Cody Ross
A journeyman outfielder who became an overnight October hero, blasting his way to a World Series title with the San Francisco Giants in 2010.
Born 1980 (age 46)·American baseball player·Birthday: December 23·Generation X
Biography
Cody Ross carved out a 12-year major league career defined by resilience and a knack for clutch moments. After bouncing between four teams in his first four seasons, he found a home in Florida, establishing himself as a reliable power hitter. But his legacy was cemented after a mid-season waiver claim by the San Francisco Giants in 2010. That October, nicknamed 'The Ross Boss,' he transformed into a postseason force, hitting five home runs in the playoffs, including two in the NLCS to dismantle the Phillies and win series MVP honors. His timely hitting propelled the Giants to their first World Series championship in San Francisco. A rare 'righty bat, lefty throw' player, Ross's career exemplifies how a player can become a legend in a single, perfectly-timed month.
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.
Cody 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 Cody Was Born
The biggest hits of 1980
#1 Movie
The Empire Strikes Back
Best Picture
Ordinary People
#1 TV Show
Dallas
Cody'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
- Won the 2010 World Series as a key contributor with the San Francisco Giants.
- Named the 2010 NLCS Most Valuable Player after hitting .350 with three home runs against the Philadelphia Phillies.
- Hit five total home runs during the 2010 MLB postseason.
- Played over 1,100 games across 12 seasons for eight different MLB franchises.
Did You Know?
He is one of a small number of MLB players in history to bat right-handed but throw left-handed.
His walk-up music for his memorable 2010 playoff run was 'I'm Shipping Up to Boston' by the Dropkick Murphys.
He hit his first major league home run off Hall of Fame pitcher Randy Johnson.
“I just tried to put a good swing on it and it happened to go out.”
