George Frazier (pitcher)
A durable reliever whose name became synonymous with World Series grit, pitching for three different pennant-winning teams in the 1980s.
1954–2023 (age 69)·American baseball player·Birthday: October 13·Baby Boomers
Biography
George Frazier carved out a ten-year major league career defined by resilience and a rubber arm. Emerging from the St. Louis Cardinals system, the right-hander found his niche not as a flashy closer, but as a versatile and dependable set-up man, the kind of pitcher managers trusted to navigate high-leverage innings. His journey took him to the heart of baseball's biggest stage multiple times; he pitched in the World Series for the New York Yankees in 1981 and, most memorably, for the Minnesota Twins in 1987, earning a championship ring. While statistics like wins and losses can be unkind to relievers, Frazier's value was measured in the trust of his managers and his ability to take the ball in crucial situations. His post-playing life included a long stint as a color commentator for the Colorado Rockies, where his knowledgeable, affable style made him a familiar voice for a new generation of fans.
Baby Boomers
1946–1964
The largest generation in history at the time. Shaped by postwar prosperity, the Vietnam War, the sexual revolution, and Watergate. They questioned every institution their parents built — then ran them.
George was born in 1954, placing them squarely in the Baby Boomers. The events that shaped this generation — postwar prosperity, civil rights, Vietnam, and the counterculture — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When George Was Born
The biggest hits of 1954
#1 Movie
White Christmas
Best Picture
On the Waterfront
#1 TV Show
I Love Lucy
George's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1954Born
Brown v. Board of Education desegregates US schools
Gas: $0.29/galHome: $8,925Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Little Things Mean a Lot" — Kitty KallenBest Picture: On the Waterfront
1959Started school
Fidel Castro takes power in Cuba
Gas: $0.30/galHome: $12,400Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"The Battle of New Orleans" — Johnny HortonBest Picture: Ben-Hur
1967Became a teenager
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
1970Could drive
First Earth Day; The Beatles break up
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $17,000Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Bridge over Troubled Water" — Simon & GarfunkelBest Picture: Patton
1972Could vote
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
1975Turned 21
Fall of Saigon ends the Vietnam War
Gas: $0.57/galHome: $27,600Min wage: $2.10/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"Love Will Keep Us Together" — Captain & TennilleBest Picture: One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest
1984Turned 30
Apple Macintosh introduced
Gas: $1.13/galHome: $59,800Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"When Doves Cry" — PrinceBest Picture: Amadeus
1994Turned 40
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
2004Turned 50
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
2014Turned 60
Russia annexes Crimea; Ebola outbreak in West Africa
Gas: $3.37/galHome: $160,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Happy" — Pharrell WilliamsBest Picture: Birdman
2023Died at 69
ChatGPT goes mainstream; Israel-Hamas war begins
Gas: $3.52/galHome: $361,600Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Joe Biden"Flowers" — Miley CyrusBest Picture: Oppenheimer
Key Achievements
- Pitched in the World Series for three different franchises: the New York Yankees (1981), St. Louis Cardinals (1985), and Minnesota Twins (1987).
- Won a World Series championship as a member of the 1987 Minnesota Twins.
- Appeared in 308 major league games over a ten-season career, primarily as a relief pitcher.
- Served as a television color commentator for the Colorado Rockies for over two decades following his playing career.
Did You Know?
He was traded from the Cardinals to the Yankees in a deal that also involved a young Willie McGee.
He shares a name with a famous sportswriter and critic, leading to occasional confusion.
Frazier was on the mound for the Yankees in the infamous 'Pine Tar Game' continuation in 1983, though he did not surrender the home run to George Brett.
“My job was to get the ball to the next guy with the game still in hand.”
