Derrick Turnbow
A flame-throwing reliever who rocketed from Rule 5 pick to All-Star closer, his fastball and story captivating Milwaukee before injury intervened.
Born 1978 (age 48)·American baseball player·Birthday: January 25·Generation X
Biography
Derrick Turnbow's MLB ascent was as sudden and powerful as his high-90s fastball. Plucked by the Milwaukee Brewers from the Los Angeles Angels in the 2004 Rule 5 draft, he was an almost instant revelation. With a delivery that seemed all limbs and fury, he became the team's closer in 2005, saving 39 games and earning an All-Star nod the following year. In Milwaukee, he was a cult hero—the small-town Tennessee kid with the electric arm and the distinctive, intense stare from the mound. His peak was brilliant but brief; shoulder injuries and subsequent control problems derailed his dominance. Yet, for a few seasons, Turnbow embodied the unpredictable magic of a bullpen ace, providing a jolt of excitement to a franchise in the midst of rebuilding.
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.
Derrick was born in 1978, 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 Derrick Was Born
The biggest hits of 1978
#1 Movie
Grease
Best Picture
The Deer Hunter
#1 TV Show
Laverne & Shirley
Derrick's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1978Born
First test-tube baby born
Gas: $0.63/galHome: $35,300Min wage: $2.65/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Shadow Dancing" — Andy GibbBest Picture: The Deer Hunter
1983Started school
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
1991Became a teenager
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
1994Could drive
Nelson Mandela elected president of South Africa
Gas: $1.11/galHome: $90,400Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"The Sign" — Ace of BaseBest Picture: Forrest Gump
1996Could vote
Dolly the sheep cloned
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $99,700Min wage: $4.75/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Macarena" — Los del RioBest Picture: The English Patient
1999Turned 21
Columbine shooting; Y2K panic builds
Gas: $1.17/galHome: $113,900Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Believe" — CherBest Picture: American Beauty
2008Turned 30
Barack Obama elected first Black US president; financial crisis
Gas: $3.27/galHome: $153,100Min wage: $6.55/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Low" — Flo RidaBest Picture: Slumdog Millionaire
2018Turned 40
Royal wedding of Harry and Meghan; Parkland shooting
Gas: $2.72/galHome: $211,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"God's Plan" — DrakeBest Picture: Green Book
2026Age 48 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Named a National League All-Star in 2006 as a closer for the Milwaukee Brewers.
- Recorded 39 saves in 2005, his first full season as a closer.
- Had a stellar 2005 season with a 1.74 ERA and 64 strikeouts in 67.1 innings pitched.
- Was selected by the Brewers in the 2004 Rule 5 draft, forcing him onto the MLB roster.
Did You Know?
He was originally drafted by the Philadelphia Phillies in the 5th round of the 1997 draft.
His signature look on the mound included a pronounced, intense stare before pitching.
He pitched a complete game no-hitter in minor league baseball in 2000.
After baseball, he returned to Tennessee and worked in his family's construction business.
“They told me my arm was a gift, so I threw it until there was nothing left.”
