ST. PAUL, Minn. -- The ageless Minnie Minoso added another line to his resume.

Minoso, 77, became the first player to play professional baseball in seven decades Wednesday night when he took the field for the St. Paul Saints against Gary in the independent Northern League.

He was in the lineup as St. Paul's designated hitter, as part of the team's annual Negro League tribute, and walked in the first inning.

Minoso became the first to play in six decades when he batted for the Saints in a game in 1993. He spent several years in the Negro Leagues before breaking into mainstream baseball in 1948 with Class A San Diego. He hit .298 in a 16-year major league career that ended in 1964 with the Chicago White Sox.

Minoso, who currently works in Chicago's community relations department, came back with the White Sox in 1976 for eight at-bats (he got one hit) and two more in 1980.