Madison Bumgarner
A ferocious left-handed pitcher whose October dominance, especially in 2014, cemented him as one of baseball's greatest postseason performers.
Born 1989 (age 37)·American baseball player·Birthday: August 1·Millennials
Biography
Madison Bumgarner emerged from rural North Carolina with a fastball and a demeanor of unshakable calm. Drafted straight out of high school by the San Francisco Giants, he quickly became the stoic, workhorse anchor of a pitching staff built for October. While his regular-season stats were solid, his legacy was forged in the white-hot pressure of the playoffs. His 2014 World Series performance is the stuff of legend: a complete-game shutout in Game 5, followed by five scoreless innings of relief on just two days' rest to clinch the championship in Game 7. With dirt on his uniform and ice in his veins, 'MadBum' embodied an old-school brand of toughness, a pitcher who seemed to grow stronger as the stakes got higher. His later years with Arizona didn't match the glory of his Giants tenure, but his place in postseason lore is unassailable.
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.
Madison 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 Madison Was Born
The biggest hits of 1989
#1 Movie
Batman
Best Picture
Driving Miss Daisy
#1 TV Show
Roseanne
Madison'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
- Won three World Series championships with the San Francisco Giants (2010, 2012, 2014), earning World Series MVP honors in 2014.
- Pitched a complete-game, 5-hit shutout in Game 5 of the 2014 World Series, then saved Game 7 with 5 scoreless innings of relief two days later.
- Holds the MLB record for the lowest career ERA in the World Series (minimum 25 innings pitched) at 0.25.
- Threw a no-hitter against the Arizona Diamondbacks in 2016, the second of his career.
Did You Know?
He is an accomplished team roper and competes in professional rodeo events during the baseball offseason.
He won the 2014 Silver Slugger Award, given to the best hitter at each position, twice in his career.
He made his MLB debut at the age of 19, pitching 10 innings in 2009.
He and his wife own a ranch in North Carolina where they raise cattle.
“I'm not much of a talker. I'd rather just go out and do my job.”
