At 43, Lew Ford's Never-Ending Career Keeps Rolling as Player-Coach

Lew Ford was drafted by the Red Sox in 1999. He debuted in 2003. He placed on the AL MVP ballot in 2004—and he's still playing now. Not anywhere in the big leagues, rather as a player-coach for the Long Island Ducks of the Independent League. Ford still isn't ready to call it quits.

The first time Lew Ford thought his professional baseball career had reached its end came 1,911 games, 11 teams, five leagues, three countries and 18 years ago. Back then, he was a 24-year-old outfielder buried in the Minnesota Twins’ farm system, frustrated that his first taste of Double A had gone so poorly in 2001. Armed with a bachelor’s degree in math and computer science and living in Austin, Tx., he…