Cory Lidle
A journeyman pitcher whose career and life ended tragically in a plane crash in New York City.
1972–2006 (age 34)·American baseball player·Birthday: March 22·Generation X
Biography
Cory Lidle pitched effectively for the Oakland Athletics during their 'Moneyball' era, securing a lasting spot as a crafty right-hander. He bounced through the minor leagues and several major league organizations before finally sticking, pitching for the Reds and Phillies later in his career. Lidle prepared meticulously and threw a sharp curveball. His life was tragically cut short at age 34 when the small plane he was piloting crashed into a Manhattan high-rise. His death sent shockwaves through the baseball community, highlighting his passion for flying and leaving behind a career defined by steady competence and a relentless drive to stay in the game.
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.
Cory was born in 1972, 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 Cory Was Born
The biggest hits of 1972
#1 Movie
The Godfather
Best Picture
The Godfather
#1 TV Show
All in the Family
Cory's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1972Born
Watergate break-in; last Apollo Moon mission
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $19,550Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" — Roberta FlackBest Picture: The Godfather
1977Started school
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
1985Became a teenager
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
1988Could drive
Pan Am Flight 103 bombed over Lockerbie
Gas: $0.90/galHome: $74,800Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Faith" — George MichaelBest Picture: Rain Man
1990Could vote
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
1993Turned 21
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
2002Turned 30
Euro currency enters circulation
Gas: $1.36/galHome: $137,800Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"How You Remind Me" — NickelbackBest Picture: Chicago
2006Died at 34
Twitter launches; Pluto reclassified as dwarf planet
Gas: $2.59/galHome: $174,700Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Bad Day" — Daniel PowterBest Picture: The Departed
Key Achievements
- Won 13 games for the Oakland Athletics in 2001, contributing to their playoff run.
- Pitched a complete-game shutout for the Cincinnati Reds against the Atlanta Braves in 2005.
- Was a member of the New York Yankees' 2006 American League East division-winning team.
Did You Know?
He earned his pilot's license during the 2003-04 baseball offseason.
He and his teammate Tyler Yates purchased the plane involved in the crash together.
He was a contestant on the poker game show 'Celebrity Blackjack' in 2004.
“I succeeded by outthinking hitters, not overpowering them.”
