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The widest age gaps on one roster
Satchel Paige pitched for the 1965 A's at 59, beside an 18-year-old. Gordie Howe played for the Whalers at 51 with his sons. The teams whose oldest and youngest players were furthest apart, sport by sport, and how the gap has changed.
By Austin · October 17, 2026
On most teams the oldest player could be the youngest one’s older brother. On a few he could be his grandfather. We worked out the age of every player on every roster in our data and found the teams with the widest gap between their oldest and youngest, and how that gap has changed over the decades.
| Sport | Widest gap | Team | Oldest and youngest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Baseball | 40.1 years | Kansas City Athletics, 1965 | Satchel Paige (58) and Skip Lockwood (18) |
| Basketball | 23.2 years | Atlanta Hawks, 2004-05 | Kevin Willis (42) and Josh Smith (19) |
| Football | 25.5 years | Atlanta Falcons, 2007 | Morten Andersen (47) and Jamaal Anderson (21) |
| Hockey | 32.0 years | Hartford Whalers, 1979-80 | Gordie Howe (51) and Stuart Smith (19) |
| Soccer | 27.6 years | SS Lazio, 2007-08 | Marco Ballotta (43) and Davide Faraoni (16) |
Baseball
Baseball has the widest gaps of any sport. A pitcher can last into his late 40s, and a few novelty appearances went further still: Satchel Paige was 59 when he pitched three scoreless innings for the Kansas City Athletics in September 1965, on a team with an 18-year-old Skip Lockwood. At the other end, Joe Nuxhall pitched for the Reds in 1944 at 15, with the rosters thinned by the war.
The widest gaps
| Team | Oldest | Youngest | Gap |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kansas City Athletics1965 | Satchel Paige, 58 | Skip Lockwood, 18 | 40.1 |
| Washington Senators1933 | Nick Altrock, 56 | Cecil Travis, 19 | 36.9 |
| St. Louis Browns1934 | Charley O'Leary, 58 | Harlond Clift, 21 | 36.8 |
| Chicago White Sox1980 | Minnie Minoso, 56 | Ricky Seilheimer, 19 | 36.8 |
| New York Giants1904 | Jim O'Rourke, 53 | Red Ames, 21 | 31.9 |
| Detroit Tigers1912 | Deacon McGuire, 48 | Bill Leinhauser, 18 | 30.0 |
| Cincinnati Reds1933 | Jack Quinn, 49 | Tony Robello, 20 | 29.6 |
| New York Giants1909 | Arlie Latham, 49 | Tillie Shafer, 20 | 29.0 |
| Los Angeles Dodgers1972 | Hoyt Wilhelm, 49 | Terry McDermott, 21 | 28.6 |
| Colorado Rockies2012 | Jamie Moyer, 49 | Rafael Ortega, 21 | 28.5 |
The oldest: Satchel Paige, 58 (Kansas City Athletics, 1965); Charley O'Leary, 58 (St. Louis Browns, 1934); Nick Altrock, 56 (Washington Senators, 1933); Minnie Minoso, 56 (Chicago White Sox, 1980); Jim O'Rourke, 53 (New York Giants, 1904); Jack Quinn, 49 (Cincinnati Reds, 1933).
The youngest: Joe Nuxhall, 15 (Cincinnati Reds, 1944); Piggy Ward, 16 (Philadelphia Quakers, 1883); Joe Stanley, 16 (Washington Senators, 1897); Frank Pearce, 16 (Louisville Grays, 1876); Carl Scheib, 16 (Philadelphia Athletics, 1943); Leonidas Lee, 16 (St. Louis Brown Stockings, 1877).
The typical gap, decade by decade
- 1870s11.2 yrs
- 1880s13.1 yrs
- 1890s15.4 yrs
- 1900s16.4 yrs
- 1910s17.1 yrs
- 1920s17.4 yrs
- 1930s18.0 yrs
- 1940s18.9 yrs
- 1950s18.6 yrs
- 1960s17.8 yrs
- 1970s16.3 yrs
- 1980s17.3 yrs
- 1990s16.4 yrs
- 2000s17.5 yrs
- 2010s16.1 yrs
- 2020s13.2 yrs
Basketball
Basketball's rosters are small and its careers rarely last past 40, so its gaps are the narrowest. The widest come from the league's iron men, like Kevin Willis, who played until he was 44, and Udonis Haslem, who was 42 in his last season with the Heat, a teammate of the 19-year-old Nikola Jović.
The widest gaps
| Team | Oldest | Youngest | Gap |
|---|---|---|---|
| Atlanta Hawks2004-05 | Kevin Willis, 42 | Josh Smith, 19 | 23.2 |
| Miami Heat2022-23 | Udonis Haslem, 42 | Nikola Jovic, 19 | 23.0 |
| Dallas Mavericks2018-19 | Dirk Nowitzki, 40 | Luka Doncic, 19 | 20.7 |
| Minnesota Timberwolves2015-16 | Andre Miller, 39 | Tyus Jones, 19 | 20.1 |
| Portland Trail Blazers1997-98 | Alton Lister, 39 | Jermaine O'Neal, 19 | 20.0 |
| Charlotte Hornets1995-96 | Robert Parish, 42 | George Zidek, 22 | 19.9 |
| Los Angeles Lakers2003-04 | Karl Malone, 40 | Jamal Sampson, 20 | 19.8 |
| Houston Rockets2008-09 | Dikembe Mutombo, 42 | Kyle Lowry, 22 | 19.7 |
| Milwaukee Bucks2016-17 | Jason Terry, 39 | Thon Maker, 19 | 19.4 |
| Los Angeles Clippers2016-17 | Paul Pierce, 39 | Diamond Stone, 19 | 19.3 |
The oldest: Kevin Willis, 44 (Dallas Mavericks, 2006-07); Robert Parish, 43 (Chicago Bulls, 1996-97); Udonis Haslem, 42 (Miami Heat, 2022-23); Dikembe Mutombo, 42 (Houston Rockets, 2008-09); Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, 41 (Los Angeles Lakers, 1988-89); Bob Cousy, 41 (Cincinnati Royals, 1969-70).
The youngest: Andrew Bynum, 18 (Los Angeles Lakers, 2005-06); Jermaine O'Neal, 18 (Portland Trail Blazers, 1996-97); Kobe Bryant, 18 (Los Angeles Lakers, 1996-97); Stan Brown, 18 (Philadelphia Warriors, 1947-48); Darko Milicic, 18 (Detroit Pistons, 2003-04); Bill Willoughby, 18 (Atlanta Hawks, 1975-76).
The typical gap, decade by decade
- 1940s9.2 yrs
- 1950s9.0 yrs
- 1960s8.8 yrs
- 1970s10.1 yrs
- 1980s10.3 yrs
- 1990s12.3 yrs
- 2000s14.0 yrs
- 2010s13.8 yrs
- 2020s13.3 yrs
Football
Football's oldest players are nearly all kickers and punters, who can last into their mid-40s while everyone around them is in their 20s. George Blanda, a quarterback and kicker, turned 48 during his last season with the Raiders, in 1975, and Tom Brady played his last for the Buccaneers at 45.
The widest gaps
| Team | Oldest | Youngest | Gap |
|---|---|---|---|
| Atlanta Falcons2007 | Morten Andersen, 47 | Jamaal Anderson, 21 | 25.5 |
| Oakland Raiders1975 | George Blanda, 47 | Steve Sylvester, 22 | 25.5 |
| Indianapolis Colts2019 | Adam Vinatieri, 46 | Parris Campbell, 22 | 24.5 |
| Tennessee Titans2004 | Gary Anderson, 45 | Randy Starks, 20 | 24.4 |
| New Orleans Saints2010 | John Carney, 46 | Junior Galette, 22 | 23.9 |
| Carolina Panthers2007 | Vinny Testaverde, 43 | Dwayne Jarrett, 20 | 22.8 |
| Tampa Bay Buccaneers2022 | Tom Brady, 45 | Logan Hall, 22 | 22.7 |
| Atlanta Falcons1998 | Steve DeBerg, 44 | Rod Monroe, 22 | 22.5 |
| New York Giants2006 | Sean Landeta, 44 | Barry Cofield, 22 | 22.2 |
| Atlanta Falcons2019 | Matt Bryant, 44 | Olamide Zaccheaus, 22 | 22.2 |
The oldest: George Blanda, 47 (Oakland Raiders, 1975); Morten Andersen, 47 (Atlanta Falcons, 2007); Adam Vinatieri, 46 (Indianapolis Colts, 2019); John Carney, 46 (New Orleans Saints, 2010); Gary Anderson, 45 (Tennessee Titans, 2004); Tom Brady, 45 (Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 2022).
The youngest: Amobi Okoye, 20 (Houston Texans, 2007); Jamie Nails, 20 (Buffalo Bills, 1997); Tremaine Edmunds, 20 (Buffalo Bills, 2018); Braelon Allen, 20 (New York Jets, 2024); Kevin Jefferson, 20 (Cincinnati Bengals, 1994); Jean Fugett, 20 (Dallas Cowboys, 1972).
The typical gap, decade by decade
- 1970s13.2 yrs
- 1980s12.9 yrs
- 1990s14.1 yrs
- 2000s15.2 yrs
- 2010s14.8 yrs
- 2020s15.0 yrs
Hockey
Hockey has the single most famous age gap in sports. Gordie Howe came back for the Hartford Whalers' first NHL season, 1979-80, and played all 80 games at 51, on a roster with his sons Mark and Marty.
The widest gaps
| Team | Oldest | Youngest | Gap |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hartford Whalers1979-80 | Gordie Howe, 51 | Stuart Smith, 19 | 32.0 |
| Atlanta Thrashers2009-10 | Chris Chelios, 48 | Evander Kane, 18 | 29.5 |
| Calgary Flames2017-18 | Jaromir Jagr, 45 | Matthew Tkachuk, 20 | 25.8 |
| Toronto Maple Leafs1969-70 | Johnny Bower, 45 | Brian Spencer, 20 | 24.8 |
| Minnesota North Stars1973-74 | Gump Worsley, 44 | Rick Chinnick, 20 | 24.3 |
| Boston Bruins2010-11 | Mark Recchi, 43 | Tyler Seguin, 19 | 24.0 |
| Toronto Maple Leafs1972-73 | Jacques Plante, 44 | Randy Osburn, 20 | 23.9 |
| Washington Capitals2020-21 | Zdeno Chara, 43 | Connor McMichael, 20 | 23.8 |
| Tampa Bay Lightning2008-09 | Gary Roberts, 42 | Steven Stamkos, 18 | 23.7 |
| Anaheim Ducks2013-14 | Teemu Selanne, 43 | Hampus Lindholm, 20 | 23.6 |
The oldest: Gordie Howe, 51 (Hartford Whalers, 1979-80); Chris Chelios, 48 (Atlanta Thrashers, 2009-10); Jaromir Jagr, 45 (Calgary Flames, 2017-18); Johnny Bower, 45 (Toronto Maple Leafs, 1969-70); Zdeno Chara, 44 (New York Islanders, 2021-22); Gump Worsley, 44 (Minnesota North Stars, 1973-74).
The youngest: Guy Chouinard, 18 (Atlanta Flames, 1974-75); Grant Mulvey, 18 (Chicago Blackhawks, 1974-75); Patrick Marleau, 18 (San Jose Sharks, 1997-98); Olivier Michaud, 18 (Montréal Canadiens, 2001-02); Martin Lapointe, 18 (Detroit Red Wings, 1991-92); Alex Formenton, 18 (Ottawa Senators, 2017-18).
The typical gap, decade by decade
- 1960s17.2 yrs
- 1970s16.7 yrs
- 1980s14.8 yrs
- 1990s15.8 yrs
- 2000s17.4 yrs
- 2010s17.0 yrs
- 2020s15.5 yrs
Soccer
In soccer the oldest players are almost always goalkeepers, and the youngest are academy teenagers getting their first games, a few of them at 15: Luka Romero for Mallorca in 2019-20 and Francesco Camarda for Milan in 2023-24.
The widest gaps
| Team | Oldest | Youngest | Gap |
|---|---|---|---|
| SS Lazio2007-08 | Marco Ballotta, 43 | Davide Faraoni, 16 | 27.6 |
| Coventry City1999-00 | Steve Ogrizovic, 42 | Richard Spong, 16 | 26.0 |
| Cesena FC2011-12 | Francesco Antonioli, 42 | Abdul Yabré, 16 | 25.6 |
| Montpellier HSC2020-21 | Hilton, 43 | Elye Wahi, 17 | 25.3 |
| Watford FC2006-07 | Alec Chamberlain, 42 | Jordan Parkes, 17 | 25.1 |
| OGC Nice2025-26 | Dante, 42 | Djibril Coulibaly, 17 | 25.1 |
| Cádiz CF2020-21 | Alberto Cifuentes, 41 | Álvaro Bastida, 16 | 25.0 |
| Southampton FC2022-23 | Willy Caballero, 41 | Samuel Amo-Ameyaw, 16 | 24.8 |
| Cagliari Calcio2016-17 | Roberto Colombo, 41 | Vasco Oliveira, 16 | 24.8 |
| AC Milan2023-24 | Antonio Mirante, 40 | Francesco Camarda, 15 | 24.7 |
The oldest: Marco Ballotta, 43 (SS Lazio, 2007-08); Hilton, 43 (Montpellier HSC, 2020-21); Klaus Fichtel, 43 (FC Schalke 04, 1987-88); John Burridge, 43 (Manchester City, 1994-95); Michele Borrozzino, 43 (SC Freiburg, 2001-02); Gianluigi Buffon, 42 (Juventus FC, 2020-21).
The youngest: Luka Romero, 15 (RCD Mallorca, 2019-20); Alejandro Revuelta, 15 (Cádiz CF, 1990-91); Danny Robinson, 15 (Derby County, 1997-98); Giuseppe Campione, 15 (Bologna FC 1909, 1988-89); Pietro Sportillo, 15 (Torino FC, 1993-94); Silvio Spann, 15 (Hellas Verona, 1996-97).
The typical gap, decade by decade
- 1960s13.0 yrs
- 1970s13.8 yrs
- 1980s14.6 yrs
- 1990s15.3 yrs
- 2000s16.7 yrs
- 2010s16.5 yrs
- 2020s17.0 yrs
What the decades show
The gaps follow how careers have changed. Baseball’s widened through the first half of the 20th century as careers got longer, peaked in the 1940s, when the war left rosters to teenagers and players coming out of retirement, and have narrowed again lately. Basketball’s widened in the 1990s and 2000s, with players arriving younger and the best of them staying into their late 30s. In soccer the gap has grown almost every decade for sixty years.
Use it in Teammate Chain
A long career with a wide age gap on both ends is a bridge across generations. In Teammate Chain, the 40-year-old on a roster of 20-year-olds is often the shortest way from one era to the next. See from the first season to today for the longest bridges of all.
How we counted
A player’s age is taken on one date each season: June 30 in baseball (the league’s own rule), September 1 in football, when the season starts, February 1 in basketball and hockey and January 1 in soccer, the middle of the season. Ages are whole years on that date, so Satchel Paige, who was 59 when he pitched in September 1965, is 58 here; gaps are measured from the exact birth dates. Only players who played that season count (not a soccer squad’s unused names, or a football player listed under his old team as a free agent), and only players with a known birth date. A birth date that would make a player impossibly young or old (under 14½ or over 60 in baseball, for example) is a mistake in the records, so that player is left out: 25 in all. The widest gaps are listed once for each oldest player, so Satchel Paige’s 1965 isn’t followed by his other seasons.
About the data
Rosters come from the data behind Teammate Chain: every major-league baseball season since 1871, the NBA since 1946-47, the NFL since 1970, the NHL since 1967-68 and Europe’s top five soccer leagues since 1963-64. Birth dates from the Lahman Baseball Database and MLB, the NBA’s player records, nflverse’s rosters, the NHL’s rosters, and Transfermarkt and Wikidata for soccer.
Some early players have no birth date on record and aren’t counted, most of them from baseball’s 19th century and the NBA’s first seasons. The NBA’s oldest player, Nat Hickey, who played two games for the Providence Steamrollers at 45 in 1948, isn’t on our roster for them. Some soccer birth dates are known only to the year and recorded as January 1, so an age can be a year off. Spot a mistake? Let us know.
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