Mike Fontenot
A versatile infielder whose clutch hitting and defensive flexibility made him a valuable role player on a World Series-winning team.
Born 1980 (age 46)·American baseball player·Birthday: June 9·Generation X
Biography
Mike Fontenot carved out a seven-year major league career not with overwhelming power, but with a sharp left-handed bat and a glove that could be trusted at three infield positions. The Louisiana native, a standout at Louisiana State University where he was part of a national championship team, brought that winning pedigree to the Chicago Cubs, where he became a fan favorite for his scrappy play. His career highlight came after a trade to the San Francisco Giants in 2010, where his steady presence off the bench contributed to a magical postseason run. Fontenot earned a World Series ring that year, a tangible reward for a player whose value was measured in adaptability and timely contributions rather than All-Star accolades. After his playing days, he transitioned into coaching, bringing his detailed knowledge of the game to a new generation.
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 1980, 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 1980
#1 Movie
The Empire Strikes Back
Best Picture
Ordinary People
#1 TV Show
Dallas
Mike's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1980Born
John Lennon shot and killed in New York
Gas: $1.19/galHome: $47,200Min wage: $3.10/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Call Me" — BlondieBest Picture: Ordinary People
1985Started school
Live Aid concerts raise money for Ethiopian famine
Gas: $1.12/galHome: $62,900Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Careless Whisper" — Wham!Best Picture: Out of Africa
1993Became a teenager
European Union officially established
Gas: $1.11/galHome: $86,600Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"I Will Always Love You" — Whitney HoustonBest Picture: Schindler's List
1996Could drive
Dolly the sheep cloned
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $99,700Min wage: $4.75/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Macarena" — Los del RioBest Picture: The English Patient
1998Could vote
Google founded; Clinton impeachment
Gas: $1.06/galHome: $107,300Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Too Close" — NextBest Picture: Shakespeare in Love
2001Turned 21
September 11 attacks transform the world
Gas: $1.46/galHome: $126,400Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Hanging by a Moment" — LifehouseBest Picture: A Beautiful Mind
2010Turned 30
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
2020Turned 40
COVID-19 pandemic shuts down the world
Gas: $2.17/galHome: $248,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Blinding Lights" — The WeekndBest Picture: Nomadland
2026Age 46 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Won a World Series championship as a member of the San Francisco Giants in 2010.
- Played in 483 Major League games across seven seasons with the Cubs, Giants, and Phillies.
- Hit a career-high .305 in 2009 with the Chicago Cubs, establishing himself as a regular contributor.
- Was part of the LSU Tigers team that won the 2000 College World Series.
Did You Know?
He was traded from the Baltimore Orioles to the Chicago Cubs in a deal that also sent superstar Sammy Sosa to Baltimore.
Fontenot and fellow LSU alum Ryan Theriot formed the Cubs' starting middle infield for parts of the 2007 and 2008 seasons, nicknamed 'The LSU Connection'.
He hit his first major league home run off future Hall of Famer Pedro Martínez.
“I just tried to be ready whenever my name was called.”
