Oldest College Basketball Player

Oldest College Basketball Player

An article in the New York Times caught my eye today.  It was about the oldest college basketball player, Ken Mink, the 73 year old point guard for the Roane State Community College.

 From the article, by Jere Longman:

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/10/sports/ncaabasketball/10player.html?ref=sports

 “Before Sunday’s basketball game, Coach Yogi Woods gathered the junior varsity at Lambuth University. Watch out for 73 on the other team, he said. He did not mean the player’s number. He meant his age.

The visitors, Roane State Community College, had a septuagenarian guard, Ken Mink, college basketball’s oldest player, who has started a second career after his first ended a half century ago with a mysterious shaving-cream incident.

If the 6-foot Mink was good enough to play, he was good enough to be guarded, Woods told the Lambuth players. Then he turned to the freshman Kendrick Coleman and said: “If he goes in for a layup, don’t let him have it. If he scores on you, we will never let you forget it.”

 “At home games, Mink has been a crowd favorite. Attendance, usually about 100 per game, has on occasion swelled to 400. Mink’s wife, Emilia, 68, wore a retro cheerleader outfit to the season opener, complete with saddle shoes and a poodle skirt. She held up a sign that said, “Ken Can, He’s Our Medicare Man.”

I looked up the 2008 New York marathon.  They actually have a catergory for men and women over 80.  The oldest male runner, 87 year old Peter Harangozo, completed the 26 mile course in 8 hours.  The oldest female runner, 83 year old Yolande Marois, had a time of 7 hours and 48 minutes.  Of course I know I could beat these times, as long as I took a cab for the first 25 miles.

What is the longest you think you have run or walked without stopping?
 
When I was in the Army I did a “forced march” of 25 miles. I was 21 at the time.
 
Do you have a regular exercise routine? What is it?
 
During the summer I power walk about 3 miles a day.  During the winter, not so much.
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