Luis Alicea
A slick-fielding second baseman from Puerto Rico, he provided steady defense and timely hitting for over a decade in the major leagues.
Born 1965 (age 61)·Puerto Rican baseball player and coach·Birthday: July 29·Generation X
Biography
Luis Alicea's baseball career was defined by consistency and defensive grace. Drafted in the first round by the St. Louis Cardinals in 1986, he quickly established himself as a reliable infielder with a quick glove and a sharp baseball IQ. While never a headline-grabbing slugger, Alicea was the kind of player winning teams valued—a switch-hitter who could work counts, execute fundamentals, and turn the double play with smooth efficiency. His journey took him across the majors, with notable stops in St. Louis, Boston, and Texas. He was a part of the 1995 Boston Red Sox team that won the American League East, contributing key hits and steady play. After his playing days, Alicea transitioned seamlessly into coaching, bringing his detailed, professional approach to mentoring the next generation of infielders in the minors and majors, including a stint as the first base coach for the Kansas City Royals.
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.
Luis was born in 1965, 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 Luis Was Born
The biggest hits of 1965
#1 Movie
The Sound of Music
Best Picture
The Sound of Music
#1 TV Show
Bonanza
Luis's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1965Born
US sends combat troops to Vietnam
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $13,600Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" — The Rolling StonesBest Picture: The Sound of Music
1970Started school
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
1978Became a teenager
First test-tube baby born
Gas: $0.63/galHome: $35,300Min wage: $2.65/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Shadow Dancing" — Andy GibbBest Picture: The Deer Hunter
1981Could drive
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
1983Could vote
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
1986Turned 21
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
1995Turned 30
Oklahoma City bombing; Windows 95 released
Gas: $1.15/galHome: $96,500Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Gangsta's Paradise" — CoolioBest Picture: Braveheart
2005Turned 40
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
2015Turned 50
Paris climate agreement; same-sex marriage legalized in the US
Gas: $2.43/galHome: $171,900Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Uptown Funk" — Mark Ronson ft. Bruno MarsBest Picture: Spotlight
2025Turned 60
AI agents go mainstream
Gas: $3.10/galHome: $385,000Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"APT." — Rose & Bruno Mars
2026Age 61 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Played 13 seasons in Major League Baseball for seven different teams.
- Was a member of the 2000 American League champion New York Yankees (though not on the postseason roster).
- Recorded a career-best .291 batting average with the Boston Red Sox in 1995.
- Led National League second basemen in fielding percentage (.990) in 1992 with the St. Louis Cardinals.
Did You Know?
He was a first-round draft pick (23rd overall) by the St. Louis Cardinals in 1986.
He played for Team Puerto Rico in the 2006 World Baseball Classic.
He served as the first base coach for the Kansas City Royals from 2008 to 2011.
He is an alumnus of Florida State University.
“Defense wins games; you have to make the routine plays and steal a few hits.”
