NOTABLE ATHLETES WHO SUCCEEDED IN THEIR 40S
MORTEN47 as NFL’s ANDERSENall-time leading– retired scorerat (2,544 points). CRAIG BIGGIO – collected his 3,000th career hit at age 41. GEORGE BLANDA – NFL Player of the Year in 1970 at age 43. BARRY BONDS – Won 2004 NL MVP award the year he turned 40. CHRIS CHELIOS – At 46 became the oldest active player to win a Stanley Cup. OKSANA CHUSOVITINA – 41-year-old from Uzbekistan has been competing in Olympic gymnastics since before most of her competitors were born. ROGER CLEMENS – Won NL Cy Young award in 2004, his age-41 season. BARTOLO COLON – In 2016 named an All-Star and hit his first career home run at age 43. ERNIE ELS – South African won the 2012 British Open at 42. BRETT FAVRE – Pro Bowl quarterback for the 11th time as a 40-yearold in 2009. GEORGE FOREMAN – Oldest heavyweight champion in history at 45. JULIO FRANCO – Played seven seasons of baseball after turning 40, finishing with a .298 average. TOM GLAVINE – All-Star for the 10th time in 2006 at age 40. LOU GROZA – “The Toe” played all 21 seasons for the Cleveland Browns before finally retiring at 43. BERNARD HOPKINS – Oldest boxer in history to win a world title at 46, 48 and 49. GORDIE HOWE – Scored careerbest 103 points in 1968-69 at age 40; played in NHL till 52. JAROMIR JAGR – Oldest in NHL to score a hat trick (at 42). RANDY JOHNSON – Threw a perfect game at age 40. WLADIMIR KLITSCHKO – Heavyweight still a contender at 41.
BERNARD LAGAT – Distance runner was the U.S. champion in the 5,000 meters at 41. NICKLAS LIDSTROM – Won the Norris Trophy as the NHL’s top defenseman for the seventh time at age 41. GREG MADDUX – earned 37 of his 355 wins and a pair of Gold Gloves after turning 40. PHIL MICKELSON – Won his fifth career major at 43. WARREN MOON – Led the NFL in passing yards per game at age 41.
MARTINA NAVRATILOVA – Oldest grand slam champion in tennis history at age 46, winning mixed doubles at the Australian Open and Wimbledon. JACK NICKLAUS – Won the Masters at 46. PHIL NIEKRO – Won 125 games after 40th birthday. DAVID ORTIZ – “Big Papi” led the American League with 127 RBI and a 1.021 slugging percentage at 40. SATCHEL PAIGE – MLB’s oldest rookie in 1948 at age 42 and an all-star pitcher at 45 and 46. RICHARD PETTY – Earned seventh season championship at 42 and 200th victory at 47. JERRY RICE – Named to his 13th Pro Bowl at 40. NOLAN RYAN – Threw two of his record seven no-hitters after 40th birthday. VIJAY SINGH – PGA Tour’s leading money-winner at 40, PGA Champion at 41. SAM SNEAD – “Slammin’ Sammy” won the Masters at 41 and is oldest to win a Tour event at 52. ICHIRO SUZUKI – Batted .291 at age 42. DARA TORRES – Anchored U.S. 4x100 meter freestyle relay team to Olympic silver at 41. ADAM VINATIERI – All-Pro at 42 after converting an NFL-best 97% of his field goal attempts and going 50-for-50 on extra points. TOM WATSON – At 59, nearly won British Open but bogeyed final hole and lost in a playoff.