David Ross (baseball)
A journeyman catcher who became the heart of the Chicago Cubs, catching the final out to end a 108-year World Series drought.
Born 1977 (age 49)·American baseball player·Birthday: March 19·Generation X
Biography
David Ross's baseball story is one of persistence paying off in the most storybook fashion. For over a decade, he was the quintessential backup catcher, a respected defensive specialist and clubhouse presence who bounced between seven teams. His career found its defining chapter when he joined the Chicago Cubs in 2015, becoming a veteran mentor and a beloved figure nicknamed 'Grandpa Rossy' by his younger teammates. In 2016, at age 39, his role crystallized: he was the steady hand guiding a historic pitching staff through a pressure-cooker season. He homered in his final World Series at-bat, and then crouched behind the plate to catch the final strike that clinched the championship, ending the Cubs' epic title famine. He later transitioned to managing the team, completing a full-circle journey from respected role player to franchise icon.
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.
David was born in 1977, 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 David Was Born
The biggest hits of 1977
#1 Movie
Star Wars
Best Picture
Annie Hall
#1 TV Show
Happy Days
David's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1977Born
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
1982Started school
Michael Jackson releases Thriller
Gas: $1.22/galHome: $55,200Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Physical" — Olivia Newton-JohnBest Picture: Gandhi
1990Became a teenager
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
1993Could drive
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
1995Could vote
Oklahoma City bombing; Windows 95 released
Gas: $1.15/galHome: $96,500Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Gangsta's Paradise" — CoolioBest Picture: Braveheart
1998Turned 21
Google founded; Clinton impeachment
Gas: $1.06/galHome: $107,300Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Too Close" — NextBest Picture: Shakespeare in Love
2007Turned 30
iPhone released; Great Recession begins
Gas: $2.80/galHome: $172,600Min wage: $5.85/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Irreplaceable" — BeyonceBest Picture: No Country for Old Men
2017Turned 40
#MeToo movement; solar eclipse crosses the US
Gas: $2.42/galHome: $195,000Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Shape of You" — Ed SheeranBest Picture: The Shape of Water
2026Age 49 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Caught the final out for the Chicago Cubs in Game 7 of the 2016 World Series, ending the franchise's 108-year championship drought.
- Won two World Series titles, with the Boston Red Sox in 2013 and the Chicago Cubs in 2016.
- Played 15 seasons in Major League Baseball for seven different franchises.
- Served as manager of the Chicago Cubs from 2020 through the 2023 season.
Did You Know?
He competed on the reality TV show 'Dancing with the Stars' after the 2016 World Series win, finishing in second place.
His nickname 'Grandpa Rossy' was popularized by Cubs teammates Anthony Rizzo and Kris Bryant due to his age relative to the team's core.
He hit a home run in his final career at-bat during Game 7 of the 2016 World Series.
He was drafted by the Los Angeles Dodgers in the 7th round of the 1998 MLB draft out of the University of Florida.
“Embrace the target. That's what we did all year.”
