Elder Statesmen in the NBA

Since the trend seems to be to write players off the moment they hit 30 - a few stars aside - I felt that this article about NBA players and some of the more positive things they've done in their twilight years (along with a few admittedly not so positive stories) was a good read and worth sharing. I'd forgotten about Karl Malone registering a triple double after his 40th birthday.

Nat Hickey, who was coaching the Providence Steamrollers through a 4-25 season in 1947-48 when he decided to take matters into his own hands. Hickey, a guard-forward just shy of his 46th birthday, appeared in one game, missed all six of his shots, sank two of three free throws and committed five fouls.

Sure showed them.

His performance did inspire them to win two more games that season...and the club to fold a year later.

Maybe he threatened them. "If you guys don't get it together, I'm suiting up again!"

Celtics legend Bob Cousy had been retired for six full seasons and already was coaching the Cincinnati Royals in 1969-70 when, partly in desperation and partly as a gate attraction, he turned into a player-coach. But in seven appearances, Cousy managed only five points and 10 assists in 34 minutes before benching himself for good.

Considering the minutes, better at assists than Chris Duhon! Or T.J. Ford! Or Jose Calderon! Or Mike Conley! Or...

I'm not sure if it's a good or bad thing that they failed to mention Magic Johnson's (short) comeback in 95-96.

That is certainly a notable omission, now that you mention it.

On second thought though, I guess I'm not really surprised Magic didn't make the article. When he came back he was only lik 36 or so which doesn't put him in the same elderly status as a guy like Malone.

Yeah that was my first thought too when you mentioned it but then the article mentioned active players who are 37 so it wouldn't have been too out of place. He'd also been out of the league for five years, not counting his appearance at the 1992 All-Star game and inclusion on the Dream Team.

in baseball- Minnie Miñoso played in 5 separate decades. though if i'm not mistaken, he did make a token appearance or 2 with the sox in the 1980 to keep the streak alive

in baseball- Minnie Miñoso played in 5 separate decades. though if i'm not mistaken, he did make a token appearance or 2 with the sox in the 1980 to keep the streak alive

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Minnie_Mi%C3%B1oso

In his 1980 appearance at age 54, Miñoso became the second-oldest player ever to bat in the majors (behind Nick Altrock, who pinch-hit in 1933 at the age of 57) and the third-oldest ever to play, behind only Altrock and Satchel Paige (who made an appearance at 59). In 1990, he was scheduled to make an appearance with the minor league Miami Miracle and hence become the only professional to play in six decades, however, MLB overruled the Miracle on the idea. Nonetheless, in 1993 at the age of 67, he made an appearance with the independent St. Paul Saints of the Northern League. Then, in 2003 he returned to the Saints and drew a walk, thus becoming the only ball player to appear professionally in seven different decades. The earlier extensions to his career with the Sox were publicity stunts orchestrated respectively by one-time Sox owner Bill Veeck and his son Mike, who at the time owned partial or controlling interest in the teams.

The earlier extensions to his career with the Sox were publicity stunts orchestrated respectively by one-time Sox owner Bill Veeck and his son Mike, who at the time owned partial or controlling interest in the teams.

Seems to me they were all publicity stunts after a certain point.