Mike Pagliarulo
A slick-fielding Yankees third baseman with a powerful left-handed swing, known for his clutch hitting and gritty New York tenure.
Born 1960 (age 66)·American baseball player·Birthday: March 15·Baby Boomers
Biography
Mike Pagliarulo, or 'Pags' to teammates and fans, embodied the blue-collar spirit of the 1980s New York Yankees. Drafted in 1981, the Boston-born infielder with Italian roots quickly became a fixture at the hot corner in the Bronx, prized for his reliable glove and a swing that could punish a mistake pitch. His best season came in 1987 when he slugged 32 home runs, providing crucial power in a lineup that often relied on his production. Traded in 1989, he became a valuable journeyman, contributing to the 1991 Minnesota Twins' World Series championship with a key home run in the ALCS. After his playing career, which included a stint in Japan, Pagliarulo transitioned into coaching, serving as a hitting instructor for the Miami Marlins and others, passing on the hard-nosed lessons learned from over a decade in the big league trenches.
Baby Boomers
1946–1964
The largest generation in history at the time. Shaped by postwar prosperity, the Vietnam War, the sexual revolution, and Watergate. They questioned every institution their parents built — then ran them.
Mike was born in 1960, placing them squarely in the Baby Boomers. The events that shaped this generation — postwar prosperity, civil rights, Vietnam, and the counterculture — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Mike Was Born
The biggest hits of 1960
#1 Movie
Swiss Family Robinson
Best Picture
The Apartment
#1 TV Show
Gunsmoke
Mike's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1960Born
Kennedy-Nixon debates become first televised presidential debates
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $11,900Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Theme from A Summer Place" — Percy FaithBest Picture: The Apartment
1965Started school
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
1973Became a teenager
US withdraws from Vietnam; Roe v. Wade decided
Gas: $0.39/galHome: $22,100Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round the Ole Oak Tree" — Tony Orlando & DawnBest Picture: The Sting
1976Could drive
Apple Computer founded; US bicentennial
Gas: $0.59/galHome: $29,300Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"Silly Love Songs" — WingsBest Picture: Rocky
1978Could vote
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
1981Turned 21
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
1990Turned 30
Hubble Space Telescope launched; Germany reunifies
Gas: $1.15/galHome: $79,100Min wage: $3.80/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"Hold On" — Wilson PhillipsBest Picture: Dances with Wolves
2000Turned 40
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
2010Turned 50
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 60
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 66 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Hit a career-high 32 home runs for the New York Yankees during the 1987 season.
- Won a World Series ring as a member of the 1991 Minnesota Twins, hitting a key homer in the ALCS.
- Played over 1,000 major league games as a starting third baseman for five different teams.
- Later served as a Major League hitting coach for the Miami Marlins.
Did You Know?
He was drafted by the Yankees out of the University of Miami.
His father, also named Mike, was a minor league baseball player.
After his MLB career, he played one season for the Seibu Lions in Japan's Nippon Professional Baseball.
He is of Italian descent, and his nickname 'Pags' is short for his surname.
“You play for the name on the front of the jersey, not the one on the back.”
