Mike Bordick
A defensive wizard at shortstop whose record-setting errorless streak embodied the quiet, essential brilliance of baseball's glue guys.
Born 1965 (age 61)·American baseball player·Birthday: July 21·Generation X
Biography
Mike Bordick's path to the majors was unheralded—a 17th-round draft pick out of the University of Maine who didn't debut until he was 25. But once he arrived, he became the epitome of reliability in the most demanding infield position. Taking over in Oakland for the flashy Walt Weiss, Bordick won over fans and teammates with a fundamentally flawless style, turning double plays with crisp efficiency and possessing an arm that was strong, accurate, and always under control. His peak came during his tenure with the Baltimore Orioles, where in 2002 he shattered Cal Ripken Jr.'s record by playing 110 consecutive errorless games at shortstop. While never a star with the bat, he was a capable hitter who understood his role, often batting second and moving runners along. In an era of big personalities and bigger contracts, Bordick's 14-year career was a masterclass in steady, intelligent play, proving that games are won as much by preventing runs as by scoring them.
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.
Mike 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 Mike Was Born
The biggest hits of 1965
#1 Movie
The Sound of Music
Best Picture
The Sound of Music
#1 TV Show
Bonanza
Mike'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
- Set a Major League record for a shortstop with 110 consecutive errorless games and 543 errorless chances in 2002.
- Played in the 2000 World Series as the starting shortstop for the New York Mets.
- Led American League shortstops in fielding percentage three times (1992, 1999, 2002).
- Recorded over 1,500 hits in his career and was a key contributor on playoff teams in Oakland and Baltimore.
Did You Know?
He was a standout hockey player in high school in Michigan and was offered a junior hockey contract.
After retirement, he served as a minor league infield coordinator and coach for the Orioles organization.
Bordick hit a memorable grand slam in Game 5 of the 2000 NLCS for the Mets against the St. Louis Cardinals.
“Fielding is about routine. Do the work, and the plays will be there.”
