Ryan Braun
A Milwaukee Brewers slugger whose powerful left-handed swing produced an MVP season but was later shadowed by controversy.
Born 1983 (age 43)·American baseball player·Birthday: November 17·Millennials
Biography
Ryan Braun's baseball narrative is a complex tale of spectacular talent and public downfall. Drafted by the Milwaukee Brewers, he exploded onto the scene, winning the National League Rookie of the Year in 2007 and the MVP in 2011 with a staggering combination of power, speed, and average. For years, he was the face of the franchise, a hometown hero who signed a long-term contract and led the team to multiple playoff appearances. However, his legacy was irrevocably altered by his connection to the Biogenesis scandal, resulting in a suspension for performance-enhancing drugs in 2013. Braun played out his career in Milwaukee, accumulating impressive statistics but forever operating under the cloud of that admission, making him one of the most polarizing and gifted players of his generation.
Millennials
1981–1996
The first digital natives. Grew up with the internet, came of age during 9/11 and the 2008 crash. Highly educated, deeply indebted, slower to marry and buy houses. Redefined work, identity, and what it means to be an adult.
Ryan was born in 1983, placing them squarely in the Millennials. The events that shaped this generation — the internet revolution, 9/11, and the 2008 financial crisis — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Ryan Was Born
The biggest hits of 1983
#1 Movie
Return of the Jedi
Best Picture
Terms of Endearment
#1 TV Show
60 Minutes
Ryan's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1983Born
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
1988Started school
Pan Am Flight 103 bombed over Lockerbie
Gas: $0.90/galHome: $74,800Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Faith" — George MichaelBest Picture: Rain Man
1996Became a teenager
Dolly the sheep cloned
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $99,700Min wage: $4.75/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Macarena" — Los del RioBest Picture: The English Patient
1999Could drive
Columbine shooting; Y2K panic builds
Gas: $1.17/galHome: $113,900Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Believe" — CherBest Picture: American Beauty
2001Could vote
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
2004Turned 21
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
2013Turned 30
Edward Snowden reveals NSA surveillance programs
Gas: $3.53/galHome: $152,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Thrift Shop" — Macklemore & Ryan LewisBest Picture: 12 Years a Slave
2023Turned 40
ChatGPT goes mainstream; Israel-Hamas war begins
Gas: $3.52/galHome: $361,600Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Joe Biden"Flowers" — Miley CyrusBest Picture: Oppenheimer
2026Age 43 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Won the National League Most Valuable Player Award in 2011.
- Named National League Rookie of the Year in 2007.
- Selected as an All-Star six times over his career.
- Hit over 350 career home runs and stole over 200 bases, a rare power-speed combination.
Did You Know?
He attended the University of Miami, where he was a college teammate of MLB All-Star Jon Jay.
He won five Silver Slugger Awards for being the best offensive player at his position.
In 2008, he became the first Brewer to hit 30 home runs and steal 30 bases in a single season.
“I made mistakes for which I am truly sorry.”
