Oldest Players

Some may tell you that Satchell Paige (58), Nick Altrock (56), Minnnie Minosa (54), and Jim O'Rourke (53) are the oldest major league players ever. But every one of them were making "novelty" appearances by those ages. So who have been the oldest "non-novelty," playing because they're good enough to be a continuing member of the team players?

Jack Quinn 50 years, 6 days
Hoyt Wilhelm 49 years, 11 months, 14 days
Julio Franco 49 years, 25 days
Phil Niekro 48 y, 5 m, 26 d
Satchel Paige (pre-novelty) at least 47 (born 7-7-06, and pitching late into the 1953 season)
Nolan Ryan 46 y 8 m 22 d
Charlie Hough 46 y, 7 m, 21 d
Sam Thompson 46 y, 6 m, 5 d (7 hits in 31 AB in 8 games)
Jesse Orosco 46 y 5 m 6 d
Bobo Newsom 46 y 1 m 6 d
Tommy John 46 y 0 m 3 d

The only nonpitchers among the 11 who played at age 46+ are Franco and Thompson, and Thompson's appearance in 8 games many years after his career had seemingly ended is debatable as to qualifying as "non-novelty."

The next nonpitchers on the list:
Carlton Fisk 45 y 5 m 27 d
Cap Anson 45 y 5 m 16 d
Pete Rose 45 y 4 m 3 d
Bobby Wallace 44 y 9 m 28 d
Rickey Henderson 44 y 8 m 25 d
Sam Rice 44 y 6 m 26 d
Tony Perez 44 y 4 m 21 d
Graig Nettles 44 y 1 m 11 d
Carl Yazstremski 44 y 1 m 11 d

Thus, not counting Thompson's 8 game appearance, Julio Franco is the only nonpitcher among the the top 10 oldest non-novelty players, and was over 3 and a half years older than the next oldest nonpitcher, Fisk. I would still like to know how he did what none of the other tens of thousands of position players over the 132 year history of the majors has been able to do!