Lance Berkman
A switch-hitting slugger with a professor's intellect, he anchored the Astros' lethal lineup and authored a storybook World Series finish.
Born 1976 (age 50)·American baseball player·Birthday: February 10·Generation X
Biography
Lance Berkman looked more like a high school math teacher than a feared major league slugger, a contrast that defined his career. At Rice University, he was a college baseball phenom, and he carried that cerebral approach to the Houston Astros, where he formed the heart of the 'Killer B's' alongside Bagwell and Biggio. Berkman's smooth swing from both sides of the plate produced consistent power and a keen eye, making him one of the most complete hitters of his era. His career seemed to wind down until a 2011 revival with the St. Louis Cardinals, where he shed the 'Fat Elvis' moniker, slimmed down, and delivered clutch hits all the way to a World Series ring, proving his talent was always sharper than his physique suggested.
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.
Lance was born in 1976, 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 Lance Was Born
The biggest hits of 1976
#1 Movie
Rocky
Best Picture
Rocky
#1 TV Show
All in the Family
Lance's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1976Born
Apple Computer founded; US bicentennial
Gas: $0.59/galHome: $29,300Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"Silly Love Songs" — WingsBest Picture: Rocky
1981Started school
MTV launches; first Space Shuttle flight; AIDS identified
Gas: $1.31/galHome: $52,300Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Bette Davis Eyes" — Kim CarnesBest Picture: Chariots of Fire
1989Became a teenager
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
1992Could drive
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
1994Could vote
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
1997Turned 21
Princess Diana dies in Paris car crash; Harry Potter published
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $104,100Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Candle in the Wind 1997" — Elton JohnBest Picture: Titanic
2006Turned 30
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 40
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 50
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Won the 2011 World Series with the St. Louis Cardinals, delivering key hits throughout the postseason.
- Selected to six MLB All-Star teams (2001, 2002, 2004, 2006, 2008, 2011).
- Finished his career with 366 home runs and a .943 on-base plus slugging (OPS).
- Won the National League Comeback Player of the Year Award in 2011 after batting .301 with 31 home runs.
Did You Know?
He was a standout baseball and football player in high school, earning all-state honors as a wide receiver.
Berkman is a devout Christian and taught a Sunday school class during his playing days.
He briefly served as the head baseball coach at Houston Christian University after retiring.
He earned the nickname 'Big Puma' from a teammate after he objected to the 'Fat Elvis' moniker.
“I always said I'd rather be a .300 hitter with 30 homers than a .270 hitter with 50, because the first guy helps his team win more games.”
