94-Year-Old Gil Seidman Knows The Keys To Living A Long Life

Gil Seidman on the tennis court.

Gil Seidman is truly living his life one day at a time and enjoying every minute of it. For Seidman, physical activity is the key to his existence, longevity and happiness.

“I play tennis every morning and then go for an hour’s walk in the afternoon,” said Seidman, now 94 and getting ready to turn 95 in May.

On Tuesday afternoons during the winter, he plays stickball with the Brooklyn Bums of the Wycliffe Stiffs Stickball League.

“Daily exercise is how I stay alive,” added Seidman, who has been playing tennis for 40 years and stickball for 10 years.

On the tennis court, Seidman is a tenacious opponent.

“If I can reach it, I can hit it back,” said the left-handed Seidman, who prefers doubles over singles.

According to Seidman, the other key to his longevity is a smart, sensible diet.

“I try to eat healthy, and I don’t overeat. It’s not good for you. I have a low-fat diet with vegetables. I don’t eat meats like beef or pork. I eat lots of chicken and fish, mainly salmon, and a glass of red wine with dinner every night,” he said. “That’s how I stay alive.”

Gil Seidman playing stickball.

Seidman is a crafty tennis player who wields a Head racquet. As a tennis spectator, he always enjoyed watching the great Roger Federer play tennis, but he never saw the Swiss sensation play tennis in person. While living in New York for many years, on only one occasion did he take the time to attend the U.S. Open tennis tournament.

“I only went to the U.S. Open once, when it was held at Forest Hills in New York, many years ago,” Seidman said.

Seidman and his wife live at the Wycliffe Golf & Country Club during the late fall, throughout the winter and into the early spring. Then, they head north to Long Island, New York, for the late spring, summer and into the early fall.

Up in New York, he follows the same daily routine — tennis in the morning, walking in the afternoon and a light dinner along with a glass of red wine. That regime allows him to keep his weight around 150 pounds.

When he was gainfully employed, Seidman spent 20 years in the U.S. Navy, where he served at one point on the USS Joseph P. Kennedy. Seidman retired as a lieutenant commander. He then went to work in public education, eventually retiring from the New York school system as an assistant principal.

Looking back, he enjoyed his time defending America’s freedom followed by helping to educate future generations of Americans. In those two professions, he truly lived life one day at a time and enjoyed every minute of it, as he still does today.

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