Bret Saberhagen
A pitching prodigy who dominated baseball in the 1980s with surgical control, winning two Cy Young Awards before injuries curtailed his prime.
Born 1964 (age 62)·American baseball player·Birthday: April 11·Baby Boomers
Biography
Bret Saberhagen arrived in the major leagues with the Kansas City Royals as a teenage phenomenon, his right arm possessing a rare combination of power and precision. In 1985, at just 21, he didn't just help his team win a World Series; he was named the Fall Classic's MVP, announcing himself as a big-game pitcher. His peak years were characterized by almost absurd control; he would famously walk barely more than a batter per game during his Cy Young seasons in 1985 and 1989. Saberhagen's career, however, became a story of brilliance interrupted. A persistent shoulder injury in 1990 began a long cycle of rehabilitation and comebacks across several teams. While he authored memorable moments like a near-perfect game and another All-Star selection in the 1990s, his legacy remains anchored in that brief, dazzling window where he was arguably the most unhittable pitcher on the planet.
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.
Bret was born in 1964, 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 Bret Was Born
The biggest hits of 1964
#1 Movie
Mary Poppins
Best Picture
My Fair Lady
#1 TV Show
Bonanza
Bret's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1964Born
Civil Rights Act signed; Beatles arrive in America
Gas: $0.30/galHome: $13,450Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"I Want to Hold Your Hand" — The BeatlesBest Picture: My Fair Lady
1969Started school
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
1977Became a teenager
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
1980Could drive
John Lennon shot and killed in New York
Gas: $1.19/galHome: $47,200Min wage: $3.10/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Call Me" — BlondieBest Picture: Ordinary People
1982Could vote
Michael Jackson releases Thriller
Gas: $1.22/galHome: $55,200Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Physical" — Olivia Newton-JohnBest Picture: Gandhi
1985Turned 21
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
1994Turned 30
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
2004Turned 40
Indian Ocean tsunami kills over 230,000
Gas: $1.88/galHome: $157,300Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Yeah!" — UsherBest Picture: Million Dollar Baby
2014Turned 50
Russia annexes Crimea; Ebola outbreak in West Africa
Gas: $3.37/galHome: $160,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Happy" — Pharrell WilliamsBest Picture: Birdman
2024Turned 60
AI reshapes industries; Paris Olympics
Gas: $3.31/galHome: $372,000Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Joe Biden"Espresso" — Sabrina CarpenterBest Picture: Anora
2026Age 62 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Won the American League Cy Young Award twice, in 1985 and 1989, with the Kansas City Royals.
- Was named the World Series MVP in 1985 after leading the Royals to their first championship.
- Pitched a one-hitter against the Chicago White Sox in 1991 where the only baserunner reached on an error, effectively a 'perfect game' marred by a fielding mistake.
Did You Know?
He was born on April 11, 1964, which was also Opening Day of the World's Fair in New York.
He famously brought his infant son, Drew, to the pitcher's mound during the Royals' 1985 World Series victory celebration.
After retirement, he served as the pitching coach for the baseball team at Calabasas High School in California.
“"I just went out there and tried to throw strikes. I never tried to strike out a lot of guys."”
