Matt Kemp
A five-tool baseball talent whose MVP-caliber seasons in Los Angeles combined breathtaking power, speed, and defense, making him one of the game's most exciting players.
Born 1984 (age 42)·American baseball player·Birthday: September 23·Millennials
Biography
For a stretch in the early 2010s, Matt Kemp was the most dynamic force in a Los Dodgers uniform. With a sculpted physique and a swing of pure violence, he looked the part of a baseball superhero. Signed out of high school, he raced through the minors, bringing an audacious confidence to the big leagues. His 2011 season was a masterpiece: he led the National League in home runs and RBIs, stole 40 bases, and won a Gold Glove in center field, finishing a close second in MVP voting. He was baseball's embodiment of cool, dating celebrities and playing with a swagger that revitalized the Dodgers franchise. Injuries later robbed him of some of his explosive athleticism, but he adapted, remaining a feared power hitter. His emotional return to the Dodgers in 2018, hitting a walk-off home run in his first game back, cemented his legacy as a player whose peak moments were pure Hollywood drama.
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.
Matt was born in 1984, 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 Matt Was Born
The biggest hits of 1984
#1 Movie
Beverly Hills Cop
Best Picture
Amadeus
#1 TV Show
Dallas
Matt's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1984Born
Apple Macintosh introduced
Gas: $1.13/galHome: $59,800Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"When Doves Cry" — PrinceBest Picture: Amadeus
1989Started school
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
1997Became a teenager
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
2000Could drive
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
2002Could vote
Euro currency enters circulation
Gas: $1.36/galHome: $137,800Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"How You Remind Me" — NickelbackBest Picture: Chicago
2005Turned 21
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
2014Turned 30
Russia annexes Crimea; Ebola outbreak in West Africa
Gas: $3.37/galHome: $160,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Happy" — Pharrell WilliamsBest Picture: Birdman
2024Turned 40
AI reshapes industries; Paris Olympics
Gas: $3.31/galHome: $372,000Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Joe Biden"Espresso" — Sabrina CarpenterBest Picture: Anora
2026Age 42 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Finished second in National League MVP voting in 2011 after leading the league in home runs (39), RBIs (126), and total bases (353).
- Won two Gold Glove Awards (2009, 2011) and two Silver Slugger Awards (2009, 2011) as a center fielder.
- Selected as a National League All-Star three times (2011, 2012, 2018).
Did You Know?
He was drafted by the Dodgers in the 6th round of the 2003 MLB draft as a high school shortstop.
In 2011, he was one home run shy of becoming the first player since 1955 to have 40 home runs and 40 stolen bases in a season.
He hit a walk-off home run in his first game back with the Los Angeles Dodgers after a trade in 2018.
“I play with a lot of passion, a lot of heart. I just go out there and have fun.”
