Freddie Freeman
A sweet-swinging first baseman with MVP consistency, whose graceful play and quiet leadership anchored the Atlanta Braves for over a decade before a Hollywood move.
Born 1989 (age 37)·Canadian-American baseball player·Birthday: September 12·Millennials
Biography
Freddie Freeman swings a baseball bat with the elegant, repeatable motion of a metronome, a left-handed stroke that has produced a career of remarkable constancy. Drafted by the Atlanta Braves, he arrived in the majors as a lanky kid and grew into a cornerstone, his steady presence at first base and in the heart of the lineup becoming the franchise's heartbeat. The 2020 National League MVP award was a formal recognition of what Braves fans already knew: he was the engine of their team, a hitter who could win a batting title and drive in 100 runs with understated excellence. The pinnacle came in 2021, when he led Atlanta to a World Series championship, a storybook ending to his tenure there. His subsequent free-agent move to the Los Dodgers was a seismic shift, placing his pure hitting style and veteran savvy onto one of baseball's biggest stages.
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.
Freddie was born in 1989, 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 Freddie Was Born
The biggest hits of 1989
#1 Movie
Batman
Best Picture
Driving Miss Daisy
#1 TV Show
Roseanne
Freddie's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1989Born
Berlin Wall falls; Tiananmen Square protests
Gas: $1.00/galHome: $79,100Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"Look Away" — ChicagoBest Picture: Driving Miss Daisy
1994Started school
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
2002Became a teenager
Euro currency enters circulation
Gas: $1.36/galHome: $137,800Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"How You Remind Me" — NickelbackBest Picture: Chicago
2005Could drive
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
2007Could vote
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
2010Turned 21
Deepwater Horizon oil spill; iPad launched
Gas: $2.79/galHome: $147,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Tik Tok" — KeshaBest Picture: The King's Speech
2019Turned 30
First image of a black hole; Hong Kong protests
Gas: $2.60/galHome: $224,400Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Old Town Road" — Lil Nas XBest Picture: Parasite
2026Age 37 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Won the National League Most Valuable Player Award in 2020.
- Was a central figure in the Atlanta Braves' 2021 World Series championship run.
- Has won a Gold Glove Award for his defensive excellence at first base.
- Is a six-time MLB All-Star and has won multiple Silver Slugger Awards.
Did You Know?
He was born in Fountain Valley, California, but holds dual citizenship with Canada, as his parents are Canadian.
Freeman was a standout high school pitcher, throwing a no-hitter in a California sectional championship game.
He and his wife Chelsea donated $1 million to aid children's hospitals in Atlanta during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“I just try to be consistent. That's the one thing I've always prided myself on.”
