Robby Thompson
The gritty, dependable heart of the San Francisco Giants' infield whose steady play fueled the team's late-80s revival.
Born 1962 (age 64)·American baseball player·Birthday: May 10·Baby Boomers
Biography
In an era of flashier stars, Robby Thompson was the essential glue for the San Francisco Giants. Debuting in 1986, the hard-nosed second baseman quickly became a fixture, providing stellar defense up the middle and a reliably pesky at-bat at the top of the lineup. While teammates like Will Clark and Kevin Mitchell grabbed headlines with their power, Thompson's value was in his consistency—the diving stop, the crucial stolen base, the gritty at-bat that extended a rally. He was a two-time All-Star and a Gold Glove finalist, the engine that helped drive the Giants to a National League pennant in 1989. Plagued by injuries later in his career, Thompson's tenure is remembered for its blue-collar excellence; he was the player fans knew would show up, play hard, and do his job, making the stars around him shine a little brighter.
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.
Robby was born in 1962, 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 Robby Was Born
The biggest hits of 1962
#1 Movie
Lawrence of Arabia
Best Picture
Lawrence of Arabia
#1 TV Show
Beverly Hillbillies
Robby's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1962Born
Cuban Missile Crisis brings the world to the brink
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $12,800Min wage: $1.15/hrPresident: John F. Kennedy"Stranger on the Shore" — Acker BilkBest Picture: Lawrence of Arabia
1967Started school
Summer of Love in San Francisco; first Super Bowl
Gas: $0.33/galHome: $14,250Min wage: $1.40/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"To Sir, with Love" — LuluBest Picture: In the Heat of the Night
1975Became a teenager
Fall of Saigon ends the Vietnam War
Gas: $0.57/galHome: $27,600Min wage: $2.10/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"Love Will Keep Us Together" — Captain & TennilleBest Picture: One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest
1978Could drive
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
1980Could vote
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
1983Turned 21
Internet adopts TCP/IP, creating the modern internet
Gas: $1.16/galHome: $57,700Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Every Breath You Take" — The PoliceBest Picture: Terms of Endearment
1992Turned 30
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
2002Turned 40
Euro currency enters circulation
Gas: $1.36/galHome: $137,800Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"How You Remind Me" — NickelbackBest Picture: Chicago
2012Turned 50
Curiosity rover lands on Mars; Sandy Hook shooting
Gas: $3.64/galHome: $143,200Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Somebody That I Used to Know" — GotyeBest Picture: Argo
2022Turned 60
Russia invades Ukraine; Queen Elizabeth II dies
Gas: $3.97/galHome: $348,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Joe Biden"As It Was" — Harry StylesBest Picture: Everything Everywhere All at Once
2026Age 64 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Played his entire 11-year Major League career as the starting second baseman for the San Francisco Giants.
- Was a two-time National League All-Star (1988 and 1993).
- Finished second in National League Rookie of the Year voting in 1986.
- Helped lead the Giants to the National League pennant and World Series in 1989.
Did You Know?
He was known for his distinctive, thick mustache throughout his playing career.
He hit a memorable inside-the-park home run during the 1989 NL Championship Series.
After his playing days, he served as a coach for the Seattle Mariners and the Giants.
He was often compared to and overshadowed by contemporary Ryne Sandberg, but was highly valued by Giants fans and teammates.
“Playing hard every day is the only way I know how to do it.”
