Rick Ankiel
He staged one of baseball's most improbable comebacks, returning to the majors as a power-hitting outfielder after his pitching career was derailed by a sudden loss of control.
Born 1979 (age 47)·American baseball player·Birthday: July 19·Generation X
Biography
Rick Ankiel's story is a tale of two careers, defined by a spectacular public unraveling and an even more remarkable reinvention. Bursting onto the scene as a flame-throwing pitching prodigy for the St. Louis Cardinals, his promise evaporated during the 2000 playoffs when he was seized by a mysterious inability to throw strikes, a condition later labeled 'the yips.' Rather than fade away, Ankiel spent years in the minors teaching himself to hit. Against staggering odds, he returned to the Cardinals in 2007 not as a pitcher, but as a starting center fielder, famously homering in his first game back. His powerful swing and cannon arm made him a viable major leaguer for several more seasons, transforming him from a cautionary tale into a lasting symbol of athletic resilience.
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.
Rick was born in 1979, 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 Rick Was Born
The biggest hits of 1979
#1 Movie
Kramer vs. Kramer
Best Picture
Kramer vs. Kramer
#1 TV Show
Laverne & Shirley
Rick's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1979Born
Iran hostage crisis begins; Three Mile Island accident
Gas: $0.86/galHome: $37,900Min wage: $2.90/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"My Sharona" — The KnackBest Picture: Kramer vs. Kramer
1984Started school
Apple Macintosh introduced
Gas: $1.13/galHome: $59,800Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"When Doves Cry" — PrinceBest Picture: Amadeus
1992Became a teenager
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
1995Could drive
Oklahoma City bombing; Windows 95 released
Gas: $1.15/galHome: $96,500Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Gangsta's Paradise" — CoolioBest Picture: Braveheart
1997Could vote
Princess Diana dies in Paris car crash; Harry Potter published
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $104,100Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Candle in the Wind 1997" — Elton JohnBest Picture: Titanic
2000Turned 21
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
2009Turned 30
Michael Jackson dies; Bitcoin created
Gas: $2.35/galHome: $148,500Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Boom Boom Pow" — The Black Eyed PeasBest Picture: The Hurt Locker
2019Turned 40
First image of a black hole; Hong Kong protests
Gas: $2.60/galHome: $224,400Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Old Town Road" — Lil Nas XBest Picture: Parasite
2026Age 47 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Finished second in National League Rookie of the Year voting in 2000 as a pitcher for the St. Louis Cardinals.
- Hit a home run in his first game back in the majors as an outfielder on August 9, 2007.
- Is one of only two players in MLB history to win at least 10 games as a pitcher and also hit 50 career home runs.
- Recorded 11 outfield assists in 2008, showcasing a powerful and accurate throwing arm.
Did You Know?
His story is chronicled in his autobiography, 'The Phenomenon: Pressure, the Yips, and the Pitch that Changed My Life.'
He is left-handed both as a pitcher and a hitter, a rarity in baseball.
He played for Tony La Russa, who was known for creatively using players with unique skill sets.
After retirement, he worked as a strategic advisor for the Washington Nationals.
“I wasn't going to let that one moment define my career. I was going to write a different ending.”
