#42 - Satchel Paige

Often regarded as \”The Greatest Pitcher Who Ever Lived,\” Satchell Paige became a legend in his lifetime for his pitching mastery, his longevity in the game, and for the crowds he attracted throughout his career. Here\’s the riub though…Paige played in the Negro Leagues until the age of 42 when he became the Major League\’s oldest rookie (A record he holds to this day!) after signing with the Cleveland Indians. After a few seasons, he played with the St. Louis Browns until age 47, and represented them in the All-Star Game in 1952 and 1953. Paige was also the first Negro league player to pitch in a World Series, in 1948, and was the first electee of the Committee on Negro Baseball Leagues to be inducted in the National Baseball Hall of Fame, in 1971.

In one final hurrah, Paige pitched 3 shutout innings with the Oakland athletics at the age of 59, perhaps giving birth to one of his favorite sayings: “Age is a question of mind over matter. If you don’t mind, it doesn’t matter.”

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