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55-Year-Old Julio Franco to Continue Baseball Career With Fort Worth Cats

Photo by Brian Bahr/Getty Images

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Julio Franco spent portions of 23 seasons playing Major League Baseball before retiring in 2008, but the three-time MLB All-Star seemingly can't quit the game he loves.

The former American League batting champion who played for nine different Major League teams is set to become the third oldest person to ever play professionally after signing a contract with the Fort Worth Cats of the United Baseball League.

The Fort Worth Cats’ General Manager, Craig Brasfield, proudly announced today that former major leaguer Julio Franco will join the Fort Worth Cats Baseball Club as player/coach for the first home stand of the 2014 season, which begins on Tuesday, May 20. Based upon Franco’s addition, the United League has extended the Cats' initial homestand through Wednesday, May 28. Franco’s addition to the team will allow him to join a rare fraternity of players to play five decades of professional baseball.

Satchel Paige, who played professionally until he was 59, and Nick Altrock, until he was 57, are the only players who played at an older age.

Franco is expected to serve as the team's player-coach during its opening homestand, a role filled by fellow Major League Baseball veteran Jose Canseco last year.

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