Kirk Rueter
A crafty left-handed pitcher known for his deceptive delivery, he became a fan favorite and a steady winner for the San Francisco Giants.
Born 1970 (age 56)·American baseball player·Birthday: December 1·Generation X
Biography
Kirk 'Woody' Rueter didn't overpower hitters with velocity; he outsmarted them. Drafted by the Montreal Expos, the Illinois native made his mark with a quirky, hesitation-filled delivery and pinpoint control. Traded to the San Francisco Giants in 1996, he found his baseball home. For the next decade, Rueter was a model of consistency in the Giants' rotation, routinely posting winning records and eating innings with a mix of changeups, sliders, and guile. His unflappable demeanor on the mound belied a fierce competitiveness, making him a perfect fit for the pressure of a pennant race. He was a key contributor to the Giants' 2002 National League pennant-winning team, starting Game 4 of the World Series. By the time he retired, he had compiled more wins than any other left-handed pitcher in the San Francisco-era history of the franchise.
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.
Kirk 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 Kirk Was Born
The biggest hits of 1970
#1 Movie
Love Story
Best Picture
Patton
#1 TV Show
Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In
Kirk'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 130 games over a 13-year MLB career, with a career record of 130-92.
- Holds the San Francisco Giants franchise record for most wins by a left-handed pitcher (105).
- Pitched for the National League pennant-winning San Francisco Giants in 2002, starting a World Series game.
- Posted a winning record in 10 of his 13 major league seasons.
Did You Know?
His nickname 'Woody' was given to him by a minor league teammate who thought he resembled the cartoon character Woody Woodpecker.
He never struck out more than 117 batters in a single season, relying on contact and defense.
He was originally drafted as an outfielder by the Atlanta Braves in 1989 but did not sign.
He hit two home runs in his major league career, both in the 2001 season.
“I never threw hard, so I had to learn where to put the ball.”
