Factory Of Sadness
FanSided

Cleveland Indians all-time mustache team

By Nick Dudukovich

1990: AN UNIDENTIFIED CHICAGO WHITE SOX RUNNER SLIDES INTO SECOND BASE AS CLEVELAND INDIANS INFIELDER FELIX FERMIN TURNS A DOUBLE PLAY DURING THE INDIANS GAME AT INDIANS PARK IN CLEVELAND, OHIO. MANDATORY CREDIT: RICK STEWART/ALLSPORT
1990: AN UNIDENTIFIED CHICAGO WHITE SOX RUNNER SLIDES INTO SECOND BASE AS CLEVELAND INDIANS INFIELDER FELIX FERMIN TURNS A DOUBLE PLAY DURING THE INDIANS GAME AT INDIANS PARK IN CLEVELAND, OHIO. MANDATORY CREDIT: RICK STEWART/ALLSPORT /
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3 Apr 1997: Designated hitter Julio Franco of the Cleveland Indians stands on base during a game against the Oakland Athletics at the Oakland Coliseum in Oakland, California. The Athletics won the game 5-4.
3 Apr 1997: Designated hitter Julio Franco of the Cleveland Indians stands on base during a game against the Oakland Athletics at the Oakland Coliseum in Oakland, California. The Athletics won the game 5-4. /

Julio Franco, 2B

In the surest sign a mustache is the key to longevity, look no further than Julio Franco, who’s career spanned 23 seasons.

The three-time All-Star played his last game in 2007, at the ripe old age of 47.

Franco was a bright spot of the Indians of the late 1980s, batting .295 between 1983-1988.

The Indians traded Franco to the Rangers, just before he hit his prime. Surely, the organization got something great for the budding star, right?

WRONG. Franco netted the Tribe Jerry Browne, Oddibe McDowell and Pete O’Brien.

Franco would go on to earn All-Star nods with Texas from 1989-1991. He even won the AL batting title during the 1991 season, batting .341 for the Rangers.

Franco left MLB after the 1994 strike shortened season, and spent the year playing in Japan.

He returned stateside in 1996, signing with the Tribe, making about $2.4 million, according to baseball-reference.com He was productive in his second go-round with the Tribe, batting .322 (.877 OPS).

He was released halfway through the 1997 season, and he joined the Brewers.

When it was all said and done, Franco retired with 2,586 career hits, the 87th most ever in the game of baseball.

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