Not many members of the MLB fraternity play into their fourth decade; in fact, generally speaking, only the elite play as long as the Jack Benny Milestone age of 39.
Here on Da Box, we have previously constructed an All-Age-40 team and later an All-Age-41 team ... yes, there was a fair amount of overlap from one to the other, but less than you might think.
As we meet an All-Age-39 team, there are a lot of familiar names; in fact, we can assemble a pretty decent squad just using the "Top 10 Leader" lists for the Age 39 Players on BasaballReference.com ... okay, not "pretty fair," make that "geriatrically unstoppable" ...
Let's meet them; they're called ...
Jack Benny's 39ers
(P.S. if you don't get the Benny reference, ask a grandparent!)
(P.P.S. Count your blessings -- I could've dubbed this squad the "Benny Ha-Ha's")
** Indicates Hall of Famer
* Indicates All-Star (not necessarily in Age-39 season)
Key Age-39 statistics are shown parenthetically.
LINEUP
C Carlton Fisk** (.256, 23 homers, 1987)
1B Willie Stargell** (.281/32/82, 1979 NL Co-MVP)
2B Eddie Collins** (.344, 62 RBI, 13 SB, 1928)
SS Luke Appling** (.309 in 1946)
3B George Brett** (.285, 61 RBI in 1992; mostly DH/1B)
LF Barry Bonds* (.362, 45 homers in 2004)
CF Willie Mays** (28 homers, 1970)
RF Hank Aaron** (40 homers, 1973)
DH Ted Williams** (.328/26/85 in 1958)
BENCH
UTIL Lave Cross (.266, 77 RBI in 1905)
IF Jeff Kent* (.302/20/79 in 2007)
IF/OF Craig Biggio* (.264, 26 homers, 11 SB, 2005)
SS Omar Vizquel* (.295, 24 SB, Gold Glove in 2006)
OF Tris Speaker** (.327, 43 doubles, 1927)
OF Jim O'Rourke** (.360, 115 RBI, 1890)
ROTATION
RHSP Gaylord Perry ** (1978: 21-6, 2.73)
LHSP Eddie Plank** (1915: 21-11, 2.08)
RHSP Early Wynn** (1959: 22-10, 3.17)
LHSP Warren Spahn** (1950: 21-10, 3.50)
RHSP Phil Niekro** (1978: 19-18, 2.88)
BULLPEN
CL Trevor Hoffman* (42 saves in 2007)
RP Todd Jones* (38 saves in 2007)
RP Jose Mesa* (27 saves in 2005)
RP Roy Face* (17 saves in 1967)
RP Hoyt Wilhelm** (15 saves in 1962)
Nothing Could Be Finer than to be a 39er ... It's no great surprise
that this squad is stuffed with Hall of Famers; the entire starting
rotation is enshrined, as is one member of the bullpen (Wilhelm), with
another (Hoffman) virtually certain to join him ... As for the starting
lineup, everyone eligible (eight of the nine) is in, with Bonds a
statistical, if not voter, certainty ...
As for the bench, two of the six are in, with Biggio a mortal lock to
follow and Vizquel likely to get a fair amount of support before
falling off the ballot -- while Kent and Finley are less likely
candidates, though the surly Indian/Met/Giant/Dodger 2B probably
deserves a plaque, anyway ... Finding a backup catcher for this unit
was a chore -- sure, Wally Schang, who hit .239 for the 1929 SLB, is a viable
possibility -- but with Biggio (more than 400 games behind the plate),
Cross (more than 300) and O'Rourke (more than 200) on the roster, we
should be just fine ...
We used the phrase "everyone eligible" earlier in describing Hall of
Fame inductees and that probably made you think of Pete Rose and Joe
Jackson ... The reference was unintentional ... Sure, Rose had 185 hits
while playing all 162 games for Philly in his (nice, not legendary)
1980 Age-39 season, but Jackson was out of organized ball after hitting
.382 in his age-30 season, so neither made this team on merit ... Fret
not, Charlie Hustle fans, Pete wasn't nearly the bsst player left off
this roster; others included ...
https://www.battersbox.ca/article.php?story=2008012123071657