Jamie Moyer pitched in the big leagues for a quarter-century. Among MLB pitchers, only Nolan Ryan and Tommy John with their 26 seasons pitched longer. Moyer’s career spanned teammates born in 1945 (Davey Lopes) and 1991 (Rafael Ortega).

He made his debut – and captured his first win – on June 16, 1986 at age 23. When he recorded his final victory in 2012 at 49 years, 180 days of age, Moyer became the oldest pitcher to ever win a major league game.

The soft-tossing left-hander broke in with the Cubs in ’86 and won 7 of his 11 decisions. In addition to his time in Chicago, Moyer’s first decade in the bigs included stops in Texas, Baltimore, and Boston. Those ten years featured a lackluster 59-76 record and 4.51 ERA. During that time three teams thought so little of him that they released him.

Few would’ve predicted he win 269 games and pitch until six months before his 50th birthday.

Shown here is an autographed 1990 Topps card showing Moyer in a Rangers uniform.

Jamie Moyer’s career solidified when he was traded to the Seattle Mariners on July 30, 1996. The soft-tossing lefty finished the season with a 13-3 record and a league-leading .813 winning percentage. He found a home.

His 11 seasons in Seattle included an All Star selection, and 145 wins. By the time he left the Mariners in 2006 he was the franchise’s all-time leader in starts, innings, and wins.

The Mariners Opening Day starter four times, Moyer also threw the first pitch Seattle’s Safeco Field in 1999. He remains the only two-time 20-game winner in team history.

In August, 2006, Seattle ended his Mariners career when they traded the 43-year old Moyer to Philadelphia.

In the collection is this Jamie Moyer autographed Strat-O-Matic card from 1996. Bucknell University math major Hal Richman originated the Strat-O-Matic game in 1961. Advertised in Sports Illustrated and sold out of Richman’s basement, Strat-O-Matic gave its players the ability to make managerial decisions based on MLB statistics.

During Jamie Moyer’s last two seasons with the Mariners he pitched with Felix Hernandez. Little did Moyer know that the youngster would go on to become the franchise’s most prolific hurler.

By the time Moyer left Seattle in 2006 – two years into King Felix’s career – he held the franchise record for starts (323), innings (2,093), and wins (145). Hernandez remained with the Mariners through 2019 and passed all of Moyer’s marks.

Felix retired after 418 starts, 2,729 innings, and 169 wins – all in a Mariner uniform.

Shown here is a PSA-authenticated signature of Hernandez on a ticket to his final minor league start. Pitching for Triple-A Tacoma, Hernandez was dominant. He threw four no-hit innings, and struck out seven. Five days later he made his big league debut in Detroit.

On August 19, 2006, the Mariners traded Jamie Moyer to the Phillies. In 2007 and 2008 the lefthander won a combined 30 games for the Phillies in his age-44 and -45 seasons. His five seasons in the City of Brotherly Love included 118 starts and 56 wins.

In 2008 behind the stellar postseason pitching of Cole Hamels, the Phillies gave Moyer his only Fall Classic title. The NLCS and World Series MVP, Hamels went 3-0 with a 2.33 ERA. Moyer pitched in with 11 1/3 postseason innings.

Moyer played with the Phillies until closing out his career with the Rockies in 2012. In Colorado he won a pair of games before his release in June, six months shy of his 50th birthday.

Moyer left the game with 269 wins, good for 35th all time. The 522 home runs he gave up is the most in baseball history. Moyer also ranks 16th in starts (638), 30th in hits given up (4,231), and 37th in losses (209). Only Cy Young and Phil Niekro gave up more earned runs.

During his quarter-century of service in the majors, Moyer received the Hutch, Lou Gehrig, Roberto Clemente, and Branch Rickey Awards. In 2015 the Mariners inducted Moyer into their team Hall of Fame.

In the collection is the document Cole Hamels signed to receive his 2011 All Star ring. Though selected for the squad, Hamels was not allowed to play in the game because he pitched the Sunday prior to the game.

Jamie Moyer was rewarded for his 11 seasons and 145 wins with the Mariners with the highest honor the team has to offer. In 2015 the franchise inducted him into their team Hall of Fame. His selection came one year after his Seattle manager of six seasons, Lou Piniella.

The two teamed to help the Mariners to four 90-win seasons including a 116-victory season in 2001. The total tied the 1908 Chicago Cubs for the most regular season wins in a season.

Moyer won 20 games for the first time and finished 4th in Cy Young balloting. Piniella earned the second of his three Manager of the Year nods.

In the collection is this lineup card from September 26, 1993 signed by Piniella as Mariners skipper. In the game Randy Johnson recorded his 300th strikeout of the season. It was the first of his record six seasons with at least 300 Ks.  The Big Unit boldly signed the middle of the lineup card.