Tradition Field, Port St. Lucie – Being a professional athlete means you’re on top of the game, from the minor leagues, to high school, to college, to the minor leagues, and then… if you’re lucky and impress the right scouts . and managers… you may have your chance in the big leagues. There are a lot of talented players who get stuck in the minors. Some don’t get the big hits they need or don’t have the 100+ mph fastball it takes to get a big time, let alone set foot on the field of any Major League ballpark. The competitive nature of professional sports seems to focus on developing young players to build their franchises. With the average age of Major League Baseball players in their mid-20s, most professional player careers last into their thirties. Only a handful of professional gamers are lucky enough to have careers that last into their 40s.

While injuries are the number one reason careers end prematurely, very few players are able to compete at the highest level required to stay in the majors. However, there is one relentless player who continues to play at the highest level, Julio Franco. At 48 years old, he continues to defy the clock with his remarkable physical condition and passion for the game.

Franco is entering his 23rd season of professional baseball; he is the designated hitter for the New York Mets. No, he’s not a coach, but an important part of the Mets team whose goal is to make the playoffs for the second year in a row. As a designated hitter, he won’t be playing every day, but when Mets manager Willie Randolph calls him, he has to be ready. That means being fit to play and having the mental toughness to be ready at any time. Having watched Franco practice with his teammates at Tradition Field, he is in remarkable condition and still hits with an incredibly strong bat. In fact, it would be hard to tell him apart from some of the younger players on the field. He certainly doesn’t see himself as the old man on the team, and says that he “still has fun, enjoys going to the stadium every day.” Although he doesn’t have the power that he had when he broke into the Philadelphia Phillies in 1980, he still has tremendous energy and enthusiasm playing alongside his Mets teammates.

Randolph sees Franco as a leader in the clubhouse. When asked what he says to younger players, “I set an example by working hard every day, when they see me doing the things I do, it makes them work harder.”

Franco made history last season. On April 20, 2006, while pinch-hitting for the New York Mets, Franco, at age 47, became the oldest player in major league history to hit a home run, a two-run home run. in the eighth inning at Petco Park in San Diego. Some other records he holds are being the oldest player (for over four years) to hit a grand slam, the oldest to have a multi-homer game, and the oldest to steal two bases in one game. old man? Not yet! Prior to that astonishing feat, the oldest player to hit home runs was Jack Quinn, who at age 46 went deep in a game in 1930. The old record stood for 76 years; the new one may well last another 50.

“I want to play at least another five years,” he said. If this happens, Franco will play at the age of 55. That would put him in an elite company of players who have been playing for over 50 years. While most of us hope to retire after long careers, Franco said, “I want to play as long as I can or until I lose interest.” This seems to take a while, based on his youthful spirit in spring training camp this year. He says God gave him the gift of playing baseball, and attributes his spiritual values ​​as another reason for his success.

Of course, Franco may well not hold the record as the oldest player to have played Major League Baseball. That record is held by Satchel Paige, who in 1965 honored the major league diamond at age 59.

But Franco’s impact on the game and the records he holds will be around for a long time.

Beyond playing in the United States, Franco has played in many foreign countries (Japan, Korea, Mexico and the Dominican Republic). “Japan is by far the most competitive place to play. The pitching is very dominant.” Whatever league he has played in, Franco has left his mark. In the majors, Franco has played for the Phillies, Indians, Rangers, White Sox, Braves and Mets.

Franco mentioned that today’s players are bigger, stronger and faster than the players when he started his career. To be next to him, he is an imposing figure, even at 48 years old. The body of him is solid and the appearance of him is youthful. Franco follows a strict diet “…eating all natural foods and foods with no preservatives.” He stays away from unnatural foods and takes several vitamins a day, plus flaxseed and soy milk. Franco also said that he has been lucky to have avoided a serious injury that could have put his career in jeopardy and that maintaining a consistent training schedule has helped him stay in top condition.

Regardless of what the future holds for Julio Franco, he has set records that are sure to stand for some time to come. With such a strong will and determination to remain healthy in body and spirit, he will not compromise his spiritual beliefs. He continues to be an example to baseball fans that age is not a factor when playing the American pastime.