Ray Durham
A dynamic switch-hitting second baseman who combined power, speed, and consistency at the top of the lineup for over a decade.
Born 1971 (age 55)·American baseball player·Birthday: November 30·Generation X
Biography
For 14 major league seasons, Ray Durham was the engine at the top of some formidable lineups. A switch-hitter with surprising pop and excellent speed, he was the prototype of the modern leadoff man—one who could start a game with a double or a homer, not just a walk. He broke in with the Chicago White Sox, where his energetic play made him a fan favourite, before moving to Oakland and then San Francisco, where he played in his only World Series in 2002. Durham’s game was built on remarkable durability and understated excellence; he twice led the league in games played and quietly amassed over 2,000 hits, 400 doubles, and 250 stolen bases. While he never won a batting title or an MVP, his balanced, productive skill set made him one of the most reliable and underrated players of his era, a constant professional who showed up and produced year after year.
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.
Ray was born in 1971, 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 Ray Was Born
The biggest hits of 1971
#1 Movie
Fiddler on the Roof
Best Picture
The French Connection
#1 TV Show
Marcus Welby, M.D.
Ray's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1971Born
Voting age lowered to 18 in the US
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $18,100Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Joy to the World" — Three Dog NightBest Picture: The French Connection
1976Started school
Apple Computer founded; US bicentennial
Gas: $0.59/galHome: $29,300Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"Silly Love Songs" — WingsBest Picture: Rocky
1984Became a teenager
Apple Macintosh introduced
Gas: $1.13/galHome: $59,800Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"When Doves Cry" — PrinceBest Picture: Amadeus
1987Could drive
Black Monday stock market crash
Gas: $0.90/galHome: $72,400Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Walk Like an Egyptian" — The BanglesBest Picture: The Last Emperor
1989Could vote
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
1992Turned 21
LA riots after Rodney King verdict
Gas: $1.13/galHome: $84,300Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"End of the Road" — Boyz II MenBest Picture: Unforgiven
2001Turned 30
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
2011Turned 40
Osama bin Laden killed; Arab Spring sweeps the Middle East
Gas: $3.53/galHome: $138,400Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Rolling in the Deep" — AdeleBest Picture: The Artist
2021Turned 50
January 6 Capitol breach; COVID vaccines roll out globally
Gas: $3.01/galHome: $298,900Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Joe Biden"Levitating" — Dua LipaBest Picture: CODA
2026Age 55 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Amassed over 2,000 career hits (2,054) and 400 doubles (440).
- Scored over 100 runs in a season five times, with a career total of 1,249 runs.
- Hit 20+ home runs in a season three times, unusual for a second baseman of his era.
- Played in the 2002 World Series with the San Francisco Giants.
- Led the American League in games played in 1998 (158) and 2001 (158).
Did You Know?
He was originally drafted by the Milwaukee Brewers in 1988 but did not sign, opting for junior college.
He hit for the cycle on July 11, 2004, as a member of the Oakland Athletics.
He was a two-time All-Star (1998, 2000).
He stole 30 or more bases in four different seasons.
“A leadoff hitter's job is to set the tone immediately.”
