Brian Falkenborg
A towering relief pitcher whose career spanned MLB and Japan, he became a trusted late-inning specialist for the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks during their dynasty.
Born 1978 (age 48)·American baseball player·Birthday: January 18·Generation X
Biography
Standing 6'8", Brian Falkenborg was an imposing figure on the mound, a right-handed reliever whose professional journey was defined by resilience and reinvention. After being drafted by the Baltimore Orioles, his MLB career saw him shuttle between the big leagues and the minors with several clubs, his power arm always in demand but never quite finding a permanent home. His career found its most significant chapter in Japan's Nippon Professional Baseball. With the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks, Falkenborg transformed into a cornerstone of the bullpen, his fastball and slider becoming essential weapons during the team's run of dominance in the early 2010s. He embraced the culture and the competition, earning the trust of managers in high-leverage situations and becoming a fan favorite, proving that a player's greatest impact can come far from where he started.
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.
Brian was born in 1978, 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 Brian Was Born
The biggest hits of 1978
#1 Movie
Grease
Best Picture
The Deer Hunter
#1 TV Show
Laverne & Shirley
Brian's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1978Born
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
1983Started school
Internet adopts TCP/IP, creating the modern internet
Gas: $1.16/galHome: $57,700Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Every Breath You Take" — The PoliceBest Picture: Terms of Endearment
1991Became a teenager
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
1994Could drive
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
1996Could vote
Dolly the sheep cloned
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $99,700Min wage: $4.75/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Macarena" — Los del RioBest Picture: The English Patient
1999Turned 21
Columbine shooting; Y2K panic builds
Gas: $1.17/galHome: $113,900Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Believe" — CherBest Picture: American Beauty
2008Turned 30
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 40
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 48 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Won two Japan Series championships with the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks in 2011 and 2014.
- Recorded a 1.16 ERA over 46 appearances for the Hawks in the 2011 championship season.
- Pitched in MLB for four different teams across parts of seven seasons.
Did You Know?
He was originally drafted as a starting pitcher by the Baltimore Orioles in the second round of the 1996 draft.
After retiring, he worked as a pitching coach in the Seattle Mariners' minor league system.
He wore jersey number 40 for most of his career with the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks.
“You don't throw six-eight; you throw strikes, or you go home.”
