Félix Hernández
The Venezuelan 'King' who ruled the mound in Seattle for 15 years, delivering one of baseball's most unforgettable perfect games with devastating stuff.
Born 1986 (age 40)·Venezuelan baseball player·Birthday: April 8·Millennials
Biography
Félix Hernández arrived in Seattle as a lanky 19-year-old with a golden arm and a crown already waiting. He didn't just wear the 'King Félix' nickname; he built a kingdom at T-Mobile Park. For a generation of Mariners fans, his starts were civic events, defined by a vicious sinking changeup and a curveball that buckled knees. The apex came on a sunny August afternoon in 2012, when he authored a perfect game against the Tampa Bay Rays, a 27-up, 27-down masterpiece of total control. While team success often eluded him, his individual brilliance was undeniable, culminating in a 2010 Cy Young Award that cemented his place among the pitching aristocracy of his era.
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.
Félix 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 Félix Was Born
The biggest hits of 1986
#1 Movie
Top Gun
Best Picture
Platoon
#1 TV Show
The Cosby Show
Félix'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 American League Cy Young Award unanimously in 2010 after leading the league in ERA, innings pitched, and quality starts.
- Pitched a perfect game on August 15, 2012, against the Tampa Bay Rays, the only perfecto in Seattle Mariners history.
- Was selected as an MLB All-Star six times, representing the Seattle Mariners each year.
- Led the American League in earned run average twice, in 2010 and 2014.
Did You Know?
He signed with the Mariners as an international free agent at the age of 16.
His changeup was famously nicknamed 'The Royal Slider' by commentators and fans.
He hit a grand slam in a 2008 interleague game, one of the few pitchers to do so.
“'I want to be the best. That's what I work for. That's what I think about when I'm on the mound.'”
