Bobby Wine
A slick-fielding shortstop whose golden glove redefined defensive excellence for the Phillies before he shaped future talent as a longtime coach.
Born 1938 (age 88)·American baseball player and manager·Birthday: September 17·The Silent Generation
Biography
Bobby Wine entered the majors with a clear reputation: a wizard with the glove who would have to fight for every hit. For the Philadelphia Phillies in the early 1960s, his defensive prowess at shortstop was nothing short of revolutionary. He possessed soft hands, a powerful and accurate arm, and an intuitive sense of positioning, turning double plays with balletic timing. His 1963 Gold Glove season was a masterclass, though offensive struggles often overshadowed his brilliance in the field. After a stint with the expansion Montreal Expos, Wine transitioned seamlessly into coaching and managing. He became a trusted lieutenant, most notably for Atlanta Braves manager Bobby Cox, serving as his third-base coach for over a decade. In this role, Wine’s deep understanding of infield play and game strategy helped guide one of baseball's most successful modern teams.
The Silent Generation
1928–1945
Born between the Depression and the end of WWII. Too young to fight, old enough to remember. They became the conformist middle managers of the 1950s — and the civil rights leaders who quietly dismantled Jim Crow.
Bobby was born in 1938, placing them squarely in The Silent Generation. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Bobby Was Born
The biggest hits of 1938
#1 Movie
You Can't Take It with You
Best Picture
You Can't Take It with You
Bobby's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1938Born
Kristallnacht and the escalation toward WWII
Gas: $0.20/galHome: $2,850Min wage: $0.25/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Begin the Beguine" — Artie ShawBest Picture: You Can't Take It with You
1943Started school
Allies invade Sicily; Battle of Stalingrad ends
Gas: $0.21/galHome: $3,290Min wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"I've Heard That Song Before" — Harry JamesBest Picture: Casablanca
1951Became a teenager
First color TV broadcast in the US
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $7,925Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Too Young" — Nat King ColeBest Picture: An American in Paris
1954Could drive
Brown v. Board of Education desegregates US schools
Gas: $0.29/galHome: $8,925Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Little Things Mean a Lot" — Kitty KallenBest Picture: On the Waterfront
1956Could vote
Elvis Presley appears on The Ed Sullivan Show
Gas: $0.30/galHome: $10,050Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Heartbreak Hotel" — Elvis PresleyBest Picture: Around the World in 80 Days
1959Turned 21
Fidel Castro takes power in Cuba
Gas: $0.30/galHome: $12,400Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"The Battle of New Orleans" — Johnny HortonBest Picture: Ben-Hur
1968Turned 30
Martin Luther King Jr. and Robert Kennedy assassinated
Gas: $0.34/galHome: $14,950Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"Hey Jude" — The BeatlesBest Picture: Oliver!
1978Turned 40
First test-tube baby born
Gas: $0.63/galHome: $35,300Min wage: $2.65/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Shadow Dancing" — Andy GibbBest Picture: The Deer Hunter
1988Turned 50
Pan Am Flight 103 bombed over Lockerbie
Gas: $0.90/galHome: $74,800Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Faith" — George MichaelBest Picture: Rain Man
1998Turned 60
Google founded; Clinton impeachment
Gas: $1.06/galHome: $107,300Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Too Close" — NextBest Picture: Shakespeare in Love
2008Turned 70
Barack Obama elected first Black US president; financial crisis
Gas: $3.27/galHome: $153,100Min wage: $6.55/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Low" — Flo RidaBest Picture: Slumdog Millionaire
2018Turned 80
Royal wedding of Harry and Meghan; Parkland shooting
Gas: $2.72/galHome: $211,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"God's Plan" — DrakeBest Picture: Green Book
2026Age 88 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Won the National League Gold Glove Award at shortstop in 1963, leading the league in putouts and double plays.
- Served as the third-base coach for the Atlanta Braves from 1991 to 2003, a period that included five World Series appearances and the 1995 championship.
- Was the first-ever shortstop to start a game for the Montreal Expos when the franchise debuted in 1969.
- Led the National League in fielding percentage for shortstops three times during his career (1962, 1963, 1968).
Did You Know?
His son, Robbie Wine, was a first-round draft pick in 1983 and played minor league baseball.
He was a teammate of Hall of Famer Jim Bunning when Bunning pitched a perfect game in 1964.
After his coaching career, he worked as a scout for the Braves, continuing his involvement in the game into his seventies.
“A shortstop's worth is measured in outs, not batting averages.”
