Robert Fick
The Detroit Tiger whose 2002 grand slam into a construction site became a lasting symbol of his team's gritty resurgence.
Born 1974 (age 52)·American baseball player·Birthday: March 15·Generation X
Biography
Robert Fick's baseball career was a study in hard-nosed, blue-collar perseverance. Drafted by the Detroit Tigers in 1996, the California-born catcher and first baseman fought his way to the majors, embodying the work ethic of a player who never took a spot for granted. His peak moment arrived in the final game at historic Tiger Stadium in 1999, where he caught the ceremonial final pitch. But his true signature came during the 2002 season, a surprising year of contention for the long-suffering Tigers. Fick, named an All-Star that summer, sealed his place in franchise lore on October 6, 2001. In the last game ever at Tiger Stadium, he hit a grand slam that soared over the right-field roof and into the adjacent construction site—a powerful, cinematic farewell to the old park. He played for five more teams as a valuable left-handed bat and clubhouse presence, but he remains forever tied to that Detroit moment. Fick's story isn't one of perennial stardom, but of a competitor who delivered unforgettable highlights when his team and its fans needed them most.
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.
Robert was born in 1974, 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 Robert Was Born
The biggest hits of 1974
#1 Movie
The Towering Inferno
Best Picture
The Godfather Part II
#1 TV Show
All in the Family
Robert's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1974Born
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
1979Started school
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
1987Became a teenager
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
1990Could drive
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
1992Could vote
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
1995Turned 21
Oklahoma City bombing; Windows 95 released
Gas: $1.15/galHome: $96,500Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Gangsta's Paradise" — CoolioBest Picture: Braveheart
2004Turned 30
Indian Ocean tsunami kills over 230,000
Gas: $1.88/galHome: $157,300Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Yeah!" — UsherBest Picture: Million Dollar Baby
2014Turned 40
Russia annexes Crimea; Ebola outbreak in West Africa
Gas: $3.37/galHome: $160,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Happy" — Pharrell WilliamsBest Picture: Birdman
2024Turned 50
AI reshapes industries; Paris Olympics
Gas: $3.31/galHome: $372,000Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Joe Biden"Espresso" — Sabrina CarpenterBest Picture: Anora
2026Age 52 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Hit the final home run in Tiger Stadium history, a grand slam on October 6, 2001.
- Selected to the American League All-Star team in 2002 as a member of the Detroit Tigers.
- Played 10 seasons in Major League Baseball for five different teams.
- Recorded a career-high .270 batting average with 17 home runs and 63 RBIs in his 2002 All-Star season.
Did You Know?
His grand slam at Tiger Stadium was hit off of Kansas City Royals pitcher Dan Reichert.
Fick was originally drafted as a catcher but played more games at first base and in the outfield.
He played winter league baseball in Venezuela during his career.
After retiring, he worked as a color analyst for Tigers television broadcasts.
“I just wanted to be a big leaguer, and I got to be one.”
