Tim Lincecum
A pitcher with an unorthodox delivery and electric stuff who became the undersized ace of the San Francisco Giants' first championship era.
Born 1984 (age 42)·American baseball player·Birthday: June 15·Millennials
Biography
Tim Lincecum, 'The Freak,' exploded onto the baseball scene looking nothing like a typical ace. At a wiry 5'11", he unleashed a violent, twisting delivery that generated a fastball that hummed at 98 mph and a devastating changeup that left hitters flailing. Drafted 10th overall by the Giants in 2006, he won the National League Cy Young Award in just his first full season in 2008, and then won it again in 2009. He was the face of a pitching staff that ended San Francisco's 56-year World Series drought in 2010, and he delivered iconic performances, including a 14-strikeout game in his playoff debut and a second no-hitter against the San Diego Padres. While his dominance was relatively brief, fading due to injuries, his peak was a spectacle of power and artistry that captivated the sport and delivered three championships to the Bay Area.
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.
Tim was born in 1984, 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 Tim Was Born
The biggest hits of 1984
#1 Movie
Beverly Hills Cop
Best Picture
Amadeus
#1 TV Show
Dallas
Tim's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1984Born
Apple Macintosh introduced
Gas: $1.13/galHome: $59,800Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"When Doves Cry" — PrinceBest Picture: Amadeus
1989Started school
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
1997Became a teenager
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
2000Could drive
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
2002Could vote
Euro currency enters circulation
Gas: $1.36/galHome: $137,800Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"How You Remind Me" — NickelbackBest Picture: Chicago
2005Turned 21
Hurricane Katrina devastates New Orleans; YouTube launches
Gas: $2.30/galHome: $167,500Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"We Belong Together" — Mariah CareyBest Picture: Crash
2014Turned 30
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 40
AI reshapes industries; Paris Olympics
Gas: $3.31/galHome: $372,000Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Joe Biden"Espresso" — Sabrina CarpenterBest Picture: Anora
2026Age 42 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Won back-to-back National League Cy Young Awards in 2008 and 2009.
- Pitched two no-hitters, both against the San Diego Padres (2013 and 2014).
- Was a central figure in three World Series championships for the San Francisco Giants (2010, 2012, 2014).
- Struck out a franchise-record 265 batters during the 2008 season.
Did You Know?
His unique pitching motion was developed with his father, who studied the mechanics of martial artists like Bruce Lee.
He was listed at 5'11" and 170 pounds, unusually small for a power pitcher of his era.
Lincecum threw a complete game, 14-strikeout shutout in his first-ever postseason start in the 2010 NLDS.
He has a large tattoo of a samurai on his right shoulder and chest.
“I don't think about what I've done in the past. I just go out there and compete.”
