r/todayilearned • u/RedditIsAGranfaloon • 10h ago

TIL in 1948, when Satchel Paige was finally signed to pitch in the Major Leagues, The Sporting News named him Rookie of the Year—at (at least) 42 years old.

https://www.mlb.com/news/satchel-paige-major-league-debut-c285476048
810 Upvotes

97% Upvoted

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64

u/theMondegrue 10h ago

Wikipedia says that didn't happen:

both versions of the award (by Major League Baseball and by Sporting News) were given to other players.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Satchel_Paige

This did happen to Sam Jethroe who was named rookie of the year at age 33 after 12 prior years playing professionally in the Negro Leagues:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sam_Jethroe

24

u/NEUTRONonmyPINKY 9h ago

Ichiro won Rookie of the Year at age 28 after coming over from Japan as well

7

u/upvoter222 5h ago

Baseball Almanac lists Richie Ashburn as the Sporting News Rookie of the Year.

https://www.baseball-almanac.com/awards/aw_snrp3.shtml

167

u/LazyEights 10h ago

Honestly, "42 years old" might just be the most impressive rookie stat in the history of the MLB.

57

u/ABigPairOfCrocs 8h ago

He also retired well into his 50s. Threw exclusively fastballs for decades and somehow his arm didn't just fall off

15

u/TheRealSkipShorty 4h ago

Satchel Paige notably did not throw exclusively fastballs, he also threw a bat dodger, 2-humper, and the midnight creeper

•

u/MattyRBaps 26m ago

He also didn’t throw a fastball. A bee ball however…

3

u/oogieball 3h ago

His arm did go dead for a year. Then it got better. Because why not?

•

u/c010rb1indusa 22m ago

And it was widely believed he was older than that .

12

u/Lumpyyyyy 7h ago

Oldest player ever in American professional sports at 59 years old too. Crazy.

4

u/ducation 5h ago

Jamie Moyer would have had to pitch for 10 more years to match that. Every other player that appeared in their 50s was a novelty stunt. As far as actual good players it goes Satchel Paige (59), Jamie Moyer (49), Charlie Hough (46)

3

u/Gobblewicket 4h ago edited 3h ago

I know its a different sport, but Gordie How actually contributing goals and assists at 52 might be the craziest one for me.

2

u/gwaydms 3h ago

Godie How

Gordie Howe.

2

u/Gobblewicket 3h ago

Yep. Fixed it. Ogre hands, small phone, and stupid to boot.

1

u/The-Best-Snail 1h ago

More like Gordie How was he doing it

2

u/capitalsfan08 5h ago

Major league sports, yes. But Gordie Howe, "Mr. Hockey", played in one shift in one game in the IHL at age 69, which is a lower level but still a pro league. He "only" played in the NHL/WHA (the competing major league that eventually folded into the NHL) regularly until age 52. This was really no more of a publicity stunt than Paige's final game as he played his last full season at age 46. The owner of the Athletics had him sit in a rocking chair between innings.

5

u/sonofabutch 5h ago

Satchel Paige was neither the MLB Rookie of the Year nor The Sporting News Rookie of the Year. MLB gave it to Alvin Dark and TSN gave it to Richie Ashburn.

3

u/Any-File4347 4h ago

How many did ‘ol Satchel strike out last night?

2

u/PattyKane16 9h ago

He was probably older

1

u/double_positive 6h ago

Mobile AL native. Hank Aaron was as well. With a population of about 275K Mobile has produced more baseball hall of famers per capita of any city except for NYC and Chicago