Dan Uggla
A powerful second baseman who defied draft-day obscurity to become one of baseball's most formidable home-run hitters at his position.
Born 1980 (age 46)·American baseball player·Birthday: March 11·Generation X
Biography
Dan Uggla’s story is one of explosive, unexpected arrival. After being a relatively unheralded prospect and a Rule 5 draft pick by the Florida Marlins, he announced himself with authority, setting rookie records for a second baseman. His swing was pure torque, built for launching baseballs into the seats, and for years he was a lock for 30 homers and 90 RBIs from a position not known for such thunder. His time with the Atlanta Braves included an All-Star selection and a historic hitting streak, though his later career was marred by defensive struggles and a dramatic decline at the plate. Uggla’s peak, however, left an indelible mark as a middle-infield slugger who reshaped what was possible offensively from his spot on the diamond.
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.
Dan 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 Dan Was Born
The biggest hits of 1980
#1 Movie
The Empire Strikes Back
Best Picture
Ordinary People
#1 TV Show
Dallas
Dan'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 Silver Slugger Award at second base in 2010 while with the Florida Marlins.
- Hit 30 or more home runs in five consecutive seasons from 2007 to 2011.
- Set a Marlins franchise record for home runs by a second baseman.
- Was selected to three MLB All-Star Games (2006, 2008, 2012).
- Recorded a 33-game hitting streak in 2011, the longest in Atlanta Braves history.
Did You Know?
He was selected by the Arizona Diamondbacks in the 11th round of the 2001 draft but was taken by the Marlins in the 2005 Rule 5 draft.
Uggla and former teammate Cody Ross once owned a professional bull riding team together.
He is one of only a handful of second basemen to have multiple seasons with at least 30 home runs.
“I'm here to hit the ball hard and play the game right.”
