Andrés Galarraga
A gentle giant from Venezuela who overcame cancer to win a batting title and became the heart of Colorado's 'Blake Street Bombers'.
Born 1961 (age 65)·Venezuelan baseball player·Birthday: June 18·Baby Boomers
Biography
Andrés Galarraga emerged from Caracas to become one of baseball's most formidable and beloved figures. His early career with the Montreal Expos hinted at his power, but it was his move to the Colorado Rockies in 1993 that turned him into a superstar. In the thin air of Denver, 'The Big Cat' unleashed his smooth, right-handed swing, capturing the National League batting crown in his first season with the club and helping to define the era of the 'Blake Street Bombers.' His story took a dramatic turn in 1999 when he was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, a battle he fought and won, returning to the Atlanta Braves to hit .302 with 28 home runs—a comeback that cemented his legacy far beyond statistics. Galarraga's joyful presence and resilience made him a fan favorite in every city he played.
Baby Boomers
1946–1964
The largest generation in history at the time. Shaped by postwar prosperity, the Vietnam War, the sexual revolution, and Watergate. They questioned every institution their parents built — then ran them.
Andrés was born in 1961, placing them squarely in the Baby Boomers. The events that shaped this generation — postwar prosperity, civil rights, Vietnam, and the counterculture — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Andrés Was Born
The biggest hits of 1961
#1 Movie
101 Dalmatians
Best Picture
West Side Story
#1 TV Show
Wagon Train
Andrés's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1961Born
Yuri Gagarin becomes the first human in space
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $12,500Min wage: $1.15/hrPresident: John F. Kennedy"Tossin' and Turnin'" — Bobby LewisBest Picture: West Side Story
1966Started school
Star Trek premieres on television
Gas: $0.32/galHome: $14,200Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"The Ballad of the Green Berets" — SSgt Barry SadlerBest Picture: A Man for All Seasons
1974Became a teenager
Nixon resigns the presidency
Gas: $0.53/galHome: $22,600Min wage: $2.00/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"The Way We Were" — Barbra StreisandBest Picture: The Godfather Part II
1977Could drive
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
1979Could vote
Iran hostage crisis begins; Three Mile Island accident
Gas: $0.86/galHome: $37,900Min wage: $2.90/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"My Sharona" — The KnackBest Picture: Kramer vs. Kramer
1982Turned 21
Michael Jackson releases Thriller
Gas: $1.22/galHome: $55,200Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Physical" — Olivia Newton-JohnBest Picture: Gandhi
1991Turned 30
Soviet Union dissolves; World Wide Web goes public
Gas: $1.14/galHome: $82,400Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"(Everything I Do) I Do It for You" — Bryan AdamsBest Picture: The Silence of the Lambs
2001Turned 40
September 11 attacks transform the world
Gas: $1.46/galHome: $126,400Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Hanging by a Moment" — LifehouseBest Picture: A Beautiful Mind
2011Turned 50
Osama bin Laden killed; Arab Spring sweeps the Middle East
Gas: $3.53/galHome: $138,400Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Rolling in the Deep" — AdeleBest Picture: The Artist
2021Turned 60
January 6 Capitol breach; COVID vaccines roll out globally
Gas: $3.01/galHome: $298,900Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Joe Biden"Levitating" — Dua LipaBest Picture: CODA
2026Age 65 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Won the National League batting title in 1993 with a .370 average for the Colorado Rockies.
- Earned five All-Star selections and two Gold Glove Awards for his defensive play at first base.
- Hit 399 career home runs and drove in over 1,400 runs across 19 Major League seasons.
- Won the National League Comeback Player of the Year Award in 2000 after returning from cancer treatment.
Did You Know?
His nickname, 'The Big Cat,' was given for his surprising agility and grace around first base despite his large frame.
He was the first player in Rockies franchise history to hit for the cycle, accomplishing the feat in 1995.
He hit a grand slam in his first game back with the Montreal Expos after being traded away and later re-acquired.
He led the National League in hits in 1996 and 1997.
“You have to swing hard to hit the ball far.”
