Derrek Lee
A powerhouse first baseman who combined Gold Glove defense with a fearsome bat, leading the Chicago Cubs to a division title and winning a batting crown.
Born 1975 (age 51)·American baseball player·Birthday: September 6·Generation X
Biography
Derrek Lee's baseball journey was one of consistent excellence, built on a foundation of smooth fielding and potent offense. Standing 6'5", he was a formidable presence at first base, known for his exceptional reach and soft hands. His career took off after a trade to the Chicago Cubs in 2004, where he became a fan favorite and a clubhouse leader. The 2005 season was his masterpiece: he challenged for the Triple Crown, ultimately winning the National League batting title with a .335 average while also clubbing 46 home runs and driving in 107 runs. Though injuries later slowed his pace, his tenure with the Cubs was marked by memorable moments, including key hits in playoff pushes. After his playing days, he remained involved in the game through coaching and front office advisory roles, respected for his baseball intellect and the quiet, professional demeanor he carried throughout his 15-year career.
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.
Derrek was born in 1975, 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 Derrek Was Born
The biggest hits of 1975
#1 Movie
Jaws
Best Picture
One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest
#1 TV Show
All in the Family
Derrek's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1975Born
Fall of Saigon ends the Vietnam War
Gas: $0.57/galHome: $27,600Min wage: $2.10/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"Love Will Keep Us Together" — Captain & TennilleBest Picture: One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest
1980Started school
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
1988Became a teenager
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
1991Could drive
Soviet Union dissolves; World Wide Web goes public
Gas: $1.14/galHome: $82,400Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"(Everything I Do) I Do It for You" — Bryan AdamsBest Picture: The Silence of the Lambs
1993Could vote
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
1996Turned 21
Dolly the sheep cloned
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $99,700Min wage: $4.75/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Macarena" — Los del RioBest Picture: The English Patient
2005Turned 30
Hurricane Katrina devastates New Orleans; YouTube launches
Gas: $2.30/galHome: $167,500Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"We Belong Together" — Mariah CareyBest Picture: Crash
2015Turned 40
Paris climate agreement; same-sex marriage legalized in the US
Gas: $2.43/galHome: $171,900Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Uptown Funk" — Mark Ronson ft. Bruno MarsBest Picture: Spotlight
2025Turned 50
AI agents go mainstream
Gas: $3.10/galHome: $385,000Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"APT." — Rose & Bruno Mars
2026Age 51 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Won the National League batting title in 2005 with a .335 average for the Chicago Cubs.
- Earned three Rawlings Gold Glove Awards for his defensive excellence at first base (2003, 2005, 2007).
- Was a two-time National League All-Star (2005, 2007) and finished third in MVP voting in 2005.
- Hit 46 home runs in the 2005 season, a career high and one of the top marks in the National League that year.
- Won a World Series championship as a member of the Florida Marlins in 2003.
Did You Know?
He was drafted by the San Diego Padres in the first round of the 1993 MLB draft, directly out of high school.
His father, Leon Lee, was a professional baseball player who spent most of his career in Japan, and his uncle, Leron Lee, also played in MLB.
He hit for the cycle on August 26, 2005, while playing for the Chicago Cubs against the Colorado Rockies.
After retirement, he served as a special assistant to the president of baseball operations for the Cubs.
“You win games with defense and timely hitting, not just home runs.”
