I'm stumped...athlete with > 24 years at the top of their sport

[Prince EWS]

Hobbs was similar to Tendulkar. His test career was around 23 years and I think he had 3 good first-class seasons before and after.

Trevor Goddard immediately springs to mind on this front too; 25 year Test career. Bloody good player too.
EDIT: Apparently I'm completely wrong and he debuted in 1955, so 15 years. That sucks.

 

[Dissector]

At the level of pure longevity it's hard to beat Rhodes whose test career spanned 30 years. However he wasn't really a top test cricketer for most of his career: perhaps four years with the ball and another three or so years with the bat.

 

[BoyBrumby]

A bit of a minority sport, but Pierre Etchebaster won every real tennis world title between 1928-1954, a span of 26 years.

 

[Howe_zat]

At the level of pure longevity it's hard to beat Rhodes whose test career spanned 30 years. However he wasn't really a top test cricketer for most of his career: perhaps four years with the ball and another three or so years with the bat.

His Test career proper was more like 22 years (1899-1921), though he remained a dominant FC player for a few years after. He had one comeback match in 1926 and then toured the Windies in 1930 for matches that weren't considered Tests at the time.

 

[Neil Pickup]

Athletes who had the longest professional sports careers

 

[a massive zebra]

Raymond Ceulemans won the three-cushion billiards world championship 23 times over a period of 38 years.
George Digweed won the clay-shooting world championship 22 times over a period of 27 years.
Phil Taylor won the darts world championship 16 times over a period of 23 years.
Joe Davis won the snooker world championship 15 times over a period of 19 years.

 

[social]

Sachin retired after 24 years

Golden Bear's first and last majors were separated by 24 years

Have Sachin and Jack ever been seen together?

Spooky

 

[DDP]

Stephen Hendry (snooker player)

 

[Fuller Pilch]

I know it has been said - but Mark Todd.

Won Badminton Horse Trials in 1980 and 2011 (gap of 31 years) - won Olympic medals in 84 and 2012 (and some in-between) - gap of 28 years. Voted rider of the 20th century. Has attended 6 Olympics - don't know if planning to go to Rio in 2016

 

[Flem274*]

I'd add in Nick Skelton, and showjumping is a lot more competitive and generally bigger than eventing.

There are probably about a billion golfers who fit the description. I sweat there was a 70 year old doing the rounds a few years back on TV. Maybe some marathon runners. Any sport where there is a role where skill or fitness trumps the ability to bash into other people or ruin your body (fast bowling) by a significant margin would have a few 20+ careers.

 

[Spikey]

Athletes who had the longest professional sports careers

why did they have to use a picture of **** Messier in a nux uniform