Glenn Lazarus
A slick-fielding shortstop whose clutch home run in the 2001 World Series helped secure a historic championship for Arizona.
Born 1965 (age 61)·Australian rugby league footballer and coach, and politician·Birthday: December 11·Generation X
Biography
Jay Bell carved out an 18-year Major League career defined by defensive consistency and timely hitting. A first-round draft pick, he established himself as a reliable fixture with the Pittsburgh Pirates, earning an All-Star nod and a Gold Glove for his work at shortstop. While never a flashy superstar, Bell was the epitome of a solid professional, contributing with his glove, bat, and baseball intelligence. His career reached its cinematic peak in 2001 with the Arizona Diamondbacks. In the bottom of the 8th inning of Game 7 of the World Series, against the seemingly invincible Mariano Rivera, Bell laid down a crucial sacrifice bunt to advance the tying run. Moments later, he scored the run that tied the game, setting the stage for Luis Gonzalez's legendary series-winning hit. Bell's fundamental play was a critical, if often overlooked, piece of that historic moment.
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.
Glenn was born in 1965, 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 Glenn Was Born
The biggest hits of 1965
#1 Movie
The Sound of Music
Best Picture
The Sound of Music
#1 TV Show
Bonanza
Glenn's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1965Born
US sends combat troops to Vietnam
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $13,600Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" — The Rolling StonesBest Picture: The Sound of Music
1970Started school
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
1978Became a teenager
First test-tube baby born
Gas: $0.63/galHome: $35,300Min wage: $2.65/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Shadow Dancing" — Andy GibbBest Picture: The Deer Hunter
1981Could drive
MTV launches; first Space Shuttle flight; AIDS identified
Gas: $1.31/galHome: $52,300Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Bette Davis Eyes" — Kim CarnesBest Picture: Chariots of Fire
1983Could vote
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
1986Turned 21
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
1995Turned 30
Oklahoma City bombing; Windows 95 released
Gas: $1.15/galHome: $96,500Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Gangsta's Paradise" — CoolioBest Picture: Braveheart
2005Turned 40
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
2015Turned 50
Paris climate agreement; same-sex marriage legalized in the US
Gas: $2.43/galHome: $171,900Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Uptown Funk" — Mark Ronson ft. Bruno MarsBest Picture: Spotlight
2025Turned 60
AI agents go mainstream
Gas: $3.10/galHome: $385,000Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"APT." — Rose & Bruno Mars
2026Age 61 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Hit a pivotal sacrifice bunt and scored the tying run in the 8th inning of Game 7 of the 2001 World Series, which the Diamondbacks went on to win.
- Won a Gold Glove Award in 1993 for his defensive excellence at shortstop while with the Pittsburgh Pirates.
- Was selected as an MLB All-Star in 1993, a career year where he also won the Silver Slugger award.
- Hit 38 home runs in 1999 for the Diamondbacks, an unusually high total for a middle infielder at the time.
Did You Know?
He was traded from Cleveland to Pittsburgh in a deal that involved future Hall of Famer Bert Blyleven.
He hit two home runs in one inning for the Pirates in 1999.
After retiring, he served as a bench coach for the Cincinnati Reds and for the New Zealand national baseball team.
He and his wife adopted twin boys from Korea early in his career.
“You don't win games by being pretty; you win them in the middle.”
