Arthur Rhodes
A durable left-handed reliever whose 20-year MLB career spanned nine teams, becoming a trusted late-inning weapon well into his 40s.
Born 1969 (age 57)·American baseball player·Birthday: October 24·Generation X
Biography
Arthur Rhodes carved out a remarkable two-decade journey through Major League Baseball, a testament to resilience and a potent fastball-slider combination. Breaking in with the Baltimore Orioles in 1991, the lanky left-hander evolved from a sporadic starter into a bullpen mainstay. His career was a tour of the American and National Leagues, with stops from Seattle to Cincinnati, where he became a central figure in the Reds' 2010 division title run. Rhodes possessed a unique ability to retire both left-handed and right-handed hitters, a rarity that extended his value. His longevity was punctuated by an All-Star selection at age 41 with the Texas Rangers, making him one of the oldest first-time All-Stars ever. After retiring, he transitioned into coaching, imparting the lessons from over 900 big-league appearances to the next generation.
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.
Arthur was born in 1969, 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 Arthur Was Born
The biggest hits of 1969
#1 Movie
Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid
Best Picture
Midnight Cowboy
#1 TV Show
Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In
Arthur's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1969Born
Apollo 11: humans walk on the Moon; Woodstock festival
Gas: $0.35/galHome: $15,550Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Sugar, Sugar" — The ArchiesBest Picture: Midnight Cowboy
1974Started school
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
1982Became a teenager
Michael Jackson releases Thriller
Gas: $1.22/galHome: $55,200Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Physical" — Olivia Newton-JohnBest Picture: Gandhi
1985Could drive
Live Aid concerts raise money for Ethiopian famine
Gas: $1.12/galHome: $62,900Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Careless Whisper" — Wham!Best Picture: Out of Africa
1987Could vote
Black Monday stock market crash
Gas: $0.90/galHome: $72,400Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Walk Like an Egyptian" — The BanglesBest Picture: The Last Emperor
1990Turned 21
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
1999Turned 30
Columbine shooting; Y2K panic builds
Gas: $1.17/galHome: $113,900Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Believe" — CherBest Picture: American Beauty
2009Turned 40
Michael Jackson dies; Bitcoin created
Gas: $2.35/galHome: $148,500Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Boom Boom Pow" — The Black Eyed PeasBest Picture: The Hurt Locker
2019Turned 50
First image of a black hole; Hong Kong protests
Gas: $2.60/galHome: $224,400Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Old Town Road" — Lil Nas XBest Picture: Parasite
2026Age 57 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Selected as an MLB All-Star in 2010 at the age of 41 with the Texas Rangers.
- Pitched in 20 Major League seasons for nine different franchises from 1991 to 2011.
- Appeared in 64 games for the 2001 Seattle Mariners team that won an American League record 116 games.
- Was a key reliever for the 2010 Cincinnati Reds, who won the National League Central division.
- Recorded 917 career strikeouts over 1,197 innings pitched as a reliever.
Did You Know?
He was famously known for wearing his socks high, in a distinctive old-school style.
Rhodes and his son, Jordan, were both drafted by the Baltimore Orioles, 20 years apart.
He played for nearly a third of all MLB franchises during his career.
In 2008, he had a 0.68 ERA over 25 appearances for the Florida Marlins before being traded mid-season.
“You show up every day ready to get three outs, no matter what happened yesterday.”
