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Phillies Pitcher Moyer Defies Time Itself

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By MARTIN FENNELLY | The Tampa Tribune

Published: October 25, 2008

PHILADELPHIA - What a thrill for the Rays to be in their first World Series. As an added bonus, when the Series resumes in the cradle of democracy, they'll bat against one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence.

The Phillies' Game 3 starter, Jamie Moyer, has been pitching so long he made All-Colony in high school. He struck out the side against Adam and Eve. And there was that no-hitter against Homo Erectus. It was in all the cave drawings.

The 45-year-old Phillies left-hander (he turns 46 next month) will be pitching in his first World Series game. On the mound for the Rays will be Matt Garza, who was 3 when Moyer made his big-league debut in the sixth year of Ronald Reagan's presidency. Rays third baseman Evan Longoria was 8 months old.

"It's undeniably amazing," Garza said.

Moyer, husband and father of seven, becomes the second-oldest player ever to participate in a World Series. The oldest was another Philadelphia pitcher, Athletics pitcher Jack Quinn in the 1929 Series (46) and 1930 Series (47).

Incredibly, Quinn, 124, remembers those Series well. We called him at his home.

"Hello, Mr. Quinn?"

"Hello?"

"Mr. Quinn, it's Martin Fennelly of the Tampa Tribune."

"Hello?"

"Mr. Quinn, I'm working on a piece of Jamie Moyer, kind of an early piece, for first edition of the Game 3 edition of our newspaper and …"

"Hello."

With Experience Comes Respect

But we have Jamie Moyer, the Fall Classic's new Methuselah, only Methuselah threw harder. He's an inspiration to anyone who ever picked up a baseball glove and felt something go out in their back.

Mind you, there's more to Moyer than his age. He has won 246 games in his career. He even grew up in the Philadelphia suburbs. He became the second oldest man to win 16 games in a season (Phil Niekro was older). There we go again with the age thing.

We can't help but think about Moyer's story, especially against the young Rays, whose oldest starting pitcher is 26-year-old James Shields. We can't help but think of it because Jamie Moyer was born two days before the Cuban Missile Crisis officially ended, after Kennedy and Khrushchev went to a seventh and deciding game.

"The age thing, it's not an issue," Moyer said. "… Some kids haven't even been born yet when I was in the major leagues," Moyer said. "It's kind of weird to think about it. But back a few years ago, when I played in Texas, I had two teammates, Nolan Ryan and Charlie Hough, who were in their 40s, and I really looked up to them and respected who they were and what they did in their careers. And now I've kind of come full circle with it."

The circle had not been invented when Jamie Moyer began pitching.

One For The Ages

And now a brief history of the world and Jamie Moyer:

10,000 BC: End of ice ages; Moyer goes ninth in first expansion draft.

3100 BC: Moyer undergoes elbow surgery; mixture of herbs, magic, leeches used by renowned Dr. Andrews.

470 BC: The rise of Alexander the Great; Moyer in Macedonian 'pen.

450: Hun invasions begin; Moyer starts Invasion 4.

800-1000: The age of the Vikings. Moyer declares for free agency.

1066: Norman Conquest. Moyer used in middle relief.

1237: Mongol hordes overrun Russia. Moyer tagged with loss.

1320-50: Ppd., Black Death.

1492: Columbus expedition to America. Moyer wins 12.

1620: Moyer, Pilgrims land at Plymouth Rock.

1776: Jefferson blogs "Unanimous Declaration of the Thirteen United States of America," Moyer, icing down arm, suggests Jefferson write it down on paper, too.

1863: Lee second-guesses for lifting Moyer after Little Round Top.

1927: Moyer, Lindbergh fly Atlantic by plane.

1944: "D Day" invasion. Moyer traded to Twins.

That will give you a general idea of just how long Jamie Moyer has been pitching.

Game 3 of the World Series was delayed by rain.

Did you know Jamie Moyer was there the first time it rained?

Friday, Rays outfielder Rocco Baldelli talked about this month and this Series.

"I think everyone understands that this opportunity doesn't come around very often," he said. "There have been a lot of very good players on very good teams who haven't made it to this point. I don't know how many chances I'm going to have to play in the playoffs."

Then again, there's Jamie Moyer.

One for the ages.

"Absolutely amazing," Garza said.

Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to try Jack Quinn again.

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