decade they began their major league careers, then alphabetically within that group. Of the 29 players, 11 were primarily pitchers, six were primarily catchers, six were primarily outfielders, and six were primarily infielders; the group covers virtually the complete range of baseball positions, missing only a third baseman.

Began 1870s

• H Dan Brouthers (1858–1932), first baseman, threw left, batted left, 1879–1904
• H Jim O'Rourke (baseball) (1850–1919), outfielder, threw right, batted right, 1872–1904

Began 1880s

• Kid Gleason (1866–1933), pitcher / second baseman, threw right, batted both, 1888–1912
• Deacon McGuire (1863–1936), catcher, threw right, batted right, 1884–1912
• Jack O'Connor (catcher) (1869–1937), catcher, threw right, batted right, 1887–1912
• Jack Ryan (catcher) (1868–1952), catcher, threw right, batted right, 1889–1913

Began 1890s

• Nick Altrock (1876–1965), pitcher, threw left, batted both, 1898–1933 (five decades)

Began 1900s

• H Eddie Collins (1887–1951), second baseman, threw right, batted left, 1906–1930
• Jack Quinn (1883–1946), pitcher, threw right, batted right, 1909–1933

Began 1920s

• Bobo Newsom (1907–1962), pitcher, threw right, batted right, 1929–1953

Began 1930s

• Mickey Vernon (1918–2008), first baseman, threw left, batted left, 1939–1960
• H Ted Williams (1918–2002), outfielder, threw right, batted left, 1939–1960
• H Early Wynn (1920–1999), pitcher, threw right, batted right, 1939–1963

Began 1940s

• Minnie Minoso (born 1925), outfielder, threw right, batted right, 1949–1980 (five decades)

Began 1950s

• Jim Kaat (born 1938), pitcher, threw left, batted left, 1959–1983
• Tim McCarver (born 1941), catcher, threw right, batted left, 1959–1980
• H Willie McCovey (born 1938), first baseman, threw left, batted left, 1959–1980

Began 1960s

• Bill Buckner (born 1949), first baseman, threw left, batted left, 1969–1990
• Rick Dempsey (born 1949), catcher, threw right, batted right, 1969–1992
• H Carlton Fisk (born 1947), catcher, threw right, batted right, 1969–1993
• Jerry Reuss (born 1949) pitcher, threw left, batted right, 1969–1990
• H Nolan Ryan (born 1947), pitcher, threw right, batted right, 1966–1993

Began 1970s

• H Rickey Henderson (born 1958), outfielder, threw left, batted right, 1979–2003
• Mike Morgan (born 1959), pitcher, threw right, batted right, 1978–2002
• Jesse Orosco (born 1957), pitcher, threw left, batted right, 1979–2003
• Tim Raines (born 1959), outfielder, threw right, batted both, 1979–2002

Began 1980s

• Jamie Moyer (born 1962), pitcher, threw left, batted left, 1986–2010
• Ken Griffey, Jr. (born 1969), outfielder, threw left, batted left, 1989–2010
• Omar Vizquel (born 1967), shortstop, throws right, bats both, 1989–2011 (active player)

References

• http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/statitudes/news/2000/02/17/four_decades/

Been a long time: Three more enter baseball's four-decade club, by Ryan Hunt.

• http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20100120&content_id=7943384&vkey=news_mlb&fext=.jsp&c_id=mlb

Four-decade players a rare breed: Griffey, Vizquel, Moyer set to join exclusive company, by Anthony DiComo.

External links