Amazing Athletes Over the Age of 50

Let's face it: Everybody gets older, but some sure seem to get better with age. Among those aging amazingly -- professional athletes -- who always seem to stand out as the folks who defy the ticking clock. They may be battered and bruised, but they look pretty darn good as they cruise past middle age with their fierce competitive instincts not only intact, but in some cases, stronger than ever.

Skip Hall, 63 - "No Mercy"
Pro-Mixed Martial Artist
• Golden Gloves Boxer
• Ex-Special Forces Soldier (Vietnam)
• Retired 2008 from MMA
He may look like he could play Santa Clause at his granddaughter's Christmas play, but Skip Hall would be wasting his talents. Proficient in Tae Kwan Do, Hapkido, kickboxing, and powerlifting, the 63 year-old grandfather retired just this year from competition as the oldest professional Mixed Martial Artist. He has literally beaten men in their 20's and 30's even as his own age declares him eligible for Social Security. Limiting his efforts to personal training these days, Skip Hall is unlikely to see his age as anything more than a way to keep track of time.

Albert Beckles, 78
Pro-Bodybuilder
• Three-time NYC Night of Champions Bodybuilding Winner
• Mr. Britain 1969 and 1970
• Mr. Universe 1971
One of the most active participants in bodybuilding history, Albert Beckles has competed in over 100 different contests. Beckles' record-setting 13 forays into the IFBB Mr. Olympia yielded six top-five placements. At the tender age of 61, he won the Niagara Falls Pro Invitational. Born in Barbados before moving to London, Albert currently lives in Los Angeles and is a vegetarian.

Ron Ottaway, 71
Amateur Ironman Triathlon
• Amateur World Ironman Triathlon Champ (over 70)
• Ironman Hawaii Champion (over 70)
The years passed far outnumber those to come, but it seems of little importance to Ron Ottaway, Ironman Triathlon champion. At the age of 71, he continues to compete in one of the hardest physical tests a body can endure. He will be defending his title in Hawaii come late 2008 and shows no signs of slowing down yet. In the last 19 years, Ottaway has not missed a single day of running, proving that top level competitors don't watch the clock when it comes to slowing things down.

Ray Moon, 80
Pro-bodybuilder
• Four-time Victorian & Australian Bodybuilding Champion (over 70)
• Oldest champion bodybuilder in Australia
While most folks in their seventies decide it's time to slow up and take it easy, Ray Moon thought otherwise. Polio, two minor strokes, open-heart surgery, prostate problems, and even financial ruin proved small hurdles for Ray as he managed to not only live through it all, but become an Australian bodybuilding champion and legend at the age of 80. Determination is king as Ray Moon makes life with a pacemaker look downright exciting.

Greg Norman, 53 - "The Great White Shark"
Pro-Golfer
• PGA, (1974-Present)
• Two wins - The Open
• 87 Professional Wins
Here's a guy who seems to have been famous forever without having actually won anything. Greg Norman has a career made up of second-place and often lower finishes yet created a resume that reeks of success and accomplishment. Even today his Aussie-good looks and way with numbers has birthed a golf empire equaled by few.

Gordie Howe, 80 - "Mr. Hockey"
Pro-Hockey
• NHL - 1946-1980 (out for 1972)
• Six-time MVP and leading scorer
• First player to score over 1000 goals (NHL and WHA)
• Hockey Hall of Fame (1972)
Number 9 is arguably one of the greatest hockey players of all time. Known for his scoring prowess, physical strength, and amazing longevity, Gordie finished as a top five scorer in 20 straight seasons, a feat unsurpassed by any athlete, in any sport. He even managed to share the professional ice with two of his sons as teammates (while playing for the Houston Aeros and the Hartford Whalers). Today, as an ambassador for the sport he dominated for so long, Gordie Howe still exemplifies the toughness, grit, and commitment that earned him the moniker "Mr. Hockey."

Mark Spitz, 58 - "Mark the Shark"
Olympian - Swimming
• International Swimming Hall of Fame (1977)
• 9 Olympic Gold Medals
• 5 Pan-Am Gold Medals
• Set 33 World Records
• 31 AAU Titles
With Michael Phelps cornering the market on gold medals these days, it's easy to forget that once upon a time there was Mark Spitz who also amazed the entire world with his prowess in the pool. He may have ditched the iconic mustache, but Mark Spitz nearly qualified for the US swimming team back when he was 41.

Pete Rose, 67 - “Charlie Hustle”
Pro-Baseball
• MLB, Cincinnati Reds 1963-78 & 1984-86, Phillies 1979-83, Expos, 1984
• 17 time all-star
• Three-time World Series champion
• Two-time gold glove winner
• Banned from baseball 1989
To have had the kind of career Pete Rose has and to then have it all slip away is one thing. But to keep on slugging day after day after day, trying to rehabilitate your image and get the official accolades you figure you're due is priceless. “Charlie Hustle” never stopped moving on the field and he sure ain't gonna' quit now.

Bruce Jenner, 59
Olympian - Decathlon
• Gold Medal - Decathlon, 1976
• AP Athlete of the Year
• World Record holder, Decathlon - 1975-80
• TV Personality
At one time, he was the gold standard of all-around athletic success while today he's “Keeping Up With the Kardashians.” Bruce Jenner won in the Olympics and jumped right off his Wheaties box without ever looking back. Business interests and his TV persona keep things interesting as Bruce heads for 60 with a taut frame and an even tighter face.

Joe Montana, 52 - “Joe Cool”
Pro-Football
• NFL, San Francisco 49ers, 1979-92, Chiefs (1993-94)
• 4 Super Bowls
• 3 Super Bowl MVPs
• 8 Pro-Bowl selections
When a guy his teammates called “Bird Legs” can rise up to be voted the all-time greatest clutch quarterback in history by Sport Illustrated you know he's got something special. A degree in business administration and marketing from Notre Dame only means he's also got the know-how to manage a career that now includes owning horses and making wine. Raise a glass to “Joe Cool.”

Don Garlits, 76 - “Big Daddy”
Pro-Drag Racing
• NHRA (1955-92)
• 3 National Hot Rod Association Titles
• 2004 Automotive Hall of Fame
• Considered the father of drag racing
• Car is in the Smithsonian
Strapping a humongous engine to one's back and flying down a speedway is one thing, but doing it until the ripe old age of 76 is the definition of amazing. "Big Daddy" may not be racing these days, but you'd be an idiot to suggest you might beat him to the store.

Keith Hernandez, 55 - “Mex”
Pro-Baseball
• MLB, St. Louis Cardinals (1974-83), Mets (1983-89), Indians (1990)
• Two-time World Series Champion
• Five-time All Star
• 11-time Golden Glove Winner
• Two-time Silver Slugger Award
For a guy to amass the defensive stats he has and not be admitted to the Hall of Fame is a crime. He revolutionized the first base position (until they changed the rules to disallow it) and even managed to play himself on Seinfeld. The famous ladies man is now a sportscaster and an author of two books.

Chris Evert, 54
Pro-Tennis
• Professional Tennis (1972-1989)
• 157 Career Titles
• 6 US Open Titles
• 4 WTA Championships
With the best win-loss record of any professional in tennis history, Chris Evert still stays close to the game. Married in 2008 to golfer Greg Norman, Evert still runs a tennis academy in Boca Raton, Florida meaning her personal win-loss record is a strong as ever.

Dick Butkus, 66 - “Dick"”
Pro-Football
• NFL, Chicago Bears 1965-73
• 8 Pro-bowl selections
• 8 All-Pro selections
• Pro-football Hall of Fame
Dick Butkus, like few others, personifies football with a personal grit and rock-hard toughness that wimps like Michael Vick could only dream of.

Joe Namath, 65 - "Broadway Joe"
Pro-Football
• NFL, New York Jets (1965-1976) LA Rams, 1977
• Super Bowl III Champion
• 5 Pro-Bowl Selections
• Five-time All Pro selection
• Pro-football Hall of Fame
A guy who not only played the game like a champ, but managed to take the entire nation by storm with his floor-length fur coats, white shoes and ads for pantyhose "Broadway Joe" set the standard for the modern sports celebrity and continues to show the way as he oozes an easy cool every time he shows up on TV.

Bob Uecker, 73 - "Mr. Baseball"
Pro-Baseball
• MLB, Milwaukee, St. Louis, Philadelphia, Atlanta (1962-67)
• Broadcaster
• Actor
Bob Uecker took one of the most unremarkable professional baseball careers ever seen and managed to set himself up as Johnny Carson's go to guy 64 times. He's starred in TV, movies, and at the age of 73 managed to turn up in this year's Sports Illustrated Swimsuit edition showing off a bod that would make even Giselle Bundchen look twice.

Jesse Ventura, 57 - “The Body”
Pro-Wrestling
• WWE Hall of Fame
• US Navy Seal
• Governor of Minnesota (1999-2003)
• Actor and Author
There seems to be little Jesse “The Body” Ventura can't accomplish. He has a resume most jocks would die for (or die from) and yet he still keeps adding to it, especially now as he teases Minnesota voters with the idea of his running for Governor yet again.

"Sugar" Ray Leonard, 52
Pro-Boxing
• Gold Medal, 1976 Olympics
• 36 wins in 40 fights
• 25 KOs
• Three-time National Golden Gloves Winner
The most amazing thing about "Sugar" Ray Leonard is not his stats but the fact that his face remains so beautiful. To have been a pro-boxer for as long as he has and not only continue to sport an amazing set of teeth and a razor sharp wit is not only something to behold but a downright miracle.

Muhammad Ali, 66 - "The Greatest"
Pro-Boxing
• Gold Medal - 1960 Olympics
• 61 fights with 56 wins
• 37 KOs
• Voted Sportsman of the Century by Sports Illustrated
To know who Ali was "then" is to be even more impressed by who he is today. A man of grace and talent who could charm the birds out of the trees travels the world today to bring attention to the plights of others even as his own physical well-being suffers. "The Greatest" title belongs to no other.

Martina Navratilova, 52
Pro-Tennis
• Professional, 1975-96
• Won 167 Career Titles
• 18 Grand Slam Titles
• 8 WTA Championships
• 2 Series Championships
Women's tennis would not be where it is today without the high level play and overall dominance exercised by Martina Navratilova. Her playing days may be behind her but Navratilova continues to bring her iron will and outspoken manner to the social issues and causes that matter most to her.

George Foreman, 59 - "Big George"
Pro-Boxing
• International Boxing Hall of Fame (2003)
• 9th Greatest Puncher of All Time
• 76 wins from 81 fights
• 68 KOs
• Gold Medal, 1968 Olympics
Of everyone on this list, only George Foreman is likely to have a physical presence in a majority of readers' kitchens. In 1995 he sold his "George Foreman Grill" to Salton Inc. for just over $130 million. Not bad for a guy who couldn't think up any other names for his kids than "George."

Larry Bird, 52 - “Bird”
Pro-Basketball
• NBA, Boston Celtics (1979-92)
• Three-time NBA Champion, MVP
• 12-time NBA all-star
One of the greatest players to have ever played the game and yet one of the most amazing things he has done to date is successfully remain out of the public eye (save a TV ad here or there) and be more or less free of scandal thus protecting his indelible and iconic image of basketball perfection. A trend-setter (we can only hope).

Arnold Schwarzenegger, 61 "The Austrian Oak"
Pro-Bodybuilding
• Seven-time Mr. Olympia
• Mr. Universe 1968
• Governor of California - 2003-Present
• Actor
There has never been a more unlikely success story than this Austrian-born body-builder and his molasses thick accent. Yet when Arnold looks in the mirror every day he sees a twice-elected Governor of California, a Kennedy husband and a list of successes so long even he couldn't lift it. Never bet against Auh-nold.

John McEnroe, 49 - "Johnny Mac"
Pro-Tennis
• 7 Grand Slam titles
• 9 Grand Slam Men's Doubles titles
• 155 career top-level titles
• Inducted to International Tennis Hall of Fame in 1999
With a career win percentage of well over 80, John McEnroe could have easily retired to live out his days as an outspoken tennis analyst and commercial pitchman for all manner of products. Not Johnny Mac (who will officially turn 50 in February): He rejoined the top-level doubles competition in 2006 after a 12-year absence to become the oldest male to win a title in 30 years proving that when it comes to winning, he can be very serious indeed.

Read More Articles

Sound Off! Post Your Comments