Category: People

Willie Nelson

We know what you're thinking. "Who could possibly be older than Willie Nelson?" Actually, Roscoe Bartlett was already in grade school when Willie Nelson was born. In high school, Willie was a member of the Future Farmers of America, and he spent one year at Baylor University studying agriculture. We're not sure what crops Willie was fixin' to grow.

He gave up his dreams of farming to give country music a try, and he moved to Nashville in 1960. Since then, Willie has appeared in 25 movies, won 10 Grammy Awards, released 14 Number 1 albums, 22 Number 1 singles, had 4 wives, fathered 8 children, and paid over $16 Million in back taxes. No wonder he looks like this.

J. Glenn Beall, Jr.

J. Glenn Beall, Jr. was Roscoe Bartlett's predecessor's predecessor's predecessor as U.S. Representative from Maryland's 6th Congressional District, and he was still younger than Roscoe. Did you follow all that? OK, let's try again. Beall was first elected to Congress 40 years ago when he was 41 years old. He was succeeded by Goodloe Bryon two years later, and he was succeeded by Beverly Byron eight years after that. They were all younger than Roscoe Bartlett.

Beall was elected to the U.S. Senate where he helped create the Congressional Budget Office and established the C&O Canal National Historical Park. J. Glenn Beall, Jr. died two years ago in Cumberland after battling cancer.

Fidel Castro

A couple months after Roscoe Bartlett was born, Angel Castro fathered a son by a household servant at his sugar plantation. Fidel Castro had four sisters and two brothers, all born out of wedlock. His father eventually married his mother, and recognized his children when Fidel was 17. While a law student, Castro became increasingly political, and two years after he earned his law degree he ran for parliament. But before the election took place, General Batista took over the government in a military coup, and canceled the election. Castro became a revolutionary.

Castro's first attempt to overthrow Batista was a dismal failure, resulting in his arrest and incarceration. A general amnesty allowed him to flee to Mexico where he plotted another attempt at revolution. His second attempt resulted in the deaths of three-fourths of his men, and he fled to the mountains. There he began a guerilla war against the government, and finally on New Year's Eve of 1958 Batista fled the country. Six weeks later, Castro became prime minister of Cuba.

Fidel Castro fathered seven sons and one daughter by two wives and two mistresses. He survived repeated American attempts to depose him over the years, and only resigned last February when faced with failing health. His brother Raul now rules Cuba in his place.

Joe Paterno

The oldest college football coach in America is still six months younger than Roscoe Bartlett. At 82, Paterno has been facing repeated calls for his retirement for over a decade. Unquestionably, his coaching skills have declined over the years, and he has not won a national title for 22 years. All of his losing seasons have occurred after he turned 74 years of age. More recently, he has turned over increasing responsibilities to his assistant coaches, becoming more of Chairman of the Board than a CEO of his football program.

Pope Benedict XVI

Not many people can brag that they are even older than the Pope, but Roscoe Bartlett was born nearly a year before Joseph Ratzinger. Born in Bavaria, young Ratzinger was forced into the Hitler Youth at the age of 14. The Nazis killed his cousin with Downs Syndrome to help purify the German race. At 16, he was drafted out of the seminary to serve in the German Army, but he deserted from the collapsing Western Front. He was eventually placed in a POW camp, but was released only a few months later. He then re-entered the seminary

Although he appears to be in better health than his predecessor was at his age, Pope Benedict has suffered at least two strokes and has a heart condition. Perhaps if he tried a different hat he might look a little younger.