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Who is the oldest living MLB player that you remember?

Posted on 1/17/26 at 11:35 pm
Posted by LSUGrad9295
Baton Rouge
Member since May 2007
37249 posts
Posted on 1/17/26 at 11:35 pm
I am in my 50's, for me it would be Jim Kaat and Carl Yastrzemski, who both retired after long careers in 1983. They are 87 and 86 currently.

Edit: I didn't mean physically see in person...just players you remember from seeing on TV or reading about when you started following baseball.

For me, I just went to the list linked below and scrolled down til I found someone I remembered.

Baseball Reference to help your search
This post was edited on 1/18/26 at 1:31 am
Posted by The Egg
Houston, TX
Member since Dec 2004
83410 posts
Posted on 1/17/26 at 11:38 pm to
I remember seeing Rafael Belliard hit a homerun
Posted by Translator
Member since May 2025
675 posts
Posted on 1/17/26 at 11:40 pm to
I think it would be Nolan Ryan. However, I always thought Mariano Duncan looked 20-30 years older than he actually was.
Posted by Apache
San Diego
Member since Dec 2013
2771 posts
Posted on 1/17/26 at 11:44 pm to
I saw Tom Seaver pitch for the Red Sox in 1986 at the age of 41. He had just been traded by the White Sox to Boston at the tail end of his career. My first and only game at Fenway.
Posted by LSUGrad9295
Baton Rouge
Member since May 2007
37249 posts
Posted on 1/17/26 at 11:45 pm to
quote:

I remember seeing Rafael Belliard hit a homerun


I randomly stumbled into that on a random YouTube rabbit hole adventure last night.
Posted by PacoPicopiedra
1 Ft. Above Sea Level
Member since Apr 2012
1353 posts
Posted on 1/17/26 at 11:51 pm to
In my 50's as well and it's Manny Mota because he played for the Dodgers and growing up an Astros fan I hated the Dodgers since they were a rival in the old NL West. I remember seeing him play in the Dome a few times when I was a kid.
Posted by cubsfan5150
NWA
Member since Nov 2007
18236 posts
Posted on 1/17/26 at 11:58 pm to
Looks like Nolan is the oldest of the three I thought of: Nolan, Fisk, Charlie Hough
Posted by SCLibertarian
Conway, South Carolina
Member since Aug 2013
41460 posts
Posted on 1/18/26 at 12:02 am to
Charlie Hough. Saw him play the Braves in like 1994 at Fulton County Stadium. His rookie season was 1970.
This post was edited on 1/18/26 at 12:03 am
Posted by witty alias
Member since Nov 2012
2248 posts
Posted on 1/18/26 at 12:09 am to
Steve Carlton at Fulton County Stadium.
Posted by KCRoyalBlue
Member since Nov 2020
2067 posts
Posted on 1/18/26 at 12:20 am to
I'm not 100% sure, but the player from the oldest generation I can recall watching live would be Bert Blyleven back in 1987 for the Twins. His rookie season was in 1970. That team also had Joe Niekro on it, but pretty sure I didn't see him pitch that series.

I watched the Royals in a few different seasons prior to that, but have no clue as to who might have played earlier than 1970.
Posted by ZZTIGERS
Member since Dec 2007
17372 posts
Posted on 1/18/26 at 12:32 am to
Jaime Moyer
Posted by CRDNLSCHMCPSN11
Member since Dec 2014
18281 posts
Posted on 1/18/26 at 1:09 am to
I remember watching Franco in the playoffs as a pinch hitter. He had to be 46 or 47.
Posted by nvasil1
Hellinois
Member since Oct 2009
17604 posts
Posted on 1/18/26 at 1:12 am to
I'd have to research to know for certain, but my first White Sox game was in 1993 against the Brewers, and Robin Yount was still playing for them, so probably him.
Posted by LSUGrad9295
Baton Rouge
Member since May 2007
37249 posts
Posted on 1/18/26 at 1:31 am to
quote:

I'd have to research to know for certain, but my first White Sox game was in 1993 against the Brewers, and Robin Yount was still playing for them, so probably him.


The OP was a little vague, I didn't mean see in person--I was just talking about players you recall as being active when you first started watching baseball
Posted by WestSideTiger
Baton Rouge
Member since Jan 2004
5037 posts
Posted on 1/18/26 at 1:42 am to
Steve Garvey. Remember this series like it was yesterday.


Posted by nvasil1
Hellinois
Member since Oct 2009
17604 posts
Posted on 1/18/26 at 2:02 am to
quote:

The OP was a little vague, I didn't mean see in person--I was just talking about players you recall as being active when you first started watching baseball

Ah gotcha. After scrolling through your link, maybe George Brett? I had a sports bloopers VHS as a kid that included the pine tar incident, and I think he might've still been playing.

Goose Gossage was apparently still around, too, but I can't say I knew who he was until after he retired. Yount might still be my answer regardless.
Posted by Jim Rockford
Member since May 2011
104659 posts
Posted on 1/18/26 at 4:21 am to
When I was in second grade we went to a Cubs-Astros game. Ron Santo was playing for the Cubs, so I guess he's the first one, but I was too young to pay much attention.

A couple of years later was the A's team that won the world series with Vida Blue, Rollie Fingers, Reggie Jackson, etc. Those were the first players I really followed closely.
Posted by JakeFromStateFarm
*wears khakis
Member since Jun 2012
13042 posts
Posted on 1/18/26 at 5:45 am to
My dad convinced my mom into naming me after Nolan Ryan (middle name is Ryan), so definitely him.
Posted by PrimeTime Money
Houston, Texas, USA
Member since Nov 2012
27924 posts
Posted on 1/18/26 at 5:53 am to
I don’t know why but Gary Gaetti is the first name I thought of. He’s 67.
This post was edited on 1/18/26 at 5:54 am
Posted by Ostrich
Alexandria, VA
Member since Nov 2011
10249 posts
Posted on 1/18/26 at 6:05 am to
Julio Franco
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