A. J. Burnett
A flame-throwing right-hander known for his devastating curveball and memorable no-hitter, he was a coveted arm who pitched for five different major league clubs.
Born 1977 (age 49)·American baseball player·Birthday: January 3·Generation X
Biography
A.J. Burnett's career was a 17-season study in electric stuff and enduring resilience. With a fastball that sizzled and a curveball that buckled knees, he was the kind of pitcher scouts dream about, first breaking in with the Florida Marlins and playing a key role in their 2003 World Series run. His talent made him a prized free agent, leading to stints with the Toronto Blue Jays, New York Yankees—where he won a World Series in 2009—and later the Pittsburgh Pirates, where he experienced a career renaissance and became a clubhouse mentor. Burnett's pinnacle individual performance came in 2001 when he threw a no-hitter for the Marlins, walking nine but allowing no hits. Throughout his journey, he was defined by his competitive fire, accumulating over 2,500 strikeouts and often leading the league in categories both good (strikeouts) and challenging (walks and hit batters), cementing his reputation as a thrilling, unpredictable force on the mound.
Generation X
1965–1980
The latchkey kids. Raised during divorce, recession, and the end of the Cold War. Skeptical, self-reliant, media-literate. They invented indie culture, grunge, and the early internet — then watched the Boomers take credit.
A. was born in 1977, placing them squarely in the Generation X. The events that shaped this generation — economic uncertainty, the end of the Cold War, and the rise of personal computing — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When A. Was Born
The biggest hits of 1977
#1 Movie
Star Wars
Best Picture
Annie Hall
#1 TV Show
Happy Days
A.'s Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1977Born
Star Wars premieres; Elvis dies
Gas: $0.62/galHome: $31,800Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Tonight's the Night" — Rod StewartBest Picture: Annie Hall
1982Started school
Michael Jackson releases Thriller
Gas: $1.22/galHome: $55,200Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Physical" — Olivia Newton-JohnBest Picture: Gandhi
1990Became a teenager
Hubble Space Telescope launched; Germany reunifies
Gas: $1.15/galHome: $79,100Min wage: $3.80/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"Hold On" — Wilson PhillipsBest Picture: Dances with Wolves
1993Could drive
European Union officially established
Gas: $1.11/galHome: $86,600Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"I Will Always Love You" — Whitney HoustonBest Picture: Schindler's List
1995Could vote
Oklahoma City bombing; Windows 95 released
Gas: $1.15/galHome: $96,500Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Gangsta's Paradise" — CoolioBest Picture: Braveheart
1998Turned 21
Google founded; Clinton impeachment
Gas: $1.06/galHome: $107,300Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Too Close" — NextBest Picture: Shakespeare in Love
2007Turned 30
iPhone released; Great Recession begins
Gas: $2.80/galHome: $172,600Min wage: $5.85/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Irreplaceable" — BeyonceBest Picture: No Country for Old Men
2017Turned 40
#MeToo movement; solar eclipse crosses the US
Gas: $2.42/galHome: $195,000Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Shape of You" — Ed SheeranBest Picture: The Shape of Water
2026Age 49 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Pitched a no-hitter for the Florida Marlins on May 12, 2001, against the San Diego Padres.
- Won a World Series championship with the New York Yankees in 2009.
- Led the National League in strikeouts in 2008 while with the Toronto Blue Jays.
- Accumulated 2,513 strikeouts over his 17-season Major League career.
Did You Know?
He famously hit a grand slam in 2011 while pitching for the New York Yankees, one of the few pitchers to do so.
He led his league in hit batsmen four different times during his career.
After retiring, he made a brief comeback attempt with the Pittsburgh Pirates in 2016 but did not make the regular-season roster.
“I just went out there and competed with what I had.”
