Jim Edmonds
A center fielder with a poet's grace, known for breathtaking defensive catches that matched his powerful swing for the St. Louis Cardinals.
Born 1970 (age 56)·American baseball player·Birthday: June 27·Generation X
Biography
Jim Edmonds played baseball with a theatrical flair that turned the outfield into a stage. Drafted by the California Angels, he first made his name with spectacular diving catches, but it was his trade to the St. Louis Cardinals in 2000 that unlocked his destiny. In St. Louis, he became the heart of a powerhouse lineup, combining Gold Glove defense with a sweet, left-handed swing that produced 393 career home runs. His defining moment came in the 2004 NLCS, a sprawling, full-extension catch in the 12th inning that is replayed as a masterpiece of timing and athleticism. Edmonds played the game with a noticeable joy and a touch of swagger, embodying the Cardinals' success throughout the 2000s and earning a place among the most complete outfielders of his generation.
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.
Jim was born in 1970, 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 Jim Was Born
The biggest hits of 1970
#1 Movie
Love Story
Best Picture
Patton
#1 TV Show
Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In
Jim's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1970Born
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
1975Started school
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
1983Became a teenager
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
1986Could drive
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
1988Could vote
Pan Am Flight 103 bombed over Lockerbie
Gas: $0.90/galHome: $74,800Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Faith" — George MichaelBest Picture: Rain Man
1991Turned 21
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
2000Turned 30
Y2K passes without incident; contested Bush-Gore election
Gas: $1.51/galHome: $119,600Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Breathe" — Faith HillBest Picture: Gladiator
2010Turned 40
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
2020Turned 50
COVID-19 pandemic shuts down the world
Gas: $2.17/galHome: $248,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Blinding Lights" — The WeekndBest Picture: Nomadland
2026Age 56 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Won eight Gold Glove Awards for his exceptional defensive play in center field.
- Was a four-time All-Star selection and won a Silver Slugger Award in 2004.
- Hit 393 career home runs and was a key offensive contributor for the 2006 World Series champion St. Louis Cardinals.
- Made one of the most famous defensive plays in playoff history with his diving catch in Game 7 of the 2004 NLCS.
Did You Know?
He was drafted as a pitcher out of high school but was converted to an outfielder in the minors.
He hit a walk-off home run in the 12th inning of Game 6 of the 2004 NLCS, just innings after his famous catch.
He hosted a reality TV show called 'The Edmonds Family' on Fox Sports Midwest in 2012.
After retirement, he worked as a baseball analyst for Fox Sports Midwest and the MLB Network.
“I just love playing the game. I love the competition, I love everything about it.”
