Joey Votto
A cerebral hitting savant who combined fearsome power with obsessive plate discipline to become the heart of the Cincinnati Reds for a generation.
Born 1983 (age 43)·Canadian baseball player·Birthday: September 10·Millennials
Biography
Joey Votto didn't just play baseball; he conducted a daily masterclass on the art of hitting. From his debut in 2007, the Toronto-born first baseman imposed his will not with sheer aggression, but with a preternatural patience that drove pitchers to distraction. For 17 seasons, all with the Cincinnati Reds, Votto's at-bats were events of high tension, as he famously worked counts, spitting on pitches millimeters off the plate to draw walks or waiting for the one he could vaporize. His 2010 MVP season was a tour de force, leading the National League in on-base percentage and slugging. But his legacy extends beyond statistics to an intellectual approach that reshaped how a generation of fans understood offensive value. He played with a visible, burning intensity, often clashing with traditionalists who misunderstood his methods. Votto's career is the story of a man who mastered his craft on his own terms, becoming one of the most complete and fascinating hitters of his era.
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.
Joey was born in 1983, 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 Joey Was Born
The biggest hits of 1983
#1 Movie
Return of the Jedi
Best Picture
Terms of Endearment
#1 TV Show
60 Minutes
Joey's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1983Born
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
1988Started school
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
1996Became a teenager
Dolly the sheep cloned
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $99,700Min wage: $4.75/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Macarena" — Los del RioBest Picture: The English Patient
1999Could drive
Columbine shooting; Y2K panic builds
Gas: $1.17/galHome: $113,900Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Believe" — CherBest Picture: American Beauty
2001Could vote
September 11 attacks transform the world
Gas: $1.46/galHome: $126,400Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Hanging by a Moment" — LifehouseBest Picture: A Beautiful Mind
2004Turned 21
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
2013Turned 30
Edward Snowden reveals NSA surveillance programs
Gas: $3.53/galHome: $152,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Thrift Shop" — Macklemore & Ryan LewisBest Picture: 12 Years a Slave
2023Turned 40
ChatGPT goes mainstream; Israel-Hamas war begins
Gas: $3.52/galHome: $361,600Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Joe Biden"Flowers" — Miley CyrusBest Picture: Oppenheimer
2026Age 43 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Won the National League Most Valuable Player Award in 2010, also claiming the Hank Aaron Award that same year.
- Became the second Canadian-born player to reach 2,000 hits, 300 home runs, and 1,000 runs batted in.
- Selected as an MLB All-Star six times and won the Lou Marsh Trophy as Canada's top athlete twice.
- Led the National League in on-base percentage seven times, showcasing his elite plate discipline.
Did You Know?
He is a passionate chess player and has compared his hitting approach to the strategic game.
He did not play organized baseball until he was 15 years old.
He became a U.S. citizen in 2019 while maintaining his Canadian citizenship.
He famously used a bat made of maple, a wood favored for its hardness.
“I'm not trying to hit a single. I'm trying to hit the ball over the fence or into the gap. I'm trying to do damage.”
