Adam Kennedy
A clutch hitter who delivered one of the most memorable postseason performances in St. Louis Cardinals history.
Born 1976 (age 50)·American baseball player·Birthday: January 10·Generation X
Biography
Adam Kennedy carved out a solid 14-year career in the majors as a dependable second baseman, known more for his steady glove and contact hitting than for overwhelming power. His journey took him from the Cardinals, who drafted him, to the Angels, where he became a fixture, and through several other clubs. While a reliable regular, his legacy was cemented in a single afternoon during the 2002 American League Championship Series. With the Angels facing elimination, Kennedy, not known as a home run hitter, launched three homers in Game 5 to propel his team to the World Series, a feat of timely brilliance that forever defined his baseball story. After retiring, he transitioned into coaching, bringing his infield expertise to the San Diego Padres organization.
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.
Adam was born in 1976, 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 Adam Was Born
The biggest hits of 1976
#1 Movie
Rocky
Best Picture
Rocky
#1 TV Show
All in the Family
Adam's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1976Born
Apple Computer founded; US bicentennial
Gas: $0.59/galHome: $29,300Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"Silly Love Songs" — WingsBest Picture: Rocky
1981Started school
MTV launches; first Space Shuttle flight; AIDS identified
Gas: $1.31/galHome: $52,300Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Bette Davis Eyes" — Kim CarnesBest Picture: Chariots of Fire
1989Became a teenager
Berlin Wall falls; Tiananmen Square protests
Gas: $1.00/galHome: $79,100Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"Look Away" — ChicagoBest Picture: Driving Miss Daisy
1992Could drive
LA riots after Rodney King verdict
Gas: $1.13/galHome: $84,300Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"End of the Road" — Boyz II MenBest Picture: Unforgiven
1994Could vote
Nelson Mandela elected president of South Africa
Gas: $1.11/galHome: $90,400Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"The Sign" — Ace of BaseBest Picture: Forrest Gump
1997Turned 21
Princess Diana dies in Paris car crash; Harry Potter published
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $104,100Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Candle in the Wind 1997" — Elton JohnBest Picture: Titanic
2006Turned 30
Twitter launches; Pluto reclassified as dwarf planet
Gas: $2.59/galHome: $174,700Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Bad Day" — Daniel PowterBest Picture: The Departed
2016Turned 40
Donald Trump elected president; Brexit vote
Gas: $2.14/galHome: $181,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Love Yourself" — Justin BieberBest Picture: Moonlight
2026Turned 50
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Hit three home runs in Game 5 of the 2002 ALCS to clinch the American League pennant for the Anaheim Angels.
- Won a World Series ring with the St. Louis Cardinals in 2006.
- Recorded over 1,300 career hits and maintained a .272 lifetime batting average across 14 MLB seasons.
Did You Know?
He was originally drafted in the first round by the St. Louis Cardinals in 1997.
Kennedy won the ALCS MVP award in 2002 for his historic performance.
He played six different positions during his MLB career, including shortstop and left field.
“I just tried to be ready when my name was called.”
