Tom Prince (baseball)
He carved out a seventeen-year MLB career not with his bat, but with his sharp defensive mind and trusted presence behind the plate.
Born 1964 (age 62)·American baseball player & coach·Birthday: August 13·Baby Boomers
Biography
Tom Prince’s baseball story is one of longevity forged from defensive mastery. Born in 1964, he broke into the majors with the Minnesota Twins in 1987, beginning a journey that saw him wear the gear for six different teams. While his offensive numbers were never flashy, managers valued his game-calling intelligence, his skill at handling pitchers, and his toughness in blocking wayward pitches. He became a respected journeyman catcher, a backup who provided stability and veteran savvy. After his playing days ended in 2003, he transitioned seamlessly into coaching, bringing his deep understanding of the game’s defensive intricacies to roles with the Pittsburgh Pirates and Baltimore Orioles, shaping the next generation of catchers.
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.
Tom was born in 1964, 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 Tom Was Born
The biggest hits of 1964
#1 Movie
Mary Poppins
Best Picture
My Fair Lady
#1 TV Show
Bonanza
Tom's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1964Born
Civil Rights Act signed; Beatles arrive in America
Gas: $0.30/galHome: $13,450Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"I Want to Hold Your Hand" — The BeatlesBest Picture: My Fair Lady
1969Started school
Apollo 11: humans walk on the Moon; Woodstock festival
Gas: $0.35/galHome: $15,550Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Sugar, Sugar" — The ArchiesBest Picture: Midnight Cowboy
1977Became a teenager
Star Wars premieres; Elvis dies
Gas: $0.62/galHome: $31,800Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Tonight's the Night" — Rod StewartBest Picture: Annie Hall
1980Could drive
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
1982Could vote
Michael Jackson releases Thriller
Gas: $1.22/galHome: $55,200Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Physical" — Olivia Newton-JohnBest Picture: Gandhi
1985Turned 21
Live Aid concerts raise money for Ethiopian famine
Gas: $1.12/galHome: $62,900Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Careless Whisper" — Wham!Best Picture: Out of Africa
1994Turned 30
Nelson Mandela elected president of South Africa
Gas: $1.11/galHome: $90,400Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"The Sign" — Ace of BaseBest Picture: Forrest Gump
2004Turned 40
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 50
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 60
AI reshapes industries; Paris Olympics
Gas: $3.31/galHome: $372,000Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Joe Biden"Espresso" — Sabrina CarpenterBest Picture: Anora
2026Age 62 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Played in Major League Baseball for 17 seasons across six different teams from 1987 to 2003.
- Built his career primarily on defensive skills as a catcher, known for game management and handling pitching staffs.
- Served as a bullpen coach for the Pittsburgh Pirates, contributing to their playoff runs in the 2010s.
Did You Know?
He was drafted by the Baltimore Orioles in 1984 but made his MLB debut with the Minnesota Twins.
Prince caught a no-hitter pitched by Francisco Cordova and Ricardo Rincon for the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1997.
He is one of only a handful of players to have both played for and coached for the Pittsburgh Pirates over multiple decades.
“Call a good game, block the plate, and handle your pitchers.”
