# Which Benchwarmer Played the Longest? **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [April 12, 2015, 2:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-benchwarmer-played-the-longest/717468 "2015-04-12T02:16:27Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Jeffrey\_Lebowski](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_jeffrey_lebowski/32/215_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Jeffrey\_Lebowski](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Jeffrey_Lebowski)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2015, 2:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-benchwarmer-played-the-longest/717468/1 "2015-04-12T02:16:27Z")
What do you say, masses? Frequently, in the NBA, there are players that are good locker room guys that hardly ever play, but stick around well into their twilight years (Herb Williams would be a perfect example); backup quarterbacks that become entrenched yet only play a few times the entire season (someone like Gary Kubiak) for years. I imagine that there are plenty of keepers (does Brad Friedel play very much?) that would fit this category. Who made the most and did the least? Maybe it’s Julio Franco (still cashing a check at age 56!!) ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2015, 4:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-benchwarmer-played-the-longest/717468/2 "2015-04-12T16:19:51Z")
[Earl Morrall](http://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/M/MorrEa00.htm) played for 21 seasons in the NFL. In at least one case, he wasn’t a pure backup, however – in '65, he was traded from the Lions to the Giants, and started every game that season for New York (which was apparently in a rebuilding mode that year). He also started every game for Baltimore in ‘68, though that was because Johnny Unitas was lost for the year during a preseason game. And, he started 9 games of the Dolphins’ perfect 1972 season, when Bob Griese was injured. He started 102 games in 21 seasons, but he was clearly the backup quarterback for nearly all of his career. ---
**Author:** ![madsircool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madsircool/32/3432_2.png) [@madsircool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madsircool)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2015, 10:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-benchwarmer-played-the-longest/717468/3 "2015-04-12T22:59:19Z")
Manny Mota ---
**Author:** ![Jim\_s\_Son](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e19adc/32.png) [@Jim\_s\_Son](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jim_s_Son)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2015, 1:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-benchwarmer-played-the-longest/717468/4 "2015-04-13T01:09:34Z")
Dave Bergman played for 17 years and never had more than 385 at bats > **[Dave Bergman Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Rookie Status & More |...](https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/b/bergmda01.shtml)** > > Check out the latest Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Rookie Status & More of Dave Bergman. Get info about his position, age, height, weight, draft status, bats, throws, school and more on Baseball-reference.com ---
**Author:** ![Jim\_s\_Son](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e19adc/32.png) [@Jim\_s\_Son](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jim_s_Son)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2015, 1:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-benchwarmer-played-the-longest/717468/5 "2015-04-13T01:13:58Z")
Steve DeBerg played in the NFL for 20 years and 140 starts but you always had the impression he was holding the job until someone better like Montana or Elway came along. > **[Steve DeBerg Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Draft, College |...](https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/D/DebeSt00.htm)** > > Checkout the latest stats for Steve DeBerg. Get info about his position, age, height, weight, college, draft, and more on Pro-football-reference.com. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Jeffrey\_Lebowski](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_jeffrey_lebowski/32/215_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Jeffrey\_Lebowski](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Jeffrey_Lebowski)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2015, 7:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-benchwarmer-played-the-longest/717468/6 "2015-04-13T07:10:17Z")
Wow, I didn’t know that Earl Morral played that long; his contribution to the '72 Dolphins certainly elevates him from a mere clipboard holder (I think that Jim Sorgi might be a good example of that). Good call with Dave Bergman! ---
**Author:** ![Andrew\_21](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/bcef8e/32.png) [@Andrew\_21](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Andrew_21)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2015, 10:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-benchwarmer-played-the-longest/717468/7 "2015-04-13T10:52:02Z")
[Rick Dempsey](http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/d/dempsri01.shtml) was a four decade player (1969-1992). He had 400 at bats only once. ---
**Author:** ![Enginerd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/bcef8e/32.png) [@Enginerd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enginerd)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2015, 12:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-benchwarmer-played-the-longest/717468/8 "2015-04-13T12:05:13Z")
Dempsey was the primary starting catcher for the Orioles for ten years, though (1977-86), and he was the World Series MVP in 1983. In that stretch, he started 73% of Baltimore’s games - I don’t think he’s really the kind of benchwarmer the OP is talking about. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2015, 4:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-benchwarmer-played-the-longest/717468/9 "2015-04-13T16:01:40Z")
[Terry Crowley](http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/c/crowlte01.shtml), who may have been MLB’s first career pinch-hitter, never appeared in more than 97 games in any given season during his 15 years. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2015, 4:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-benchwarmer-played-the-longest/717468/10 "2015-04-13T16:09:40Z")
As of 2012, utility man [Lenny Harris](http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/h/harrile01.shtml) holds the record for the most career pinch hits (212). ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2015, 4:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-benchwarmer-played-the-longest/717468/11 "2015-04-13T16:19:09Z")
[Also games (career & season) and at bats (career & season) as a pinch-hitter.](http://www.baseball-reference.com/bullpen/Lenny_Harris) ---
**Author:** ![Bullitt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bullitt/32/5725_2.png) [@Bullitt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bullitt)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2015, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-benchwarmer-played-the-longest/717468/12 "2015-04-13T16:25:35Z")
Earl Morrall, while yes the backup to Unitas and Griese for much of his career, was in 1968 the MVP of the NFL. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2015, 5:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-benchwarmer-played-the-longest/717468/13 "2015-04-13T17:09:15Z")
> [@Bullitt](#): > > Earl Morrall, while yes the backup to Unitas and Griese for much of his career, was in 1968 the MVP of the NFL. He was, indeed…though the only reason he played at all that season was that Unitas was injured. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2015, 5:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-benchwarmer-played-the-longest/717468/14 "2015-04-13T17:14:00Z")
> [@kenobi\_65](#): > > [Earl Morrall](http://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/M/MorrEa00.htm) … started 9 games of the Dolphins’ perfect 1972 season, when Bob Griese was injured. After Morrall left, Don Strock made a 15-year career out of being Griese’s backup. ---
**Author:** ![Moriarty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/moriarty/32/49_2.png) [@Moriarty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moriarty)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2015, 7:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-benchwarmer-played-the-longest/717468/15 "2015-04-13T19:04:03Z")
He doesn’t compete for longest tenure, but [Randy Bush](http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/b/bushra01.shtml) had a nice 11 year career as the Twins’ backup outfielder (appearing on both World Series winners). He led the American League in pinch hits in 1991 and finished third in 1986 and 1992. (I mention him because I was friends with his step-brothers growing up, and got to meet him a few times). ---
**Author:** ![Folacin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/folacin/32/3195_2.png) [@Folacin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Folacin)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2015, 9:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-benchwarmer-played-the-longest/717468/16 "2015-04-13T21:53:41Z")
Benchwarmer Bob Lurtsema - 10 years in the NFL, and basically [no stats](http://www.nfl.com/player/boblurtsema/2519832/profile). Fun set of commercials for a MN bank during his Vikings years. ---
**Author:** ![bucketybuck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/898d66/32.png) [@bucketybuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bucketybuck)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2015, 9:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-benchwarmer-played-the-longest/717468/17 "2015-04-13T21:59:38Z")
> [@The\_Other\_Jeffrey\_Lebowski](#): > > I imagine that there are plenty of keepers (does Brad Friedel play very much?) that would fit this category. > Who made the most and did the least? 😃 You couldn’t have picked a worse example, Brad Freidel is the current holder of the Premier League record for most consecutive appearances with 310. ---
**Author:** ![BlankSlate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blankslate/32/80_2.png) [@BlankSlate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BlankSlate)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2015, 10:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-benchwarmer-played-the-longest/717468/18 "2015-04-13T22:50:51Z")
[Rafael Belliard](http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/b/bellira01.shtml) played for 17 seasons. An above average fielder, he only managed 2534 plate appearances, with a truly awful .221/.270/.259 slash line. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2015, 10:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-benchwarmer-played-the-longest/717468/19 "2015-04-13T22:52:11Z")
> [@madsircool](#): > > Manny Mota Best known for pinch-hitting for Perdo Borbon. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Jeffrey\_Lebowski](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_jeffrey_lebowski/32/215_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Jeffrey\_Lebowski](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Jeffrey_Lebowski)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2015, 4:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-benchwarmer-played-the-longest/717468/20 "2015-04-14T04:14:28Z")
> [@bucketybuck](#): > > 😃 You couldn’t have picked a worse example, Brad Freidel is the current holder of the Premier League record for most consecutive appearances with 310. Ha! Ignorance fought - thanks, **bb**. I’m a very casual footie follower, mostly just pay attention to the USMNT. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-benchwarmer-played-the-longest/717468.md?page=2)