Perseverance

After briefly talking of quitting the game earlier in the 2002 season, when he is stuck in the minors and seemingly going nowhere, longtime Class AA Harrisburg Senators infielder Jamey Carroll makes his major league debut 21 years ago today.

Carroll starts at third base for the Expos and goes 2-for-3 with a walk in Montreal’s 6-3 loss to the Cubs at Wrigley Field.

At 28 years and 7 months, Carroll is the second-oldest position player to make his major league debut with Montreal – trailing only third baseman Coco Laboy, who is 28 years and 9 months when he starts the Expos’ inaugural game in 1969.

The dirt-moving Carroll – seen here through the eyes of photographer extraordinaire Ed Wolfstein – immediately becomes a favorite of Expos manager Frank Robinson, who keeps finding ways to get playing time for his newest puzzle piece.

With the exception of a three-game stay at Class AAA in 2009 for an injury rehab assignment, Carroll never spends another day in the minors – playing 12 seasons in the majors for six teams before finally retiring after the 2013 season with 1,000 career hits and a .272 lifetime batting average.