Brian Roberts (baseball)
A dynamic switch-hitting second baseman whose explosive speed and gritty play became the heart of the Baltimore Orioles for over a decade.
Born 1977 (age 49)·American baseball player·Birthday: October 9·Generation X
Biography
Brian Roberts stood at the center of the diamond and, for a long stretch, at the center of the Baltimore Orioles' identity. Drafted in 1999, he brought a compact, switch-hitting stroke and blinding speed to the top of the lineup. In 2005, he announced himself as a star, leading the American League in doubles and stealing a career-high 27 bases. Roberts was the sparkplug, the player who could turn a walk into a double with his aggressive baserunning. His career, however, was a testament to resilience as much as talent. A devastating concussion in 2010 and a series of other injuries robbed him of several prime seasons, but he fought his way back each time, earning the respect of teammates and fans for his determination. While his final season was with the New York Yankees, his legacy is painted in Orioles orange and black, where his consistent excellence and hard-nosed style made him a franchise icon.
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 1977, 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 1977
#1 Movie
Star Wars
Best Picture
Annie Hall
#1 TV Show
Happy Days
Brian's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1977Born
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
1982Started school
Michael Jackson releases Thriller
Gas: $1.22/galHome: $55,200Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Physical" — Olivia Newton-JohnBest Picture: Gandhi
1990Became a teenager
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
1993Could drive
European Union officially established
Gas: $1.11/galHome: $86,600Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"I Will Always Love You" — Whitney HoustonBest Picture: Schindler's List
1995Could vote
Oklahoma City bombing; Windows 95 released
Gas: $1.15/galHome: $96,500Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Gangsta's Paradise" — CoolioBest Picture: Braveheart
1998Turned 21
Google founded; Clinton impeachment
Gas: $1.06/galHome: $107,300Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Too Close" — NextBest Picture: Shakespeare in Love
2007Turned 30
iPhone released; Great Recession begins
Gas: $2.80/galHome: $172,600Min wage: $5.85/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Irreplaceable" — BeyonceBest Picture: No Country for Old Men
2017Turned 40
#MeToo movement; solar eclipse crosses the US
Gas: $2.42/galHome: $195,000Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Shape of You" — Ed SheeranBest Picture: The Shape of Water
2026Age 49 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Selected as an American League All-Star in 2005 and 2007.
- Led the American League in doubles with 56 in 2009.
- Holds the Baltimore Orioles franchise record for most career stolen bases by a second baseman.
- Inducted into the Baltimore Orioles Hall of Fame in 2018.
Did You Know?
He is the son of former MLB pitcher and coach Mike Roberts.
Roberts hit the last home run at the old Yankee Stadium in 2008, a grand slam off pitcher Darrell Rasner.
He was a standout baseball and basketball player at the University of South Carolina.
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