Athletes who 'hang on too long.'

Willie Mays is arguably the best player in the history of baseball. 

This photo is during one of the last games of his career. Mays was 42 years old and was just called out at home plate and is scene pleading his case to the umpire, begging him to reverse the call.

Many fans and sportswriters take pity on this site.  They say things like Mays 'hung on too long,' he 'tarnished his legacy,' he 'embarrassed himself.'

I say fuck them. This photo is awesome.

Why? First off because this is game 2 of the World Series. Secondly, it shows how much fight Willie Mays had. When he was young, he was a flashly, ridiculously talented baseball player, where the game came easy. This photo shows Willie's, (bad knees and all), trying his hardest to compete. It shows his passion and character.  And remember,  he's in the freaking World Series. (The Mets lost in seven! It was Mays first World Series in twelve years, if they would have won, it would have been his first championship in nineteen years!)

Baseball season is about to begin, which brought to mind one of the things I like most about sports; watching aging athletes hanging on to the game they've played all their life, refusing to retire just yet.  

                                                                          

   

 It's intrigued me ever since I was a kid and collected baseball cards.  Take Steve Carlton for example. He is probably the best left handed pitcher of all time. He played for twenty-four years. His first twenty-one years are as follows: Cardinals 1965-1971, Phillies 1971-1985. His last three years are as follows: Phillies 1986, Giants 1986, White Sox 1986, Cleveland 1987, Twins 1987-88, finally retiring early in the '88 season. (BTW: He was on the 1987 World Championship Twins team, but left off the post season roster.) Carlton just wouldn't give up!

There is beauty to this. It reminds me of the episode of the Twilight Zone where the old people returned to their youth by playing Kick the Can-----Except these athletes have been playing Kick the Can all their lives, and Rod Serling just informed them their game's about over. So they play as long as they can, even if it means riding the bench. 

I'd like to think older athletes appreciate it more. They know their on borrowed time. They're getting less better, they know it. (That's right, 'less better.')

 I picture a 42-year old Mays walking by a locker room mirror, taking a long look at himself in a Major League uniform. I picture a 42-year old Mays dog-piling with his Mets teammates half his age after they won the '73 pennant. I picture the same 42-year old Mays in the locker room drenched with Champagne, not feeling 42 years old. Tell that Mays he should retire.

This spring, I'm rooting for Omar Visquel (White Sox, 43), Jamie Moyer (Phillies, 47), Ken Griffey (Mariners, 40), Matt Stairs (Padres, 42), Tim Wakefield (Red Sox, 43), Trevor Hoffman (Brewers, 42).

Also, I'm a baseball geeeeeek.