David Freese
A postseason hero who authored one of the most dramatic individual performances in World Series history to deliver a championship to St. Louis.
Born 1983 (age 43)·American baseball player·Birthday: April 28·Millennials
Biography
David Freese's baseball journey was one of delayed gratification and ultimate, spectacular payoff. A late bloomer who was traded twice before reaching the majors, he found a home with the St. Louis Cardinals. The 2011 season tested him with injuries, but he saved his best for when the lights were brightest. That October, he transformed into a modern-day legend. In the NLCS, he battered Milwaukee pitching. Then, in a World Series for the ages against Texas, he delivered not one, but two season-saving hits. In Game 6, with the Cardinals down to their final strike twice, Freese hit a game-tying triple in the ninth and a walk-off home run in the eleventh. He carried that momentum into Game 7, driving in two more runs to secure the title and claim both the NLCS and World Series MVP awards, a feat of clutch hitting rarely seen.
Millennials
1981–1996
The first digital natives. Grew up with the internet, came of age during 9/11 and the 2008 crash. Highly educated, deeply indebted, slower to marry and buy houses. Redefined work, identity, and what it means to be an adult.
David was born in 1983, placing them squarely in the Millennials. The events that shaped this generation — the internet revolution, 9/11, and the 2008 financial crisis — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When David Was Born
The biggest hits of 1983
#1 Movie
Return of the Jedi
Best Picture
Terms of Endearment
#1 TV Show
60 Minutes
David's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1983Born
Internet adopts TCP/IP, creating the modern internet
Gas: $1.16/galHome: $57,700Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Every Breath You Take" — The PoliceBest Picture: Terms of Endearment
1988Started school
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
1996Became a teenager
Dolly the sheep cloned
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $99,700Min wage: $4.75/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Macarena" — Los del RioBest Picture: The English Patient
1999Could drive
Columbine shooting; Y2K panic builds
Gas: $1.17/galHome: $113,900Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Believe" — CherBest Picture: American Beauty
2001Could vote
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
2004Turned 21
Indian Ocean tsunami kills over 230,000
Gas: $1.88/galHome: $157,300Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Yeah!" — UsherBest Picture: Million Dollar Baby
2013Turned 30
Edward Snowden reveals NSA surveillance programs
Gas: $3.53/galHome: $152,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Thrift Shop" — Macklemore & Ryan LewisBest Picture: 12 Years a Slave
2023Turned 40
ChatGPT goes mainstream; Israel-Hamas war begins
Gas: $3.52/galHome: $361,600Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Joe Biden"Flowers" — Miley CyrusBest Picture: Oppenheimer
2026Age 43 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Named MVP of both the 2011 NLCS and the 2011 World Series.
- Set an MLB postseason record with 21 RBI during the 2011 playoffs.
- Hit a walk-off home run in the 11th inning of Game 6 of the 2011 World Series to force a Game 7.
Did You Know?
He was originally drafted by the San Diego Padres but was traded to the Cardinals for Jim Edmonds.
He grew up in St. Louis County, Missouri, and was a Cardinals fan.
He hit the game-tying triple in the 9th inning of Game 6 of the 2011 World Series, also with two strikes.
“I'm just full of joy. This is unbelievable.”
