View Full Version : Who had the longest major league career of all time?
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05-04-2002, 05:14 PM
Posted By: <b>Julie Vognar</b><p>(includes American Association, National Association, 19th century National league--but I don't think he's a 19th century player)
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05-04-2002, 05:40 PM
Posted By: <b>Brian Hodes</b><p>Both Nolan Ryan and Cap Anson played major league ball (incl. National Association 1871-1875) for 27 straight seasons. Even the players that skipped years (or played a game or two on a lark when they were 50+ like O'Rourke, Brouthers and Minoso still don't reach 27 if we give them credit for a whole year for their cameos.<BR><BR>I am sure some Negro League players (Charleston, to be sure) top this but I would leave all the questions of that to people far more knowledgeable than I in that area (e.g. Ryan C.).<BR>By the way this site is sort of an on-line Baseball Encyclopedia/Total Baseball<BR>(not only with standard stats but with some of the newfangled stats that sabremetricians dreamed up like "Runs Created") :<BR><a href="http://www.baseball-reference.com" target=_new>http://www.baseball-reference.com</a><BR><BR>
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05-04-2002, 06:03 PM
Posted By: <b>jay behrens</b><p>Satchel Paige probably played more 30 years profesisonally.<BR><BR>Jay
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05-04-2002, 06:33 PM
Posted By: <b>Julie Vognar</b><p>...
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05-04-2002, 09:35 PM
Posted By: <b>Art M</b><p>My guess would be Jack Quinn, a pitcher who appeared in both the T206 set and in the 1933 Goudey set!
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05-04-2002, 11:32 PM
Posted By: <b>Brian C Daniels</b><p>The George Blanda of baseball....major and minor league career must be Gordy Howe X Nolan Ryan
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05-04-2002, 11:55 PM
Posted By: <b>David</b><p>I hold the record for the shortest streak on the field. A guard stopped me before I got to the first base line.
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05-05-2002, 10:03 AM
Posted By: <b>Kevin Cummings</b><p>According to the Baseball Almanac, Nolan Ryan had the longest Major League career (27 years) followed by Eddie Collins (25 years) and Pete Rose (24 years). <BR><BR>I'm guessing though that there were Negro Leaguers like Satchel Paige and others who might actually have had longer careers. Satchel's Negro League career is listed, I believe, as having lasted from 1927 through 1950, although I'm not sure if that is consecutive. If you add in his last few years in the Major Leagues (including his 3 inning appearance in 1965 at age 58), he squeeks by Nolan Ryan by one year.<BR><BR><a href="http://baseball-almanac.com/recbooks/rb_ten1.shtml" target=_new>http://baseball-almanac.com/recbooks/rb_ten1.shtml</a><BR><BR>
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05-05-2002, 10:32 AM
Posted By: <b>Elliot</b><p>Baseball Almanac clearly didn't count Anson's National Association years. If you count those then Anson played the same number of years in the majors as Ryan (27), but all of his were consecutive, whereas Ryan only played in 26 consecutive (he didn't pitch in the majors in 1967). Quinn pitched from 1909-1933 (a 25 season span) but didn't pitch two years during WWI. Paige would hold the record if you counted his negro league years, so I guess it all depends on how you define the question.
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05-05-2002, 04:06 PM
Posted By: <b>runscott</b><p>but Dolly Stark should get honorable mention by making it in the t206 set and then later as an umpire.
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05-05-2002, 07:12 PM
Posted By: <b>john</b><p>thats not the same dolly stark,the umpire dolly stark isnt the same as in the t206 set because he died in 1924,maybe its his son tho.
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05-05-2002, 07:42 PM
Posted By: <b>runscott</b><p>I HATE being wrong! (Scott throws bubble-wrap against wall). And this German "Wheat beer" really,really sucks!!! (Scott rips three newly-produced Babe Ruth rookies to shreds).
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05-05-2002, 07:53 PM
Posted By: <b>john</b><p>take those pieces of the ruth rookies and put them on a card with a picture of ruth,and # them to the amount of pieces you made and youll have a instant collectable<BR><BR> <BR> i think jimmy reese had the longest career,he was a teammate of ruth in 1930 and finally retired(incidentally the same time he died)in 1994 as a coach of the angels but i think bobby wallace was in baseball for just as long as a player/manager/scout blah blah blah,really just wanted to say the thing about scotts card but i figured id finally throw in some useful information into one of my posts
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05-05-2002, 08:00 PM
Posted By: <b>runscott</b><p>I'm expecting to do quite well with my Ruth "game-used" underwear tags cards. Haven't you wondered why these things aren't showing up on ebay anymore?
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05-05-2002, 08:40 PM
Posted By: <b>Julie Vognar</b><p>so I guess it's still Ryan and Anson. <BR><BR>Gee, I have a Mayo Anson! I'm still pinching myself.
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05-06-2002, 09:02 PM
Posted By: <b>Vintagecatcher</b><p>James (Deacon) McQuire, a catcher, played for 26 years, however, he played sparingly from 1907-1912.
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05-29-2002, 11:32 PM
Posted By: <b>Robbie Culpepper</b><p>Since the question was 'Who had the longest Major League Career?'- the answer is obvious, if overlooked (shame on y'all): Connie Mack