C. J. Wilson
A left-handed pitcher who swapped the baseball diamond for the racetrack, building a second career as a successful motorsports team owner.
Born 1980 (age 46)·American baseball player·Birthday: November 18·Generation X
Biography
C.J. Wilson's professional life is a study in high-octane reinvention. On the mound, he was a crafty and durable left-hander, a key piece of the Texas Rangers teams that reached the World Series in 2010 and 2011. Known for his array of pitches and competitive fire, he carved out an 11-year Major League career that concluded with a substantial contract in Anaheim. But Wilson's true passion always idled in the garage. A lifelong car enthusiast, he began racing professionally in the offseason, treating his baseball earnings as seed capital for a more daring venture. Upon retiring from MLB, he fully committed to CJ Wilson Racing, building it from a passion project into a respected team competing in IMSA sports car championships. He traded the solitude of the pitcher's mound for the orchestrated chaos of the pit wall, proving his strategic mind worked just as well managing a team of drivers and engineers.
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.
C. was born in 1980, 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 C. Was Born
The biggest hits of 1980
#1 Movie
The Empire Strikes Back
Best Picture
Ordinary People
#1 TV Show
Dallas
C.'s Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1980Born
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
1985Started school
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
1993Became a teenager
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
1996Could drive
Dolly the sheep cloned
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $99,700Min wage: $4.75/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Macarena" — Los del RioBest Picture: The English Patient
1998Could vote
Google founded; Clinton impeachment
Gas: $1.06/galHome: $107,300Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Too Close" — NextBest Picture: Shakespeare in Love
2001Turned 21
September 11 attacks transform the world
Gas: $1.46/galHome: $126,400Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Hanging by a Moment" — LifehouseBest Picture: A Beautiful Mind
2010Turned 30
Deepwater Horizon oil spill; iPad launched
Gas: $2.79/galHome: $147,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Tik Tok" — KeshaBest Picture: The King's Speech
2020Turned 40
COVID-19 pandemic shuts down the world
Gas: $2.17/galHome: $248,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Blinding Lights" — The WeekndBest Picture: Nomadland
2026Age 46 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Pitched in two consecutive World Series for the Texas Rangers in 2010 and 2011 as a vital member of their starting rotation.
- Founded and owns CJ Wilson Racing, a team that competes at the professional level in IMSA sports car racing series.
- Recorded a 3.81 ERA over 11 MLB seasons, amassing over 1,200 innings and 1,100 strikeouts as a reliable starter.
Did You Know?
He is a certified Porsche driving instructor.
Wilson's baseball number with the Rangers was 32, which he chose as a tribute to NASCAR legend Dale Jarrett.
He owns an extensive collection of cars, including vintage motorcycles and rare Japanese models.
“My fastball sets up the slider, and my preparation sets up the win.”
