Ken Oberkfell
A steady, versatile infielder whose sharp glove and consistent bat anchored the infield for the 1982 World Series champion Cardinals.
Born 1956 (age 70)·American baseball player·Birthday: May 4·Baby Boomers
Biography
Ken Oberkfell emerged from Highland, Illinois, to become a model of quiet reliability in Major League Baseball. Signed by the St. Louis Cardinals, he broke into the big leagues in 1977 and soon became their everyday third baseman. While never a flashy power hitter, his knack for contact and defensive flexibility made him indispensable. His career peak came in 1982, when his steady play was a cornerstone of the Cardinals' championship run. After his playing days, Oberkfell transitioned seamlessly into a long coaching career, imparting his fundamentally sound approach to the game across decades in the minors and a stint with the New York Mets, proving his baseball IQ lasted far longer than his swing.
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.
Ken 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 Ken 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
Ken'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
- Won a World Series championship as the starting third baseman for the St. Louis Cardinals in 1982.
- Maintained a career .278 batting average over 16 major league seasons, demonstrating remarkable consistency.
- Played over 400 games at both second and third base, showcasing exceptional defensive versatility.
- Logged over 1,500 major league hits, a testament to his durability and skill as a contact hitter.
Did You Know?
He was drafted by the St. Louis Cardinals in the 12th round of the 1975 amateur draft.
In 1981, he led the National League in fielding percentage for a third baseman.
He collected his 1,000th career hit with a single off future Hall of Famer Tom Seaver.
“Just hit it where they ain't.”
