Jordan Walden
A flame-throwing reliever whose 100-mph fastball earned him an All-Star nod, but whose career was ultimately shortened by injury.
Born 1987 (age 39)·American baseball player·Birthday: November 16·Millennials
Biography
Jordan Walden exploded onto the Major League scene with a simple, devastating formula: a fastball that routinely touched triple digits and a slider that left hitters buckling. Drafted by the Los Angeles Angels, his ascent was rapid. By 2011, he had seized the closer's role, his aggressive mound presence and electric arm earning him an All-Star selection in his first full season, where he recorded 32 saves. His pitching motion, a distinctive and powerful drop-and-drive delivery, generated incredible velocity but also placed immense strain on his body. Traded to the Atlanta Braves, he became a formidable setup man, but the injuries began to mount. Shoulder and biceps issues, the common toll of his velocity, gradually sapped his effectiveness. After a final attempt with the St. Louis Cardinals, the persistent physical battles led him to retire, leaving behind the memory of a pitcher whose raw power was both his gift and his curse.
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.
Jordan was born in 1987, 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 Jordan Was Born
The biggest hits of 1987
#1 Movie
Three Men and a Baby
Best Picture
The Last Emperor
#1 TV Show
The Cosby Show
Jordan's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1987Born
Black Monday stock market crash
Gas: $0.90/galHome: $72,400Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Walk Like an Egyptian" — The BanglesBest Picture: The Last Emperor
1992Started school
LA riots after Rodney King verdict
Gas: $1.13/galHome: $84,300Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"End of the Road" — Boyz II MenBest Picture: Unforgiven
2000Became a teenager
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
2003Could drive
US invades Iraq; Human Genome Project completed
Gas: $1.59/galHome: $146,000Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"In Da Club" — 50 CentBest Picture: The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
2005Could vote
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
2008Turned 21
Barack Obama elected first Black US president; financial crisis
Gas: $3.27/galHome: $153,100Min wage: $6.55/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Low" — Flo RidaBest Picture: Slumdog Millionaire
2017Turned 30
#MeToo movement; solar eclipse crosses the US
Gas: $2.42/galHome: $195,000Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Shape of You" — Ed SheeranBest Picture: The Shape of Water
2026Age 39 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Selected as an American League All-Star in 2011 as the closer for the Los Angeles Angels.
- Recorded 32 saves in his first full MLB season in 2011, establishing himself as a premier young reliever.
- Pitched in the MLB postseason for the Atlanta Braves in 2013 and the St. Louis Cardinals in 2015.
Did You Know?
He was originally drafted as a catcher out of high school by the Angels but was converted to a pitcher.
Walden threw a fastball clocked at 102.5 mph in 2013, one of the fastest ever recorded at the time.
He and fellow pitcher Craig Kimbrel formed a dominant late-inning duo for the Atlanta Braves in 2013.
“I just reared back and threw it as hard as I could.”
