Hubie Brooks
A steady and powerful hitter who became the heart of the Montreal Expos lineup, earning two All-Star nods with his clutch bat.
Born 1956 (age 70)·American baseball player·Birthday: September 24·Baby Boomers
Biography
Hubie Brooks emerged from the Arizona State baseball program as a top draft pick for the New York Mets, carrying the weight of expectation into the big leagues. While his early years in New York were solid, his true breakout came after a trade to Montreal, where he transformed into a middle-of-the-order force. In 1985, his first season with the Expos, he drove in over 100 runs, silencing any doubters and embedding himself as a fan favorite. Brooks was a study in consistency, a right-handed batter who could spray line drives to all fields and handle the defensive demands of shortstop and later the outfield corners with a strong, accurate arm. His career, spanning 15 seasons and five teams, is remembered not for flashy headlines but for a durable, professional excellence that made him a cornerstone wherever he played.
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.
Hubie was born in 1956, 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 Hubie Was Born
The biggest hits of 1956
#1 Movie
The Ten Commandments
Best Picture
Around the World in 80 Days
#1 TV Show
I Love Lucy
Hubie's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1956Born
Elvis Presley appears on The Ed Sullivan Show
Gas: $0.30/galHome: $10,050Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Heartbreak Hotel" — Elvis PresleyBest Picture: Around the World in 80 Days
1961Started school
Yuri Gagarin becomes the first human in space
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $12,500Min wage: $1.15/hrPresident: John F. Kennedy"Tossin' and Turnin'" — Bobby LewisBest Picture: West Side Story
1969Became a teenager
Apollo 11: humans walk on the Moon; Woodstock festival
Gas: $0.35/galHome: $15,550Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Sugar, Sugar" — The ArchiesBest Picture: Midnight Cowboy
1972Could drive
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
1974Could vote
Nixon resigns the presidency
Gas: $0.53/galHome: $22,600Min wage: $2.00/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"The Way We Were" — Barbra StreisandBest Picture: The Godfather Part II
1977Turned 21
Star Wars premieres; Elvis dies
Gas: $0.62/galHome: $31,800Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Tonight's the Night" — Rod StewartBest Picture: Annie Hall
1986Turned 30
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
1996Turned 40
Dolly the sheep cloned
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $99,700Min wage: $4.75/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Macarena" — Los del RioBest Picture: The English Patient
2006Turned 50
Twitter launches; Pluto reclassified as dwarf planet
Gas: $2.59/galHome: $174,700Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Bad Day" — Daniel PowterBest Picture: The Departed
2016Turned 60
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 70
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Selected 3rd overall by the New York Mets in the 1978 MLB draft.
- Named a National League All-Star in 1986 and 1987 as a member of the Montreal Expos.
- Recorded a 24-game hitting streak during the 1985 season, a career highlight.
- Drove in 100 or more runs in three separate seasons, demonstrating consistent offensive production.
Did You Know?
He was a cousin of MLB pitcher Donnie Moore.
He played college baseball at Arizona State University.
He was traded from the Mets to the Expos in the deal that sent Gary Carter to New York.
He finished his career with a .269 lifetime batting average and 149 home runs.
“I just wanted to be the guy they could count on with runners in scoring position.”
