Keith Foulke
He threw the final pitch that ended an 86-year curse, delivering Boston its first World Series title since 1918.
Born 1972 (age 54)·American baseball player·Birthday: October 19·Generation X
Biography
Keith Foulke’s baseball journey was one of quiet consistency that exploded into a single, immortal moment. The right-handed reliever, known for a devastating changeup, built a career as a dependable closer, first making his mark with the Chicago White Sox. His finest season came in Oakland, where his microscopic ERA earned him an All-Star nod in 2003. But his legacy was cemented the following year in Boston. As the Red Sox closer in 2004, he was the linchpin of a historic playoff run, culminating in the World Series against the St. Louis Cardinals. With the final out of Game 4, a soft grounder back to the mound, Foulke’s underhand toss to first base unleashed pandemonium, breaking the so-called 'Curse of the Bambino.' That image of his composed finish, after years of Boston heartbreak, transformed him from a skilled pitcher into a forever figure in New England lore.
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.
Keith was born in 1972, 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 Keith Was Born
The biggest hits of 1972
#1 Movie
The Godfather
Best Picture
The Godfather
#1 TV Show
All in the Family
Keith's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1972Born
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
1977Started school
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
1985Became a teenager
Live Aid concerts raise money for Ethiopian famine
Gas: $1.12/galHome: $62,900Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Careless Whisper" — Wham!Best Picture: Out of Africa
1988Could drive
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
1990Could vote
Hubble Space Telescope launched; Germany reunifies
Gas: $1.15/galHome: $79,100Min wage: $3.80/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"Hold On" — Wilson PhillipsBest Picture: Dances with Wolves
1993Turned 21
European Union officially established
Gas: $1.11/galHome: $86,600Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"I Will Always Love You" — Whitney HoustonBest Picture: Schindler's List
2002Turned 30
Euro currency enters circulation
Gas: $1.36/galHome: $137,800Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"How You Remind Me" — NickelbackBest Picture: Chicago
2012Turned 40
Curiosity rover lands on Mars; Sandy Hook shooting
Gas: $3.64/galHome: $143,200Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Somebody That I Used to Know" — GotyeBest Picture: Argo
2022Turned 50
Russia invades Ukraine; Queen Elizabeth II dies
Gas: $3.97/galHome: $348,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Joe Biden"As It Was" — Harry StylesBest Picture: Everything Everywhere All at Once
2026Age 54 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Recorded the final out and save in Game 4 of the 2004 World Series, clinching the championship for the Boston Red Sox.
- Selected as an American League All-Star in 2003 while with the Oakland Athletics.
- Led the American League with 43 saves in 2001 as a member of the Chicago White Sox.
- Posted a career-best 2.08 ERA over 105.2 innings pitched during his All-Star 2003 season.
Did You Know?
He famously fielded the final ground ball of the 2004 World Series and made an underhanded toss to first baseman Doug Mientkiewicz for the out.
Foulke wore jersey number 29 for most of his career, but switched to 37 upon joining the Boston Red Sox.
He was originally drafted by the San Francisco Giants in 1994 but made his MLB debut with them in 1997.
“I'm not a hero. I'm just a guy that happened to be on the mound at the right time.”
