Eric Karros
A steady, power-hitting first baseman who quietly became the Dodgers' all-time home run leader, embodying consistency and clutch performance for over a decade.
Born 1967 (age 59)·American baseball player and commentator·Birthday: November 4·Generation X
Biography
Eric Karros arrived in Los Angeles not as a can't-miss prospect, but as a determined grinder who seized his opportunity and never let go. Winning the National League Rookie of the Year award in 1992, he established himself as the Dodgers' everyday first baseman, a role he would anchor for the next twelve seasons. Karros wasn't flashy; his game was built on reliable right-handed power, sharp defensive skills, and a knack for delivering key hits. He played through injuries and slumps with a stoic demeanor, gradually climbing the franchise's record books. His tenure culminated in him surpassing Duke Snider for the most home runs in Los Angeles Dodgers history, a quiet testament to his durability and production. In his second act, he brought his dry wit and insider's perspective to the broadcast booth, becoming a familiar voice for a new generation of fans.
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.
Eric was born in 1967, 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 Eric Was Born
The biggest hits of 1967
#1 Movie
The Jungle Book
Best Picture
In the Heat of the Night
#1 TV Show
The Andy Griffith Show
Eric's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1967Born
Summer of Love in San Francisco; first Super Bowl
Gas: $0.33/galHome: $14,250Min wage: $1.40/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"To Sir, with Love" — LuluBest Picture: In the Heat of the Night
1972Started school
Watergate break-in; last Apollo Moon mission
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $19,550Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" — Roberta FlackBest Picture: The Godfather
1980Became a teenager
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
1983Could drive
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
1985Could vote
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
1988Turned 21
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
1997Turned 30
Princess Diana dies in Paris car crash; Harry Potter published
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $104,100Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Candle in the Wind 1997" — Elton JohnBest Picture: Titanic
2007Turned 40
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 50
#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 59 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Became the all-time home run leader for the Los Angeles Dodgers franchise, finishing with 270.
- Won the National League Rookie of the Year Award in 1992.
- Received the Silver Slugger Award for first basemen in 1995.
- Drove in over 100 runs in a season three times during his career.
Did You Know?
He was a walk-on for the UCLA Bruins baseball team before becoming a star.
Karros hit 30 home runs and stole 30 bases in his minor league career, but never in the majors.
He and his wife have twins, a boy and a girl.
After retirement, he competed on the reality TV show 'The Superstars' in 2009.
“You don't have to be the best player, just the most prepared one.”
