Leroy "Satchel" Paige

Posted October 14, 2007, 8:19 am by Growing Bolder


A right-handed pitcher and legendary storyteller, Leroy "Satchel" Paige was a star in the Negro Leagues and considered one of the greatest baseball players of all-time.

In 1948, he was sold to Cleveland on his 42nd birthday, becoming the oldest player in history to make his major league debut.

After the Age of Sixty

In 1965, at age 60, he threw three innings for Kansas City, becoming the oldest player to ever pitch in the major leagues. Ever the showman, Paige sat in a rocking chair in the bullpen while a nurse rubbed liniment on his arm.

Then, he walked out and threw three scoreless innings against the Boston Red Sox, allowing only one hit -- a double by Carl Yastrzemski.

Paige barnstormed virtually nonstop into his 60s. His final appearance in a major-league uniform came at the age of 63 in 1969 when he was a coach for the Atlanta Braves.
"He was the best and fastest pitcher Iíve ever faced," said Hall of Famer Joe Dimaggio.


* "Age is a question of mind over matter. If you don't mind, it doesn't matter."
* "How old would you be if you didn't know how old you was?"
* "Work like you don't need the money. Love like you've never been hurt. Dance like nobody's
watching."
* "Ain't no man can avoid being born average, but there ain't no man got to be common."



© 2007-2008. The Growing Bolder Media Group. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.