Evan Gattis
A powerful slugger whose remarkable journey from leaving baseball to working as a janitor led him back to become a World Series champion.
Born 1986 (age 40)·American baseball player·Birthday: August 18·Millennials
Biography
Evan Gattis's story reads like a baseball fable. After a promising start, he stepped away from the sport entirely, battling personal demons and working odd jobs, including as a ski lift operator and a janitor. His return to the game was fueled by raw, unadulterated power. Discovered playing independent ball, he rocketed through the minors and exploded onto the scene with the Atlanta Braves in 2013, captivating fans with his mammoth home runs and his 'El Oso Blanco' (The White Bear) nickname earned in Venezuela. Gattis was more than a feel-good story; he was a legitimate force, a designated hitter and catcher whose bat carried teams. His career apex came with the Houston Astros, where his potent right-handed swing helped propel the franchise to its first-ever World Series title in 2017, a fitting capstone to an improbable journey.
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.
Evan was born in 1986, 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 Evan Was Born
The biggest hits of 1986
#1 Movie
Top Gun
Best Picture
Platoon
#1 TV Show
The Cosby Show
Evan's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1986Born
Challenger disaster; Chernobyl nuclear meltdown
Gas: $0.86/galHome: $66,600Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"That's What Friends Are For" — Dionne & FriendsBest Picture: Platoon
1991Started school
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
1999Became a teenager
Columbine shooting; Y2K panic builds
Gas: $1.17/galHome: $113,900Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Believe" — CherBest Picture: American Beauty
2002Could drive
Euro currency enters circulation
Gas: $1.36/galHome: $137,800Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"How You Remind Me" — NickelbackBest Picture: Chicago
2004Could vote
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
2007Turned 21
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
2016Turned 30
Donald Trump elected president; Brexit vote
Gas: $2.14/galHome: $181,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Love Yourself" — Justin BieberBest Picture: Moonlight
2026Turned 40
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Won the World Series with the Houston Astros in 2017, contributing key hits throughout the postseason.
- Hit over 30 home runs in a season twice during his career, in 2015 and 2016.
- Led the American League in games as a designated hitter during the 2015 season.
Did You Know?
Before his MLB debut, he spent time in a substance abuse treatment center and worked as a janitor at a yoga studio.
He famously did not play organized baseball for nearly four years after high school.
His nickname 'El Oso Blanco' was given to him by fans while he played winter ball in Venezuela.
“I was lost. I didn't know what I was doing. I was just surviving.”
