Pedro Guerrero (first baseman/outfielder)
A Dominican slugger whose clutch hitting powered the Dodgers to a World Series title and made him a fan favorite for his sheer joy on the field.
Born 1956 (age 70)·Dominican baseball player·Birthday: June 29·Baby Boomers
Biography
Pedro Guerrero arrived in Los Angeles from the Dominican Republic with a quick bat and an even quicker smile. Sharing time between first base and the outfield, his true position was as a middle-of-the-order force. The 1981 World Series was his signature stage; co-MVP honors with teammates Steve Yeager and Ron Cey cemented his reputation as a player who delivered when the lights were brightest. Guerrero’s offensive peak was staggering—from 1982 to 1985, he was a constant threat, finishing second in MVP voting in 1982. A mid-career trade to St. Louis shocked L.A. fans, but he seamlessly became a leader for the Cardinals, making three more All-Star teams. His career was a vibrant blend of power, average, and a palpable love for the game that made his struggles with injuries later on all the more poignant for those who watched him play.
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.
Pedro was born in 1956, 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 Pedro Was Born
The biggest hits of 1956
#1 Movie
The Ten Commandments
Best Picture
Around the World in 80 Days
#1 TV Show
I Love Lucy
Pedro's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1956Born
Elvis Presley appears on The Ed Sullivan Show
Gas: $0.30/galHome: $10,050Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Heartbreak Hotel" — Elvis PresleyBest Picture: Around the World in 80 Days
1961Started school
Yuri Gagarin becomes the first human in space
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $12,500Min wage: $1.15/hrPresident: John F. Kennedy"Tossin' and Turnin'" — Bobby LewisBest Picture: West Side Story
1969Became a teenager
Apollo 11: humans walk on the Moon; Woodstock festival
Gas: $0.35/galHome: $15,550Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Sugar, Sugar" — The ArchiesBest Picture: Midnight Cowboy
1972Could drive
Watergate break-in; last Apollo Moon mission
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $19,550Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" — Roberta FlackBest Picture: The Godfather
1974Could vote
Nixon resigns the presidency
Gas: $0.53/galHome: $22,600Min wage: $2.00/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"The Way We Were" — Barbra StreisandBest Picture: The Godfather Part II
1977Turned 21
Star Wars premieres; Elvis dies
Gas: $0.62/galHome: $31,800Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Tonight's the Night" — Rod StewartBest Picture: Annie Hall
1986Turned 30
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
1996Turned 40
Dolly the sheep cloned
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $99,700Min wage: $4.75/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Macarena" — Los del RioBest Picture: The English Patient
2006Turned 50
Twitter launches; Pluto reclassified as dwarf planet
Gas: $2.59/galHome: $174,700Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Bad Day" — Daniel PowterBest Picture: The Departed
2016Turned 60
Donald Trump elected president; Brexit vote
Gas: $2.14/galHome: $181,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Love Yourself" — Justin BieberBest Picture: Moonlight
2026Turned 70
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Co-MVP of the 1981 World Series, batting .333 with two home runs and seven RBIs for the champion Dodgers.
- Finished second in National League MVP voting in 1982 after leading the league in on-base percentage.
- A five-time All-Star selection, representing both the Los Angeles Dodgers and the St. Louis Cardinals.
- Recorded a .300 batting average, .400 on-base percentage, and .500 slugging percentage in the same season three times.
Did You Know?
He was originally signed by the Cleveland Indians as a shortstop before being traded to the Dodgers.
Guerrero famously learned to play first base during a two-week crash course from manager Tommy Lasorda in 1981.
He hit for the cycle on July 20, 1985, while playing for the Dodgers.
After baseball, he faced legal troubles and spent time in prison on a drug conspiracy charge, later becoming an ordained minister.
“I just tried to see the ball and hit it hard somewhere.”
