Kyle Hendricks
A cerebral pitcher known as 'The Professor' who used pinpoint command and a changeup to outthink hitters and help end a 108-year championship drought.
Born 1989 (age 37)·American baseball player·Birthday: December 7·Millennials
Biography
In an era of overpowering velocity, Kyle Hendricks succeeded through quiet mastery. Drafted by the Texas Rangers out of Dartmouth College—an Ivy League rarity in professional baseball—he was traded to the Chicago Cubs where he perfected his craft. Hendricks didn't throw hard; he threw smart. His signature changeup and surgical control on the corners made him one of the game's most effective starters. His defining moment came in 2016, when he led the major leagues in ERA and started the game that clinched the Cubs' historic World Series victory, ending the franchise's century-long wait. For over a decade, his calm demeanor and intellectual approach to pitching provided a steady, indispensable foundation for one of baseball's most celebrated teams.
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.
Kyle was born in 1989, 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 Kyle Was Born
The biggest hits of 1989
#1 Movie
Batman
Best Picture
Driving Miss Daisy
#1 TV Show
Roseanne
Kyle's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1989Born
Berlin Wall falls; Tiananmen Square protests
Gas: $1.00/galHome: $79,100Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"Look Away" — ChicagoBest Picture: Driving Miss Daisy
1994Started school
Nelson Mandela elected president of South Africa
Gas: $1.11/galHome: $90,400Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"The Sign" — Ace of BaseBest Picture: Forrest Gump
2002Became a teenager
Euro currency enters circulation
Gas: $1.36/galHome: $137,800Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"How You Remind Me" — NickelbackBest Picture: Chicago
2005Could drive
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
2007Could vote
iPhone released; Great Recession begins
Gas: $2.80/galHome: $172,600Min wage: $5.85/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Irreplaceable" — BeyonceBest Picture: No Country for Old Men
2010Turned 21
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
2019Turned 30
First image of a black hole; Hong Kong protests
Gas: $2.60/galHome: $224,400Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Old Town Road" — Lil Nas XBest Picture: Parasite
2026Age 37 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Led all of Major League Baseball with a 2.13 ERA in 2016, the year the Chicago Cubs won the World Series.
- Started and won Game 6 of the 2016 National League Championship Series, clinching the pennant for the Cubs.
- Started Game 7 of the 2016 World Series, pitching 4.2 strong innings in the Cubs' historic championship victory.
- Finished third in National League Cy Young Award voting in 2016.
- Threw a complete-game shutout in his first postseason start in the 2015 NLDS.
Did You Know?
He attended Dartmouth College, where he studied economics and was a teammate of current MLB pitcher Mitch Horacek.
His nickname, 'The Professor,' was coined by Cubs broadcaster Jim Deshaies due to his cerebral pitching style and Ivy League background.
He was originally drafted by the Los Angeles Angels in 2008 but did not sign, and was later drafted by the Texas Rangers in 2011.
He holds the Cubs franchise record for the lowest single-season ERA by a qualifying pitcher in the modern era (since 1920).
“I've never been a guy who's going to light up the radar gun. I have to pitch to my strengths.”
